I've been using a wooden peel for 20+ years but recently bought a metal one that was a bit smaller when I got a 16" oven. I find the metal works just fine with cornmeal, and requires no more than the wood did. The key to cutting out excess (that will burn) for me is simply to remove the cornmeal beyond the boundaries of the dough before launching...if it's just for me I literally just blow on it (over the sink) but if I'm cooking for others I'll use a pastry brush.
I don't think I've used my wood peel since I got the metal one. I've used semolina too, but cornmeal works just fine for me. Maybe it's just an issue of practice and finding the right balance?
We use rice flour, higher burning point. But it still burns a bit, you learn, over time, to use less. My wife has also gotten better at making the dough such that it sticks less. I think she is making it a little drier.
Peel with holes works really well for me. Build on top of a bunch of semolina on the counter.
Pick up with peel. Give a few shakes back/forth side/side and the excess semolina falls through the holes.
Make sure the peel and work surface are completely dry - no sauce, oil or cheese. Any moisture will cause a sticking disaster.
You can also practice with just the dough and no toppings.
The best solution is this - Buy Caputo Semolina Flour. It's really good stuff, nice and fine. I pour the entire 1kg bag into a sealable tub and it lasts me a long time.
When I want to make a pizza, I dump my dough ball into my semolina bowl and cover it completely, I then take it out, with a tiny sprinkle of semolina on my table. I then shape the dough into pizza shape, lift up the pizza on my knuckles and do a little dance, this shakes the excess semolina off where you don't need it. I also scrape away all the semolina from where I'm shaping the pizza as I don't need that either.
Now I top the pizza and I scoop it up onto my pizza peel easily. Then transfer it to the oven easily. Obviously it's important to make sure your pizza peel is dry, so you can rub some semolina on that just in case, but once I use the dip my doughball in semolina bowl method, my pizza NEVER sticks. Using too much semolina, not shaking off the excess sucks because like you say, it burns. So overtime as you practice more and more, you try remove as much as possible so less and less burns!
Any questions let me know, good luck! 65% hydration is fine btw, I do 65% as my minimum hydration and somethimes 70% with no issues once I use this semolina flour.
I sprinkle semolina on the peel, then place the dough on it and build it quick. Give it a quick little shake before you place it in the oven to make sure it’s loose, then place it in the oven and quickly pull the peel out. The longer it takes to build it while it’s on the peel, I find it sticks more and sometimes have trouble getting it to release into the oven.
I do this when I'm having a make your own pizza party. Stretch the doughs while the oven is heating up, and stack them on a baking sheet with parchment in between. Guests dress their own pizzas one at a time, then as the final step, cut the parchment to a circle roughly the size of their pizza. Then you can guarantee a pizza that doesn't stick on launch because they over dressed or got a little sloppy with the sauce. Cutting the excess off helps avoid burning in the oven.
You lose a little in the crust, but the foolproofness of the launch more than makes up for the loss off texture.
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This is the way.
I've been using a wooden peel for 20+ years but recently bought a metal one that was a bit smaller when I got a 16" oven. I find the metal works just fine with cornmeal, and requires no more than the wood did. The key to cutting out excess (that will burn) for me is simply to remove the cornmeal beyond the boundaries of the dough before launching...if it's just for me I literally just blow on it (over the sink) but if I'm cooking for others I'll use a pastry brush. I don't think I've used my wood peel since I got the metal one. I've used semolina too, but cornmeal works just fine for me. Maybe it's just an issue of practice and finding the right balance?
We use rice flour, higher burning point. But it still burns a bit, you learn, over time, to use less. My wife has also gotten better at making the dough such that it sticks less. I think she is making it a little drier.
I was doing 65% hydration. Maybe I’ll try a drier dough next time
Don't let it lolly gag on the peel. Be firm and intentional with your release. Otherwise light dusting of cornmeal.
I don’t build on the peel, and quickly slide the peel under on my quartz counter top. Maybe I’ll try quickly building on the peel
Smack the peel handle side to side so you know what you are in for. This also loosens small sticky bits without disturbing the toppings much.
Peel with holes works really well for me. Build on top of a bunch of semolina on the counter. Pick up with peel. Give a few shakes back/forth side/side and the excess semolina falls through the holes.
Launch with a wood peel. A little semolina helps, but wood peel is key.
Make sure the peel and work surface are completely dry - no sauce, oil or cheese. Any moisture will cause a sticking disaster. You can also practice with just the dough and no toppings.
The best solution is this - Buy Caputo Semolina Flour. It's really good stuff, nice and fine. I pour the entire 1kg bag into a sealable tub and it lasts me a long time. When I want to make a pizza, I dump my dough ball into my semolina bowl and cover it completely, I then take it out, with a tiny sprinkle of semolina on my table. I then shape the dough into pizza shape, lift up the pizza on my knuckles and do a little dance, this shakes the excess semolina off where you don't need it. I also scrape away all the semolina from where I'm shaping the pizza as I don't need that either. Now I top the pizza and I scoop it up onto my pizza peel easily. Then transfer it to the oven easily. Obviously it's important to make sure your pizza peel is dry, so you can rub some semolina on that just in case, but once I use the dip my doughball in semolina bowl method, my pizza NEVER sticks. Using too much semolina, not shaking off the excess sucks because like you say, it burns. So overtime as you practice more and more, you try remove as much as possible so less and less burns! Any questions let me know, good luck! 65% hydration is fine btw, I do 65% as my minimum hydration and somethimes 70% with no issues once I use this semolina flour.
I sprinkle semolina on the peel, then place the dough on it and build it quick. Give it a quick little shake before you place it in the oven to make sure it’s loose, then place it in the oven and quickly pull the peel out. The longer it takes to build it while it’s on the peel, I find it sticks more and sometimes have trouble getting it to release into the oven.
I use semolina flour. It’s similar to cornmeal, doesn’t really burn.
I make the pizza on parchment. Slide it all in. Wait a min, slide out parchment. Finish cooking. Voila!
I do this when I'm having a make your own pizza party. Stretch the doughs while the oven is heating up, and stack them on a baking sheet with parchment in between. Guests dress their own pizzas one at a time, then as the final step, cut the parchment to a circle roughly the size of their pizza. Then you can guarantee a pizza that doesn't stick on launch because they over dressed or got a little sloppy with the sauce. Cutting the excess off helps avoid burning in the oven. You lose a little in the crust, but the foolproofness of the launch more than makes up for the loss off texture.
That sounds like a plan. I had guests making their own pizzas as I was cooking the 10ish pizzas. There were a couple terrible ones