Belacqua Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I just got a baking stone, and I've read that it can be kept in the oven all the time. But where does that mean? Would I keep it on that lower rack I hardly ever use? Or would I keep it on the top rack and just put pans directly on it? It would be on top when I'm baking bread, of course, but what if I'm making, say, a casserole? Could I put the casserole pan directly on the baking stone? Thanks for any guidance you can give me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I keep mine on the lowest rack setting, because I have an element in the bottom of the oven. If you don't have an element there, you can simply put it on the bottom of your oven. Keeping it in all the time makes your oven more efficient too--or so sayeth Alton Brown :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I keep mine on the center rack. I just place my pans right on the stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I keep mine on the lowest rack setting, because I have an element in the bottom of the oven. If you don't have an element there, you can simply put it on the bottom of your oven. Keeping it in all the time makes your oven more efficient too--or so sayeth Alton Brown :D Really?? I didn't know this! Does it change baking times? Or cause things to brown more on the bottom? Of course, I have two. What to do with the other??? LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 (edited) Really?? I didn't know this! Does it change baking times? Or cause things to brown more on the bottom? Of course, I have two. What to do with the other??? LOL! I think it's mainly because it absorbs and re-radiates the heat into the oven, so you have fewer 'hot spots' and 'cold spots' throughout the oven. I haven't found that it changes baking times. But it does stay hot/warm for hours after I've turned the oven off. No advice on how to store the other one. I hate it when I have to pull mine out of the oven for something big like a turkey! :D Edited August 5, 2010 by LemonPie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 I put my pans on top of ours as well. I never noticed any impact on cooking times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Those of you who put your pans on top of the baking stone, do they not scratch the stone up? Oh, you have NO IDEA how happy this little tidbit of knowledge makes me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Those of you who put your pans on top of the baking stone, do they not scratch the stone up? I just checked and I don't see any scratches on the stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rootsnwings Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 The stone is pretty much the only thing I ever use. If I'm making a cake, or cupcakes/muffins or bread, I'd remove the stone, cook whatever & then put the stone back. I hardly EVER use anything but the stone though--besides a cast iron skillet! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppleGreen Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 The stone is pretty much the only thing I ever use. If I'm making a cake, or cupcakes/muffins or bread, I'd remove the stone, cook whatever & then put the stone back. I hardly EVER use anything but the stone though--besides a cast iron skillet! :) Yup. Mine is old, old...like 7 or 8 years and looks all beat up, but it works great. I use the stone for almost everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 The stone is pretty much the only thing I ever use. If I'm making a cake, or cupcakes/muffins or bread, I'd remove the stone, cook whatever & then put the stone back. I hardly EVER use anything but the stone though--besides a cast iron skillet! :) So would you remove the stone when baking because it would be too much heat on the bottom of the cake/bread pan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 When you put pans on top of the stone, are they metal? Would it be an accident waiting to happen if I put ceramic or glass on it? I'd like to leave it in, but I often use both racks when I cook dinner. I usually take it out if I'm not baking bread on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Jenny Flint Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 If you have an electric oven do not put the stone too close to the element or it will crack into pieces. In a nice, neat, element-shaped line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 When you put pans on top of the stone, are they metal? Would it be an accident waiting to happen if I put ceramic or glass on it? I'd like to leave it in, but I often use both racks when I cook dinner. I usually take it out if I'm not baking bread on it. I put all sorts of pans directly on my stone. Glass Pyrex dishes, metal baking sheets and ceramic casserole dishes. No accidents here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 If you have a convection oven, don't leave it on a rack because it prevents the current from flowing properly. I had a repair guy scheduled to come out and tell me what was wrong with my oven, but luckily figured it out on my own before paying $125 and feeling stupid. Bottom of the oven is fine and that's where I leave mine now. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Those of you who put your pans on top of the baking stone, do they not scratch the stone up? Oh, you have NO IDEA how happy this little tidbit of knowledge makes me! Mine looks well-loved (read: awful), but I didn't think they were supposed to be pretty :D Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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