Pie lovers and “Great British Bake Off” fans alike are all too familiar with the dreaded soggy bottom. Sure, your pie will still taste OK with a soggy bottom, but it’ll be impossible to cut into a clean slice that doesn’t spill into a mess all over your plate.
Enter the baking steel, a handy tool that bakes and browns your pie crust. In some cases, using one can also replace the need for blind baking (pre-baking your crust before adding the filling) or at least shorten the time needed. Let us explain the magic of a baking steel.
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What does a baking steel do?
A baking steel is a heavy piece of steel that holds and conducts the oven’s heat directly to whatever is placed on top of it (in this case, a pie plate). It’s effective because steel is a better conductor of heat than air ― and when you’re baking pie crust, getting that direct heat on the bottom crust will help it to brown and bake through faster, which is key to preventing soggy bottoms. It works similarly to the concept of a ceramic pizza stone, but baking steels have a higher thermal conductivity than ceramic.
“Baking steels are helpful, especially in a non-convection home oven, because most ovens have hot and cold spots and a steel will help even out the heat once the oven is preheated,” Kierin Baldwin, a pastry chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, told HuffPost. “Where they really shine is when you are baking items that do best with a lot of heat being conducted from below. Placing your pie plate directly on the steel to send a lot of heat directly to the bottom of your pie crust will help it bake through before the juices in your pie have a chance to make it soggy.”
Depending on the type of pie you’re making, a baking steel can replace the need for blind baking. However, if you’re making a custard pie (like pumpkin pie) that needs to bake at a lower temperature than, say, a fruit pie, you’ll still need to blind bake ― but you can use the baking steel to make it go faster. “For custard pies, your crust definitely still needs to be blind baked beforehand since it would not be baked through by the time the custard sets if you baked them together,” Baldwin said. “The good news is that a baking steel can make pre-cooking a pie shell easier by cooking the bottom of the crust faster during par baking.”
Beyond pie, baking steels are a great tool for cooking foods like pizza and cookies, which are thin and bake quickly. Baldwin pointed out that larger foods with longer bake times, like bread, can end up a little too dark on the bottom if you aren’t careful.
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How do you use a baking steel?
Preheat, preheat, preheat. You won’t be able to reap the benefits of a baking steel if it isn’t hot. Ron Silver, chef and owner of Bubby’s in New York City, recommends preheating your baking steel for at least an hour before placing your pie on top. “For pie, I’d preheat the baking steel 50 degrees higher than the baking temperature,” he said. If your recipe calls for preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, set the oven to 475 and let the baking steel heat up with the oven, then turn the oven down to 425 when it’s time to put the pie in.
Baldwin also stresses the importance of a good, long preheating when using a baking steel. “I keep an infrared thermometer in my kitchen and check the temperature of the surface of the steel after about 30 minutes,” she said. “When in doubt, let it preheat a bit longer to be sure, since an under-heated baking steel will do nothing for you.” Baldwin preheats her baking steel to the baking temperature of the pie, not higher. You can experiment with your own pies at home to see what works best with your baking steel and oven.
As for pie plates, Baldwin is all about the cheap aluminum kind. “These are not the disposable kind, but are reusable, lightweight metal pans that are next to impossible to destroy,” she said. When using a baking steel, she advises against ceramic or glass pie plates as thermal shock can cause these materials to crack. “I also find that they take longer to heat in the oven, which lessens the effect from the baking steel,” Baldwin said.
What to look for when shopping for a baking steel
Baking steels come in a variety of shapes (round, square, rectangular), dimensions and thicknesses, and at a variety of price points. “It’s important to keep in mind what you’re trying to accomplish when using a baking steel, whether you’re using it for pizza or a pie,” Silver said. “Making sure the steel is safe and durable under any broiler, grill or in the oven is key.”
While a thicker baking steel will get hotter and hold heat better, it will also make the baking steel heavier and more difficult to wield. “Quarter-inch rectangular models, which are just about the thinnest ones on the market, weigh about 15 pounds,” Baldwin said. “Check the weight and be sure you want to lift that in and out of your oven. Thicker steels will hold more heat for longer, but for most home cooks a basic quarter inch steel should be just fine.”
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Shopping for a baking steel? Here are some great options. (Plus, a couple of recommendations for aluminum pie plates that work great with steels.)
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
This U.S.-made, “virtually indestructible” baking steel measures 16 inches by 14.25 inches and weighs a hefty 16 pounds. It can be used in home ovens and over grills and campfires. It comes pre-seasoned and was developed by a man whose family has been in the steel business for more than 40 years.
The two holes at the corners of this baking steel make it easier to handle as you’re moving it in and out of the oven. It measures 14.5 inches by 16 inches and is a quarter-inch thick. The NerdChef Steel Stone boasts a low-friction surface that’s textured, sanded smooth and pre-seasoned with flaxseed oil.
This round pan comes in three sizes and a perforated option for each size, and can be used for pizza (for a crispy, perfectly golden crust), tarts, roasted vegetables, pie and more. It’s made of 100% blue steel, which gets darker and more nonstick with every use. For an extra crispy pizza crust, go for the perforated version, but the non-perforated pan has more versatile applications.
A Sur La Table exclusive, this baking steel is made of 100% recycled steel and is heat-safe up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much more than you’ll need for baking pie crust, but still impressive. The manufacturer claims the quarter-inch steel won’t shatter or crack, and it’s easy to clean up with some gentle soap and warm water.
The Forked Spoon</a>. “Last year my dad and I thought it would be fun to do a cook-off to see who roasts a better turkey. When I asked him what internal temperature he normally cooks his turkey to, he shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘Oh, I don’t know, at least 250-300 degrees.’ I laughed and asked him if he ever used a digital meat thermometer. ‘No, I just eyeball it.’ I still have no idea how I made it to adulthood without the house burning down or getting sick from food poisoning.” <br /><br />No matter what protein you are roasting this holiday season, a digital thermometer will take the stress out of trying to guess whether you are overcooking your bird, or relying on those pop-ups in the turkey, which inevitably fail. “I recommend the ThermoPro with replaceable batteries — it’s both affordable and effective,\" Randhawa shared. <br /><br /><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Digital-Instant-Thermometer-Kitchen/dp/B01IHHLB3W/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get the ThermoPro digital instant read thermometer for $13.99.</a></strong>","credit":"Amazon","height":924,"width":1640,"ops":""},"textWrap":"wrapped","imagePositionInUnit":null,"imagePositionInSubUnit":null,"authors":[],"isLiveblogSlide":false},"provider":null},{"embedData":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/615ca140240000d71f506e24.png","queryParams":{},"width":1640,"height":924,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"https://amzn.to/3A8vyZL"},"type":"image","common":{"id":"615ca14de4b045b6faae3b42","caption":"If you are cooking a more traditional Thanksgiving dinner, baking dishes are essential. And bonus if they have lids to store leftovers. Michelle Keldgord, co-founder of the blog <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://bakinghow.com//" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"BakingHow\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://bakinghow.com/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"11\">BakingHow</a>, learned the importance of having a selection of baking dishes when she tried to recreate a family recipe for her first hosted Thanksgiving dinner. “I tried to make my grandmother’s cranberry Jell-O salad recipe,” she said. “It’s been a crowd favorite since I was little. My grandma offered to show me how it was done, but I decided I could do it on my own.”<br><br>“It was a disaster. It wouldn’t hold together. It was a watery mess and impossible to eat. ... It turns out I used the wrong kind of cranberry sauce and baking dish. I learned my lesson: If Grandma has a tried-and-true recipe, you'd better let her show you how it’s done. And always have a good selection of glass baking dishes to see you through your Thanksgiving dinner.” <br><br>Not all baking dishes are created equal. This set is made of virtually shatterproof borosilicate glass, can be taken from freezer to oven to table with no worry over thermal shock, and has tight-fitting lids for easy pre-dinner prep and leftover storage. <br><br><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.amazon.com/Rectangular-Bakeware-Leftovers-Freezer-Dishwasher/dp/B087QZQX8V?linkCode=sl1&tag=thehuffingtop-20&linkId=ed037c47f5df7899156984d78185581b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&ascsubtag=654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6%2C-1%2C-1%2Cd%2C0%2C0%2Chp-fil-am%3D0%2C0%3A0%2C0%2C0%2C0\%22 target=\"_blank\" role=\"link\" data-amazon-link=\"true\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"Get the eight-piece deep glass baking set for $39.99.\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://www.amazon.com/Rectangular-Bakeware-Leftovers-Freezer-Dishwasher/dp/B087QZQX8V?linkCode=sl1&tag=thehuffingtop-20&linkId=ed037c47f5df7899156984d78185581b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&ascsubtag=654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6%2C-1%2C-1%2Cd%2C0%2C0%2Chp-fil-am%3D0%2C0%3A0%2C0%2C0%2C0\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"12\">Get the eight-piece deep glass baking set for $39.99.</a></strong>","source":"","title":"An 8-piece deep glass baking dish set","type":"image","summary":"","badge":"","cta":[],"meta":null,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"<a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3A8vyZL/" target=\"_blank\" class=\"credit js-entry-link cet-external-link\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-item-name=\"Amazon\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3A8vyZL\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"13\">Amazon</a>","authorship":{"author":{"id":"000000000000000000000000","bio":{},"urls":{},"urlName":{"text":"","transliterated":""}}},"social":{},"thumbnail":{"url":{"fileName":"615ca140240000d71f506e24.png","type":"hectorUrl"},"caption":"If you are cooking a more traditional Thanksgiving dinner, baking dishes are essential. And bonus if they have lids to store leftovers. Michelle Keldgord, co-founder of the blog <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://bakinghow.com//">BakingHow, learned the importance of having a selection of baking dishes when she tried to recreate a family recipe for her first hosted Thanksgiving dinner. “I tried to make my grandmother’s cranberry Jell-O salad recipe,” she said. “It’s been a crowd favorite since I was little. My grandma offered to show me how it was done, but I decided I could do it on my own.”<br /><br />“It was a disaster. It wouldn’t hold together. It was a watery mess and impossible to eat. ... It turns out I used the wrong kind of cranberry sauce and baking dish. I learned my lesson: If Grandma has a tried-and-true recipe, you'd better let her show you how it’s done. And always have a good selection of glass baking dishes to see you through your Thanksgiving dinner.” <br /><br />Not all baking dishes are created equal. This set is made of virtually shatterproof borosilicate glass, can be taken from freezer to oven to table with no worry over thermal shock, and has tight-fitting lids for easy pre-dinner prep and leftover storage. <br /><br /><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.amazon.com/Rectangular-Bakeware-Leftovers-Freezer-Dishwasher/dp/B087QZQX8V?&linkCode=sl1&tag=kristenaiken-20&linkId=ed037c47f5df7899156984d78185581b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get the eight-piece deep glass baking set for $39.99.</a></strong>","credit":"Amazon","height":924,"width":1640,"ops":""},"textWrap":"wrapped","imagePositionInUnit":null,"imagePositionInSubUnit":null,"authors":[],"isLiveblogSlide":false},"provider":null},{"embedData":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/615ca1382800002f1ca72b01.png","queryParams":{},"width":1640,"height":924,"credit":"Amazon"},"type":"image","common":{"id":"615ca156e4b05483010191c4","caption":"It doesn’t have to be the holidays to have pie, but are holidays complete without pie? Mary Fagan, food blogger and recipe developer at <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://thelibrarykitchen.com//" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"The Library Kitchen\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://thelibrarykitchen.com/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"9\">The Library Kitchen</a>, always makes a family-favorite pie when the holidays roll around. “The first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner away from home, my brother and I were working in his bare-bones college kitchen. When it came time to roll out the pie crust I’d lovingly mixed and chilled, I realized there were no rolling pins in sight!” Fagan resorted to a Landshark beer can to roll out her dough. Not ideal. <br><br>“Now, I always locate my trusty marble rolling pin BEFORE beginning to make our family’s signature lemon meringue pie. Marble rolling pins are beautiful, and they help keep the dough chilled.” <br><br>You could use a wine bottle or beer can to roll out your pie dough, but why risk it sticking or not getting to the right size? A rolling pin is an essential tool that is affordable and easy to transport if you take your holiday on the road. <br><br><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.amazon.com/Greenco-Crafted-Rolling-Marble-1-Pack/dp/B07BR61VXH?tag=thehuffingtop-20&ascsubtag=654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6%2C-1%2C-1%2Cd%2C0%2C0%2Chp-fil-am%3D0%2C0%3A0%2C0%2C0%2C0\%22 target=\"_blank\" role=\"link\" data-amazon-link=\"true\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"Get a marble rolling pin from Amazon for $19.88.\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://www.amazon.com/Greenco-Crafted-Rolling-Marble-1-Pack/dp/B07BR61VXH?tag=thehuffingtop-20&ascsubtag=654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6%2C-1%2C-1%2Cd%2C0%2C0%2Chp-fil-am%3D0%2C0%3A0%2C0%2C0%2C0\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"10\">Get a marble rolling pin from Amazon for $19.88.</a></strong>","source":"","title":"A working rolling pin","type":"image","summary":"","badge":"","cta":[],"meta":null,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"","authorship":{"author":{"id":"000000000000000000000000","bio":{},"urls":{},"urlName":{"text":"","transliterated":""}}},"social":{},"thumbnail":{"url":{"fileName":"615ca1382800002f1ca72b01.png","type":"hectorUrl"},"caption":"It doesn’t have to be the holidays to have pie, but are holidays complete without pie? Mary Fagan, food blogger and recipe developer at <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://thelibrarykitchen.com//">The Library Kitchen</a>, always makes a family-favorite pie when the holidays roll around. “The first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner away from home, my brother and I were working in his bare-bones college kitchen. When it came time to roll out the pie crust I’d lovingly mixed and chilled, I realized there were no rolling pins in sight!” Fagan resorted to a Landshark beer can to roll out her dough. Not ideal. <br /><br />“Now, I always locate my trusty marble rolling pin BEFORE beginning to make our family’s signature lemon meringue pie. Marble rolling pins are beautiful, and they help keep the dough chilled.” <br /><br />You could use a wine bottle or beer can to roll out your pie dough, but why risk it sticking or not getting to the right size? A rolling pin is an essential tool that is affordable and easy to transport if you take your holiday on the road. <br /><br /><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.amazon.com/Greenco-Crafted-Rolling-Marble-1-Pack/dp/B07BR61VXH/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get a marble rolling pin from Amazon for $19.88.</a></strong>","credit":"Amazon","height":924,"width":1640,"ops":""},"textWrap":"wrapped","imagePositionInUnit":null,"imagePositionInSubUnit":null,"authors":[],"isLiveblogSlide":false},"provider":null},{"embedData":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/615ca139240000c31f506e22.png","queryParams":{},"width":1640,"height":924,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp"},"type":"image","common":{"id":"615ca152e4b06f0ef2897181","caption":"Holiday meals don’t always need to include lots of prep, multiple pots and pans or even turkey. Rachel Werner, a <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"http://rachelwerner.pressfolios.com//" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"food writer\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"http://rachelwerner.pressfolios.com/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"3\">food writer</a> and <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.instagram.com/trulyplanted//" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"photographer\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://www.instagram.com/trulyplanted/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"4\">photographer</a>, hosted a Friendsgiving that included a number of foodies, and a stalwart pizza stone as her lone baking vessel. <br><br>However, not any pizza stone will do. Her marble pizza stone — the surface she used for heating bread, lumpia and all manner of shared bites — cracked in half after it had been left in the oven for far too long at too high a temperature. Werner later invested in the Emile Henry Pizza Stone, and two years later it is going strong for low-stress gatherings with friends and family. <br><br>Traditional holiday food is wonderful, but sometimes a simple potluck-style meal with only one, nonstick pan to wash is a fun alternative. And pizza stones are amazing for making pies with sturdy bottoms. Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of “<a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3043sm9/" target=\"_blank\" data-amazon-link=\"true\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"The Book On Pie\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3043sm9\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"5\">The Book On Pie</a>,” praises what a baking steel (which is essentially a pizza stone) can do for pies — <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.instagram.com/p/CHfuWu-lkwU//" target=\"_blank\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"it makes crusts so sturdy you can stack them\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/CHfuWu-lkwU/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"6\">it makes crusts so sturdy you can stack them</a>. No more soggy bottoms! <br><br><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp/" target=\"_blank\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"Get the Emile Henry pizza stone for $69.95.\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"7\">Get the Emile Henry pizza stone for $69.95.</a></strong>","source":"","title":"A pizza stone (even though you’re not making pizza)","type":"image","summary":"","badge":"","cta":[],"meta":null,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"<a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp/" target=\"_blank\" class=\"credit js-entry-link cet-external-link\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-item-name=\"Amazon\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"8\">Amazon</a>","authorship":{"author":{"id":"000000000000000000000000","bio":{},"urls":{},"urlName":{"text":"","transliterated":""}}},"social":{},"thumbnail":{"url":{"fileName":"615ca139240000c31f506e22.png","type":"hectorUrl"},"caption":"Holiday meals don’t always need to include lots of prep, multiple pots and pans or even turkey. Rachel Werner, a <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"http://rachelwerner.pressfolios.com//">food writer</a> and <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.instagram.com/trulyplanted//">photographer, hosted a Friendsgiving that included a number of foodies, and a stalwart pizza stone as her lone baking vessel. <br /><br />However, not any pizza stone will do. Her marble pizza stone — the surface she used for heating bread, lumpia and all manner of shared bites — cracked in half after it had been left in the oven for far too long at too high a temperature. Werner later invested in the Emile Henry Pizza Stone, and two years later it is going strong for low-stress gatherings with friends and family. <br /><br />Traditional holiday food is wonderful, but sometimes a simple potluck-style meal with only one, nonstick pan to wash is a fun alternative. And pizza stones are amazing for making pies with sturdy bottoms. Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of “<a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3043sm9/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-amazon-link=\"true\">The Book On Pie</a>,” praises what a baking steel (which is essentially a pizza stone) can do for pies — <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://www.instagram.com/p/CHfuWu-lkwU//" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it makes crusts so sturdy you can stack them</a>. No more soggy bottoms! <br /><br /><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3apaKmp/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get the Emile Henry pizza stone for $69.95.</a></strong>","credit":"Amazon","height":924,"width":1640,"ops":""},"textWrap":"wrapped","imagePositionInUnit":null,"imagePositionInSubUnit":null,"authors":[],"isLiveblogSlide":false},"provider":null},{"embedData":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/615ca131210000bd1b6fc6d4.png","queryParams":{},"width":1640,"height":924,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR"},"type":"image","common":{"id":"615ca163e4b045b6faae3b5b","caption":"Turkey roasted for hours in an oven is the traditional vision of Thanksgiving, but an appliance that streamlines this process makes the holidays less stressful, and frees up cooks to spend more time with family and friends. And isn’t that what the holidays are about? <br><br>Samantha Milner, food blogger and recipe developer for <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://recipethis.com//" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"Recipe This\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://recipethis.com/\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"0\">Recipe This</a>, learned her lesson after a botched holiday meal. “It was my first Thanksgiving with my chef husband, and he was at work,” she said. “I was 18 years old, and never cooked a roast dinner before, never mind a roasted turkey Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.”<br><br>“I thought I was doing an amazing job. Then my hubby pointed out that I cooked the turkey upside down. The breast was all flattened out, but it tasted delicious. This moment inspired me to learn how to cook professionally. And it turns out breast-side-down keeps your turkey moist, at least according to Gordon Ramsay.” <br><br>Along the way, Milner discovered the joy of the air fryer. “It produces a better result than oven roasting, and is so much easier. There’s no brining to do — it’s a set and forget method.” <br><br>Twenty years later, Milner is still cooking turkeys upside down, but now she uses her air fryer, affording her more time with family and less time cooking and cleaning. <br><br><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR/" target=\"_blank\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" class=\" js-entry-link cet-external-link\" data-vars-item-name=\"Get the Philips Airfryer for $238.95.\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"1\">Get the Philips Airfryer for $238.95.</a></strong>","source":"","title":"An air fryer","type":"image","summary":"","badge":"","cta":[],"meta":null,"credit":"Amazon","creditUrl":"<a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR/" target=\"_blank\" class=\"credit js-entry-link cet-external-link\" role=\"link\" rel=\"sponsored\" data-vars-item-name=\"Amazon\" data-vars-item-type=\"text\" data-vars-unit-name=\"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6\" data-vars-unit-type=\"buzz_body\" data-vars-target-content-id=\"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR\" data-vars-target-content-type=\"url\" data-vars-type=\"web_external_link\" data-vars-subunit-name=\"before_you_go_slideshow\" data-vars-subunit-type=\"component\" data-vars-position-in-subunit=\"2\">Amazon</a>","authorship":{"author":{"id":"000000000000000000000000","bio":{},"urls":{},"urlName":{"text":"","transliterated":""}}},"social":{},"thumbnail":{"url":{"fileName":"615ca131210000bd1b6fc6d4.png","type":"hectorUrl"},"caption":"Turkey roasted for hours in an oven is the traditional vision of Thanksgiving, but an appliance that streamlines this process makes the holidays less stressful, and frees up cooks to spend more time with family and friends. And isn’t that what the holidays are about? <br /><br />Samantha Milner, food blogger and recipe developer for <a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://recipethis.com//">Recipe This</a>, learned her lesson after a botched holiday meal. “It was my first Thanksgiving with my chef husband, and he was at work,” she said. “I was 18 years old, and never cooked a roast dinner before, never mind a roasted turkey Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.”<br /><br />“I thought I was doing an amazing job. Then my hubby pointed out that I cooked the turkey upside down. The breast was all flattened out, but it tasted delicious. This moment inspired me to learn how to cook professionally. And it turns out breast-side-down keeps your turkey moist, at least according to Gordon Ramsay.” <br /><br />Along the way, Milner discovered the joy of the air fryer. “It produces a better result than oven roasting, and is so much easier. There’s no brining to do — it’s a set and forget method.” <br /><br />Twenty years later, Milner is still cooking turkeys upside down, but now she uses her air fryer, affording her more time with family and less time cooking and cleaning. <br /><br /><strong><a href=https://www.huffpost.com/"https://amzn.to/3uJuABR/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Get the Philips Airfryer for $238.95.</a></strong>","credit":"Amazon","height":924,"width":1640,"ops":""},"textWrap":"wrapped","imagePositionInUnit":null,"imagePositionInSubUnit":null,"authors":[],"isLiveblogSlide":false},"provider":null}],"settings":{"type":"standard","eventName":"","eventType":"standard"},"options":{"theme":"life","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://www.huffpost.com","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","slideshowAd":{"scriptTags":[],"otherHtml":""},"slideshowEndCard":{"scriptTags":[],"otherHtml":""},"isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best-baking-steels-ano_l_654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6","entryTagsList":"shopping,thanksgiving,baking,kitchen-tools,dessert,pie,thanksgiving-shop,@ANonly,@clone_of_us_6181825fe4b0ad6f587b286c,@hidepublishdate,@lifeshopping,@noinstantarticle,@nopartnerfeeds,@shopping","sectionSlug":"taste","deptSlug":"lifestyle","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"huffpost-shopping,huffpost-home,parents","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.taste","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065"},"customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":15},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_slideshow":{"count":19}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"654bf68be4b0069a04380ec6","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"shopping","slug":"shopping","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/shopping","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/shopping","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/shopping"},"department":{"name":"Life","slug":"lifestyle"},"section":{"title":"Style 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Thanksgiving Cooking Tools You Don't Want To Be Without
