Do I Need To Replace My Pizza Stone?

[wildkat]

I have a very old Pampered Chef large square pizza stone that I used to make cookies several years before I found out I was gluten intolerant. I know I will hate to hear the answer but.......here it goes. Do I have to replace it or is there a way to clean it off? I wasn't sure if the wheat flour from the cookie dough will soak into it or not. I love that stone but haven't used it since I went gluten free.

[ravenwoodglass]

I would be tempted to clean it really, really well with a scrubby and then try it. If your reactions are extreme and you don't want to take the risk then do replace it.

[mftnchn]

I've never had a pizza stone so I don't know the type of surface or how to use it.

But I'll tell you what I did with some slightly used cast iron I was given. I used oven cleaner, soaked it overnight, then did another treatment. It took all the coating down, fully stripped it. Then I re-seasoned it by doing light coatings of shortening and heating in the oven. It was a lot of work but they have been fine.

I read on the forum about another person with a favorite cast iron skillet who put hers in her self cleaning oven. It took everything off as well, then she re-seasoned.

[bbuster]

Not a direct answer to your question, because I bought a pizza stone post gluten-free...

But I use mine for pizza and always struggled to scrape the crust off because the pizza dough was so sticky.

Now I get great pizza crust with no sticking by putting the dough on parchment paper and then baking on top of the hot stone. It cooks great and there's no mess to scrub off the stone.

I have also recently started using parchment paper to bake pan-style tollhouse cookies. After baking I can lift the whole thing out of the pan or cookie sheet for faster cooling before I cut them. They bake well top and bottom and are soft and chewy in the middle.

So with parchment paper you could keep both your stone and peace of mind.

[MNBeth]

I would recommend replacing it. Those stones are so extremely porous, I just can't imagine being able to get all the flour out. Anyway, I was way too scared to use mine. Even w/parchment, just handling the stone during food prep made me nervous. But that's just me.

[gheidie]

ok, I used to be a pampered chef consultant, and I have a lot of stones..from pre gluten free. And they are all well seasoned, and yes I use them all with out a problem. If you are worried, and you have a self cleaning oven, you can "kill" anything on your stone by putting it you oven and running the self cleaner cycle.

I don't know what I would do with out my stones!! I love them all!!!

[kenlove]

I have a large enough stockpot where I could boil the stone we had. Have not had any reaction from using it and I consider myself rather sensitive. It's worth a try like ravenwoodglass said.

I have a very old Pampered Chef large square pizza stone that I used to make cookies several years before I found out I was gluten intolerant. I know I will hate to hear the answer but.......here it goes. Do I have to replace it or is there a way to clean it off? I wasn't sure if the wheat flour from the cookie dough will soak into it or not. I love that stone but haven't used it since I went gluten free.

[Wonka]

If you have an oven with a cleaning cycle just leave the stone in during the cleaning. It comes out looking like new.

[fedora]

What if your oven doesn't have a self cleaning option? My does not. I like the idea of paper. I have a stone pizza stone and a ceramic one. The stone is very absorbant. Does ceramic absorb gluten? I also am wondering about my cast iron. I have a large collection, they are the only skillets and muffin pans I own. Has any one had luck cleaning them with out using oven cleaner? I would not feel right putting that on something I cook in. thanks

[Wonka]

What if your oven doesn't have a self cleaning option? My does not. I like the idea of paper. I have a stone pizza stone and a ceramic one. The stone is very absorbant. Does ceramic absorb gluten? I also am wondering about my cast iron. I have a large collection, they are the only skillets and muffin pans I own. Has any one had luck cleaning them with out using oven cleaner? I would not feel right putting that on something I cook in. thanks

My cast iron pans have never been used with gluten foods. What I have done in the past to clean my cast iron pans was to oil the pan and add alot of salt and scrub. Then season them after that. It cleaned them up pretty well. I have a ceramic stone and I think they are pretty absorent. Use parchment under your pizza and put it on the stone, then you know for sure that you have a barrier between the stone and your food.

[Aleshia]

I would definitely replace it... I'm replacing mine (I'm going to return my cookware and get new ones because they are scratched (you can actually do that!!) so they will have gluten contamination...) gonna ask them at the same time if they will let me exchange the stoneware also.. maybe they will feel sorry for me who knows... its worth a try!

[AMQmom]

Please let us know what Pampered Chef says to you, Aleshia! I wrote a similar topic a few weeks ago about my Pampered Chef. I emailed them about the situation and was told that I should replace the product - they could not assure me that there was any way to positively remove the gluten. I didn't even think of asking for exchange or replacements - great idea. I am tempted by the suggestions to "clean" them, but my two girls are celiac and I don't dare risk it. Hope that all works well for all of you!