How to Care for your DareBuilt Baking Oven /Pizza Steel

One of the most often asked questions is “ How do I clean and care for my DareBuilt Baking Oven Steel ™ so that it will last a lifetime”!

Cleaning Your Baking Oven Steel:

As time goes by under constant use melted cheese and crusty flour will build up on your oven steel. To clean and freshen your steel follow these easy no Mistake rules and your steel will always be ready for your next culinary adventure! Only clean your steel once it is cool to touch and NEVER attempt to clean your steel while hot!

Use a hot damp cloth and lay it onto your steel for about 10 minutes to soften up any stubborn residues. This can be done with the steel cool and still in the oven to save the effort of removing your steel -Alternatively you may Hand wash with warm water and mild dish soap as needed on the counter
Use a stiff brush or wooden or hard plastic spatula to scrape off any stubborn residue. Cleaning Bricks for baked-on residue or surface rust
We do NOT recommend cleaning Brick or Pumice Stones as these stones are porous and known to trap and harbour harmful bacteria that can be transferred to your steel -
The use of common soft scouring pads or sponges and a little elbow grease is also fine for the stubborn stuff
Once clean, wipe dry immediately and recoat with your favorite seasoning oil. We recommend Spray Canola Oil as it is inexpensive and works great! Remember the Mr. DareBuilt Rule! “Less oil is More Oil” a good wipe or spray and remove the excess with a soft paper towel, That’s it!

Expert Tips: for the Experienced Baker and Pizza Maker

Always coat the bottom side of the Baking Oven Steel- this will prevent rust from forming on the underside of the steel from all the released moisture in your oven. As food cooks it releases moisture and this moisture circulates within your oven chamber. As the oven cools droplets of water will form and get trapped on the underside of your steel which if left unprotected could cause the steel to rust.
Always keep your steel lightly oiled with use- Every now and then apply a light coat of seasoning oil or Canola Oil onto your steel to keep it looking shiny and fresh!
NO need to remove the steel from your oven- It makes all baking and oven cooking better! Simply put your roasting pans and cookie sheets on top of the steel. The Baking Oven steel acts as a massive heatsink in your oven resulting in reduced oven temperature fluctuations and cooking times.

Saving a forgotten Baking Oven Steel

From time to time I get asked “ How can I save my Steel! I forgot about it for a year and it’s all rusty!”

If your steel has been left abandoned and has become rusty you may attempt to resand and re-season the steel. Sanding down the steel surface will not damage the steel in any way but it will take some effort. You may employ the use of a Palm sander and or sand paper or sanding block and we recommend 120 Grit paper. Fully sand the steel using Canola oil as a sanding lubricant and sand the surface until it becomes shiny and clean. Do not be overly concerned about appearance as this in no way will affect the performance of the steel. Once nice and clean, wipe only with Canola oil and re-season. NEVER USE CHEMICAL Cleaners on your steel!