Refractory Stones

Refractory: the best solution for professional baking

The term refractory refers to a material or a mixture of materials capable of withstanding high temperatures without reacting with other materials it comes into contact with. It has the extraordinary ability to absorb a lot of heat and transfer it to baked goods, replicating what a professional oven (such as wood-fired or deck ovens) does. A single refractory stone can significantly improve baked products, but the best results are achieved with two stones, one thicker underneath and one thinner on top. This way, the top stone sends a huge amount of heat to the preparation, while the bottom stone does the same but, being in direct contact with the product and being easy to cool down, it should be thicker. There should not be much space between the two stones, so that the cooking chamber is as similar as possible to that of a professional deck oven. First of all, it should be noted that there are baking stones on the market made from different materials, such as porcelain stoneware tiles or soapstone. For the former, one must be very careful, as they are not intended for food use and may not be suitable, although stoneware, if fired at the ideal temperature (1200°C and above), stabilizes its components significantly (vitrification or greification), and any surface glazing is safe. However, stoneware remains a very fragile material (it is not pyrophoric) and lacks a component that gives it resistance to high temperatures and thermal expansion (chamotte). Another widely used material is soapstone (or steatite), which, while a good material, is not able to absorb moisture from baked goods during cooking, unlike refractory stone, obsidian, or slate. In light of the above, it is clear that the most suitable material is refractory stone, but to perform its job excellently, it must be thin, no more than 1 centimeter, maximum 1.5. To ensure it heats up quickly, it is advisable to place it at least 10 minutes on the bottom of the oven and then another 10 minutes under the grill, or to heat it on a gas burner.