My Homemade Pizza Experiment: Baking Steel + Long Fermentation

I recently decided to level up my homemade pizza game by trying two things I’d heard a lot about: **baking steel** and long fermentation.

This was still very much a learning experience, but honestly — the results surprised me.

The Setup

For this bake, I used:

• Baking steel
• Dough balls: 2 × 300g
• Hydration: 58%
• Simple, basic ingredients

Fermentation schedule:

• 8 hours at room temperature
• 72 hours cold ferment in the fridge

Nothing fancy — just patience and time.

Why Long Fermentation?

I wanted to see how flavor and texture would change with a longer ferment. From what I’ve learned, slow fermentation helps develop better taste and improves dough structure.

After 3 days in the fridge, the dough felt smoother, easier to stretch, and had a nice smell — always a good sign.

Baking on Steel (Game Changer)

This was my first real test with baking steel, and wow — it made a huge difference.

The steel heats up fast and holds heat really well. As soon as the pizza hits the surface, you get:

• Faster bake
• Better oven spring
• Crispier bottom
• More even cooking

The crust came out crunchy on the outside and soft inside — exactly what I was hoping for.

While experimenting with baking steel for pizza, I also realized that **baking steel for sourdough bread** is amazing too. The steel retains heat so well that it gives sourdough a beautifully crispy crust and helps achieve that professional bakery-style loaf at home. I can’t wait to try this next!

Final Result

I’m still learning, but I was genuinely happy with how this pizza turned out.

The long ferment gave the dough a deeper flavor, and the baking steel helped create a strong, crispy base. Compared to regular baking trays or stones, the steel definitely took things to another level.

What I Learned

• Long fermentation is 100% worth the wait
• Baking steel seriously upgrades home pizza
• Simple ingredients + patience go a long way
• There’s always room to improve (hydration, shaping, toppings)

Still Learning

I’m continuing to experiment with hydration levels, fermentation times, and baking techniques. That’s part of the fun.

If you’re making pizza at home, I highly recommend trying a long ferment and baking steel at least once — it completely changes the experience.

Thanks for reading! If you have tips, ideas, or favorite pizza techniques, I’d love to hear them.