Glossary
Launching peel
A wide, thin paddle used to slide a topped, unbaked pizza off the counter and onto a hot stone, steel, or oven floor.
A launching peel is the flat paddle used to carry a fully built, unbaked pizza and slide it onto the hot cooking surface. It is a separate tool from a turning peel, which is smaller and used only after the pizza is already in the oven.
Getting a clean launch depends on building the pizza directly on a well dusted peel, then using a short, confident forward motion combined with pulling the peel back so the pizza slides off rather than folds or drags. A peel with a thin front edge slides more easily under the dough than a thick one.
Wooden peels tend to be more forgiving for beginners since dough does not stick to wood as quickly as it can to bare metal, while metal peels are often thinner and better once you have the motion down. A common mistake is letting a built pizza sit too long on the peel before launching, since moisture from the sauce and toppings soaks into the dough and makes it stick.
Where this comes up
- Best Pizza Peels for Launching and Turning PiesBuying guide
- Best Wooden Pizza Peels for Launching DoughBuying guide
- Launching Pizza Without StickingArticle