# How do I help my pizza cook through evenly?

> We recommend you preheat your Blackstone Patio Oven with the motor on turning the tray for approximately 10 minutes prior to cooking your pizzas This heats the

Source: https://help.blackstoneproducts.com/en_us/how-do-i-help-my-pizza-cook-through-evenly-HyLb6RoZ6

Last updated: 2025-11-17T20:46:39.118Z

Each pizza will cook slightly differently based on:

*   The thickness of the crust, deep dish vs thin crust.
*   Whether the pizza is frozen or fresh. 
*   The type and quantity of toppings used.

There are a few things you can do to increase the consistency of your perfectly cooked pizzas. Our recommendations are:

*   We recommend using an infrared thermometer to best monitor the stone temperature. The ideal stone temperature for most cooks should be 500-600 degrees. 
*   Make sure your oven is fully pre-heated. We recommend at least 15 minutes for a pizza oven with a 16" stone, or 30 minutes for a 13"-14" stone. 
*   Match your temperature to your pizza type and the quantity of toppings. Thicker crusts need to cook more slowly and at lower temperatures.
*   If your crust is cooking faster than your toppings, reduce the heat. 
*   For crisp topings, use a peel to briefly lift the pizza towards the top stone.
*   It may take a few attempts to realize optimal results.