There are certain places in the world that have put a unique spin on classic foods. When done right, these places become well known for these foods, and visitors to those places always make it a point to eat at a restaurant that offers them.
In the USA, we have cities that are well known for their unique spin on classic, American dishes, such as pizza and hot dogs. One such city is Detroit, where certain restaurants have become well known for their delicious pizzas.
The rectangular shaped pizza with an extra thick crust has a unique flavor and shape that can only be created by baking with a Detroit style pizza pan.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at the unique style of pans that are used to make Detroit style pizzas. The specific pan we will be looking at here is made in the USA by LloydPans.
What is a Detroit Style Pizza Pan?
So, what makes a Detroit style pizza pan so unique? Well, there are a few things that stand out about these pans, making them special.
Rectangular vs. round
First, the shape. While most people expect pizza to be round, Detroit style pizza is traditionally rectangular, with an extra thick crust. This pan in particular is rectangular in shape and 10 inches by 14 inches in size.
While still on the topic of dimensions, this pan is 2.5 inches deep, with slanted sided. The depth of the pan allows you to easily create deep dish pizzas, while the slanted sided make it a bit easier to remove the pizza after it’s done baking.
These pans also match the original specifications of blue steel pans, but instead are made of hard-anodized aluminum. Because of the hardening process that these pans go through, seasoning the pans is not required.
You might not have heard of seasoning a pan, so let’s take a quick detour.
How to season a pan in the oven?
Seasoning is the process of adding a hard, thin layer to a pan to make it non porous and to prevent the metal pan from rusting. It also helps to prevent food from sticking to its surface.
Seasoning a pan in the oven is required when the pan is made of bare metal and is typically done prior to the first use. So how do you season a pan in the oven?
It’s pretty simple. You pour some vegetable oil in the pan and spread it around. Then, you bake it for about an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After the pan cools, you wipe up the excess oil. That’s pretty much it.
Now, back to this Detroit style pan.
Made of hard-anodized aluminum, not blue steel
As we mentioned earlier, this particular pan is made of hard-anodized aluminum. The original Detroit style pizza pans were made of blue steel, but these pans are made of hard-anodized aluminum, which does not require seasoning.
The hardening process of these pans accomplishes a similar result to what we mentioned above in the “how to season a pan” section. The hardening process creates a thick layer, strengthening and protecting the raw aluminum, making it non porous and preventing it from rusting.
Speaking of the strength of this pan, it features a double-thick, flat rim. This added thickness provides extra strength and durability, which helps it hold its shape for years.
Easy release coating
The anodization process mentioned above has another benefit: it creates an easy release, or almost non stick, surface. As a result, you don’t have to worry about your pizza sticking to the pan. Even a well cooked, crispy pizza easily releases from this pan.
This coating by LloydPans is named Dura-Kote and is a non-toxic, permanent coating that is PTFE free.
A couple more benefits of the hardening process is that the hard surface is resistant to scratching and is heat safe up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Because it’s scratch resistant, not only is it safe to use metal spatulas, but it’s actually common practice with these pans.
What are the drawbacks of Detroit style pizza pans?
As much as we’d like to tell you that these pans are perfect, there are a few things we think you should consider.
First, these pans are not dishwasher safe. These pans must be washed by hand with warm, soapy water, then rinsed and towel dried. Washing these pans in a dishwasher will destroy the finish on the pans. Luckily, the easy release coating of these pans make washing them by hand a quick and easy process.
Another thing to consider is the appearance. While these pans look great overall, you might find some minor blemishes on these pans. These blemishes are actually grip marks from the coating process of the pans.
These Detroit style pans are made for commercial use, so functionality takes top priority over appearance. These “blemishes” do not weaken the coating of the pan in any way.
One last drawback to consider with this particular pan is the cost. This pan will cost you two to three times as much as a typical pizza pan.
However, this pan is a commercial-grade pizza pan that provides you with a method of creating that authentic Detroit style pizza that you simply won’t be able to replicate with a more traditional pan.
Final Thoughts
If you’d like to bake an authentic Detroit style pizza in the comfort of your own home, this pizza pan from LloydPans is your best option. LloydPans is well known for making the best Detroit style pizza pans that closely replicate the original blue steel pans, which are no longer available.
While there are a few drawback with this pan, they pale in comparison to the benefits that this pan provides. We’re confident that anyone looking to replicate that classic, Detroit-style pizza won’t be disappointed with this pan.
Features
- Includes one 10 in x 14 in by 2.5 in deep dish Detroit style pizza pan
- Matches specifications of original blue steel pans
- Same pan as used in Detroit restaurants
- Made for commercial and home use
- Made of hard-anodized aluminum
- Will not rust
- Non-toxic, Dura-Kote, easy-release coating, PTFE free
- Pan does not require seasoning
- Safe to use with metal spatulas and utensils
- Heat safe up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit
- Made in USA
- Comes with a 5 year warranty, covering defects in material and workmanship
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.