Unglazed stoneware

What it is

Unglazed stoneware is fired clay with no glaze on it, so the clay itself is the cooking surface. Baking stones made this way give you a crisp crust, and because many are porous, they soak up water, soap and oil.

Why it matters in your kitchen

Picture a pizza sliding onto a stone that's been heating with the oven. The stone soaks up the oven's heat and passes it into the dough, so the bottom crisps instead of staying pale.

The catch is the pores. King Arthur warns that a stone can absorb water and crack in the oven if it isn't fully dry, and that soap can leave a soapy taste in the next bake.

It also darkens with use. King Arthur says patches and stains are normal, as long as they aren't sticky or rough.

Good at

• Crisp crusts. Pizza, flatbread and hearth loaves get a browned, crackly base.
• Holding heat. The stone stores oven heat and gives it back to the dough.
• Low fuss over time. The dark patina is fine. You scrape it, you don't scrub it.

Watch for

• Water can crack it. Never soak or submerge it. Scrape and wipe it dry instead, and let it dry fully before it goes back in the oven.
• Soap stays in it. Skip soap on unglazed ceramic. For stubborn spots, use a baking soda paste and let it dry before brushing it off.
• Clean it cold. Let it cool completely in the oven before you touch it.
• No glaze doesn't mean tested. Clay bodies vary. Ask the maker what the clay is and whether it's been tested.

Who it suits

Good for you if you bake pizza or bread and like a crisp base. Skip it if you want something you can scrub with soap and water, where a baking steel or a glazed dish is easier.

In short. Unglazed stoneware is bare fired clay that gives a crisp crust, and it soaks up water and soap, so you scrape it instead of washing it.

Glazed pieces have their own page: glazed stoneware. For what research has and hasn't shown about kitchen materials, see our guide.

Where it is used

• Baking and pizza stones
• Some brewers and bakeware

How to care for it

• Let it cool completely before cleaning.
• Scrape off stuck food with a wooden or plastic scraper and wipe with a dry cloth.
• No soap and no soaking. Baking soda paste for stubborn stains, then let it dry.
• Make sure it's fully dry before it goes back in the oven.