How to Keep Pizza Warm at a Party
Pizza and pizza parties! Who doesn’t love a delicious warm slice of pizza at a fun event? But we all know that keeping food warm at a party can be tricky. More than likely, food gets laid out in the open with no real way to keep it warm and palatable. And other than food getting cold, you also risk your guests getting sick from food that has been left out for too long. Talk about a real party foul!
Let’s face it! If you’re a pizza aficionado, biting into a hard cold slice is not appealing. Anyone understands the euphoria from biting into a crispy, hot, gooey slice of pizza. Granted, it doesn’t have to be piping hot, but like fine wine, serving pizza at the right temperature makes all the difference.
As we know, the consensus around pizza as delicious and favorite party food is a fact and not an opinion; well, at least that’s our opinion. It’s also safe to assume that most of your party guests will prefer warm pizza over room temperature, or worse, cold pizza (though some might prefer the cold version but that’s a whole other debate). So, what are some ways to keep pizza warm at a party? We’re glad you asked!
The Aluminum Foil Method: How to Keep Your Pizza Warm with Aluminum Foil
If you want to keep pizza warm for 3 hours or longer, then aluminum foil is a great method.
- Wrap each piece individually in aluminum foil
- Turn on the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for 10 minutes.
Heating your pizza at a high temperature for a short period of time ensures that it will get hot, but not overcooked. Your pizza will taste like it was just prepared. Make sure not to set your oven above 400 degrees, unless your guests prefer charred pizza.
The Cardboard Method: How to Keep Pizza Warm in its Box
If your pizza has just been delivered, but maybe you and your guests are not ready to eat, you can keep it warm at a low temperature. This also works for any leftovers that you want to keep warm for later.
- Set your oven at the lowest temperature (170 degrees Fahrenheit) and place the pizza in its box inside of it.
The reason why this works is that the low oven heat induces an oven-like climate within the pizza box. This method protects the pizza from over-cooking, and it also protects it from turning soggy.
But can’t the pizza box catch on fire?
Safety first, right? Cardboard doesn’t catch fire until temperatures reach over 400 degrees. But to be safe, we recommend you keep your heat at the suggested setting of 170. If you want to crank it up a bit more, that’s fine. Just keep it under 300.
If the oven is making your party atmosphere too hot, literally too hot, you can turn off the oven 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, but leave the pizza box inside. The heat within the box will still keep it warm.
The Oven Rack Method: How to Keep Pizza Warm in the Oven
f putting a box inside the oven still makes you nervous (we totally understand), try this method instead. Repeat the technique mentioned above, but remove the pizza from its box. Set your oven at the same temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
But what if you don’t have an oven to keep your pizza warm?
Frying Pan Method: How to Keep Pizza Warm in a Frying Pan
For the ovenless pizza lovers, we didn’t forget about you. Also, the frying pan method works for those warm days when turning up an oven doesn’t make much sense, or if you’re hosting a bigger party and need a second option in addition to your oven. The method:
– Use a non-stick pan, preferably a stainless steel pan.
– Place the pan over high heat, place the pizza inside the pan, and heat it for 2 minutes, allowing the bottom to get crispy but not burnt.
-Next, place a lid over the pan and keep it covered. This allows the sauce to get warm and the cheese to melt, while the keeping the bottom crispy.
And last but not least,
The Microwave Method: How to Keep Pizza Warm in the Microwave
Sure, we admit that using radiation to heat your pizza is not as sexy as some of the other options we’ve described. But it works! The trick is in using the right setting, the right dish, and knowing the timing.
- Use a spacious microwave safe dish for your pizza
- Place your pizza slices on the dish
- Get a ceramic mug or bowl and fill it with 2/3 water.
- Place the bowl inside the microwave and place the dish with the pizza on top of the bowl. The water will evaporate and keep the crust moist so that it doesn’ turn chewy.
- Set your microwave at half power and heat it for 1-minute intervals. Heating it at intervals allows you to have control over the microwave’s cooking temperature.
Using the microwave to heat your pizza for a party might be the most impractical, but what if you find yourself with an impromptu party at a location with just a small kitchenette or even your office pizza party?
Regardless of the method you go for, always ensure that you do everything possible to keep your pizza warm. No matter how much hype there is about cold pizza, one cannot refute the fact that hot cheesy pizzas are the best most preferred by the majority. This is how it was meant to be enjoyed.
Don’t want to deal with the hassle of keeping pizza warm? Why not just let a mobile pizza caterer handle it for you? Basil Pizza Bar offers mobile and compact pizza catering for your guests. We bring the pizza party to you!