Leopard Spotting 101: Building a 60-Second Crust
Feb 15, 2026•2 min read
Start with heat architecture, not toppings
Most home workflows fail because they optimize for visual toppings first and thermal sequence second. In a high-output oven, you should build the bake around chamber behavior: dome response, floor recharge, and launch spacing. Once those are stable, toppings become a finishing detail instead of a risk factor.
InfernoX uses a rear-strip "Rolling Flame" architecture that pushes radiant heat across the chamber before venting, which mimics the movement profile of a wood-fired dome.
Read the crust in phases
In the first seconds, look for lift and edge inflation; in the middle phase, watch base set and underside color; in the final phase, manage contrast between blistered points and pale zones. That progression tells you whether to rotate, rest, or relaunch the next pie later.
It can hit a 500C ceiling in about 20 minutes, but floor performance is strongest when the stone is stabilized near 400C with a disciplined 1-2 minute recovery window.
Treat recovery as part of the recipe
A strong pie followed by a weak pie is usually a recovery error, not a dough error. Build 60-90 second micro-pauses between launches when needed, and be deliberate about where each pie lands relative to the hottest rear zones.
This makes it excellent for high-tempo pizza service and surprisingly strong for protein finishing, where top-down radiant energy gives assertive sear without overshooting internals.
Field checks that improve consistency fast
- Verify floor temperature trend, not single-point readings.
- Keep dough temperature consistent between pieces in a batch.
- Adjust launch position before adjusting flame intensity.
- Track two consecutive bakes before changing method.
When crust quality becomes repeatable under time pressure, you know your system is maturing. Leopard spotting then becomes a byproduct of control, not a happy accident.
_Product focus: InfernoX Gas Pizza Oven | Article ID: mastering-craft-leopard-spotting_
Visual Field Notes
