I always do my pizzas on a stone or mostly a Lodge cast iron pizza pan.. I opt for max cooking temps. That is 650º on the Memphis Pro...By using a stone or better, I find cast iron, the crust cooks and doesn't,t dry out..The crust and top cook at almost the same rate...I place the pizza on the cold Lodge pan then into the hot pit..And no there haven't been any thermo cracks. Takes about 7 minutes.