Detroit-style pizza has a crispy, caramelized crust topped with cups of pepperoni, and its signature crunch comes from being made in steel or anodized aluminum pans.

The pans are 10 inches by 14 inches with a depth of 2.5 inches, allowing the pizza to develop its classic deep-dish taste and lightly charred, caramelized flavor.

Detroit pizza makers rely on these metal pans for their pies because they are great conductors of heat, allowing the pizzas to cook fast and evenly.

Aluminum and steel are widely used as materials for Detroit pizza pans, as both can withstand the high temperatures needed to achieve the trademark crispiness of the pizza.

Aluminum pans have to be either heavier or anodized to avoid cracking or warping in extreme heat, yet they are also much cheaper than steel pans and can have a nonstick coating.

Steel pans are more expensive but are perfect conductors of heat, especially around the bottoms and sides of the pizza, which will be cooked until a deep golden brown.