Pizza on the grill
I love to make pizza either in the oven or outside on the grill. I made pizzas at least once a week outside during the warm weather. I have resorted to cooking them inside now that there is snow. Yes, you can still cook them on the grill during colder weather, but I prefer to be warm inside the house.
The first thing you need to do before cooking an outdoor pizza is to make sure you have enough gas in your grill tank! If you are cooking on a gas grill, which I do a lot, it is easy to make the mistake and run out. (It’s a good idea to keep an extra tank on hand.)
What is nice about using a grill to bake pizzas is that, when the grill is shut, the top acts as a dome to trap heat and makes for a super-crispy pizza that has the taste of a wood-fired pizza when done. You are able to achieve very hot temperatures. Resist the urge to open the grill cover to look at the pizza. You want to retain the heat as much as possible.
Prep 20 min
Ready 45 min.
Servings 4
Sauce Ingredients
• 1-28 oz. can Cento (or equivalent) peeled whole or diced San Marzano tomatoes
• 1-6 oz. can Cento (or equivalent) tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1-Tbs. sugar or honey
• 1-Tbs. dried oregano (fresh in summer)
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil (fresh in summer)
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced and sautéed
Sauce Directions
In a ceramic or plastic bowel combine all the ingredients and blend using an emulsion blender for approximately 15 seconds or until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 24 hours to produce the best flavor.
Dough Ingredients
• 4 cups BREAD flour
• 1 tsp. sugar or honey
• 1 packet instant dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp. if bulk)
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups water, 110 degrees F.
• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus 2 tsp.
Dough Directions
Use the dough hook of a KitchenAid mixer to combine 3 cups of bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add 2 Tbs. olive oil. Run the mixer to combine. Put the mixer on the second slowest speed and add water slowly until the dough forms a ball and becomes tacky. Add the additional cup of bread flour and run the mixer for an additional 4-5 minutes. I have found using a rubber spatula helps in scraping the sides of the bowl while the mixer is running. If the dough is too dry and flaky, add about a Tbs. water and continue mixing until smooth and tacky.
When the mixing is complete, remove the dough from the hook attachment and form it into a ball shape in the metal bowl. Pour the two additional Tbs. olive oil over the top. With your hands form a round ball. Flip the dough over covering with a light coating of olive oil. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 24 hrs. The dough will double in size. I have found this proofing process to be the trick to producing a wonderful dough with a delicious, sweet, crispy crust.
Cooking Directions
Make sure the grates of the grill are clean as well as the pizza stone. Turn the grill to medium-high. Place the baking stone inside and heat to 450-475 degrees if you have a thermometer. (If you go over that temperature you stand the chance of breaking the pizza stone.) Let it heat for at least 20 min. I bake with a pizza steel in the house but would not recommend it on the grill. It gets too hot. When I tried using it on the grill, it burned the pizza to a crisp. It looked great on top, but the bottom was as dark as the night sky. Yikes!
You can freeze whatever dough you do not use for future pizzas. It will produce a nice sweet crust.
Put a thin layer of corn meal on the pizza peel (wooden paddle for placing pizza into the oven or grill). Use a rolling pin to roll a round 11” or 12” crust and place it on the wooden peel. Spread the sauce on with the back of a large spoon. Add cheese and the toppings, and it’s ready to cook. Slide the pizza from the peel onto the pizza stone. Pizzas typically take 10 minutes to cook. I like to use a steel pizza cutter which you work side to side to cut. I love the “crunch” sound when the pizza is nice and crispy!
Enjoy!
