It’s a real delight if you’ve never tried grilling pizza before. If you want to make the finest pizza at home, ever, follow our grilling instructions and use our pizza recipe.
When I first learned that pizza could be cooked over an open flame, my initial thought was, “Why the heck would anybody want to do that?”
Now that I’ve done it a few times, I can think of a few reasons why it’s not a good idea. For one, on a hot summer day, who wants to turn on the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit or higher?
Grilled pizza completely changes the game
The heat from cooking pizza on a grill stays outside, where it belongs. Grills are more like outside wood-burning ovens than regular ovens.
The smoke from the grill, whether it’s charcoal or gas, will provide an incredible depth of flavour to your pizza.
Also, it’s a breeze to do! The pizza dough doesn’t just disappear between the cracks of the grill. As long as the grill is hot enough, the dough should get a beautiful, softly browned crust.
The Efficient Method for Grilling Pizza
The secret is to broil the basic dough first, but just on one side. Take it off the grill, flip it over, coat the grilled side with sauce and toppings, and place it back on the grill for the last few minutes.
Is There a Pizza Dough Recipe You Can Recommend?
Here’s a fast guide to grilling the right way. If you don’t already have pizza dough on hand, you can find a fantastic recipe on our Homemade Pizza page.
Get-Ahead Directions
- Start with twice the amount of flour called for in the recipe; let the dough rise; cut it in half; wrap each half in plastic; and place in the freezer. Then, if pizza is on the menu for supper, take the dough out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator the night before you want to use it. When you get home from work, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit out on the counter to warm while you preheat the grill.
- Pre-grill crusts need just rolling out the dough and briefly grilling it on both sides. Cool the crust on a rack to prevent the underside from becoming mushy from the heat and steam. This method allows you to produce multiples in advance by a few hours. Next, brush the crusts with sauce, add the toppings, and fire up the grill.
Ingredients
- Tomato sauce Pizza sauce Pizza crust (if using our pizza dough recipe note that it makes enough dough for 2 pizzas)
- Olive oil that hasn’t been processed or refined
- Dusting the baking sheet or pizza peel with all-purpose flour or corn meal
The Fixins’ for Pizza
- Spaghetti with tomato sauce
- Herbs
- Cheese (mozzarella is the best) (mozzarella is the best)
- Sliced onions
- Tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Pepperoni
Method
1. Prepare the dough by:
Pizza dough may be made from scratch or purchased already made. Both options are viable.
2. Get the grill and fixings ready:
Get ready for high direct heat by setting the grill. Get out a small bowl and fill it with olive oil to use for brushing the pizza with and greasing the grill. Tomato sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you want should be prepared and ready to go before you start assembling the pizza.
3. Roll out the pizza dough and form it into a pizza:
Use your hands to spread out the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to make the crust. Extend the dough using your fingers, or hold up the borders and let the dough dangle and stretch as you work your way around the perimeter.
After the dough has been stretched, it should rest for 5 minutes before being reworked into a lovely, round form that is 12 inches in diameter. Don’t create a lip that’s too high, it’ll prevent you from getting a nice sear while grilling.
4. Cook pizza by grilling one side:
When the grill is ready (hands may be held an inch over the grates for no more than 2 seconds), soak a paper towel in olive oil and use tongs to wipe the grate clean.
Then, transfer a pizza dough round to a rimless cookie sheet that has been gently dusted (or cornmeal) (or pizza peel if you have one).
The dough should be dropped onto the grill’s hot grates directly from the baking sheet.
Put the grill cover on, and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Be sure there aren’t any air pockets in the dough:
Open the grill after 2 minutes to examine the underside of the dough for browning. If it is on one side but not the other, flip the dough with a spatula or tongs and let it cook for an additional minute.
If the bottom isn’t browning after a minute of grilling, cover the grill and cook for another minute.
Having a sizzling grill would cut down the time needed to prepare the food to only minutes. Air will begin to bubble to the surface of the pizza dough.
6. Take the grilled dough and invert it onto the baking sheet.
Using a cookie sheet or pizza peel, take the pizza from the grill when it has a light golden crust on one side. Carefully turn the dough over with a spatula so that the grilled side is facing up. Covering the grill will help keep in heat as you prepare the following step.
7. Olive oil basting, then toppings of your choice:
Brush some extra virgin olive oil over the pizza’s grilled surface, and then top with only one ladleful of sauce. Any more, and the pizza will get mushy.
Put the meat on top of the cheese if you’re using it, and then sprinkle over the rest of your toppings.
Don’t overdo it with the toppings or your pizza will end up mushy and heavy.
8. Put the topped pizza back on the griddle and slide it back in.
You should turn down the heat if you’re using a gas barbecue. Close the vents on the lid of the charcoal grill nearly completely. Cook for another two to three minutes with the cover on, or until the bottom is charred and the cheese is bubbling. After a couple of minutes of resting on a cutting board or other level surface, remove off the grate with a spatula and cut into slices.
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