Welcome back to our latest installment of Gossip Grill, where we spill all the secrets for achieving grilling perfection! This week we’re talking about grilling pizza – because believe us when we say, grilled pizza tastes SO MUCH BETTER than oven baked! Grilled pizza has this wonderful texture (not too doughy, not too crunchy), not to mention the taste is divine. The grill adds a layer of smoky flavor to your pizza that just can’t be beat.
Over the years, we’ve tried several methods of grilling pizza, and the way that we’re about to describe is the one that worked best for us. Keep in mind there are many ways to achieve the perfect pizza, but we thought we’d share the method we’ve nailed down, and you can decide what you’d like to do from there!
First off, while we don’t have one of those super expensive all-in-one pizza ovens, we did find that the best results came from a pizza oven that sits atop the grill. This little one was quite affordable and the results have come out amazing 99% of the time! This is Cuisinart Grill Top Pizza Oven, and it is powered solely by the heat source of your grill. (It works with gas, charcoal, or pellet grills.) This oven allows you to track the temperature and also comes with its own pizza peel, so you can easily slide your pizza in and out of the oven. Since this pizza oven sits on the grill and not on its own, you don’t have to worry about children knocking into it and getting hurt, because these things get HOT!
Now that we’ve shared our secret pizza grilling tool, let’s get into the nitty gritty!
First, Make Your Dough
Store-bought dough is fine, but making your own dough is quite simple, affordable, and tastes AWESOME! Here is what we do:
- Dissolve 1-1/2 tsp of sugar into 3/4 cup of warm water (around 110 degrees). Then dissolve 2-1/4 tsp of active dry yeast into the water. Let sit for 5 minutes until it bubbles.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer set on low and using a dough hook, mix 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 2 heaping tsp of Weber® Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning (or homemade pizza seasoning, which is also wonderful.)
- Once the yeast has been activated, pour it into the mixing bowl while it’s on low. Then add 1 tbsp Member’s Mark™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Mix the dough until it comes together in a ball. You may need to add more flour if the dough seems too sticky.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface a few times and shape it into a ball. Place the dough ball in a large bowl that’s been greased with olive oil. Cover the bowl tightly, and then it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. Once the dough has risen, place the bowl in the fridge for at least an hour. This will help you achieve crispy pizza crust!
Prep the Oven
Preheat the grill on high with the lid closed. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes. You want the internal temperature to reach around 500-700°F (260-370°C).
- Place the pizza oven insert on top of the grill grates. Ensure it is stable and positioned correctly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- If using a pizza stone, place it inside the insert. Let the stone preheat for about 15-20 minutes. It should reach a temperature of at least 500°F (260°C) for optimal results.
Create Your Pizza
Roll your dough out on a floured surface, then get to work making your pizza creation! We have found that it’s easier to roll the dough out and immediately place it on the pre-floured pizza peel, and then work on the toppings. It’s much easier to transfer this way. (And the flouring prevents sticking.)
Get Grilling
Open the grill lid and slide the pizza onto the hot stone inside the pizza oven insert. Close the lid to retain heat.
- Monitor the pizza as it cooks. It should take about 5-10 minutes, depending on the temperature and the thickness of your pizza. Use an infrared thermometer to check the stone’s temperature if you have one.
- Rotate the pizza halfway through the cooking time to ensure even baking.
- The pizza is done when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Use the pizza peel to carefully remove the pizza from the oven.
Now comes the hard part – waiting it to cool for a few minutes before eating, because as we mentioned earlier, that oven gets HOT!
If you haven’t tried making a grilled pizza before, we definitely recommend giving it a shot! It might take a little bit of a learning curve, so just in case, you may want to double the dough recipe and make a backup dough ball! (Or maybe you’re just extra hungry and want two pizzas!)
In case you’re stumped for pizza toppings, here is a great list of some really unique ones that are jazzier than the usual pepperoni or mushroom.
Are you excited to grill some pizza? We hope you give it a try. We have a bunch of pizza recipes on The Real Kitchen, which can also be made on the grill using the steps above.
XOXO,
Gossip Grill
