Buzz
Making pizza on a barbecue grill is both an art and a science. While some techniques take time to master, with a little practice, you can set up your grill, roll out the dough, and create a delicious pizza. If desired, you can even serve the pizza alongside other grilled dishes.
Ingredients
- 450 g pizza dough
- ½ to 1 cup tomato sauce
- Cheese (grated Asiago, grated Parmesan, shredded mozzarella)
- Tomato sauce
- Thinly sliced toppings of your choice
- Olive oil
Steps
Setting Up the Grill
Ensure your barbecue grill has a thermostat and a lid. Purchase a grill thermostat from hardware or grocery stores if your grill lacks one. The grill must reach and maintain a temperature of around 220°C to provide enough heat for baking the pizza's surface. If the temperature is too low, only the bottom crust will cook.
- If your grill doesn’t have a lid, you can use an inverted baking tray as a substitute.
- Consider using a grill with a flat and wide surface. Grills with grooves can still cook pizza but are harder to clean.
- For charcoal or outdoor grills, you’ll need a brick frame and a tray to hold hot coals.
Cover the barbecue grill with an inverted baking tray if it lacks a lid. Arrange bricks to form two side walls and one back wall, each two bricks high. Leave the top and front open. Ensure the distance between the side walls is narrow enough to securely and safely place the baking tray on top.
- Cook the pizza by placing it inside the "walls" and covering it with the baking tray to direct heat onto the pizza's surface.
- Exercise caution to avoid burns when using this method.
- Check the pizza periodically by removing the tray. Remove the pizza if the surface browns too quickly.
Arrange bricks around the grill to enhance heat retention. Optionally, place clean bricks around the barbecue grill before heating to mimic a pizza oven. Using bricks will require additional preheating time, but the heat will be more even and suitable for baking pizza.
- Use clean bricks to avoid fire risks and wrap them in foil for safety.
Preheat the grill to approximately 300°C. Clean the grill grates with dish soap before and after use. Preheat the grill for at least 10-15 minutes to burn off any leftover debris. If the grill isn’t clean, the food may absorb too much smoke, overpowering the pizza's flavor.
- If your barbecue grill lacks a flat surface (e.g., has horizontal bars or grooves), you can bake the pizza on a cast-iron skillet, pizza stone, or a flat, durable, and fire-resistant cooking tool.
Rolling the Dough
Place 450 g of pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle some flour on a suitable flat surface, such as a pizza peel, baking tray, or cutting board.
- You can buy pizza dough from stores or make your own. If making your own, note that whole wheat or fine cornmeal dough will be richer in protein and chewier but will take longer to bake.
Roll the dough from the center outward into a circle about 30 cm in diameter. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough evenly. Thin-crust pizza dough is typically 0.3-0.6 cm thick. Rotate the dough and roll it in as many directions as possible to ensure even thickness.
- Try making a thin crust – most barbecue-grilled pizzas have a thinner crust and fewer raw ingredients because they are baked from the bottom up.
- A barbecue grill with good heat control can bake pizzas with varying thicknesses and textures; experiment to find what works best for your grill.
- You can pre-bake the crust and freeze it. Frozen crusts still taste great, so consider baking a batch at once.
Cut the toppings into evenly sized pieces. Use no more than three types of toppings. Common pizza toppings include green bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms. You can also use spinach, artichokes, and other less common ingredients. Meat toppings often include pork sausage, beef sausage, and chicken.
- For simplicity, you can make pizza by grilling the dough on both sides like a pancake, then brushing it with garlic oil and eating it plain or pairing it with other foods.
Pre-cook raw meat toppings before adding them to the pizza. This step is especially important when using seafood and chicken. You don’t want the pizza to come out with undercooked toppings. Place the meat near the edges of the pizza for faster cooking.
- Consume cooked meat as soon as possible. If there are leftovers, store them in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator at 5°C or below. Keep cooked meat separate from ready-to-eat foods and raw meat.
Arrange all necessary ingredients and tools on a tray. Place all the prepared toppings (sliced or shredded), sauce, olive oil, a basting brush, and a wide spatula on the tray.
- Tongs can also be useful but are not essential.
Grilling the Pizza
Place the pizza dough on a pizza peel. You can also use a wooden cutting board, baking tray, or another flat surface to easily transfer the dough onto the barbecue grill.
- If using homemade dough and not pre-baking the crust, avoid letting the dough rise too much, as it may become too soft and fragile.
Brush olive oil over the surface of the dough. Gently use a basting brush to coat the entire surface with olive oil. Continue until the dough is evenly covered with a thin layer of oil.
Place the oiled side of the dough face down, cover the grill, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Open the grill lid and carefully place the dough on the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes uncovered or 1-2 minutes covered.
- Use tongs to lift the dough every 30 seconds. The crust should show grill marks but not yet be crispy.
Use a spatula to flip the crust. Slide the spatula as far under the dough as possible and place your other hand on the uncooked side. Gently flip the dough over on the grill.
- The crust should come off easily without breaking. If it feels soft or fragile, cook for another 30 seconds and check again.
- If the crust is only golden on one side, use tongs or a spatula to rotate it 90 degrees and cook for an additional minute.
Brush olive oil on the crust and add a generous spoonful of sauce. Pour some olive oil onto a basting brush and lightly coat the grilled side of the pizza. Then, spoon sauce onto the crust and use the back of the spoon to spread it evenly.
- You can use more than one spoonful of sauce if you prefer a saucier pizza, but this may make the crust soggy.
Add toppings and cheese to the cooked side of the pizza. Start by evenly distributing the toppings, then sprinkle cheese on top. If using meat, place it over the cheese. Avoid overloading the pizza, especially with cheese and sauces.
- Cheese melts quickly, so adding too much can make the toppings watery.
- Excessive cheese can also cause the pizza to burn or scorch.
Grill the pizza for 3-5 minutes. After adding the toppings, close the lid and let the pizza cook. Use your sense of smell and judgment to monitor the process – if you smell burning, open the lid. You can also move the pizza to a cooler part of the grill.
- If the pizza continues to burn after opening the lid or moving it, reduce the temperature to around 260-290°C.
Close the vents for 2-3 minutes if using a charcoal grill. Keep the vents mostly closed throughout the cooking process. After 2-3 minutes, or when the cheese starts bubbling and the crust begins to brown, use a spatula to remove the pizza and let it rest on a cutting board for 1-2 minutes before serving.
- Remove the pizza when the cheese has melted to your desired consistency.
Cut the pizza into four slices. Gently hold the edge of the pizza and make a vertical cut down the middle, followed by a horizontal cut to divide it into four equal parts.
- You can add 1-2 diagonal cuts if you prefer smaller slices, but four pieces are ideal for a pizza of this size.
- If sharing with others, consider asking for help during the grilling process to divide tasks and enjoy the pizza together once it's done.
Tips
- Grilling pizza on a barbecue requires effort, practice, and experimentation to achieve perfection. While baking in a conventional oven is easier, the results from grilling are worth the extra effort.
- Be mindful of your neighbors and ensure the wind blows smoke away from homes (especially clotheslines). Many restaurants now serve grilled pizza, so it might be better to visit them instead of causing disputes with neighbors over BBQ space.
Warnings
- Only grill in appropriate areas. Be aware of smoke, local fire regulations, and the risk of igniting nearby vegetation.
What You'll Need
- Barbecue grill (gas or charcoal)
- Basting brush
- Large spoon
- Pizza pan
- Baking tray (optional)
- Kitchen gloves
- Metal tongs
- Metal spatula
