Grilled Pizza advice please?

[Kayelle]

I do lots of pizza in the oven but I've never done one on the gas grill.

Any advice?

 

[larry_stewart]

Just made 2 about 2 hours ago.
I cheat a little
I keep a pizza stone on one side of the grill.
I heat it up, while preparing the pizza.
I then slide the pizza on to the stone.
Let it cook for about 10 - 15 minutes ( keeping a close eye on it, since its not as accurate as the oven in my kitchen).
once the cheese is melted, i slide it over to the side without the stone , just long enough for the bottom side of the crust to get grill marks.

I also have a smoker section in the grill, where i put some wood chips along with some rosemary in there to give the pizza a more smoked taste.

Ive tried it , in the past, by putting the dough directly on the grill ( no stone).
I was successful, but I think it was beginners luck for me.
The stone makes it more predictable

I advise to grate the cheese on the finer side, it melts easier and quicker. Ive found that the distribution of the heat to melt the cheese can be tricky, and the dough can burn while waiting for the cheese to melt, so the finer shredded cheese works better for me.

Im sure others have a much better technique than me

 

[larry_stewart]

Here are a few pics

 

[Kayelle]

Thanks for your help Larry. I was wondering about using my stone on the grill. I suspect it's not a good idea to overload the crust with goodies as I normally do, since almost all the heat comes from the bottom even with the grill lid closed. Have you ever used a dome lid to hold the heat in? I wonder if that would work?

 

[Addie]

Thanks for your help Larry. I was wondering about using my stone on the grill. I suspect it's not a good idea to overload the crust with goodies as I normally do, since almost all the heat comes from the bottom even with the grill lid closed. Have you ever used a dome lid to hold the heat in? I wonder if that would work?

Something like a large metal bowl?

 

[Cheryl J]

I've never made a pizza on the grill, but I'll be watching this thread with interest. Always thought it would be fun to learn how. I hope you get some more advice, Kayelle.

Larry, you have a beautiful yard and bbq set up.

 

[larry_stewart]

Larry, you have a beautiful yard and bbq set up.

Thanks , Making my kitchen larger wasn't and option, so a nice set up on the deck was the next best thing.

 

[larry_stewart]

Another thing, when making a pizza on the grill, its important to have whatever utensil, tool (that can manage turning, moving, picking up a pizza) spices, last minute additions within arms reach. Since your not just dealing with heat, but fire also, things can go wrong real quickly ( burn). So you have to be prepared to move it or remove it at a moments notice. The time it takes to run around looking for something to use, could be the difference between a great pizza, or a phone call to order in since you just burned dinner beyond recognition

 

[medtran49]

We've cooked them on the grill for years and do them directly on the grill. We pre-grill them on both sides for a few minutes until they are just starting to firm up and then top and finish. Guess you'd compare it to bake and serve rolls. It's a 2-person job for us. I shape/stretch/roll them as Craig is pre-grilling. Basically, I get them shaped just in time for him to put them on the grill. Then, we top them and put them back on until cheese is melted and crust is done.

You are correct in that you can't overload the toppings. We've found too that it's also easier to make smaller pizzas then try to make a big one. Maybe 12" or so +/- 2". I just get them roundish more or less and as thin as possible.

Craig uses a fairly hot fire and we use wood, not charcoal. Larry is correct that you have to watch them closely and constantly be checking on them or they will burn. That's 1 reason it's a 2-person job for us. He cooks while I prep.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Mine was done on a Webber Kettle, with charcoal. But the technique is the same. Get that grill smoking hot! I put my crust into a well oiled cast iron pan, covered with sauce and toppings, put it on the grill, and covered with the lid. I left all vents wide open to keep the fire hot. The crust cooked perfectly, and picked up the smokey flavor from the fire. To get that same flavor from your grill, wrap chunks of your favorite smoking wood in aluminum foil, poke holes in the foil, and place over a burner. Let it get smoking, then put the pan in the grill. Cover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes in your really hot grill. That's all there is to it, nothing magic, nothing complicated.

That was the best pizza I've made to date. It pretty much approximated the conditions in a brick oven.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[larry_stewart]

Yeah, I think the Most noticeable differences ( for me) when doing it on the grill, is the crust seems to be perfect , and the smokiness.

And also the thrill of having to be completely on top of things to avoid screwing it up. I haven't burned one ( too bad ) yet, but Im sure the day will come.

 

[medtran49]

oops, didn't mean to post.

 

[chiklitmanfan]

This thread has my curiosity piqued. I have several large air-bake pizza pans (the ones with thousands of little holes) and think it would make an ideal pizza baking pan for an outdoor grill. My grill, with the lid lowered, gets up to just over 500 degrees which is almost ideal for a pizza. Stay tuned......

 

[salt and pepper]

Thanks for your help Larry. I was wondering about using my stone on the grill. I suspect it's not a good idea to overload the crust with goodies as I normally do, since almost all the heat comes from the bottom even with the grill lid closed. Have you ever used a dome lid to hold the heat in? I wonder if that would work?

Kayelle, If you use a dome over the pizza, the crust will not get crispy. I say, don't cover. If your not using a stone I would roll out the dough and cover, let rise for 15-20 minutes before adding toppings Then place on the grill. Grill the the pizza over the hot side of the grill (without burning) turn 1/2 way ,then finish on indirect side of the grill. I hope this helps, any questions, fell free to PM me. Joey

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Kayelle, If you use a dome over the pizza, the crust will not get crispy. I say, don't cover. If your not using a stone I would roll out the dough and cover, let rise for 15-20 minutes before adding toppings Then place on the grill. Grill the the pizza over the hot side of the grill (without burning) turn 1/2 way ,then finish on indirect side of the grill. I hope this helps, any questions, fell free to PM me. Joey

I make my grilled pizza with a Webber Kettle, with the domed lid on. I put olive oil into my largest cast iron pan, spread the dough inside, add toppings. I have a sollid bed of charcoal in the grill, and get it screaming hot. Put the pan on, cover with all vents wide open. The crust comes out with a crispy outer surface, soft and chewey crumb, and cooked all the way through. The toppings taste and feel like pizza toppings.

I believe how crispy the crust comes out depends on what kind of crust you are making, and what kind of pan you use. For my deep dish style, my technique works. It wouldn't maybe make a perfect New York style crust though. But then again, with all vents open, and a hot pan, it might, as there is natural air movement inside due to convection, and my grill will get hotter than will my oven.

My best advise is to experiment, and keep track of the results.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North