Dutch Oven Pizza

[Golfgar4]

Decided to cook up a couple of dutch oven pizzas for dinner tonight. I was pleased with the results, although I over estimated the number of coals to be used under the dutch oven. I was thinking that I needed an even layer of coals to get the pizza dough reasonably crispy. What I ended up getting was pizza crust that was slightly "over done". I think for a 12" dutch oven, which is what I had, I should have used just the standard 8 coals for a 350 degree temperature. I do think that more coals than normal are needed on the lid to better drive the heat down. Next time I'll probably use 18 - 20 around the lip of the lid.

But the flavor turned out well, and overall, we decided that it was a reasonable success. Here are some pics and the recipe that I used.

I did use 2 dutch ovens, as regular 12" and a 12" deep. I actually think the deep gave us the better of the 2 pizzas.


G’s Dutch Oven Pizza

12” dutch oven

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min

Ingredients:

4 oz. Canola oil
1 Tube of pre-made pizza crust
1 Jar of pizza sauce
½ lb. Shredded mozzarella cheese
½ lb. Grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings

Preparation:

Prepare enough charcoal to lay a good bed of coals in a checkerboard pattern, with extra coals to be used on the dutch oven lid. For the 12” dutch oven, I used 6 – 8 coals under the dutch and 16 – 18 on the lid on the outside edge of the lid. You need to drive more heat down from the top than you need coming up from below.
Pour vegetable oil in the cold Dutch Oven, spreading it around the bottom and sides of the Dutch Oven. You may also line the dutch oven with parchment paper, but using the vegetable oil will result in a better crust.
Take the pizza dough out of the tube and split it in half. Spread half of the dough in the bottom of the Dutch Oven. If you have two Dutch Ovens, you should be able to make two pizzas at once.
Spread the pizza sauce over the pizza dough and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Add whatever toppings you have selected for your pizza.
Place the dutch oven over the bed of coals and place the lid on the Dutch Oven with hot coals on the lid to start the baking process (this allows the dough to bake and the toppings to cook through). Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until done.
After the pizza has cooked approximately 20 minutes and the dough is baked, remove the lid.
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese over the top of the hot pizza.
Place lid back on the Dutch Oven and let the cheese melt. The more hot coals placed on the lid, the faster the cheese will melt.
When cheese is melted, remove lid and then remove the Dutch Oven from the coals.

 

[pacanis]

I can't imagine trying to get a pizza out of a DO. Good job.
You need to perfect the DO upside down pizza

 

[Golfgar4]

I was a little worried about that too. I ended up using an extra wide silicon spatula and the pizzas lifted right out.

 

[Dawgluver]

Nice, Golfgar!

I'm wondering if what Pac said might work, cook the pizza on the upturned bottom of the DO? I can't believe you were able to dig it out either!

 

[Golfgar4]

You'd be losing the "oven" concept which is needed for having heat all around the pizza. It would just be like tying to cook a pizza on a flat top grill.

It really wasn't that difficult to get it out. Remember that the D.O.'s were only 12", so the pizzas weren't that big. The pizzas were stiff enough that with the wide spatula, there was enough support that they only "bent" a little. Plus, I moved them really fast! ;-)

 

[pacanis]

You wouldn't lose the oven concept if you built the pizza on the inside of the lid and set the pot on top, feet up in the air.
That's not what I meant in my post, but I've been thinking about this...
You could even serve it on the lid; rest the lid on three pop cans or something.

 

[Golfgar4]

You wouldn't lose the oven concept if you built the pizza on the inside of the lid and set the pot on top, feet up in the air.
That's not what I meant in my post, but I've been thinking about this...
You could even serve it on the lid; rest the lid on three pop cans or something.

Hmmmm.....might work. Why don't you give it a try? I don't need to since I figured out how to get the pizza out of the D.O. )

 

[pacanis]

Hmmmm.....might work. Why don't you give it a try? I don't need to since I figured out how to get the pizza out of the D.O. )

Well according to one member here if I fold it onto itself and lift it out that way I can sell it a calzone in Boston

 

[Paymaster]

Looks Awesome from here Garry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Golfgar4]

Thanks!

 

[The Culinary Camper]

Instead of an upside down pizza you could just do a calzone instead.

 

[CatPat]

Oh my! I have to try this! I have all of DA's good cast iron here!

One could put coals in a firepit, yes?

With love,
~Cat

 

[The Culinary Camper]

I put coals in a fire pit all the time. Works great for starting the coals.

CC

 

[Andy M.]

Putting your CI cookware in a bed of hot charcoal will certainly burn the crud off the outside of the pan. However, it does not clean selectively and will probably clean the nonstick coating off the entire pan. You'll have to re-season it.

 

[The Culinary Camper]

What I do is get the charcoal started in the fire pit and then take gloves and some tongs and retrieve them from the fire pit so that I can get the correct amount on my Dutch oven.

 

[Andy M.]

My comment was referring to an earlier post regarding using a bed of coals to burn the 'crud' off the outside of a CI piece.

Controlled cooking on wood and charcoal fires is a totally different thing.

 

[ALABAMACHEF]

I love making Calzones in my Duck Blind Bistro oven. It makes the whole process easier, but I should try some pizza with it.

 

[CraigC]

Not using coals as these folks are doing. It would ruin the enamel.

 

[RPCookin]

You need a real camping style dutch oven for this. The lid is a tray to put hot coals in to provide heat from all sides like a normal oven does. These pots usually have legs on the bottom as well and a wire handle for lifting.

 

[tenaquilts]

Hey, loved the post about the Dutch oven pizza!! We were camping at Grindstone in Virginia last year, and were treated to several "one pot" dishes prepared by a Dutch Oven Club who had arrived early, prepared the coals, and served everyone. We're interested in using our cast iron Dutch oven we received as a Christmas gift. It will be a new venture for us, and the pizza recipe and instructions provided in your post will come in handy. I plan to make it the first Dutch Oven meal I attempt. Thanks so much for your post.