How To Make Restaurant-Quality Grilled Pizzas At Home
If you have ever ordered a grilled pizza at a restaurant, you know how well the smokey grill flavor pairs with the gooey cheese and tender, chewy crust. By following these instructions, you can make a restaurant-quality grilled pizza in the comfort of your own home. For best results, use a charcoal grill for this task. The flavors will be smokier and more authentic. However, if you only have a gas grill on hand, it will work just fine. Plan ahead when making this recipe. To get the chewiest, most flavorful crust, you need to let the dough rest overnight in the refrigerator.
Stage #1: Preparing the Dough
The night before you want to make grilled pizzas, you'll need to mix up your pizza dough. For this recipe, you will need:
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 - 115 F)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- additional olive oil for greasing
- additional bread flour for dusting
Begin by combining the water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Stir well to ensure that all of the yeast has been moistened. Let this mixture rest for 5 minutes. The yeast should dissolve completely, and the mixture should start to bubble. Next, add half of the flour to the bowl. Pour in the olive oil and salt, and mix on medium speed to create a loose dough. Slowly add the remaining flour to the bowl until a medium-stiff dough forms. Knead the dough for 6 minutes with the dough hook on your mixer, or for 8 minutes by hand. Grease a bowl with a little olive oil, and place the dough in the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, and place in in the fridge to rest overnight.
Stage #2: Shaping the Pizza Crust and Preparing to Grill
Remove the dough from the fridge about 2 hours before you plan on using it. Divide it into four small balls, and place these balls on a lightly floured baking sheet. Sprinkle a little more flour on top of them, and cover them with plastic wrap. Let them sit at room temperature.
While your dough is resting, it's time to prepare your toppings. Tomato sauce is the classic option, but consider these sauce choices, too:
- Basil pesto
- Alfredo sauce
- Barbecue sauce
Also consider what toppings and cheeses you want to put on your pizza. You can stick with classic mozzarella and pepperoni, or be a little more creative. Here are a few combinations you may want to try:
- Provolone, mushrooms, and red onions
- Mozzarella, cheddar, sausage, and peppers
- Mozzarella, olives, bacon, and pineapple
After 2 hours have passed, it's time to shape the pizza crusts. Set the grill to preheat while you do so. Use your fingers to stretch each of the dough balls into a circle that is 6 - 8 inches across. Set these stretched crusts on baking sheets, and carry them out to the grill, along with your topping ingredients and a bowl of olive oil.
Stage #3: Grill Your Pizza
It's important to note that, once you place your pizza on the grill grates, you cannot move it until it becomes crispy. Keeping this in mind, brush your crusts with olive oil, and then pick them up, one at a time, and gently lay them on the grill with the oiled side facing down. Don't worry if they are not perfect circles. Part of the fun of grilled pizza is its rustic look. Grill the pizza crusts for 3 - 4 minutes, or until the bottoms start to become crisp. Then, brush the tops with olive oil, and use tongs or a spatula to turn the crusts over.
After flipping your crusts, leave them on the grill as you top them with your sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Then, close the lid of the grill and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove your pizzas from the grill, and enjoy your masterpieces.
Grilling pizza sometimes takes a little practice, but even misshaped pizzas taste delicious. After following these instructions several times, you'll be making grilled pizzas that are as delicious and beautiful as the ones you order at restaurants.
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