How to Grill a Pizza

Yes, you read that right. Grilling pizza is a real thing and we think it’s something you may fall in love with once you’ve tried it. The key to a good grilled pizza is learning how to properly grill the crust. You can either make your own crust or purchase a frozen crust from the store. Undoubtedly, preparing a crust from scratch is more time consuming but more than makes up for it with its indescribable freshness.

Since we will be utilizing fresh dough for the purposes of this article, here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make your fresh dough:

• 1 ½ cups warm water (100°F - 110°F)
• 1 package of rapid-rise activity dry yeast
• ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
• 4 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of sea salt

For preparing fresh pizza dough, the following directions should prove invaluable:

• Within an electric stand mixer, combine the yeast, water and sugar
• Stir briefly and allow it to stand for approximately five minutes, or until the top surface has gained a thin, frothy layer (this shows the yeast has activated)
• Next, add the flour and the salt
• Apply the dough hook to the mixer and mix on low-speed for 1 minute or until the dough begins to come together
• Once the dough has come together, increase the mixing speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough has become slightly sticky, smooth and has elasticity (takes ~10 minutes)
• Next, form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly oiled bowl and coat the entire surface of the dough ball with the olive oil
• Now you wait. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until it has at least doubled in size (takes ~ 1 ½ - 2 hours)
• Once the dough has risen, you can now flatten and stretch the dough. A light coating on your hands while shaping the dough will help make the dough more pliable.
• Finish by flattening the dough on a sheet of parchment paper
• Keep the dough flattened on the parchment paper

Now, prepare your ingredients on the grill.

• It is here you can choose which types of meats and vegetables you would like on your pizza
• Utilizing simple aluminum foil, place your vegetables within the foil, add a tablespoon of olive oil, seal the foil, and cook over direct medium-high heat
• A grill pan is optimal for preparing your meat toppings

Now, it’s time to put the dough on the grill!

• Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat
• Brush the grill grates entirely clean
• Next, place the dough on the grill with the parchment paper still on top of the dough in order to help hold the dough’s shape
• After a minute on the grill, remove the parchment paper
• Cook the dough, with the grill lid closed as much as possible, until it is crisp on the underside (~2 minutes)
• Now, transfer the dough, grilled side facing up, to a working surface
• Spread the cheese evenly over the crust and arrange your toppings accordingly
• Now, place the pizza back on the grill, keeping the lid closed, until the cheese has melted and the now bottom of the pizza is crisp (again ~2 minutes).

That’s how you prepare a delectable grilled pizza. It may be something you never even considered trying, but it’s well worth it. Your pizza toppings are endless and can be prepared directly on the grill while your dough rises. Utilizing fresh dough is truly what makes this endeavor extremely worth the effort.

If you ever have any questions about grilling techniques or want to learn more about grilling pizzas, contact us at +966.13.845.6798 and we will be more than happy to assist you. As the number one grilling company in Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East, we want to provide you with as much information and assistance as possible. We look forward to hearing from you and happy grilling!