Ever since hearing my cousin talk about grilling pizza recently, I have been somewhat obsessed with doing it myself. I consulted with her on technique (she grills first, tops and then broils to melt the cheese), I set about to grill a pizza from start to finish. I really want to avoid that added step of transferring to the oven, if possible.
So far, we’ve loved the toppings (pesto, fresh mozzarella, sungold tomatoes, prosciutto) but the bottom of the crust is just getting too done (read: burnt) while the cheese melts. Fortunately, the toppings have made up for the over-done crust.
Anyway, I am still working out the technique. I am thinking a mid-cook flip might solve the problem (obviously topping the pizza right after flipping), but I haven’t tested that yet.
Any hints, tips or tricks to share?
Cheddar Cheese
Monday 7th of September 2009
Grillng a Pizza is indeed a brilliant concept. Your post are simply good.Thanks for all the sharing!
Carla Chilton
Thursday 3rd of September 2009
Grilled pizza is a big hit in our house too! I find that the flip method is also helpful, I lightly olive oil both sides of the dough and put it on the grill on a piece of foil. I let the dough begin to cook a bit, generally waiting for some of those fun bubbles. I use the foil to help flip the dough, onto the "raw" side. Add toppings and cook. Thinner crusts work best I find, that way, the dough cooks through and the toppings finish up at about the same time. I often move the pizza around to avoid hot spots, and I keep a pretty low heat. Favorite toppings: 1:a little bit of sauce, mozz, fresh tomato, fresh basil, and feta. 2: Ricotta mixed with some italian seasoning, grilled asparagus, chopped sun dried tomatoes, and a bit of goat cheese...
Now I'm hungry!!
Viktoria
Thursday 3rd of September 2009
Maybe use a pizza stone underneath for part of the cooking? Or cheese that melts faster... perhaps a thinner crust so it gets to the cheese faster, but then again, it might cook the crust faster too...
Cate O'Malley
Thursday 3rd of September 2009
Mmm, love grilled pizza. One of my favorite recipes is from the mid-90's for a grilled pizza with caramelized onions and goat cheese. Seriously to-die-for.
rumgirl
Thursday 3rd of September 2009
So funny to see this post! I too have been obsessed with grilling pizzas over the past few weeks. Our local market had wheat pizza on sale for $1.00 so I picked up a few and thought I would experiment! I did not oil my crust before placing it on the grill. I had the heat high so the dough would not stick. I then flipped it over and added the the toppings. First time I did this I too had some issues with burning. The second time I lowered the heat once I added the toppings and lowered the lid to help the cheese melt.This worked! Some toppings my fiance cannot stop raving about: Pizza #1- carmelized onions, pears and gorgonzola cheese Pizza #2 - Ultimate philly cheesesteak pizza-thin sliced sirloin (used leftover steak), sauteed onions and mushrooms, fontina and asiago presata cheeses (recommended by a gourmet cheese shop at an Italian market). Good luck, happy grilling, thanks for all your great recipes and thoughts!-Jenn