Grilling Pizza: A New Summertime Favorite

Pizza On the Grill: The Summertime Game-changer

Posted: 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Grilling pizza is the perfect way to enjoy delicious, crispy pizza during the warm summer months. Whether you’re going big for a weekend pizza party or need a quick and convenient meal midweek, you’ll want to write down a few tips for grilling pizza!

The Best Way to Grill Pizza

No matter what kind of grill you’re using (gas or charcoal), it’s all about the pizza stone. Wood-fired pizza ovens work because of a wide, flat stone designed to capture and store heat equally, reducing the risk of overcooked or doughy spots on your pizza crust. If you’re committed to grilling pizza, finding a pizza stone to improve your crusted creations is well worth finding. Of course, you don’t need one to make a delicious pie!

Grilling pizza with a pizza stone offers several advantages. It ensures more even heat distribution, making it easier to achieve a crispy crust. Plus, cleaning up after is easier, saving you time and effort in the kitchen.
Grilling without a pizza stone: No extra hardware, harder to clean up, results may vary.

How to Grill Pizza in Six Easy Steps

Before you get started, narrow down your topping. If you plan on grilling pizza with chicken, seafood, or any kind of meat, make sure the meat is precooked or cured. We recommend grilling your chicken beforehand and adding it to your pizza once it’s completely cooked to avoid salmonella or other meat-borne illnesses.

Get It Hot: Preheat your grill to 450-500 degrees Fahrenheit. If your grill doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, get an expensive grill-safe one when you can.
Prep: While the grill heats, prepare your pizza dough and toppings. Have everything within easy reach for quick assembly.
Grill the Dough: Stretch your dough and carefully place it directly on the hot side of the grill. Grill for 1-2 minutes until the bottom starts to brown and crisp.
Flip and Add Toppings: Quickly flip the dough (use a pizza peel if you have one) and move it to the indirect heat side of the grill. Now's the time to spread on your pizza sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.
Melt and Char: Close the grill lid and cook for 3-5 minutes. You're looking for melted, bubbly cheese and a nicely cooked crust with grill marks.
Enjoy: Place the pizza on a cooling rack or baking sheet when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Is There Specific Pizza Dough for Grilling?

Some store-bought pizza doughs claim to be better for grilling, but we’re skeptical. Any pizza dough will work just fine—especially if you make it yourself! The key to great dough is thorough needing and a careful eye on your grill temperature to avoid frying the crust's surface without melting or cooking the toppings.

Can You Grill Frozen Pizza?

Of course! Grilling frozen pizza makes a midweek pie so much easier, but it does require a few wrinkles.

Frozen pizzas will typically cook faster than pizza made from scratch. This is due to the pre-cooked crust, which gives you a little bit of a headstart!
Frozen pizzas fare better on lower heat. Even slightly thawed frozen pizzas have more moisture content and cook quickly. Lower the grill temperature to 400-500 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid soggy toppings and scorched dough.

Enjoy Summer On the Grill with Max’s

We've got you covered, from fresh, healthy grilled pizza options to the latest grill technology. Max’s Service is one of Traverse City’s biggest Weber Grill dealers, and we love taking our work home with us. Talk to our experienced staff to find the best grill for you and a few grilled pizza recipes we’ve tried. Stop by the store, drop us a line, or call (231) 947-6830 today to learn more!

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Max's Service

135 East State Street
Traverse City, MI 49684

Phone:(231) 947-6830 (231) 947-6830

Store Hours

Monday–Friday

Sales 8:30am-6pm
Office and Parts 8am-5pm
Service 8am-5pm

Saturday

Sales 9am-4pm

Sunday

Closed