A pizza oven may seem like the ultimate way to cook the savory pie, but we’d argue that sometimes, a grill gives it an unparalleled taste. Grilling pizza imbues the dish with a smoky flavor and slightly crisp feel that still maintains its pillowy nature. Before you rush into choosing the best toppings for grilled pizza, know that the most successful results start with the right dough.
A proper foundation is imperative for any kind of pizza, and Tony Gemignani, chef and owner of Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco and 13-time World Pizza Champion, thinks there’s one dough that’s perfect for grilling. He says, “I like to use my Neapolitan dough because it can cook longer without scorching.” That burn factor is key, and the chef advises, “When grilling pizza, it’s best to use a dough that won’t burn easily.” With grills reaching up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit or more, it’s important that the dough’s ingredients can withstand the high temperatures. “Neapolitan dough typically doesn’t include browning agents like malt or sugar, which helps prevent burning,” says Gemignani.
Made of only 00 pizza flour, water, salt, and yeast, a Neapolitan pizza dough recipe has a simple makeup that doesn’t run the risk of getting too charred on the grill. Pizza is often grilled at 400 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, and pure sugar starts to caramelize at around 338 degrees Fahrenheit, so it will blacken and burn to a crisp at higher temps.
What other types of dough are good for grilling pizza?
Neapolitan dough’s minimalist ingredient list makes it ideal for grilling, but its lower protein content compared to other flours is another factor that makes it a stellar choice, according to Gemignani. “Lower protein flours also perform better on grills than higher protein flours,” he says. When it comes to choosing high protein vs. low protein flours, the former is often used for pizza. However, low-protein flour creates softer dough that will fare better on the grill.
With the high heat charring and crisping the pizza in a matter of minutes, a more tender dough won’t become too hard compared to chewier high protein dough. Standard 00 flour can range from low to medium protein, and there are other flours with less of the nutrient that can also be used for pizza. If you don’t have 00 flour, all-purpose flour is the next best low-protein choice for grilled pizza.
There’s not a whole lot you need to do differently when grilling pizza as opposed to baking it. Make sure you brush one side of the dough with a good amount of oil, then heat it. When that side is crisp, flip it over and add your sauce, cheese, and toppings while the other side cooks, as nearly all of the heat is coming from below.
