- A double rise on the dough, the second rise happening directly in the baking pan, gives the crust a light and airy texture.
- Sprinkling the cheese all the way to the edges of the pan allows it to caramelize and form the pizza’s characteristic crisp, lacy crust.
- The pizza is baked on the lowest oven rack on a preheated pizza stone or baking steel, giving the bottom crust a golden-brown, crispy finish.
From the pan to the application of the sauce, Detroit-style pizza reflects the history of the city’s “golden age” of the automotive industry. The original was cooked in a deep blue-steel pan used for carrying auto parts, and the sauce was layered on top like racing stripes.
No matter what your pizza-making skills are, with the right ingredients and a little know-how, you can make a version of this Motor City classic at home. Starting with the base of the pizza, the crust uses a relatively high hydration dough made with bread flour for the optimal combination of sturdiness and tenderness. While a pizzeria in Detroit may ferment their dough for a day or two, this recipe calls for a simple two-hour rise. Next, the dough is stretched into a very well-greased rectangular or square metal pan before a quick second rise.
Next are the toppings: Unlike most other pizzas that leave a border of untopped crust, Detroit-style pizza takes the cheese all the way to the edges of the pan, which bakes into its characteristic crispy edge known as a cheese crown or frico. Top the cheese with stripes of homemade tomato sauce, and layer on the pepperoni.
Finally, cook in the bottom of the oven on a pizza stone or baking steel to mimic a professional pizza oven. Your oven needs to be super hot, 500°F, to create that crispy crust — so give your stone or steel plenty of time to heat up. Resist the urge to eat immediately (do the roof of your mouth a favor), and cool the pizza in the pan for a few minutes. Cut into squares, and savor.
What makes a pizza Detroit-style?
Detroit-style pizza has a number of unique qualities that set it apart from its classic Neapolitan-, New York–, and Chicago-style counterparts. First, it’s baked in a rectangular or square pan. For toppings, a bottom layer of lusciously melted cheese goes all the way to the edges of the deliciously caramelized and crispy crust. Pepperoni is layered both on top and underneath the cheese, and “racing stripes” of flavorful tomato sauce top the whole affair.
Where can you find brick cheese
Wisconsin brick cheese is a semihard cow’s milk cheese that melts smooth and caramelizes into toasty brown-butter flavors. This cheese can be tough to find if you don’t live in the Midwest (or near a great cheesemonger), so substitute low-moisture mozzarella cheese if needed. You can also order brick cheese online at wisconsincheesemart.com. Leftover brick cheese can be used similarly to other mild melty cheeses in dishes like mac and cheese, lasagna, paninis, or grilled cheese.
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- We recommend the Detroit-style pizza pans from Lloyd Pans ($48 for a 10- x 14- x 2.5-inch pan, lloydpans.com), but if you don’t want to buy the specialty pan, you can also make the pizza in a standard 9- x 13-inch baking pan.
- If you prefer a touch of spice, add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper to the tomato sauce.
- For pepperonis that form cups as they bake, opt for thinly sliced pepperoni made with natural casings.
Suggested pairing
Pair the Detroit’s signature pie with a red-fruited, lightly tannic Italian red, such as Speri Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore.
Make ahead
The dough can be made through step 2 and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. Proceed with the recipe as directed, increasing the time the dough rises in the pan (step 4) to about 1 1/2 hours.
