How it works
The key to great BBQ pizza is creating a hot, stable cooking environment. Start by placing your pizza stone or steel on the grill grates and close the lid to trap heat. Preheat for at least 30 minutes to ensure the surface reaches the ideal temperature, typically between 300-400°C. This intense heat cooks the base quickly, creating a crisp crust without drying it out. Once your stone or steel is properly heated, launch your pizza onto the surface swiftly to retain heat. Keep toppings light and evenly distributed to avoid sogginess or steaming the dough. The lid must remain closed during cooking to maintain high ambient heat and mimic a pizza oven’s environment. This traps radiant heat and cooks toppings evenly while crisping the base. During cooking, monitor your pizza closely and rotate it as needed to prevent hot spots or uneven cooking. The entire process should take just a few minutes, so timing and preparation are crucial. With practice, you’ll develop a rhythm that balances fast cooking with perfect topping melt and crust char.
Best for
- Making pizza without a dedicated oven
- Weekend cooks wanting quick, impressive meals
- Feeding a crowd with shareable, customizable pizzas
- Adding smoky flavour to traditional pizza
- Outdoor cooking enthusiasts
Common mistakes
- Underheating the stone and getting a pale, undercooked base
- Overloading toppings causing a soggy, steamed pizza
- Cooking with the lid open and losing essential heat
- Using cold dough straight from the fridge
- Not rotating the pizza leading to uneven cooking
