Grill Friendly Pizza Dough Recipes

PIZZA ON THE GRILL I

Steps:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water, and mix in sugar. Proof for ten minutes, or until frothy. Mix in the salt, olive oil, and flour until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down, and knead in garlic and basil. Set aside to rise for 1 more hour, or until doubled again.
• Preheat grill for high heat. Heat olive oil with garlic for 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside. Punch down dough, and divide in half. Form each half into an oblong shape 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Brush grill grate with garlic flavored olive oil. Carefully place one piece of dough on hot grill. The dough will begin to puff almost immediately. When the bottom crust has lightly browned, turn the dough over using two spatulas. Working quickly, brush oil over crust, and then brush with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Arrange 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/8 cup sliced black olives, and 1/8 cup roasted red peppers over crust. Sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons basil. Close the lid, and cook until the cheese melts. Remove from grill, and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the second pizza.

BASIC GRILLED PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup warm water into a medium bowl; add sugar and sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, 5 minutes.
• Whisk oil and 1 teaspoon salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until liquid is incorporated (dough will appear dry). Turn out onto a floured work surface. Knead until dough comes together in an elastic ball, 2 minutes. Transfer to an oiled medium bowl; brush lightly with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; set in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, 45 minutes. Punch down dough and cover; let rise another 30 minutes.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Let rest 15 minutes before using.

PIZZA DOUGH FOR THE GRILL

Steps:

• Stir the yeast into the water; let sit for 15 minutes. Combine the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a large bowl. On low speed in the stand mixer or stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add the yeast mixture and the olive oil alternately to the flour. Knead for 6 minutes on low speed in the stand mixer or on a floured surface by hand until it becomes elastic. The dough should feel soft and just a little sticky. If it feels grainy or dry, add 1 tablespoon warm water at a time (up to 1/4 cup). Knead for another 2 minutes by hand on a floured surface.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl that's at least twice the size of the dough and cover with a damp dishtowel. Let rise at room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 hour. The dough is ready when you poke a finger in it and it holds the impression.
• Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl that's at least twice the size of the dough and cover with plastic; refrigerate overnight. It will rise slowly in the cold, doubling in size.
• Put the unrisen dough directly into a large zip-top bag. Freeze for up to one month. Transfer it to the refrigerator one day before proceeding.
• Let refrigerated dough warm up for 20 minutes at room temperature before proceeding.
• Punch down the dough and divide it into eight 4-ounce balls. Put each ball on a floured surface and, with your hands, flatten and stretch it into a disk that's about 1/2 inch thick. The dough will be fairly elastic and will tend to spring back. Cover each piece with plastic and let rest for 5 minutes. Stretch or roll each disk into an 8- to 10-inch round about 1/8 inch thick (the thinner, the better). If they continue to seem springy and resist rolling, cover and let rest for a few more minutes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper and layer the rounds on it with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper between each. Use the dough immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Separate the rounds with sheets of parchment or waxed paper.
• Fire up the grill (gas or charcoal).
• Use both hands to pick up a round of dough. Moving quickly and holding the top edge of the dough, lay the bottom edge (oiled side down) on the hot part of the grill. As soon as the first edge of the dough makes contact with the grill grate, pull gently on the dough as you finish laying it down to stretch it thinly. Place the round on the grill.
• Brush the top of the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill without moving until the pizza browns and develops good grill marks on the bottom, 1 to 3 minutes; check frequently to prevent burning.
• Flip the dough with a spatula and tongs and arrange your choice of toppings on the browned side of the pizza. For toppings, try Olive Tapenade, Roasted Vidalia Onions, Roasted Red Pepper Purée, Roasted Garlic, or one of the no-cook toppings listed below. (Work quickly, or move the pizza to the cooler area of the grill while topping.) When the bottom has browned and developed strong grill marks, 1 to 3 minutes, move the pizza to the cooler part of the grill. Flip the dough.
• Close the lid and grill until the pizza toppings are hot to the touch and any cheese has melted, 3 to 8 minutes. Check the bottom of the pizza frequently, turning the pizza from back to front and side to side to prevent burning in case your grill has any hot spots. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and slice. Serve immediately.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Place the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and water; once added, continue mixing for 1 minute.
• Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth.
• Divide the dough into 3 even pieces and form into balls. Spray with cooking oil and then place in a large resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days for best flavor. (See Cook's Note.)
• When ready to bake, transfer each dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Make the pizza pies: Preheat a gas grill to 500 degrees F or get a charcoal grill as hot as you can. Lightly dust a work surface with all-purpose flour.
• For each pizza: Gently flatten a piece of dough with the palm of your hand and then roll it into a 10- to 11-inch round, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Don't worry if it's not perfectly or even barely round; just make sure it's of uniform thickness (even if it's the shape of a beaver tail!).
• Sprinkle a pizza peel with semolina flour and transfer the stretched dough to the peel. (If you don't have a peel, use the back of an upturned sheet pan instead.) Slide the dough directly onto the grill. Cook until golden grill marks appear, about 1 minute per side; use tongs to flip.
• For the white pizza: In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta and fontina cheeses along with the thyme, rosemary, honey and some salt and pepper. Brush a grilled crust with olive oil. Spread with the cheese mixture in an even layer. Use the peel to return the pizza to the grill. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the crust is fully browned. Remove from the grill and top with the prosciutto and arugula.
• For the margherita pizza: Brush a grilled crust with olive oil and spread evenly with the marinara sauce. Top with the torn mozzarella and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Use the peel to transfer the pizza to the grill. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Remove from grill and top with torn basil.

HOMEMADE GRILLED PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the yeast with the sugar and 3/4 cup warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until it begins to foam.
• In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and salt and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and the olive oil. Using a fork, incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, continue to work and then knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly coat a clean bowl with additional olive oil and add the dough, turning once to coat in oil. Cover and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Punch down the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough into a 12-inch circle that will fit on the grill pan. Add the dough to the hot grill pan and cook until stiff and bubbles start to form, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until grill marks form and the dough is completely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the crusts to baking sheets and load with desired toppings. Add the loaded pizzas to the oven and cook until the cheese melts (this will vary depending on the type of cheese), about 6 minutes.

GRILLED PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Pour water into a large bowl. Sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups flour and 2 teaspoons salt, and stir until smooth. Add another 2 cups flour, and stir until smooth. Continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring, until dough comes away from sides of bowl but is still sticky.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough with floured hands: Throw it down on surface, pulling it toward you with 1 hand and pushing it away from you withthe other. Fold dough back over itself (use a dough scraper or awide knife to scrape dough from surface), and knead until smooth, elastic, and soft but still a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball, and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 3 hours.
• Heat grill to high. Scrape dough out of bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and cut into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Dust with flour, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until dough is almost doubled in volume, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Holding top edge of 1 dough ball in both hands, let bottom edge touch surface (refrigerate remaining balls as you work). Carefully move hands aroundedge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet). Press out edges using your fingers. Lightly jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.
• Heat grill to high. Grill pizza dough, flipping occasionally, until charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes.

PIZZA ON THE GRILL II

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
• Roll out prepared pizza dough to a size that will fit your grill. Place on grill for 5 minutes, or to desired doneness, and flip over. Now add the sauce, cheese, green bell pepper and mushrooms.
• Cover the grill and allow to cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

PIZZA DOUGH FOR THE GRILL

Steps:

• In a bowl dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water. After 5 minutes, stir in the salt, johnnycake meal, whole-wheat flour and oil. Gradually stir in enough white flour to form a soft but not sticky dough. Knead until smooth. (The dough can also be made in a food processor.)
• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, brush the top with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch the dough down.
• Let the dough rise again for 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Punch down. If the dough is sticky, knead in a little more flour.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Two to three hours before grilling, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the dough into three even pieces. Drizzle a teaspoon of neutral cooking oil into three soup bowls. (Each bowl should be able to hold at least twice the volume of the dough pieces.)
• Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape each into a ball by stretching it and pinching it into a point at the bottom, forming a sort of "skin" that wraps the whole ball. Lightly dust your hands with flour as necessary to prevent excessive sticking. Transfer the ball to one of the oiled bowls and turn it a few times to completely coat the surface in oil, then let it rest seam side down. Repeat Step 2 with remaining dough pieces, then drape a damp kitchen towel over all three bowls. Let the dough balls rest until roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and shake the strainer, allowing the tomatoes to drain thoroughly. Still working in the strainer above the bowl, season well with salt, and, using clean hands, squeeze them through your fingers until a rough purée is formed. (The pieces of tomato should end up ranging from 1/4 inch to roughly 1 inch in size.) Allow any excess liquid to drain (you can save the strainer tomato juice for another use), then transfer the crushed tomatoes to a bowl and set aside.
• Turn out one ball of dough onto a floured work surface and dust thoroughly with more flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch-by-12-to-14-inch oblong. Dust both sides thoroughly with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, stacking them on top of the first with a layer of parchment paper between each.
• To cook, ignite a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are mostly covered in gray ash, spread evenly under half of the grill. (If using a gas grill, set half the burners to high, leaving the remaining burners off. Cover, and allow to heat for 10 minutes.)
• Using your fingers, carefully lift one piece of rolled-out dough from the stack and drape it quickly on the grill grates directly above the fire. Let it cook without moving until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds. Continue cooking, using metal tongs and a large spatula or thin metal pizza peel to move and rotate the crust as it cooks, until the bottom is evenly browned all over with a few charred spots, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Flip the crust, and brush the cooked side with a thin layer of olive oil. Continue cooking until the second side is browned, charred and crisp. Flip again (so that the bubblier side faces up), transfer to a clean baking sheet, and brush the second side with olive oil. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 with remaining two pizza skins, stacking the crusts as they finish cooking. (If using coal, the heat may start to dip. Extend cooking time to compensate, or add 15 to 20 fresh coals to the top of the embers and allow them to ignite before continuing.)
• Working one pizza at a time, transfer the crust to the pizza peel. (A cutting board or the back of a baking sheet will also work.) Spread a thin layer of shredded cheese across the surface of the crust (about 1 cup should do it). Using a spoon, add tablespoon-size dollops of crushed tomatoes, spaced an inch or two apart, across the whole surface of the pizza. Add toppings as desired (see Tips). Slide the pizza onto the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, 1 to 5 minutes total, rotating the pizza occasionally to encourage even melting and crisping. Transfer to a cutting board, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil or scallions, cut into squares, and serve immediately. Repeat Step 8 with remaining pizza crusts.

GRILLED PIZZA

Steps:

• Start charcoal fire or preheat gas grill to medium-high heat.
• Combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add very warm water and oil; mix until well blended, about 1 minute. Gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough. Dough should form a ball and will be slightly sticky. Knead** on a floured surface, adding additional flour if necessary, until smooth and elastic but not sticky, about 5 minutes.
• Divide dough into 8 portions. Pat or roll dough on a well-floured counter to about 8-inch circles; they do not need to be perfect.
• Brush both sides of crust with additional oil. Using hands, lift each crust carefully and place on grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until bottom is lightly browned and top looks set. Using long handled tongs, remove crust from grill, grilled side up, to a platter or baking sheet.
• Lightly add sauce and top the grilled side of each pizza crust. Excess sauce or toppings makes the pizza hard to handle. Repeat with remaining pizzas.
• Carefully slide each pizza onto the grill. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until bottom of crust is browned and cheese is melted. Remove from grill and serve immediately.

OUR VERY FAVORITE PIZZA CRUST RECIPE FOR GRILLING + FIVE TIPS FOR GRILLING THE PERFECT PIZZA

Steps:

• Mix the dough
• Stir together the yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Make sure your water is between 100 - 110 degrees (just a tad above lukewarm, but I always use a thermometer to be sure). Too cold, and the yeast won't activate. Too hot, and the heat can kill the yeast.
• Let sit until the yeast dissolves and begins to get a little foamy, about 5 minutes.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the olive oil, salt, and flour.
• Knead the dough (the mixer does this for you)
• Once the ingredients are fairly well incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed to begin the kneading process.
• Knead (continue the mixer on medium) for about 8 - 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should be very stretchy - it will just kind of stretch and fall off of the dough hook when ready.
• Let the dough rise
• Cover the bowl with a clean towel and set in a warm-ish place away from drafts. I use a spot next to the stove on the kitchen counter or the dining room table. Let rise until doubled in side, about 90 minutes.
• Punch the dough down, and let rise again for about 30 more minutes, until doubled again.
• Shape the dough
• Prepare six sheets of parchment paper. Lay the sheets on the counter or table, then drizzle each with a little olive oil.
• After the dough is finished rising for the second time, remove it from the bowl and place it on a floured surface.
• Cut the dough into six pieces.
• With your hands, smear the oil on a piece of parchment paper, then grab a dough ball - you want spread the oil on the paper and handle the dough with well-oiled hands, so it all works out.
• Now you're ready to shape the crust. You can place the dough on the parchment paper and just kind of spread it out into a circle with your fingers, or you can do like I do and shape it in the air first. I hold on to the edge and quickly rotate the dough so that it stretches and forms a nice flat shape, and then I place it on the parchment and stretch it out the rest of the way. I like to keep the dough on the thin size and about the size of a dinner plate. Much bigger and it can become difficult to handle on the grill. Note: If your dough shrinks and won't work with you, let it sit for about 5 minutes and try again. Another note: If the shaping process seems awkward and frustrating, don't worry! It will get easier and easier, the more you do it. And even when the crust assumes some crazy alien shape, your pizza will still be delicious.
• One last quick rise
• Let the shaped crusts rise on their parchment paper for about 10 minutes, until they start getting puffy.
• Now grill and eat!
• Now start grilling! With the grill on medium-high (about 350-400 degrees), flip a round onto the grill - dough side down, parchment side up. Peel off the paper.
• Cook covered for 3 - 4 minutes, until the crust puffs on top and gets grill marks on the bottom. If the dough sprouts any big bubbles, go ahead and pop them if you can.
• Transfer the crust to a cookie sheet or large platter, grilled side up.
• Add your toppings and transfer back to the grill. Cook until pizza crust is cooked through, the toppings are hot, and the cheese is bubbly, about 3 - 4 minutes. If you have a barbecue with a lid, cooking them covered at this stage helps heat the toppings.
• Remove from the grill to a pizza peel or large baking sheet, Cut into wedges and serve.

GRILLED PIZZAS

Steps:

• Combine the water and yeast in a mixing bowl and stir until the yeast dissolves. Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 cup of the flour. Stir in a second cup of flour and the salt. Sprinkle some of the remaining flour over a work surface and on your hands. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the work surface. Gradually knead in additional flour until the dough no longer feels sticky.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and rotate it in the bowl to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and knead it for about 1 minute. Return the dough to the bowl and let rise until doubled again, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, about 30 minutes into the second rise, start a charcoal fire. When the dough has doubled, punch it down and divide into 4 equal pieces. (At this point, the dough can be rolled into 4 balls and frozen. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator prior to use.) Lightly oil the backs of 2 large baking sheets. Roll out each piece of dough into a 9-inch circle (pizzas don't have to be perfectly round) and place them on the baking sheets. Cover with plastic wrap.
• When the coals turn white, place 1 or 2 of the pieces of pizza dough on the grill (depending on its size) and cook for 1 minute; they will start to puff. Turn the crusts over with a spatula and grill until browned and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes longer. Watch constantly to keep crusts from burning. Repeat with the remaining dough. Immediately top the pizzas and serve.