Grilled pizza can be tricky sometimes. It is hard to get the dough crisp and cooked through, while at the same time the cheese melts and the toppings cook. Or you have to struggle with cooking the dough on one side, and then flipping it on the hot grill with the potential for dough disaster!
No longer is it difficult to get professional quality pizza on your TEC Grill! The new Infrared Pizza Rack for your TEC Patio or Sterling Patio turns your grill into an infrared pizza oven. We’ve discovered that infrared heat makes the pizza crust crisp but does not dry it out. Our 304 stainless steel, infrared rack raises the cooking surface of the pizza above the grates to slow down the cooking process. The result is that the crust and top of the pizza cook evenly. The large open area of our perforated cooking surface allows the maximum amount of infrared heat to reach the crust, which crisps the crust while keeping the inside and toppings moist.
But the best part is how quick and easy it is! You can use a variety of doughs and toppings, and the pizzas are ready in a matter of minutes. You can even use the Infrared Pizza Rack to bake other breads, like biscuits and cinnamon rolls too.
Here’s the how-to and tips for several types of doughs, and even for a frozen pizza. Look below for some links to some creative topping ideas.
Fresh Pizza Dough
If you like Neopolitan-style thin crust pizzas with a crisp bottom and chewy interior crust, then fresh dough is for you. Fresh dough is easy to find in the refrigerator section of your grocery store, or you can ask your local pizzeria if you can buy their dough. Or make your own! Pizza dough is probably one of the easiest breads to make. Here is a delicious fool-proof recipe from Serious Eats for home-made pizza dough.
1. If the dough is in the refrigerator, remove it about 30 minutes before you plan to stretch it. If you don’t let it rest, it won’t stretch as thinly.
2. Have all ingredients ready and prepped before you start stretching your dough. Be sure that sauce and cheese are at room temperature (not hot or cold!).
TEC Tip: We recommend using hand grated whole milk mozzarella cheese (ie, the mozzarella you get in a block) when using fresh dough. Fresh mozzarella (ie, the wet mozzarella you get in a ball) might make the dough soggy. If using, be sure to slice fresh mozzarella, and let sit on a paper towel lined plate for about an hour to remove excess moisture.
3. When you are ready to make pizza, place the Infrared Pizza Rack on the grates of your TEC Grill. Preheat the grill on medium to medium-high for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, gently stretch or roll out the pizza dough into roughly 10-inch rounds.
TEC Tip: Place the dough on a square of parchment paper, this will help you more easily transfer the loaded pizza onto the Infrared Pizza Rack. Then place the paper and dough onto a pizza peel.
5. Working quickly, top the dough with your favorite ingredients. Do not pile on the ingredients! You need just a thin coating of sauce (roughly 1-2 tablespoons). Also don’t completely cover the surface with cheese or other toppings. This will result in a soggy or goopy pizza.
6. Using the parchment paper to help you, slide the parchment with the pizza directly on top of the Infrared Pizza Rack. Turn the heat down to low to medium-low, and close the hood. Check the pizza after about 5 minutes, and stab any dough bubbles with the tip of the knife. The pizza should be ready in about 8-10 minutes, or when the crust is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Frozen Pizza Crusts
Frozen pizza crusts are great to have on hand for whenever a pizza craving strikes. These crusts result in a super crispy thin pizza.
1. Remove crust from freezer, and let thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. It is best if the crust is completely defrosted.
2. Have all ingredients ready and prepped before you start topping the crust. Be sure that sauce and cheese are room temperature (not hot or cold!).
3. When you are ready to make pizza, place the Infrared Pizza Rack on the grates of your TEC Grill, and preheat the grill on medium for 10-15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle a pizza peel (or if you don’t have a peel, use the back side of a sheet pan) with a little bit of corn meal. This will help the pizza crust to slide off easier. Place the thawed crust on the peel on top of the corn meal. Wiggle the peel to be sure the crust slides easily on the peel.
5. Working quickly, top the crust with your favorite ingredients. As noted above, do not pile on the ingredients or else your pizza crust will be soggy!
6. Slide the pizza directly on top of the Infrared Pizza Rack. Turn the heat down to low and close the hood. Check the pizza after about 5 minutes. The pizza should be ready in about 8-10 minutes, or when the crust is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Flatbread
Using store-bought lavash flatbread or naan gives you a crispy crust and a drier texture to the dough. Because flatbreads are so thin, you need to watch them carefully on the grill because since the bread is already cooked, you are just waiting for the cheese to melt and toppings to cook.
1. Place the flatbread on a pizza peel (or if you don’t have a peel, use the back side of a sheet pan).
2. Have all ingredients ready and prepped before you start topping the crust. Be sure that sauce and cheese are at room temperature (not hot or cold!).
3. When you are ready to make pizza, place the Infrared Pizza Rack on the grates of your TEC Grill. Preheat the grill on medium for 10-15 minutes.
4. Working quickly, top the flatbread with your favorite ingredients. As noted above, do not pile on the ingredients or else your pizza crust will be soggy!
5. Slide the pizza directly on top of the Infrared Pizza Rack. Turn the heat down to low and close the hood. Check the pizza after about 5 minutes. The pizza should be ready in about 6-8 minutes, or when the crust is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Frozen Pizzas
Sometimes you just don’t have time to make pizza! So for an easy weeknight dinner, or if you are entertaining a crowd, frozen pizzas are a great solution.
1. Remove pizza from freezer, and let thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Place the pizza on a pizza peel (or if you don’t have a peel, use the back side of a sheet pan).
2. Place the Infrared Pizza Rack on the grates of your TEC Grill, and preheat the grill on medium for 10-15 minutes.
3. Slide the pizza directly on top of the Infrared Pizza Rack. Turn the heat down to low (for a thin crust) or medium-low (for a regular or thick crust) and close the hood. Check the pizza after about 10 minutes. The pizza should be ready in about 10 (for thin crust) to 20 minutes (for regular or thick crust), or when the crust is golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Pizza Topping Ideas
The fun part about making your own pizza is that you can top it any way you like! Here are some great links to some creative topping ideas.
Buzz Feed – 31 Exciting Pizza Flavors you Have to Try
Food Network – 50 Easy Pizzas
Brit + Co – 21 Unusual Pizza Toppings You’ll Love at First Bite