Pizza on the Grill or Grilled Pizza!

One of my favorite things about summer is making pizza on the grill. It is so simple and the flavor is so wonderfully smoky and yummy that it is undeniably something you are missing out on if you've never done it.

It really IS simple! Here's how to do it.

What you'll need...

-Pizza dough (my recipe is at the end, but the grocery store pizza crusts that are

made fresh are pretty good too. Don't get the pre-formed ones)

-Spray oil (PAM)

-Your favorite pizza sauce (this isn't my fav, but the best we had)

-Mozzarella cheese (fresh is best, but this one my hubby bought will do in a pinch)

-Corn Meal (optional. Just makes it crunchier on the bottom and stick less to the peel)

-Your favorite pizza toppings

Step 1:

Heat your grill to about 300 degrees F. You need to keep it somewhat low. Make sure the flames are low and that you have a hot side of the grill and a cooler side of the grill as you will move the pizza over to the cooler side to continue to bake & to melt the cheese after the bottom is browned.

Step 2:

Flatten your dough into a disk. Keep it somewhat small because it is easier to flip on the grill. Think Personal Pan Pizza size.

Create a bottom and a top to your pizza by adding corn meal to the bottom. IF you skip this step, you can cook either side first.

Step 3:

Spray both sides of the pizza with PAM. Don't skip this because this keeps it from sticking to the grill.

Step 4:

Cook the TOP of the pizza first. This seems illogical, but this is the way you need to do it. You'll see why in a minute.

See? Cornmeal-side UP first!

Check the cooking side often. You want it to look like this. This can be done with the grill open.

See how yummy it looks? Okay, so don't cook the other side at this point.

Step 5:

Take the pizza crust off of the grill and place it UNCOOKED-SIDE DOWN on the plate.

Step 6:

Give it to your friend/child/spouse/significant other and let them have fun putting their choice of toppings on it. Kids love this part! {Note that we only used boring cheese and sauce. Our pizza-making choice was last minute}

Step 7:

Now take the pizza and put the uncooked side down. Notice I didn't capitalize this because I'm assuming this part should be pretty obvious!

Step 8:

Allow the pizza to cook for a few minutes, making sure to check often for browness. It should look like that crust above. If the bottom is browned nicely and the cheese isn't yet melted enough, move the pizza to the part of the grill which is less hot. Close the top and allow it to bake for a few minutes. This will melt the cheese and make sure your inside isn't doughy. {I've never actually had a doughy inside with pizza on the grill, so I guess that works itself out!} Here's my white pizza I made. I put garlic, olive oil, mozzarella and white pepper on mine. YUM!
Here's hubby's...
And here are the boys enjoying their first yummy bites!

Enjoy!!! Summer is coming!

Now for the recipe for Pizza Dough:

1 package of dry rapid-rise yeast
1- 1/3 cup of warm water {test water temp by putting your finger in. Should be able to keep
it in there for 5 seconds}
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups (approximately) of all purpose flour

Mix the yeast and honey into the warm water. Proof the yeast by allowing it to sit for about 10 minutes. Add salt, olive oil. Add the flour using the dough hook of your mixer, a cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the mixer bowl. Remove the dough from the bowl and put it on a floured surface. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Knead dough until smooth and elastic. Allow to rest again 5 minutes. Now cut the dough into 4 pieces and flatten into a disk. Flatten as much as possible and then allow to rest for about 5 minutes again. Flatten some more so that it is about 1/4 inch thick. Sit the dough on top of some cornmeal sprinkled on your flat surface.