Baking pizza on the BBQ? Do it! But avoid these common mistakes

If you have a real outdoor pizza oven (or a smart pizza oven for the countertop), you’re incredibly lucky, but fortunately you can also bake a pizza on a simple barbecue that has that fantastic smoky grilled flavor you can achieve almost exclusively by cooking over an open fire. So as soon as the weather allows: prepare your dough, fire up those coals, and make sure you don’t make these mistakes when grilling pizza!

One of my best friends takes it all in his stride and, on evenings when the weather permits, supplies his entire family and us neighbors with homemade pizzas from the barbecue. The only accessories you need are a pizza stone and a lid for the grill, plus a few useful tips about what you should definitely not do, according to him:

Don’t forget to preheat the BBQ

Lesson one when barbecuing, but people all too often forget to allow time for it. Briquettes really do need half an hour to get properly glowing. If you’re using a gas barbecue, close the lid while preheating and set the burners to their highest setting for fifteen minutes.

Don’t burn all your charcoal in the middle

If you’re using a charcoal BBQ, eventually push the charcoal toward the outer edges so you don’t generate too much heat in the middle. A wide channel in the center works well, or an ‘empty’ circle in the middle of a round BBQ. Even with a pizza stone in the center, things can get too intense, so you want to avoid direct contact with the hottest part.

See if you can create some elevation

My friend Chris also says he gets the best results when the pizza stone sits slightly higher than the grill itself, because the base gets extremely hot. So if you have an extra (oven) rack that you can place under the stone, give it a try.

Watch out for moisture

A pizza stone also works so well because it’s porous, allowing it to absorb excess moisture from the pizza. Another method that works well is to briefly grill one side of the (un-topped) dough first, then turn it over with tongs, and only afterward add the sauce and other toppings to the other side. (Of course, you do need to have done your MEP properly.) Also make sure you don’t use (too) wet mozzarella, because it won’t have time to dry out and melt before the base is cooked—or, worse, burns. And as for the tomato sauce: just a very thin layer.

Don’t forget the lid

The heat needs to circulate so the top of the pizza cooks nicely too. That’s why a lid is essential, but make sure to open the vents for oxygen! Even if you first cook one side and then turn the base over before adding toppings to the top, make sure you also use a lid during the first stage (even if only for two minutes).

And one more bit of wisdom from the expert (Chris): it’s all about finding the balance, of course. The first time won’t be perfect, but keep trying!

Also read:

• Pizza makers really want you to stop doing this:
• This mozzarella is tastier than the Italian kind
• 5 common mistakes when grilling over charcoal