How to Grill Pizza

This How to Grill Pizza post comes with a recipe on homemade pizza crust made especially for the grill. Make this pizza your own with various toppings. Makes 4 8x10-inch pizzas Serves 8


Homemade Pizza Crusts for Grilled Pizza
Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (120°F to 130°F)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a food processor combine all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour and yeast. In a small bowl combine the warm water, olive oil, honey, and salt. With the processor running, pour water mixture through feed tube in a steady stream. Process until dough forms a mass and cleans side of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (45 to 60 minutes).

Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a serrated knife, cut dough into four equal portions. Cover dough; let rest for 10 minutes. Pat each piece of dough into a disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough portion to a thin circle that measures 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. Stack pizza dough rounds on baking sheet, separating rounds with waxed paper or parchment paper. Wrap and freeze dough for at least 2 hours* or until very firm. Use as directed in Grilled Pizza.

* For longer storage, transfer pizza dough crusts to 2-gallon freezer bags. Seal bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Do not thaw before using.

Grilled Pizza
Ingredients:

12 ounces uncooked fresh hot or mild Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped sweet peppers, and/or thin onion wedges (optional) 
1 recipe Homemade Pizza Crust for Grilled Pizza 
Olive oil 
1 8 ounce can pizza sauce 
2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese (8 ounces) May 

Directions:

In a large skillet cook sausage and vegetables until sausage is brown; drain off fat. Pat sausage and vegetables with paper towels to remove additional fat. Remove pizza crusts from freezer; discard waxed paper. Do not thaw. Brush crusts with olive oil. For a charcoal grill, carefully slide two of the pizza dough circles, oiled sides down, onto the lightly oiled rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes or until dough is puffed in some places and starting to become firm. Working quickly, carefully brush crusts with olive oil. Using tongs, carefully turn the crusts over and transfer to a baking sheet. 

For each pizza, spread a crust with one-fourth of the pizza sauce. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the cheese. Top with one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Transfer the pizzas from the baking sheet to the grill rack. Grill about 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted and crust is crisp. Remove pizzas from grill.

(For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place dough circles on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Repeat with remaining two pizza crusts and toppings. Transfer pizzas to a cutting board; serve immediately.