how to make pizza on the grill (or campfire) 3

We’ve perfected this process now, so here it is for your outdoor enjoyment!

1) Make the dough.

The recipe is here, but I’ll recap because it’s so simple: Mix 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Pour in a 12-oz bottle of beer (the more flavorful the beer, the better). Mix til the flour is incorporated (it’ll be sticky).

2) Press the dough out into a roughly pizza-like shape onto nonstick aluminum foil.

The nonstick part is the most important here. We’ve tried it on grill grates and such; it works, but it’s really difficult. You have to use a ton of oil or nonstick spray. On the nonstick foil, just put down a little flour. You’ll have to keep flouring your hands as you press out the dough, but that’s fine.

3) Slide your aluminum foil with the dough onto a grill set to medium heat.

4) Close the grill cover.

Let the bottom of the crust bake for 5-10 minutes, depending on your preferred charriness level. Check it every few minutes. If there’s flour on the aluminum foil, it’ll start to burn around the edges (which is fine). Use a tongs to lift the edge of your dough and check for doneness. It’ll start to puff up when it’s ready.

Remember that the crust doesn’t have to be baked all the way through, just par-baked like the ones above; you’re going to flip it over to finish it.

5) Remove crusts from the grill and flip them over.

Use tongs or you’ll be sad! At this point, you can flip them over and continue using the foil, or you can move them to a grill rack if you want them to be more burnt on the bottom. We’ve found that the foil really helps with more consistent baking.

6) Add toppings!

If you’re like me, you’ll be really excited to use some ingredients from your garden. Spinach!

You can buy pizza sauce in a jar, or you can doctor up your own from spaghetti sauce. Add a bunch of Italian spices, and you’re all good. We were using some leftovers we made for camping. Matt’s had sausage, spinach, cheese, and his preferred lots-of-crust option:

Mine had mushrooms, spinach, cheese (including the awesome gouda from Eichten’s, obtained while camping), and the very-little-crust option:

I also put a bunch of herbs and spices on top to make it interesting. The traditional ones are basil and oregano, but I’ll also add black pepper, powdered garlic, and chili powder. Chili powder is the missing ingredient in just about everything.

7) Put your pizzas back on the grill and close the cover.

Having the cover closed helps the top bake faster without charring the crust as much. Again, check the underside of the crust every few minutes to make sure it’s not burning.

8) Enjoy your pizzas for 2+ meals.

Have I mentioned they’re not only delicious, but cheap?