How to Cook Pizza on a BBQ

After what seems like years of planning and a lot of research and reading up on the subject last night we finally made our first pizza on a BBQ. What we really love about this recipe and style of making a pizza is that all the family can get involved. Kids can have fun with the dough, and then even choose and slap on their own toppings.

Before we start, this is the basics of what you will need if you are to be successful: A kettle BBQ, a pizza stone, a pizza peel (not essential), Heat Beads, available from John Lewis and a couple of hours prep time!

Before you begin making the dough and topping, turn the oven on to a high heat and place the pizza stone inside to get it heated up.

For the pizza dough you will need (to make 3 large ones)

400g strong white bread flour

10g fast action dried yeast

400ml warm water

tsp salt

tsp sugar

For the tomato topping (that you smear over the top of the pizza) you will need:

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 large onion finely chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1 good sprig of thyme

How to make the Dough

Placing Pizza on a BBQ

Mix your yeast with 100ml of the warm water and sugar, cover with cling film and leave for 15 mins

Mix your flour and salt in a bowl

Once the yeast has risen, whisk and then mix in with the flour and salt and remaining water

THE MESSY BIT - mix it all together with your hands or with a blender wthat has a dough mixer

The mixing is a nightmare and very messy and sticks to your hands loads. Keep going though, mix for 15 mins and if it is still sticky add more flour

Shape your dough into a ball, place back in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp tea towel for 1-2hrs (1 is fine if time is tight) GO AND FIRE UP YOUR BBQ NOW SO IT IS READY TO COOK ON IN AN HOUR.

The dough will rise after you have left it so knead it back down again, shape into 3 balls and set to one side - now make your topping

How to make the topping:

Fry the onions and garlic over a medium heat for 5 mins

Add the chopped toms and thyme and any other herbs you fancy

Bring to boil and leave to simmer for 10 mins - add water if it goes too dry

Choices of Toppings

We used a simple topping on our pizza, some already cooked chunks of chicken breast, pineapple, very thinly sliced cheese and some rocket and spinach leaves.

How to Prepare Your BBQ for Cooking a Pizza

Cooking Pizza on a BBQ

As we said from the outset, you will need a Kettle BBQ and ideally lots of charcoal and Heat Beads. The Heat Beads are a good idea so you can get the temperature high enough. As an example of how much charcoal is needed, we used four of the small easy-light charcoal bags on our Pizza BBQ and once they were lit and burning nicely, added around 20 heat beads.

It will probably take around 1 hour to get the BBQ up to temperature. Once the coals are glowing white the BBQ is at its hottest and this is where you need to move the coals around the edge of BBQ and place the grill shelf on as normal. When you have moved the coals to the edges of the BBQ and put your grill shelf on as normal, then transfer your pizza stone from your hot oven over to the grill shelf on the BBQ.

If you light the BBQ when you BBQ pizza dough is rising (see above) then by the time it is ready the pizza will have risen nicely and be ready to go.

How to put everything together

Step One - Make sure your BBQ is at its hottest, your coals are around the edge of the BBQ and your pizza stone is set in the middle of the grill shelf.

Step Two - Take one of your three dough balls and flatten with your hands or a rolling pin until you have a very thin pizza circle (make sure it is not bigger than your pizza peel or whatver you are using to transfer the BBQ pizza onto the grill. The thinner the better

Step Three - Smear some olive oil on the top of the pizza and then scoop some of your tomato topping, or tomato puree if you have not made the topping onto the pizza. Remember, less is best when it comes to the tomato topping or puree topping. The more you put on, the soggier it gets!  I always go for a light smattering so you can still see the pizza base clearly through it

Step Four - Add your normal toppings, as i said, we used some pineapple, thin slices of beef tomato, chunks of pre-cooked roast chicken and the some wafer thin slices of cheese and a few rocket and baby spinach leaves

Step Five - Dust your  your pizza peel or whatever you are using to transfer the pizza to the BBQ with flour - Do not be tempted to use oil! It won’t work as well

Step Six - Transfer onto the hot pizza stone in your kettle BBQ and then close the lid and cook for approx 3 mins

Pizza that was cooked on a BBQ

Step Seven - Leave to cook for at least 3 mins before lifting up the base a tiny bit to make sure it is not burning - if it is burning, remove from the pizza stone for a few minute and leave the lid open. If the base looks cooked and the cheese is slightly melted and the leaves wilted, it is ready!

Have you tried cooking a pizza on your BBQ - if so why not share your experiences below in the Comments Box? Better still, why not send us your pictures to Andy@Petoba.com