Technique | Pizza on the Grill
We can’t deny there’s something so satisfying about biting into a hot, gooey pizza slice. Whether you’re a veggie-head or meat lover, there’s a combo for everyone. Store-bought is fine in a pinch, but we love to customize and build our unique pies. It’s a fun way to get the whole family involved in dinner! And for the perfect at-home flatbread, you’ve got to try cooking your pizza on the grill!
Our grills can get ripping hot, and we have several pizza stone accessories that deliver the right crunch. And you can’t forget a sturdy peel for building and transferring your pizzas. Check out our must-haves below, along with the best techniques on your gas, charcoal and pellet grills.
Pizza Stones
First, you need a good grilling stone to get that restaurant-quality crust. A stone mimics a traditional brick pizza oven by capturing and retaining the heat of the burners for an intense, even baking surface. Luckily, we’ve got a few options to choose from based on the size of your grill.
69842 – Rectangular Pizza Stone
The new Rectangular Pizza Stone takes advantage of Broil King’s modular system to best use your grill space. The stone can replace two grids on any Baron or Crown model (gas or pellet) to make the best use of your grill space and to get the most intense heat from your burners. It also conveniently fits in Regal stainless steel rod grids when you flip them upside down. The stone can also be combined with the Cast Iron Dome to create a full pizza oven on your grill by trapping and directing heat down to melt your cheese more effectively.
69814 – 15 in. Grilling Stone
Our traditional round 15in. Grilling Stone is an excellent multi-functional tool for your Broil King Keg charcoal grill. It, of course, can be used as a pizza stone on not just the Keg but any Broil King gas, pellet or charcoal grill. It is extra thick to retain and disperse even heat for crisp restaurant pizzas. Used on the Keg, it can be combined with the Diffuser Kit as a heat plate to do authentic low and slow smoking with briskets and other roasts.
69816 – Pizza Stone Grill Set
If you’re looking for the complete pizza-making kit, then the Pizza Stone Grill Set has you covered. It includes a classic wooden pizza peel for building and manoeuvring your pizza on the stone. The stone is set inside a stainless cradle, which includes large handles for moving the stone on and off the grill. The cradle also has a raised back edge, which provides a barrier to push up against when sliding your finished pizza back onto the peel. The stone and cradle can be separated for cleaning, and the peel handle easily detaches for storage.
Pizza Peel
You absolutely cannot forget about a solid pizza peel when setting up your pizza-making station. The raw dough and toppings can be quite heavy and have no structure to lift and place on the stone without creating a gigantic mess. A pizza peel gives you a smooth surface to build on, then slide your creation onto the grill with no fuss.
69800 – Pizza Peel
Many backyard grillers prefer the sturdy, stainless steel blade of the Broil King Pizza Peel. It offers a large blade on which to build your pizza, and the ultra-thin edge makes sliding the dough on and off the peel seamless. A healthy layer of semolina flour or cornmeal will prevent any sticking, and the long handle keeps your hands safe from the intense heat. The peel is fully dishwasher-safe for a quick cleanup, and the handle folds down for convenient storage.
69816 – Pizza Stone Grill Set
We already mentioned the Pizza Stone Grill Set above, but it’s worth highlighting again that the set gives your everything you need to start grilling your pizza, including a traditional wooden pizza peel. A wooden peel is less sticky for dough than a stainless blade; however, it doesn’t have quite as fine an edge for sliding under your pizza once it’s baked. That’s why the raised back edge on the cradle really helps scoop your pizza onto the wooden blade. The handle can also be detached for storage or even to turn the peel into a serving tray for your table.
How to Grill the Perfect Pizza
The process for grilling pizza is much the same – whether on gas, charcoal or pellet. The most important aspect is getting your barbecue and grilling stone ripping hot before sliding your pizza on to cook. Start by firing up your main burners to medium-high on your gas grill or the steak setting if cooking on a pellet. Add your stone into the cook box to heat up at the same time as your grill. You’ll set up as usual on your charcoal grill, ensuring your stone is directly above your lit coals, and the dampers are wide open.
While your grill and stone heat up, you can construct your pizza. Whether using a stainless steel or wooden peel, you want to add a good dusting of flour or cornmeal before placing your dough on the peel.
Once your grill hits roughly 475˚F (246˚C), you should be ready to add your built pizza. Carefully slide the dough onto the stone and close up the lid. Keep an eye on the temperature and adjust your burners, pellet controller or dampers as needed. Depending on the density of your crust, if you’re using fresh or precooked dough, the total cook time will vary. But you’re looking for browning edges and fully melted cheese. This typically takes between 10-15 minutes.
If you’re using a gas grill with a rear rotisserie burner, you can turn it on to speed things up. Just be sure to rotate your pizza after a few minutes to prevent one side from burning up. This is also where the Cast Iron Dome comes in handy. It captures heat as it rises and directs it down to help melt your cheese.
If your pizza looks irresistibly gooey, it’s time to pull it off. Slide your peel back under the crust to remove it from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board for serving.
Pizza Stone Aftercare
Unlike your standard bakeware, you never want to soak a pizza stone and avoid using dish soap to clean. Stones are porous, so anything you apply to the surface will be absorbed quickly and can affect the stone’s performance. They are also susceptible to temperature fluctuations, which is why you should always heat your stone along with your grill instead of letting the grill reach a searing temperature and adding a cold stone to it. The same goes for when you finish using the stone.
The best way to clean a stone is to use a wooden scrapper to remove baked-on cheese and crusty bits right after cooking and let it slowly cool down to avoid cracking. Then gently scrub the surface with a small amount of water and a nylon dish brush. Again, do not apply soap or let the stone soak in water. If you have particularly bad grease stains, mix baking soda and water until it forms a paste, smear it on the stone, and gently use the dish brush to work into the stone. Use a damp cloth to remove the paste once clean. In either case, use a towel to pat the stone dry.
Pizza stones do not require oiling like your cast iron grillware. Again, they are very porous, and oil will soak in and affect performance. To avoid your dough from sticking, always use a healthy layer of flour or corn meal, and not cooking oil.
