Pizza on the BBQ & Pizza Oven: How to make it extra tasty

Pizza oven or grill: A better way to make pizza?

Traditionally, pizza is baked in just a few minutes in very hot stone, wood-fired or gas ovens. The high temperatures make the thin base nice and crispy, while the toppings stay juicy. With a grill, you can easily recreate these ideal conditions. Smaller charcoal grills or gas grills with a lid are best, as they can concentrate the heat.

Top tip: When making pizza on the grill, it's best to use a pizza stone. This slab, made from a heat-resistant material like cordierite, gets super hot and ensures the dough bakes quickly and evenly.

It's even easier with a pizza oven. It has the same design as the large ovens in a pizzeria, but is more compact and a great addition to your barbecue area in the garden. The cooking chamber is particularly low, delivering concentrated heat from above and below. The oven heats up quickly and comes with a pizza stone included.

BBQ Pizza: What You Need to Know

The most important thing is to let the heat build up inside your BBQ. This raises the temperature and cooks your pizza to perfection in no time. While a pizza oven does this automatically thanks to its low cooking chamber, a pizza stone and a few tips can help you achieve the same result on a BBQ with a high lid:

• Get the BBQ really hot. Turn gas burners to the maximum setting or use a mix of briquettes, charcoal and wood logs. Let the briquettes heat up first, then the charcoal will provide the next boost of heat, and finally, add the wood logs on top.
• Sprinkle the pizza stone with a little flour or semolina. This will stop fresh dough from sticking and makes it easy to remove the finished pizza.
• Place the pizza stone in the centre of the BBQ right from the start as it heats up. However, make sure the heat sources (coals or burners) only heat the stone indirectly to prevent the pizza from burning.
• Use a special pizza peel. With this BBQ accessory, you can avoid burns and always have a firm handle on your pizza base.
• Keep an eye on the pizza. The cooking process only takes a few minutes. Check regularly to see if the toppings are cooked and the cheese has melted, but the base isn't burnt.

Cleaning tip: The pizza stone should not be cleaned with washing-up liquid or too much water. Let it cool down in the BBQ, scrape off any dough residue and wipe it with a slightly damp cloth only. Avoid sudden temperature changes, otherwise the stone may crack.

Tips for Your Pizza Oven

A classic pizza oven lets you get creative in the kitchen. It heats up intensely to reach the highest possible temperature. Here are a few tips to make your pizza a real showstopper:

• When shaping the pizza dough, gently stretch it from the inside out and do not press the crust down. This will help it rise and become airy.
• Be sparing with the toppings. The less you put on your pizza, the crispier and more balanced the result will be.
• Pre-cook meat, fish, and ingredients with a high water content. This extra step allows moisture to escape, so your pizza won't get soggy.
• Rotate the pizza. Let the dough bake for about 30 seconds before carefully turning the pizza. This guarantees a more even bake.
• Let it rest. Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before slicing and serving. This helps the structure to set and makes it even crispier.

Tasty Tip: In the Lidl Recipe World, you'll find classics, trending recipes, and great pizza ideas for the whole family. Click here to explore!