Baking or Grilling Pizza (Do Both)

Pizza is my favorite comfort food; my family eats it more than once weekly. It crosses boundaries and satisfies cravings like no other food can. However, there’s always a debate about how to make it: Should pizza be baked (air-fried) in the oven, grilled, or cooked in a wood/gas fire oven? In this post, I want to explore the pizza cooking process. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of each method I use to discover the flavors and experiences each brings.

Baking Pizza in the Oven

 

Advantages;

Results: Baking pizza in the oven ensures heat distribution, resulting in a uniformly cooked crust with a crispy golden exterior and a soft interior. Also, remember that the pizza pan you use is crucial to a fantastic pizza.  Read my pizza pan blog post.  I’ve learned a lot from a pizza pan.  As of this writing, I use my cast iron religiously.  It creates an even temperature and, once hot, crisps the pizza to perfection.  

Controlled Environment: You can prevent the baking process by setting temperatures to achieve the desired level of crispiness for both the crust and toppings.

Convenience: Oven baking is convenient and accessible for home cooks requiring setup and supervision.

Disadvantages;

Lack of Charred Flavor: While baked pizza is perfectly cooked, it may lack the taste and charred crust that grilling can provide.

Limited Flavor Infusion: Without exposure to open flames, charcoal, or wood-baked pizza, you may miss out on absorbing those subtle smoky flavors typical of grilling.The Grill: Cooking Pizza Over Open Flames on a pizza stone can give it a tremendous flavor. However, the pizza must be closely watched. The stone can get too hot and burn the dough without melting the cheese. 

 

Grilling Pizza

Advantages;

Intense Heat and Char: Grilling pizza over flames provides a heat level that quickly crisps up the crust, giving it a beautifully charred exterior that enhances the flavor and texture.  Remember to heat your pizza stone before you put start the grilling process.  When transferring the pizza evenly spread cornmeal under the dough on the peel.  This helps the dough slide off relatively easily.  It isn’t always pretty but once you get the hang of it, its pretty easy.  

Smoky Flavor Infusion: The natural smokiness from the grill enriches the pizza’s taste, giving it a smoky scent that elevates the dining experience. 

Outdoor Culinary Experience: Grilling pizza outdoors adds an element of adventure to cooking, bringing fun and excitement to gatherings and outdoor meals.

 

Disadvantages;

Temperature Variations: Grilling pizza demands close attention to controlling temperatures to avoid cooking due to ups and downs or hot spots that could lead to burnt crusts or toppings.

 Skill and Expertise: Mastering the art of grilling pizzas requires practice and skill in managing temperatures, handling dough, and rotating pizzas – which can be challenging for beginners but doable once you get the hang of it.

 

The Final Verdict: A Draw!

In conclusion, baking pizza in an oven and grilling it on a barbecue offer benefits and delicious outcomes. Whether you lean towards the reliability and ease of baked pizza or the fiery intensity and smoky essence of grilled pizza, both offer an experience for savoring this much-loved dish.

So when the pizza urge strikes, please think about your choices. Will you stick with the tradition of the oven or venture into the realm of grilling? Whichever route you take, one thing is guaranteed: a delectable creation awaits, promising to fulfill your cravings and keep you coming back for more. Enjoy making your pizza!