Grilled Pizza Dough

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Charcoal or gas grill with lid
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Digital kitchen scale (highly recommended)
• •Rimless baking sheet or pizza peel
• •Long-handled tongs
• •Pastry brush for oiling

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine wet ingredients

   Pour the lukewarm water into a large mixing bowl. The water should feel neutral against your wrist, neither warm nor cool, around 100°F. Add the honey and stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the instant yeast over the surface and let it bloom for two minutes. You'll see tiny bubbles forming at the edges. This tells you your yeast is alive and hungry.

   Water temperature matters enormously. Too hot kills the yeast. Too cold slows fermentation. Your wrist is a reliable thermometer.
2. 2

   Add flour and salt

   Add the bread flour and salt to the bowl. Using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until a shaggy mass forms. The dough will look rough and uneven. Don't worry. Gluten development comes later. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and gather everything into the center. Add the olive oil and work it through the dough with your fingers, pressing and folding until incorporated.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   Turn the dough onto a clean, unfloured work surface. Knead using the stretch-and-fold method: push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back over itself, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. Continue for eight to ten minutes. The dough transforms from sticky and rough to smooth and elastic. It should pass the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through without tearing.

   Resist the urge to add flour. The stickiness is intentional. Wet hands help more than dry flour, which toughens the final crust.
4. 4

   Bulk fermentation

   Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a large bowl coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough to coat all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for one hour, then perform a stretch-and-fold: wet your hands, pull one side of the dough up and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat three more times. Cover again and refrigerate for at least eight hours, up to 72 hours.

   Longer cold fermentation means deeper flavor. A 48-hour rest produces dough with remarkable complexity and a slight tang.
5. 5

   Divide and shape balls

   Remove the dough from the refrigerator three hours before grilling. Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four equal portions, each roughly 225 grams. Shape each piece into a tight ball: cup your hand over the dough and move in small circles, using the friction of the counter to create surface tension. The ball should feel taut, like a water balloon. Place the balls on an oiled sheet pan, cover loosely, and rest at room temperature until nearly doubled and puffy to the touch.

6. 6

   Prepare the grill

   Set up your grill for high direct heat. If using charcoal, light a full chimney and spread the coals evenly across the grate. If using gas, preheat on high with the lid closed for at least fifteen minutes. Clean and oil the grates thoroughly with a wad of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil, held by tongs. The grate should be hot enough that water droplets vaporize instantly on contact.

7. 7

   Stretch the dough

   Working with one dough ball at a time, press it gently into a disk on a floured surface. Lift the dough and let gravity stretch it, rotating as you go. Use your knuckles to stretch from the center outward, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Work quickly but confidently. Aim for 10 to 12 inches in diameter, thin enough to see your hand through in places. Irregular shapes have character. Accept them.

   If the dough springs back stubbornly, let it rest five minutes under a towel. The gluten relaxes and becomes cooperative again.
8. 8

   Grill the first side

   Drape the stretched dough over your forearms and carry it to the grill. Lay it directly on the hot grates in one confident motion. Close the lid. Listen for the sizzle. After 90 seconds to two minutes, check underneath by lifting an edge with tongs. You want deep golden char marks and bubbles rising across the surface. The top will still look raw. This is correct.

9. 9

   Flip and finish

   Use tongs or a large spatula to flip the crust onto a sheet pan, grilled side up. This is now your topping surface. Add your toppings quickly: a slick of sauce, cheese, vegetables, meats, whatever the season and your appetite demand. Slide the pizza back onto the grill, close the lid, and cook for two to three minutes more. The bottom will char, the cheese will melt, and the edges will puff and crisp. Remove with confidence.

10. 10

    Slice and serve

    Transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Let it rest for one minute so the cheese sets slightly. Slice with a sharp chef's knife or pizza wheel. Serve immediately while the crust still crackles. Repeat with remaining dough balls, adjusting heat as needed. The grill is forgiving. Trust your instincts.

Chef Tips

• •Bread flour provides the protein structure necessary for high-hydration doughs. All-purpose flour produces a softer crust that tears more easily during stretching. If bread flour eludes you, add two tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to all-purpose.
• •Your toppings must be ready before the dough hits the grill. There's no time to slice tomatoes once the crust is browning. Set up a station with everything prepped, portioned, and within arm's reach.
• •For summer gatherings, let guests top their own pizzas. Stretch the doughs, grill the first side, then hand off the crusts for individual customization. It becomes theater, and theater makes meals memorable.
• •Peak-season tomatoes need nothing but a drizzle of oil, salt, and torn basil. Don't bury them under cheese. Let them shine. The same goes for grilled corn cut from the cob, sliced stone fruits, or just-picked squash blossoms.
• •A pizza peel dusted with semolina makes transferring to the grill easier, but a rimless baking sheet works perfectly. The tool matters less than the confidence of your motion.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made up to 72 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The flavor improves with time.
• •Divide into balls the night before grilling if you prefer. Store in individual oiled containers.
• •Stretch dough up to 30 minutes ahead, laying rounds between sheets of parchment. Stack carefully and keep covered.
• •Prep all toppings in advance and refrigerate. Bring cheeses to room temperature before grilling for better melt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)