National Deep Dish Pizza Day!

Today we celebrate National Deep Dish Pizza Day, and in order to commemorate this great day, I am here to give you a helping hand to create your own on the grill. For those of you who have not tried this delicious creation yet, deep dish pizza is usually 1 ½” to 2” deep, which means that you can pack it with all the toppings your heart desires. Personally, I like a good balance between the amount of cheese, veggies, and meat, but you can definitely fill it out with a bunch of vegetables, or make it a meat lover deep dish, either way, I promise you will have a meal that everyone around the table will enjoy!

Keep on reading as I share some accessories and tips and tricks to get your grilled deep dish game on.

Accessories:

• Pizza-Porta:  a cool accessory that turns your ceramic grill into a pizza oven. It will allow you to control the heat by using the vents and provide you with the necessary airflow to have a great pizza, crispy on the bottom and perfectly cooked top. One of the things that make Pizza-Porta unique is the fact that it has a safety latched door to keep the heat in. Click here to find out more about it.
  
  Source: Pizza-Porta.com
  
  
• KettlePizza: this will convert your kettle grill into a pizza oven in minutes. Many debate that this gadget will not make much of a difference on your grilled pizzas, but many more users think that it is worth it and that it will make your home pizzas into restaurant quality pizzas. The KetlePizza does bring other useful accessories: a stainless sleeve, handles, thermometer and aluminum pan. Check it out for yourself here.
  
  
  Source: Amazon.com
  
  
• PizzaQue: If you are looking for a more affordable option, PizzaQue is the one! Just like other accessories this one also requires a bit of trial and error before you get it just right, but many users suggest that they have loved it and its a great bang for your buck. Check it out here.
  
  
  
  Source: Amazon.com
  
  
• Deflectors for your kettle grill: If you are using a kettle grill, I recommend for you to use a deflector of some sort. This will cook the deep dish with indirect heat and making sure your crust doesn’t burn. An added bonus, these reflectors have further use than just pizza, you can use them to have those low and slow cooks and also make your grill into a smoker. I would recommend either Aura Outdoor Products Kettle Zone Cooking System or BBQ Dragon Smoking Stone & Pizza. They have a different price point, but ultimately both will give you the wanted result.
  
  
  Source: Amazon.com
  
  
• GRILL HEAT AID Extreme Heat Resistant Grill/BBQ Gloves: Protect those hands! With deep dish pizza, there is no need for a pizza peel, but I do suggest a pair of insulated fireproof gloves so you are able to handle the sheet pan/cast iron pan easier and without burning yourself. These are the ones I have been using lately, check them out here.
  
  
  Source: Amazon.com
  
  
• FOGO Charcoal - Last but certainly not least, to give your deep dish pizza that smoky and special  flavor make sure to use FOGO Charcoal, for this type of dish I would recommend using either the Premium for kettle grills or Super Premium for ceramic grills, the size of the charcoal pieces will allow you to cook as many deep dish pizzas you want without the need to refill so often.  Find more on our products here.
  
  Source: FogoCharcoal.com

Tips & Tricks

• Press your dough as evenly as possible, this will help you get an even crisp crust and a good base for that heavy filling.
• The sauce should be as dense as possible, cook a little bit longer than you would for a regular pizza, this will allow the water to evaporate and therefore creating a less soggy dough.
• Make sure to cook any vegetables or meat toppings before building your pizza, this will allow you to get rid of the extra moisture and therefore the dough will not be as wet and making it crispier. Toppings like onions, garlic, etc can be put in raw.
• If you have a pizza stone at home, I highly suggest you use it as a deflector on your kettle grill. This will also create a buffer between the grate and the pan, allowing the deep dish pizza to have a separation from too direct of a fire.
• If you are using a ceramic grill you want to make sure the grill is between 425F to 450F, if you are using a kettle grill the temperature should be at 400F. The internal temperature of the deep dish pizza should read 190F, that is when you know your pie is done!
• Once cooked, make sure to let it rest for 15 minutes, it will allow all the ingredients to set together and therefore making it easier for you to serve.

Get that grill out and start celebrating National Deep Dish Pizza day! I hope my recommendations on this blog helps you tackle another grilling challenge. If you’re not up for the deep dish just yet, make sure to check out our recipe video on extra thin pizzas. So start lighting that fire, lining up the toppings and kneading the dough, because #nationaldeepdishpizzaday is here.