Tavern Style Pizza with Special Guest, Chef Jason Morse

Captain Ron & Chef Jason Morse: A Tavern-Style Pizza Masterclass on Fogo Charcoal’s YouTube Channel

If there’s one thing we know about Captain Ron, it’s that he’s all about having fun on the grill while using top-tier gear to create fantastic meals. In his latest video on our Fogo Charcoal YouTube channel, he teams up with Chef Jason Morse from Ace Hardware for a pizza-making session that you won’t want to miss. Together, they craft a mouth-watering tavern-style pizza, combining simple ingredients, expert techniques, and a few game-changing products that make all the difference.

The best part? They’re cooking it all up on a Big Green Egg, with a pizza stone ensuring that every bite is perfectly crisped. Toss in some Urban Slicer dough and sauce, topped with Hormel Cupping pepperoni, and you’ve got the makings of a pizza that’s worthy of any pizza lover’s dreams.

Tavern-Style Pizza: A Nod to the Classics

For those unfamiliar, tavern-style pizza is a beloved classic in the Midwest. Known for its thin, crispy crust and square-cut slices, it’s the perfect type of pizza to enjoy with a group—especially when it’s made right at home. Captain Ron and Chef Jason take us through the process, showcasing how easy it is to make a pizza that’s as delicious as it is satisfying.

Unlike your typical pie, tavern-style pizza focuses on the quality of ingredients and the balance of flavors. The crust is thin and crispy, the sauce is flavorful yet not overpowering, and the toppings are simple but impactful. In this video, Captain Ron and Chef Jason prove that you don’t need to complicate things to create a truly outstanding pizza.

Quality Ingredients: The Heart of a Great Pizza

When it comes to pizza, using the right ingredients makes all the difference. For the dough and sauce, Captain Ron and Chef Jason turn to Urban Slicer. This brand has become a go-to for many pizza enthusiasts due to its ease of use, top-notch quality, and amazing flavor. The dough is incredibly simple to work with—no long waiting or complicated techniques required—and it delivers that perfect balance of crispy and chewy. The Urban Slicer sauce is equally impressive, with the perfect amount of tang and sweetness to complement the other flavors.

But they didn’t stop there. The real showstopper topping? Hormel Cupping pepperoni. These slices are the gold standard when it comes to pepperoni, known for their signature cupping effect that forms crispy, flavorful little bowls of goodness. It’s a topping that not only adds flavor but elevates the visual appeal of the pizza. As the pizza cooks, those pepperonis crisp up in a way that’s irresistible.

The Big Green Egg: A Game-Changer for Pizza

Of course, none of this would be possible without the right cooking equipment. Captain Ron and Chef Jason use the Big Green Egg to make their tavern-style pizza, and it’s a perfect match. The Big Green Egg is renowned for its ability to maintain steady heat, ensuring a perfectly cooked pizza every time. Whether you’re making pizza at 500°F or smoking a brisket at low and slow temperatures, the Egg gives you the flexibility to cook whatever you need with consistent results.

For this pizza, they use a pizza stone to help achieve that crispy crust we all love. The stone ensures even heat distribution and helps prevent the dough from sticking, making it a must-have tool for anyone serious about pizza. The Big Green Egg’s ability to retain and radiate heat makes it an ideal option for cooking a pizza that’s crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside.

A Relaxed, Fun, and Educational Experience

While the focus is on making delicious pizza, Captain Ron and Chef Jason’s collaboration brings something extra to the table. Their chemistry is contagious, making the video both fun and informative. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pizza pro, they share useful tips along the way, including how to handle the dough, the best way to arrange toppings, and how to get the pizza to slide off the stone perfectly without losing any toppings.

There’s also a laid-back, approachable vibe that makes the video feel like you’re cooking with friends, not watching a professional chef work. It’s a reminder that cooking should be enjoyable, and with the right tools and ingredients, anyone can create something delicious.

The Final Result: A Pizza You’ll Want to Make Again and Again

After some time on the Big Green Egg, the tavern-style pizza emerges from the grill looking absolutely perfect. The crust is golden and crispy, the pepperoni cups are perfectly crisped, and the combination of Urban Slicer sauce and dough creates a pizza that’s flavorful and satisfying without being overly complicated.

With every bite, you get the crispiness of the crust, the tanginess of the sauce, and the rich, savory flavor of the Hormel Cupping pepperoni. It's a pizza that’s bound to impress—whether you’re serving it at a family gathering, a casual get-together, or just enjoying a cozy night in.

Why You Should Watch

If you’re into pizza and grilling, this video is a must-watch. Captain Ron and Chef Jason’s playful energy and shared love for good food make this tutorial both fun and educational. They walk you through the steps to make tavern-style pizza at home, from choosing the right dough to firing it up on the Big Green Egg. Plus, they share tips and tricks that you can use the next time you want to make your own pizza (hint: don’t skimp on the Hormel Cupping pepperoni!).

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to the Fogo Charcoal YouTube channel, grab your Urban Slicer dough, fire up your Big Green Egg, and start making pizza like a pro. You’ll be amazed at how easy and fun it can be to craft a tavern-style pizza that’s every bit as good as your favorite pizzeria's.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll even have a bit of fun with it, just like Captain Ron and Chef Jason did.

Directions:

1. Mak your dough.  Place one packet of Urban Slicer Pizza dough into your stand mixer with dough hook attachment.  Add 1 Cup of 80° water to the pizza flour.  Turn the mixer on at the lowest setting for 8 minutes.
2. Once 8 minutes is up, remove the dough ball from the mixer and place it on a floured work surface.  Cut the ball in half to create 2 dough balls.  Roll the dough in your hands or on the table 10 times, place it in an oiled bowl, cover and let it rest on the countertop for two hours to rise.  This is called proofing.
3. Fill your grill with FOGO Premium Charcoal and prepare your grill for indirect grilling at 500°.   Place 2 All Natural FOGO Firestarters inside of a Blazaball.  Make a well in the center of the charcoal and place the Blazaball in it.  Use your grill torch to light the starters.  Once burning, place a few pieces of charcoal on the Blazaball and let it go.
4. For the grill setup- Charcoal,  Eggspander basket (if you have one), conveggtor with legs up, cooking grid and then the pizza stone.  Place this in the Egg soon after lighting the charcoal in order to heat the stone up with the grill. (approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour
5. Place a dough ball on a heavily floured surface.  Press on it a few times with your fingertips and make some dimples.  Now, flatten the dough.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as flat as possible.  You really want it to be as thin as possible.  Coat with a layer of sauce, mozzarella cheese and the pepperoni.  Pro tip- put the pepperoni as close to the edge of the pizza as you can.  This way, you have toppings all the way up to the last bite.
6. Using a pizza peel, slide the pizza onto the peel and slide it onto the heated stone.  Allow it to bake for a few minutes with the dome closed.  Spin the pizza 180°so that the pizza cooks evenly on all sides.
7. Once the cheese is melted, the pepperoni cups are formed and the bottom of the dough is browned and crisped, remove the pizza from your Egg onto a pizza tray or cutting board. 
8. The traditional way to slice tavern style pizza is to cut it into little rectangles.  It does not have to be done this way, but it just seems to be more enjoyable like that!