BBQ Pizzas

 

Before we dive into this recipe, let us send a big thank you to Nicholas of Eden Prairie. To see all of his pizza creations and for all his favorite local food choices follow him on twitter at @nicholaskolnik

Now. Let’s get ridiculously pizza controversial and go to a place where red sauce isn’t required, and dill pickles are an amazing topping.

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First, you’re going to need crust. If you want an authentic experience, leave the pre-packaged options on the shelf. You can do it, really. If you need a visual beyond the instructions below check out how Pizzeria Bianco makes theirs featuring Aziz Ansari. Note: they use a recipe leaving the dough overnight, either dough recipe works.

Pizza 1: Barbecue Double Cheeseburger Pizza

Ingredients

  • 2 & 1/4 teaspoons yeast

  • 1 & 1/3 cups warm water - water over 120 degrees will kill your yeast

  • 3 & 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour - proteins in unbleached flour react better with yeast

  • 2 & 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees f

  2. In a large bowl (Oven safe) proof the yeast - this means to check to make sure the yeast is active. To do this, mix your yeast and warm water and let sit for five minutes. If your yeast does not become foamy then your yeast is dead and you need new yeast. If active, add in flour, olive oil, and salt.

  3. Mix the ingredient in the bowl, should take a minute or two

  4. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on board for 5-10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and stretchy

  5. Roll the dough into a condensed ball and place back into the bowl

  6. Apply a light coating of olive oil on the dough

  7. Cover the dough in plastic wrap

  8. Place the bowl with the dough in the oven leaving the door to the oven ajar once you put the dough in the oven, turn the oven off

  9. After 20 - 30 minutes, shut the oven door trapping the remaining warm air with the dough - this process allows the dough to rise

  10. Leave the dough in the shut oven for around 2 hour

  11. Take the dough out of the oven and when cooled, knead once more removing the air trapped in the dough

  12. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees f

  13. Stretch out dough on very lightly floured baking sheet

  14. Curl edges of the dough to create a lip

  15. Add ingredients

  16. Cook 10-15 minutes depending on dough thickness

Toppings

  • Triple Crown Organic BBQ Sauce - Classic

  • Ground Beef (seasoned + browned)

  • Diced White Onion

  • 8 oz. Cheese (50/50 cheddar + mozzarella)

  • Dill Pickle Slices

 Notes from our friend Nick

  • Layer seasoned ground beef above and below the cheese for the double cheeseburger effect. I’m a big fan of Kowalski’s Markets’ Northwoods grill seasoning for this recipe, which is convenient because Kowalski’s also carries Triple Crown BBQ sauces!

  • Substitute red onion for white onion if so desired. Either way, the onions, and the pickles provide a nice counterbalance to the richness of the rest of the toppings.

Pizza 2: Spicy Barbeque Chicken Pizza

 Ingredients

  • 2 & 1/4 teaspoons yeast

  • 1 & 1/3 cups warm water - water over 120 degrees will kill your yeast

  • 3 & 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour - proteins in unbleached flour react better with yeast

  • 2 & 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees f

  2. In a large bowl (Oven safe) proof the yeast - this means to check to make sure the yeast is active. To do this, mix your yeast and warm water and let sit for five minutes. If your yeast does not become foamy then your yeast is dead and you need new yeast. If active, add in flour, olive oil, and salt.

  3. Mix the ingredient in the bowl, should take a minute or two

  4. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on board for 5-10 minutes. The dough should become smooth and stretchy

  5. Roll the dough into a condensed ball and place back into the bowl

  6. Apply a light coating of olive oil on the dough

  7. Cover the dough in plastic wrap

  8. Place the bowl with the dough in the oven leaving the door to the oven ajar once you put the dough in the oven, turn the oven off

  9. After 20 - 30 minutes, shut the oven door trapping the remaining warm air with the dough - this process allows the dough to rise

  10. Leave the dough in the shut oven for around 2 hour

  11. Take the dough out of the oven and when cooled, knead once more removing the air trapped in the dough

  12. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees f

  13. Stretch out dough on very lightly floured baking sheet

  14. Curl edges of the dough to create a lip

  15. Add ingredients

  16. Cook 10-15 minutes depending on dough thickness 

Toppings

  • Triple Crown Organic BBQ Sauce - Cayenne

  • 1 Chopped Grilled Chicken Breast

  • 1/2 Diced Red Onion

  • 8 oz. Cheese (50/50 pepperjack + mozzarella)

  • Fresh Cilantro (add after cooking the pizza)

Notes from our friend Nick

  • My apologies if you’re in the 4-14% of the population to whom cilantro tastes like soap; you’re missing out. Pizza creates many arguments, but one thing I think we can all agree upon is that it shouldn’t taste like soap

  • If you want to get artistic, drizzle additional BBQ sauce on top of the pizza after it is out of the oven and before you add the cilantro

  • No judgment here if you dip your crust in a side of ranch...

 
Anna Janke