We eat a lot of pizza in our house. Every Friday we have pizza,a salad bar and sometimes smoked chicken wings on the traeger. After lots and lots of trial and error, I have finally perfected the at home pizza and you don’t need a specialty oven. All you need is a standard kitchen oven and a cast iron skillet. (and all your pizza ingredients)
Making the best pizza at home without a pizza oven is not only possible but can be incredibly rewarding. With the right techniques and tools, you can create a delicious, crispy, and flavorful pizza that rivals your favorite pizzeria. Here’s how to do it, step-by-step.
One of the best ways to replicate the high heat of a pizza oven is by using a cast iron skillet or pan. I usually use a 12 inch pan for my pizzas because we all like different toppings. I have also used my 15 inch pan for when we had guests and the cooking time is the same.Cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly, ensuring a perfectly crispy crust. Here’s how to use it:
- Preheat Your Skillet: Place your cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. This will ensure the skillet is hot enough to start cooking the dough immediately.
- Assemble the Pizza: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place it on a heat proof surface. Lightly oil the skillet to prevent sticking, then stretch your dough and place it in the skillet.
- Return to the Oven: Once your pizza is assembled (more on that below), return the skillet to the oven for baking.
Tip: Have all your ingredients prepped before you pull your cast iron out of the oven. You want to assemble your pizza in the skillet as fast as possible and get it back into the oven. Your pizza starts cooking the second the dough hits the hot pan.
The order in which you layer your pizza ingredients is crucial for the best results. Follow this sequence for a perfectly balanced pizza:
- Sauce: Start with a thin, even layer of sauce. Too much sauce can make your pizza soggy, so use just enough to cover the dough. My sauce recipe here.
- Cheese: Next, add a generous layer of cheese. Mozzarella is the classic choice, but feel free to mix in other cheeses like Parmesan, cheddar, or provolone for added flavor. Tip: try adding dollops of cream cheese to the top. If you love cream cheese you’ll love it.
- Meat: If you’re using meats like pepperoni, sausage, or ham, add them after the cheese. This allows the meats to cook thoroughly and the fats to render, adding flavor to the cheese and crust.
- Veggies: Finally, add your vegetables. Veggies should go on top so they cook properly and don’t weigh down the pizza. My personal favorite is cowboy candy.
The key to a great pizza is a hot oven. Here’s how to get it right:
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to the highest temperature possible, usually around 500°F (260°C). Preheating is crucial to ensure your pizza cooks evenly and quickly.
- Cooking Time: Bake your pizza in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes. Keep an eye on it – you want the cheese to be bubbly and the crust to be golden brown.
To achieve that perfect, slightly charred top that mimics a wood-fired pizza oven, use your oven’s broiler for the last few minutes of cooking:
- Once your pizza is done: Turn on the broiler (High) and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning, as broilers can vary in intensity.
As tempting as it is to dive right into your freshly baked pizza, giving it a brief cooling period is essential:
- Rest for 3 Minutes: Remove pizza from cast iron skillet.I place mine on clean counter. Be careful as the skillet will be very hot. Allow your pizza to cool for about 3 minutes once out of the oven. This helps the cheese set slightly, making it easier to cut and preventing burns from hot toppings.
- Slice and Serve: After the cooling period, transfer your pizza to a cutting board, slice it up, and enjoy!
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the pizza. Fresh dough, quality cheese, and ripe vegetables make a significant difference. Check out my Yeast Pizza Dough and my Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust.
- Experiment with Flavors: Don’t be afraid to try different sauces, cheeses, and toppings to create your perfect pizza. Pizza Sauce Here.
- Practice Makes Perfect: The more you make pizza at home, the better you’ll get at it. Have fun with the process and enjoy the delicious results!
Making pizza at home without a pizza oven can be a delightful and tasty adventure. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating pizza that’s crispy, flavorful, and utterly delicious. Happy cooking!
