Delicious mozzarella pizza smoked low and slow over hickory wood. This homemade pizza is loaded with smoky flavors and gooey cheese toppings to transform your pizza nights.
Although this might not be the usual way to make a pizza, we’re pretty sure that once you try this smoked pizza, you won’t look back. This cooking method renders a perfectly crisp crust and gooey cheese topping while imbuing a delicious smoky flavor – serve this to your guests, and they’ll be asking for it time and again.
Smoking a pizza is also a fun way to use that backyard smoker in a different way. We’re sure you’re probably used to smoking big hunks of meat like brisket or ribs but a pizza’s a quick and delicious way to get a bit more use out of that handy piece of equipment in the backyard.
From the best smoking woods to mouthwatering topping ideas, learn how to elevate your pizza game with your backyard BBQ smoker or grill. This is how to smoke pizza.
Why Smoke Pizza?
There’s always debate on the best way to cook a pizza; do you use a ceramic stone in the oven, use a skillet and then broil or simply whack it on a pizza tray and hope for the best? All these methods work and have their own benefits, but smoking a pizza cooks the dough and toppings perfectly and adds extra flavor that no one will see coming.
It’s also a really quick way to cook up this Italian favorite and, depending on the size of your smoker, you can probably cook more than one at a time – something we often struggle with when hosting a pizza party for crowds. They’re quickly done on the smoker too, so you can easily toss pizzas out to your friends and make sure there’s something new and tasty on the table for everyone to tuck into.
Another benefit to cooking pizza in a smoker is that it can get really hot. If you’ve cooked pizza before, you’ll know that the hotter the better when it comes to getting a crisp puffy crust and gooey melted cheese. Rather than the lower temperatures you’d use for brisket, this is a chance to get that smoker nice and hot. We also use a pizza stone on top of the grates to give the base a little added heat.
How to Smoke Pizza
- Fire up your smoker and set the cordierite pizza stone on the grates as it preheats
- On a floured surface, use your hands and a rolling pin to create a circular pizza base from your premade dough
- Carefully remove the pizza stone from the smoker, sprinkle the surface with cornmeal and then add the pizza base
- Spread a layer of pizza sauce across the base and top with mozzarella (as well as any additional toppings you’re craving)
- Carefully place the pizza stone back in the smoker
- Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the base is crisp and the cheese has melted
- Remove from the smoker, cut into slices and serve
Toppings
This is of course where things get contentious as toppings are definitely a personal choice. We’ll start with the basics and take it from there.
- Sauce: You just can’t beat the classic marinara sauce. The tomato cuts through the rich cheese and adds a sweet and sharp lift to the pizza.
- Cheese: Mozzarella is the traditional option and has retained its title for so long for a reason. Its rich creaminess works as a perfect base for toppings and would it even be a pizza without the iconic cheese pull?
A few of our favorite additions:
- Deli Meat: Whether it’s classic pepperoni or the luxe addition of mortadella or parma ham, meat is a favorite pizza topping for a reason. Savory, salty, and sometimes adding a hint of spice, we think it’s the perfect extra
- Extra Cheese: From blue cheese to feta, plenty of cheeses can bring a new flavor dimension to pizzas. We particularly love to mix savory and sweet with something like parma ham, blue cheese and pear
- Extra Toppings: Whether it’s mushrooms, pineapple or butternut squash, people have their own unique thoughts on what belongs on a pizza. Sometimes we like to make sure we’ve got plenty of options and leave people to make their own decisions (and try not to judge too much!)
Best Wood for Smoking Pizza
You can’t really go wrong with wood choice on pizzas and it’s worth having a play about to find the flavors you enjoy best. We will say though that because the pizzas are in the smoker for a much shorter period of time than most smokes, it’s a good idea to choose something a little stronger in taste like mesquite or hickory so the flavors can better impart.
Times & Temperatures
Compared to something like brisket, pizza takes next to no time at all to cook. The smoker should be set to 450°F (230°C) so this Italian staple will be crisp in no time. We find 15 minutes is the perfect amount of time to cook a pizza – as long as the crust is cooked and the cheese is melted, we’re more than happy.
Quick Tips
Cooking pizzas in the smoker is pretty straightforward but here are some tips to make things a little easier:
- Pay attention to the thickness of the pizzas, thicker ones will take longer to cook
- Use a pizza stone to help give you an even cook across the base
- Use polenta or cornmeal to dust the pizza stone and stop the pizzas from sticking
- Got leftovers? You can store this homemade pizza in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days
Smoked Pizza
Equipment
- cordierite pizza stone
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 1 ball pizza dough
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp cornmeal
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 450°F (230°C) and add the pizza stone (the stone will need at least 15 minutes to heat up)
- On a floured surface, use a rolling pin and your hands to stretch and roll the dough out
- Carefully remove the pizza stone from the smoker and place it on a heatproof surface
- Sprinkle the stone with the cornmeal and then carefully place the dough on top
- Spread the pizza sauce on the base, making sure to leave a ½ inch edge around the perimeter to form the crust
- Tear the mozzarella into pieces and spread evenly on top of each pizza, along with any extra toppings
- Being careful not to burn yourself, place the pizza stone back in the smoker, close the lid and smoke for 15 minutes
- The pizza will be ready when the base is cooked through and the cheese has melted
- Slice, serve and enjoy
