BBQ & Pizza Oven Pizza: How to make it perfectly delicious

Pizza ovens & BBQs: the best way to make pizza?

Traditionally, pizza is baked in just a few minutes in very hot stone, wood or gas-fired ovens. The high temperatures make the thin base beautifully crisp, while the toppings stay juicy. You can easily recreate these ideal conditions with a BBQ. Smaller charcoal BBQs or gas BBQs with a lid are best, as they allow the heat to build up inside.

Top tip: When making pizza on the BBQ, it's best to use a pizza stone. The slab, made from a heat-resistant material like cordierite, gets incredibly hot and ensures the base cooks quickly and evenly.

It's even easier with a pizza oven. It has the same design as the large ones you see in pizzerias, but it's more compact and makes a great addition to your garden barbecue area. The cooking chamber is particularly low, delivering concentrated heat from above and below. The oven heats up quickly and comes with its own pizza stone.

Pizza on the barbecue: what you need to know

The most important thing is that the heat can build up inside the barbecue. This allows the temperature to rise and cooks the pizza to perfection in no time. This happens automatically in a pizza oven thanks to the low cooking chamber, but for barbecues with a high lid, a pizza stone and a few tips will help:

• Preheat your barbecue properly. Set gas burners to maximum or use a mix of briquettes, charcoal and wood logs. Let the briquettes heat up first, then the charcoal will provide the next boost of heat, and finally, add the wood logs on top.
• Sprinkle the pizza stone with a little flour or semolina. This stops fresh dough from sticking and makes it easy to remove the finished pizza.
• Place the pizza stone in the middle of the barbecue right from the start. However, make sure the heat sources (coals or burners) only heat the stone indirectly to prevent the pizza from burning.
• Use a proper pizza peel. With this barbecue accessory, you can avoid burns and always have your pizza base under control.
• Keep an eye on the pizza. The cooking process only takes a few minutes. Check regularly to see if the toppings are cooked and the cheese has melted, but the base isn't burnt.

Cleaning tip: The pizza stone should not be cleaned with washing-up liquid or too much water. Let it cool down on the barbecue, scrape off any dough residue and wipe it with a slightly damp cloth. Avoid sudden temperature changes, as this can cause the stone to crack.

Pizza oven tips

A classic pizza oven is a great way to get creative with your cooking. It heats up to extremely high temperatures, but with a few simple tricks, you can make sure your pizza is a real showstopper:

• When shaping the pizza base, gently stretch it from the inside out and do not press the crust down. This will help it rise and become airy.
• Go easy on the toppings. The less you put on your pizza, the crispier and more balanced the result will be.
• Pre-cook meat, fish, and ingredients with a high water content. This extra step allows moisture to escape, so your pizza won't turn soggy.
• Rotate the pizza. Let the dough bake for about 30 seconds before carefully turning the pizza. This guarantees a more even bake.
• Let it rest. Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before slicing and serving. This helps the structure to set and makes it even crispier.

Top tip: You'll find classic recipes, new trends, and great pizza ideas for the whole family in the Lidl Recipe Hub. Take a look!