Making barbecue pizza at home is a fun way to combine two classic American favorites – pizza and barbecue! With the right ingredients and techniques, you can create a flavorful BBQ pizza with tender crust, zesty barbecue sauce, melted cheese, and your favorite meat toppings. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from making the dough and barbecue sauce from scratch to layering on delicious toppings. With a little time and effort, you can make restaurant-quality BBQ pizza in your own oven.
Ingredients Needed
To make a barbecue pizza at home, you will need:
For the Pizza Dough:
- All-purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Olive oil
- Warm water
For the Barbecue Sauce:
- Tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- Apple cider vinegar
- molasses/honey or brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper
For the Toppings:
- Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Cooked chicken, pulled or chopped
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Onions, sliced
- Bell peppers, sliced
- Jalapenos, sliced (optional)
- Cilantro, chopped
Equipment Needed:
- Large bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Pizza stone or baking sheet
- Rolling pin
- Pizza peel (optional)
Step 1 – Make the Pizza Dough
Making your own pizza dough is easier than you think! Here is a simple recipe and method:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, salt, and sugar. Whisk to blend.
- Add the olive oil and warm water. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough should come together into a shaggy ball.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. The dough will become smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough to release air bubbles. Divide into 2 equal pieces for two 12-inch pizzas.
Tips for Great Pizza Dough:
- Make sure the water is warm, not hot, between 100-110°F. Too hot will kill the yeast.
- Knead the dough well to develop the gluten. This makes the crust chewy.
- Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until puffy and doubled in size.
- Divide into portions before storing in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Step 2 – Make the Barbecue Sauce
Making your own barbecue sauce is easy and allows you to control the flavors. Here is a basic recipe:
- In a saucepan, mix the tomato sauce, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Let it bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and let the sauce cool. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Tips for Great BBQ Sauce:
- Use tomato sauce as the base for a smooth texture or crushed tomatoes for chunky.
- Add the spices, vinegar, and molasses slowly until the flavor balances.
- Simmer to reduce and thicken the sauce. Don’t boil rapidly or the sauce may burn.
- Cool completely before using so the sauce doesn’t make the pizza soggy.
Step 3 – Prepare the Toppings
While the dough rests, prepare your desired toppings for the barbecue pizza:
- Meats: If using raw chicken, cook it first. Shred or chop the chicken, pork or beef into bite-sized pieces. Cook and crumble bacon if using.
- Veggies: Slice onions, peppers into strips. Chop cilantro. Open any canned goods like beans or corn.
- Cheese: Shred mozzarella and cheddar cheese so it’s ready to sprinkle on top.
Step 4 – Preheat Oven and Pizza Stone
- Place a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet in the oven.
- Preheat oven to 500°F for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- This helps the pizza stone heat evenly for crispy crust.
If you don’t have a pizza stone:
- Use a pizza pan or baking sheet flipped over to mimic a pizza stone.
- Let it preheat completely so the dough doesn’t stick.
- A hot surface is key for replicating a brick oven pizzeria-style crust at home.
Step 5 – Roll Out the Pizza Dough
- Sprinkle flour onto a clean work surface. Place one ball of dough and turn to coat both sides with flour. This prevents sticking.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle, turning to prevent sticking. Add more flour as needed.
- Roll from the center outward and rotate the dough to maintain an even thickness.
- Make the crust thinner at the edges and slightly thicker in the middle for support.
- Drape the rolled dough over your knuckles to stretch if needed. Be gentle not to tear.
- If the dough springs back, let it rest before the final stretch.
Step 6 – Top and Bake the Pizza
Now the fun part – layering on all the toppings!
- Brush crust with olive oil – This helps the crust brown and makes a little barrier so the sauce doesn’t make the crust soggy.
- Spread barbecue sauce – Use a spoon to spread evenly over the crust, leaving about 1⁄2 inch clean border.
- Add cheese – Sprinkle both shredded mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the sauce for good coverage.
- Top with meats – Scatter cooked chicken, bacon crumbles, sausage, etc evenly over the cheese.
- Add veggies – Arrange your sliced peppers, onions, etc decoratively over other toppings.
- Finish with herbs – Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro or parsley over the pizza for color and extra flavor.
- Slide pizza onto preheated stone – Use a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet to smoothly transfer pizza into the oven.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let pizza rest 1-2 minutes before slicing to allow cheeses to set.
- Slice and serve! Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice. Garnish with extra sauce, herbs or spices. Enjoy right away!
Baking Tips:
- Arrange toppings from lightest to heaviest so the crust cooks evenly.
- Rotate the pizza midway through baking for even browning.
- Watch closely near the end so the cheese and crust don’t burn.
- Letting it rest before cutting allows the cheese to firm up for neat slices.
FAQs about Making BBQ Pizza
Making homemade barbecue pizza may take some trial and error. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
What temperature is best for baking BBQ pizza?
500°F is ideal. Crank your oven as high as it will go. The initial high heat crisps up the crust before toppings have a chance to make it soggy.
Should the BBQ sauce go under or over the cheese?
Apply bbq sauce first as the base layer to prevent the crust from getting soggy. Then add cheese on top to melt nicely without burning or sticking.
How do I prevent a soggy pizza crust?
- Use high oven temp to bake fast before crust absorbs moisture
- Preheat stone or pan so bottom crust crisps immediately
- Brush crust edge with oil to create barrier from sauce
- Drain extra meat grease after cooking
What meat goes well on bbq pizza?
Popular options are:
- Pulled pork
- Chopped chicken
- Beef brisket
- Bacon
- Smoked sausage
- Meatballs
Mix and match for flavor and texture!
Should I pre-cook meat toppings first?
Yes, any raw meats should be fully cooked before adding to the pizza so they are safe to eat. The short pizza baking time is just to melt cheese and heat toppings through.
How do I adapt this for vegetarian bbq pizza?
Substitute meat for hearty vegetables like:
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Roasted eggplant
- Grilled zucchini or squash
- Caramelized onions
- Fire roasted peppers
Add plant-based cheese if desired. Get creative!
Handy Equipment for BBQ Pizza Making
Having the right kitchen tools makes prepping and baking bbq pizza much easier:
- Pizza stone – Mimics a brick oven for crispy crust
- Pizza peel – To smoothly slide pizzas in and out of oven
- Rolling pin – Helps roll dough into an even circle
- Bench scraper – Cuts dough cleanly and lifts off work surface
- Saucepan – For simmering barbecue sauce
- Grater – To shred cheese into fine pieces that melt nicely
- Spoon – Spread sauce and arrange toppings
- Spatula -Helps move assembled pizzas
- Pizza cutter – Slices pizza neatly for serving
Investing in some basic pizza-making tools pays off with better results and more fun in the kitchen!
Unleash Your Inner Pitmaster!
One of the best parts of making bbq pizza at home is that you can customize it just how your family likes it! Want extra zing? Shake on some hot sauce or drizzle spicy bbq oil over the finished pizza. Like things savory? Add extra bacon or ham. Have a veggie lover? Pile those peppers and onions high. With the right dough skills and quality toppings, you can create a seriously tasty barbecue pizza to please any crowd. Once you get the basic recipe down, let your inner pitmaster unleash and make that bbq pizza your own!
Let your creativity run wild with unique topping ideas like:
- Barbecue chicken with red onions and cilantro
- Pulled pork with grilled pineapple
- Texas brisket with sautéed spinach and caramelized onions
- Bacon cheeseburger with pickles and mustard
The options are endless when you make your own barbecue pizzas. Try new flavor combinations and see which ones become your family’s new go-to favorite!
Enjoy Pizza Night at Home
Making homemade barbecue pizza is an extremely rewarding and fun cooking project for the whole family. Kids of all ages love getting creative and customizing their own mini pizzas. Prepare the components ahead of time, then get everyone in the kitchen assembling their pies – it’s a perfect Friday night activity! Have all the sauces, cheeses and toppings prepped and let the pizza party begin. Not only will you enjoy a deliciously homemade meal, but also make lasting memories together. So grab an apron, turn up those ovens, and get ready to enjoy some barbecue pizza magic straight from your home kitchen.