Learning how to use a pizza stone on a grill is a fantastic outdoor cooking hack which will save you investing hundreds of dollars in a pizza oven. You can get fantastic results by simply using a pizza stone placed on top of your grill grates.
In order to guarantee a crisp base and an evenly cooked pie you need to make sure you have a good quality pizza stone and follow the correct method. Once you've had a few cracks at it you'll be firing up the grill even more often than before.
When using pizza stones on your best BBQ be sure you select one which is suitable for using on your grill. Temperatures will reach up to 580˚F (300˚C) and your stone will need to withstand this without cracking.
'Don't place a cold pizza stone on a hot griddle as this may cause the stone to shatter, and don't plunge a hot pizza stone in to cold water as this will cause it to crack,' advise the experts at ProCook
How to use a pizza stone on a grill in 6 simple steps
First, make sure you have the right tools for the job. You'll need a pizza stone that's been specifically designed to create perfectly crispy pizzas on gas grills and charcoal models alike, like the WEBER CRAFTED Glazed Pizza Stone.
A pizza paddle is also handy for transferring your pizza on and off your stone safely. Then of course you'll need a good quality dough (at room temperature), along with your choice of pre-prepared toppings.
Once you've invested in a decent quality pizza stone and got your ingredients ready, you're ready to have a go at how to use a pizza stone on a grill.
- Pre-heat your grill: Light a BBQ and allow it to warm up before you start. 'An important pizza grilling tip is to heat the stone thoroughly before use,' says Declan Kingsley-Walsh, MD at Morsø UK. 'For pizza making, the stone must be very hot, and there must be living flames. The optimal temperature of the stone on which you bake the pizza is 480-580˚F (250-300˚C).'
- Warm up the stone: The trick for how to use a pizza stone on a grill is not to put a cold pizza stone straight onto a high heat, as this can cause it to crack. 'Pre-heat the pizza stone over direct heat for 30 minutes, says Dan Cooper, Head Grill Master at Weber. 'This is very important as, if the stone isn’t pre-heated properly, the pizza dough can get stuck to it, and the crust won’t get crispy – and we don’t want that!' Whilst your stone is heating up you can set up your ingredients and assemble your first pizza.
- Get an even temperature: 'Ensure the barbecue is kept at the correct temperature,' says Dan. 'If you cook on a charcoal barbecue, make sure the charcoal is spread evenly underneath your pizza stone.'
- Sprinkle with cornmeal: Once sufficiently pre-heated, the experts at Napoleon recommend sprinkling your stone with cornmeal before you add your dough. This is to stop your base getting stuck on the stone during cooking. Which as well as spoiling your pizza, can make your job harder when it comes to how to clean a pizza stone.
- Add your pizza: We recommend investing in a pizza paddle as a pizza oven accessory to make it easy to transfer your pizzas onto and off the stone during cooking. Because of the high temperatures you want to avoid touching the stone directly at all costs.
- Let it cook: A good tip if you have a lid for your grill, is to keep it closed whilst cooking. 'Try to aim for around 7 to 10 minutes of grilling time when using a pizza stone,' suggests Dan Cooper.
Can you put a pizza stone on a grill?
If you don't have one of the best pizza ovens for cooking outdoors, you can use a pizza stone on an outside grill instead, but make sure you are using a model which is suitable for the higher temperatures of an outdoor grill. Otherwise you'll find that it will crack under the heat.
'Not all pizza stones are made for grilling,' says Joe Hill co-founder of One Planet Pizza, 'and a stone you use to bake pizzas in the oven doesn't necessarily transfer over if you're wanting to know how to use a pizza stone on a BBQ. The thermal shock when using gas and charcoal grills can be too much for baking slabs made of ceramic and natural stone.'
How long do you heat a pizza stone on the grill?
The time recommended by both Weber and Morso is 30 minutes, although Joe Hill co-founder of One Planet Pizza says 20 minutes is sufficient.
So you're looking at between 20 and 30 minutes of preheating before your stone is hot enough to start cooking your pizza.
