Big Green Egg Pizza: Setup & Recipe

This article will teach you how to grill a pizza on the Big Green Egg. You’ll learn what tools are needed, the most efficient setup using a pizza stone, a fantastic recipe for pizza dough, and the cooking directions for grilling a great pizza. Your homemade pizza will taste even better with the smoky flavor the lump charcoal provides. You’ll think pizza on the BGE came from an Italian wood-fired pizza oven!

What you need to grill pizza:

Pizza Stone – 15” pizza stone from Amazon
Plate Setter
Cast iron pipe fittings or Grill Elevator
Lump Charcoal – Fogo Charcoal
Pizza Peel
Parchment paper
Laser thermometer

Setup

Fogo Lump Charcoal (Read my review of Fogo charcoal)

To set up the grill, I like to fill the firebox with Fogo charcoal. One tip when grilling pizza, it is always easier to bring up the temperature of the grill than it is to add more charcoal because you didn’t start with enough. Trust me; you don’t want to be moving a half-baked pizza off your grill to add more charcoal. Light the charcoal and get to the recommended cooking temperature.

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Plate setter feet down to grill pizza

Should the plate setter feet be up or down? We’ll be cooking the pizza using the indirect setup so the plate setter feet should be down, so you have a flat surface to work on from the top.

Next, use the grill elevator or place the water pipe fittings on the top of the plate setter and organize in a triangle pattern of three, or a square design if you have four. The goal is to have a few inches of clearance from the plate setter to the pizza stone. This will increase airflow and prevent one of the pieces from cracking due to extreme heat.

Plate setter legs down with pipe fittings to elevate the pizza stone:

Pizza Stone

Big Green Egg Pizza Stone

I own and prefer the Big Green Egg brand pizza stone. I like the thickness of the stone; mine is 2/3 of an inch thick. However, I would also recommend this 15” pizza stone from Amazon; it has 4.5 stars out of 5 with over 3,000 reviews.

Setup

I recommend using pipe fittings or a grill elevator to raise the pizza stone off the plate setter. As a result, this will improve airflow, which allows the pizza stone to heat evenly throughout. All that means is if you are cooking with raw dough, it’ll help your pizza cook more evenly through the center.

Place the pizza stone on top of the pipe couplings:

View from the side of the elevated pizza stone:

Pizza Stone first-use

For the first use of your pizza stone, I’d recommend doing a clean burn with the grill grate in your grill. You can accomplish this at or around 600 degrees grill temperature, and the goal is to burn off any chemicals that were leftover from the manufacturing process. Let the stone burn for a few minutes then carefully flip it over and let the other side burn for a few minutes.

Cleaning the Pizza Stone

To clean a pizza stone, do not wash it with soap and water. A pizza stone needs to be seasoned. The best way to do that is to wipe them clean instead of washing them. Always clean any excess food, but the goal is to create a seasoned surface.

Recipe

Homemade pizza dough

The first step is to create your pizza dough. If you don’t want to make your dough, there are prepared options like Boboli. You can also call your local pizza restaurant because I’ll bet you they will sell you pizza dough. Making your pizza dough for the Big Green Egg is part of the fun. Here’s my go-to homemade pizza dough recipe from Giada de Laurentiis. You can Google other pizza dough recipes. Additionally, the most important thing to remember when making your pizza dough is, to use natural ingredients and allow enough time for it to rise.

How Do You Achieve the Perfect Crust When Making Pizza on a Big Green Egg?

Techniques

1. Dough Preparation: The first step in achieving a perfect crust starts with the dough. Using high-quality flour and giving the dough ample time to rise can make a significant difference.
2. Dough Stretching: Hand-stretching the dough, as opposed to using a rolling pin, can help maintain air pockets that contribute to a crispy crust.
3. Pre-cooking the Dough: Some grillers opt to pre-cook the dough for a few minutes on the Big Green Egg before adding toppings. This can help achieve a crispier finish.

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Temperatures

1. High Heat: The Big Green Egg can reach high temperatures, often exceeding traditional ovens. A temperature range of 450-500°F (232-260°C) is generally recommended for pizza.
2. Temperature Monitoring: Using a temperature probe or an infrared thermometer can help maintain consistent heat, which is crucial for a perfect crust.

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Timings

1. Preheating: It’s generally recommended to preheat the Big Green Egg with the pizza stone inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure even cooking.
2. Cooking Time: The actual cooking time can vary based on the thickness of the dough and the toppings used, but generally, it ranges from 7 to 10 minutes for a crispy crust.

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Additional Tips

1. Pizza Stone: Using a high-quality pizza stone can help distribute heat evenly, contributing to a crispy crust.
2. Cornmeal or Semolina: Sprinkling the pizza stone with cornmeal or semolina can prevent sticking and add an extra crunch to the crust.
3. Vent Settings: Properly adjusting the Big Green Egg’s vents can help maintain a consistent temperature, which is crucial for achieving the perfect crust.
4. Hydration: The water content in your dough can also affect the crust’s texture. A dough with higher hydration can result in a crispier crust when cooked at high temperatures.

Cooking Directions

Making the pizza

Once you’ve made your dough, you can use cornmeal and a pizza peel or use parchment paper as a canvas for your pizza. I prefer to use parchment paper because I can slide it right on the grill, and it won’t burn. Wax paper isn’t made for the grill, so you can’t use it as a replacement for parchment paper.

I put parchment paper on a cutting board to prepare my pizza. Prepare the pizza with the ingredients of your choice. Once you’re done, I recommend trimming the parchment paper around the pizza, leaving about one to two inches of paper around the outside of the crust. As a result, cutting the paper will prevent any hanging over the pizza stone and burning.

Pizza on parchment paper inside Big Green Egg:

Ingredients

Use whatever ingredients you want on your pizza. My favorite ingredients are red pizza sauce, smoked mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and sliced jalapenos.

Cooking pre-made pizza

Papa Murphy’s – some of the best pizzas that I’ve grilled were from Papa Murphy’s. Make sure the temperature in the middle of the pizza stone is the recommended cooking temperature. This will cook the dough thoroughly in the center, giving you a delicious golden brown crust.

Frozen pizza – I’ve also grilled frozen DiGiorno pizza, and it turned out ok. I’d recommend making the pizza from scratch.

Temperature

Grilling my pizza with dough from scratch, I make sure the center of my pizza stone is at least 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If I’m cooking a pre-made pizza or frozen pizza, I always use the suggested oven temperature on the package.

Time

Cooking time can vary depending on the temperature of your grill. For example, with the grill temperature of 500 degrees and the pizza stone temperature in the middle of 425, a typical pizza takes 12 – 14 minutes. I will start checking for around 10 minutes. The pizza is done when the cheese is golden brown on top. Now it’s time to enjoy a slice!

FAQs

What is the ideal temperature for cooking pizza on a Big Green Egg?

The ideal temperature for cooking pizza on a Big Green Egg is 550-600 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature allows for a crispy crust and perfectly melted cheese.

What temperature should my pizza stone be?

The pizza stone center should be 425 degrees Fahrenheit or should be equal to the recommended cooking temperature.

How long does it take to cook a pizza at 500 degrees?

It takes about 10 minutes for the center of the crust to be cooked.

Here’s the cooked pizza that took 14 minutes at 500 degrees:

How long does it take to cook a pizza on a Big Green Egg?

The cooking time for a pizza on a Big Green Egg can vary depending on the thickness of the crust and the toppings used. On average, it takes 8-10 minutes to cook a pizza on a Big Green Egg.

Can I cook frozen pizza on a Big Green Egg?

Yes, you can cook frozen pizza on a Big Green Egg. First, preheat the Big Green Egg to the appropriate temperature and cook the frozen pizza on a preheated pizza stone for the recommended time on the package.

Do I need to use a pizza stone for cooking pizza on a Big Green Egg?

It is recommended to use a pizza stone when cooking pizza on a Big Green Egg. The pizza stone helps to distribute heat evenly and prevent the crust from sticking to the grill.

How do I transfer the pizza from the peel to the Big Green Egg?

When transferring the pizza from the peel to the Big Green Egg, it’s essential to be gentle and quick. First, shake the peel slightly to ensure the pizza is loose, then carefully slide it onto the preheated pizza stone using a fast jerking motion.

How to maintain the temperature in Big Green Egg while cooking pizza?

You can maintain the temperature in Big Green Egg while cooking pizza by using the plate setter; this will help to reflect the heat and prevent the temperature from dropping. Also, you can use the dampers to adjust the airflow and control the temperature inside the Big Green Egg.

Can I grill a pizza with parchment paper?

Parchment paper helps you get the sticky and wet dough onto the grill. About half to 2/3rd of the way through the cook, the pizza dough should be cooked enough that you can carefully slide the parchment paper out between the crust and the pizza stone.

Does a pizza need to be grilled to an internal temperature?

A grilled pizza is done when the cheese is golden brown, and the crust is cooked in the middle. Your pizza stone temperature should equal the recommended cooking temperature for the pizza. Grill the pizza on the stone for your specific cooking time, then cook until golden brown.

How much charcoal is needed for cooking pizza?

Fill the firebox with charcoal. When grilling pizza, make sure you have more than enough charcoal in the grill.

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