How to Cook Pizza Outside

An outdoor pizza dinner is a fun and easy way to feed a group during the warm-weather months — and anyone can do it! Read on to learn different methods for preparing pizza under the sun.

 

 

 

Your backyard grill makes a great pizza “oven!” We love this option, because it doesn’t require any special equipment and produces amazing results. The fire gives the crust a nice crackle and char and the toppings a smoky flavor. You can see our step-by-step guide to pulling it off here.

 

A few things to keep in mind: make sure to let the grill get as hot as possible before you start cooking the crust. Also, use a pizza peel dusted with cornmeal to slide the pizza onto the grill. Once the crust is firm, you’ll need to work quickly to add your toppings and chose the grill to maintain the heat. As soon as the cheese is bubbly, your pizza is ready!

 

You may also want to use a pizza stone on top of the grill grates to mimic a brick oven effect — it will absorb the high heat to create a crispy crust. We love these miniature versions for personal pizzas, too!

 

 

 

Nothing compares to pizza cooked in an authentic wood-fired oven, which can reach up to 800°F. The stone bottoms absorb moisture from the dough for a delicious golden crust; you’ll be rewarded with crisp, chewy Neapolitan-style pies in minutes.

 

Our Fontana Gusto oven is simple use: just build a fire in the middle chamber, and when the thermometer shows your desired temperature, the oven is ready! You can bake pizzas directly on the composite stone bottom, while a powerful convection fan circulates heat for even baking. (Bonus: this model uses much less wood than traditional ovens and preheats in a flash.) Our Forno Toscano oven works similarly, reaching high temperature in just 15 minutes — and it’s easy to set up. You’ll be a true pizzaiolo in no time.

 

 

 

Gas ovens can provide the same high heat as wood-fired ones, and they are easier and more convenient to use. Take our Pizzeria Pronto, a portable, propane-fueled pizza oven that makes a flawless pizza in just five minutes. There’s no down time required between pizzas, so it’s great for pizza parties for a crowd — and it’s light enough to take along on picnics, tailgate parties and even camping trips.

 

For more power, try our Kalamazoo pizza oven, which has adjustable top and bottom burgers so you have maximum control over the temperatures. It’s available for natural gas or liquid propane, and with the high heat, pizzas are ready in less than three minutes. It even has a companion pizza station with a granite work surface, so there’s space for you to prep and assemble pizzas.

 

Find more pizza tips and recipes in our Outdoor Entertaining Guide!