12 Steps to Smoke a Pizza in a Smoker

Have you been figuring out how to smoke a pizza in a smoker? Smoked pizza is delicious, especially with the flavors that come with it. And I understand the frustrations you’re experiencing since nothing hurts more than the inability to do something, especially your favorite food-smoked pizza.

Smoking pizza is a valuable skill that comes in handy when you have friends and family who want smoked pizza. It is economical because you only need ingredients and available standard tools in your home.

I like engaging with my audience, and I’ve written this article after numerous requests asking for a recipe on how to smoke a pizza in a smoker. Follow it keenly, and the results will be outstanding. Let’s start by knowing some of the ingredients we need.

Smoked Pizza Ingredients

• One and a half cups of tomato sauce
• Sliced mushroom
• cornmeal
• Shredded mozzarella
• A mixture of garlic, pepper, and herb seasoning
• Chopped bell pepper
• Olive oil

Step By Step Guide On How To Smoke Pizza On A Smoker

Step 1. Light Up Your Smoker

As the first step, light up your smoker and add enough charcoal. Ensure you don’t add more than enough for sufficient air circulation that facilitates faster and smooth light-up.

Add your favorite smoke wood and ensure both the charcoal and smoke wood burns at around 250 Fahrenheit. Give it ten minutes to reach the temperature limit. Ensure you have enough charcoal to complete the process, which can take an hour or so.

Step 2. Turn Up The Heat

After lighting up your smoker, it’s time now to turn up the heat before preparing your pizza. You may add more charcoal if need be and keep a temperature of 400 Fahrenheit. Have the pizza stone inside the smoker for them to heat too. It ensures a uniform and even heating surface for the pizza.

Step 3. Preheat Your Pizza Stone

Put them on the lower rack of your smoker. Preheat the smoker to over 470 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 30 to 45 minutes. If a pizza stone is missing, a pizza pan can serve you well. Or even a thin baking sheet. Just get something that won’t warp due to high temperatures.

Step 4. Prepare Your Dough

Get the bread flour, as this is best for homemade pizza dough. You can also use all-purpose flour, but we recommend bread flour because of the high levels of gluten that make the crust look crispy. Measure lukewarm water; add salts, sugar, olive oil, and a small amount of yeast to the water. The latter depends on the amount of flour to prepare your dough.

We recommend kitchen measurements of flour by weight for accurate and consistent proportions. Mix the content thoroughly in a mixer. If the mixer is unavailable, you can mix them with your hands and knead them until you feel like they can’t be rolled anymore.

Leave the dough for some time, depending on how you want it to ferment and rise. For slow fermentation that results in complex flavors, leave the dough for 24 hours. For faster fermentation, which allows the dough to rise sufficiently to work with, leave it for ninety minutes.

Step 5. Subdivide Your Dough Into Small Tennis Ball-Like Dough

Start by dusting your hands using flour and push the dough downwards to deflate. Cut the dough into small balls. Place each of the balls in different bowls and cover the bowls with plastic for fifteen minutes.

Step 6. Prepare Your Toppings

Have your toppings prepared. Ensure you don’t overtop your pizza, as it won’t get crispy. And if you can use about a third cup of tomato sauce, that would be better.

Add about one or two mushrooms sufficient to cover the top of the pizza. Include other extra toppings we had accordingly.

Step 7. Flatten Your Dough Ball And Stretch It Out Into A Round Shape

Work on each one of them at a time. Flatten every ball using your hands on a surface dusted with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll your dough into an even circular shape. Always start from the center and work out outwards. Use your fingers; press the dough to half inches thick. Do it until you can’t do it anymore.

If you have time, leave it for about five minutes, come back, and stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter of 10 to 12 inches. If your dough develops holes, place it on a floured surface and pull the dough together to seal the holes. You can always use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough and pinch the edges to form a lip. Dust the container using flour and place dough in it.

Step 8. Spread Olive Oil On Top Of The Dough

Make a dent on the surface of the dough using your figures to prevent bubbling. Spread olive oil to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings you will use. Repeat this with other balls if smoking more than one pizza.

Step 9. Lightly Sprinkle Pizza Peel With Cornmeal

Sprinkle the pizza peel with cornmeal and put the flattened dough on top. It will make it easier for you to transfer the dough into the oven. Now, transfer the flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost shape in the transfer process, try to manipulate it to the desired shape.

Step 10. Add Tomato Sauce And Shredded Mozzarella

Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and place the toppings you had prepared with the spoon on top of the sauce. Ensure you don’t overuse toppings to avoid soggy pizza. Spread your topping in a design that looks attractive and eye appealing. It will eliminate any chance of having similar toppings crowded in the same place.

Step 11. Sprinkling Cornmeal On The Pizza Stone And Slide It Into The Smoker

Ensure you sprinkle cornmeal on the baking stone in the oven while taking extra precautions not to burn your hands. Try to shake the peel to see if it can slide. If not, gently lift the edges of your pizza and have more cornmeal. Now assuming it loosens, slide it off the peel onto the baking stone.

Step 12. Smoke The Pizza

Have your smoker set to the desired temperature, close the smoker lid, and leave it to cook for around twenty minutes. To limit smoke within the oven, ensure you have minimal ventilation. It will help give your pizza more flavors than the toppings you had.

Remove your pizza from the oven if you can see the cheese bubbling and the crust has turned golden brown. Let it remain on the board for five minutes.

There you have your smoked pizza. Slice and serve it while it’s still fresh from the smoker. Enjoy with your family and friends!

Reasons Why People Like To Smoke Pizza

There are several reasons why people like to smoke pizza on a smoker. Apart from the flavor of pizza, we have some other pros that come with doing the said method. Here are some benefits of using a smoker for your pies.

Freedom To Customize

When preparing pizza in your backyard, you have several choices. You can keep changing the ingredients to fit your taste and preference. Or you can have enough toppings to combine well with the smoky flavor. But remember not to put too much of them to avoid the crust becoming soggy. You can also include some proteins by adding some sausage toppings.

For our Vegetarian folks out there, don’t fret, as you have the freedom also. Remember that the vegetables you include in your pizza as toppings will go a long way in ensuring you have smoky flavors. Never be afraid to add whatever vegetables you want.

Smoke Any Pizza

A smoker gives a chance to cook and smoke all kinds of pizza. You can bake pre-made frozen pizza using a smoker. You can smoke it at the same temperature and time as the others.

Leftover pizza can also be easier to cook on a smoker. You only need to store them properly. Ensure it has completely cooled down before putting it in the fridge. Thoroughly cool your smoked pizza so that it gathers no moisture that would otherwise compromise its condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best wood for smoking pizza?

That depends on the type of grill you have at home to smoke a pizza. But to give you a general overview, here’s a list of each pairing:

• Offset Smoker: hickory or mesquite wood provides the most smoky flavor in a short period.
• Pellet Grill: the same as those given in the offset smoker. But you can also use oakwood.
• Charcoal Grill: apple wood, hickory, oak, and other natural hardwood that has been well-seasoned.

Overall, hickory is the most versatile type of wood if you’re still starting. It is also easy to source out as many online shops offer them.

2. What is the best temperature to smoke pizza?

When smoking a pizza, the ideal temperature is about 400 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The said temperature allows the pie to cook for no more than 30 minutes. But it also depends on the thickness and amount of toppings you place on your pizza.

3. How long does pizza bake on a smoker without a pizza stone?

Without the stone, it absorbs the heat from the grill grates easily. Usually, it takes 10 to 12 minutes to cook at 400 degrees. But ensure to check in regularly to prevent the crust from burning.

And if you’re not complacent about leaving it directly on the grill, use a cast iron pan instead. Just ensure it fits the pie to avoid scrunching in the middle.

Try Smoking Your Pizza!

We hope that these 12 steps to smoke a pizza in a smoker gave light on all of your questions. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll love its benefits and the taste it brings.

Pizza is not an everyday recipe cooked on a smoker but tastes excellent when smoked with charcoal or smoke wood.

People have a different experience with their first-time taste of smoked pizza. How was your first experience with smoked pizza? Let us know by leaving feedback in the comment section below.