Detroit Style Pizza might be Chef Tom's new favorite kind of pizza. Baked in a rectangular pan with the sauce on top and cheese that goes all the way along the edges, this pizza features two kinds of pepperoni as well as provolone, mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese. With an unbeatable texture and mix of flavors.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Two pepperoni layers create two different textures. Laying the large sandwich-style slices under the cheese and scattering small "cup and crisp" pepperonis on top means the bottom layer stays soft and savory while the top layer crisps into little cups during the bake.
- Cheese goes all the way to the edges on purpose. Spreading it to touch the pan's sides is what creates Detroit-style's signature caramelized, crispy cheese crust around the border — not an accident of overfilling.
- The dough gets pressed in stages, not all at once. Stretching it partway, resting it, then stretching again to the edges keeps the gluten relaxed enough to reach the corners without tearing or springing back.
- Sauce goes on top of the cheese, not underneath. Spooning it over the cheese layer rather than spreading it on the dough first is the defining move of Detroit-style pizza, keeping the crust from getting soggy.
Category
Pizza
Cuisine
Italian
Servings
4
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
15 minutes
Calories
104
Detroit Style Pizza might be Chef Tom's new favorite kind of pizza. Baked in a rectangular pan with the sauce on top and cheese that goes all the way along the edges, this pizza features two kinds of pepperoni as well as provolone, mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese. With an unbeatable texture and mix of flavors, this is how you celebrate #NationalPizzaWeek
Ingredients
-
185g warm water (110°F)
-
5g dry active yeast
-
255g Antimo Caputo “00” flour
-
7g (1 1/2 tsp) Jacobsen Black Garlic Salt
-
5g granulated sugar
-
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
1 tbsp garlic, minced
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning
-
1 can Ciao San Marzano Tomatoes, crushed by hand
-
1 tbsp white sugar
-
6 oz provolone slices
-
3 oz low moisture mozzarella, grated
-
3 oz monterrey jack, grated
-
12 large sandwich size pepperonis (50g/1.8 oz)
-
40 small cup n crisp pepperonis (67g/2.33 oz)
Red Sauce
Toppings
Directions
Install the Yoder Smokers Wood Fired Oven inside the Yoder Smokers YS640S Pellet Grill and set the grill temperature to 500ºF.
In a small measuring pitcher combine the warm water, sugar and yeast. Let still to bloom/foam for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the Vitamix food processor. Blitz briefly, just until dough is formed and fairly smooth. Transfer to a proofing container/bowl coated with extra virgin olive oil. Proof until doubled in size.
Transfer the dough to a Lodge Cast Iron Casserole Dish coated in extra virgin olive oil. Press to flatten and stretch, but don’t tear. It doesn’t need to cover the entire bottom of the pan yet. Cover with plastic. Let rest 20 minutes, then uncover and press and stretch the dough until it reaches the edges of the pan.
To make the red sauce, first heat the oil in a Lodge Enameled Dutch Oven. Add the garlic and Cattleman’s Grill Italiano and fry over medium heat until fragrant and just starting to brown. Add the hand crushed tomatoes and sugar. Cook to reduce down to 2 cups.
To build the Detroit Style Pepperoni Pizza, first lay out the large pepperonis over the dough, covering most of the surface. Top the pepperonis with the cheeses, making sure the slices and shredded cheeses are spread all the way to the edges of the pizza. Top the cheeses with the red sauce, pouring/spooning it over the top without spreading it out. Spread out the small pepperoni cups over the top of the sauce.
Transfer the baking dish to the wood-fired oven. Cook with the door closed for 12-14 minutes, spinning halfway through. You can check for doneness by lifting the edges/bottom with a spatula. The bottom should be golden brown and the edges beginning to blacken with the cooked cheeses.
Remove the baking dish from the grill. Using a spatula, transfer the Detroit Style Pepper Pizza to a wire rack over a sheet pan to cool slightly. This is help keep the bottom crispy until ready to serve. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 12 square slices while still warm.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why use two different types of pepperoni?
The large sandwich-style slices sit under the cheese and stay soft and savory, while the small "cup and crisp" pepperonis scattered on top curl and crisp during baking — two different textures from one topping.
Why spread the cheese all the way to the edges of the pan?
This is what creates Detroit-style pizza's signature caramelized, crispy cheese border where it touches the hot pan — it's a defining feature of the style, not an overfill.
Why stretch the dough in two stages with a rest in between?
Pressing partway, letting it rest 20 minutes, then stretching again to the edges keeps the gluten relaxed enough to reach the corners of the pan without tearing or snapping back.
Why does the sauce go on top of the cheese instead of underneath?
Spooning the sauce over the cheese layer, rather than spreading it directly on the dough, is the defining technique of Detroit-style pizza and helps keep the crust from turning soggy.
Why cool the pizza on a wire rack before slicing?
Resting it on a rack instead of directly on a cutting board lets air circulate underneath, keeping the bottom crust crispy instead of trapping steam and softening it.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a home oven pushed to its highest setting with a cast iron or steel pan will get you very close to this result; the wood-fired oven mainly adds speed and a bit of extra char.
Recipe Highlights
Two-texture pepperoni layering: Placing large slices under the cheese and small cups on top creates contrasting textures in the same bite.
Edge-to-edge cheese: Spreading cheese to touch the pan's sides is what builds the caramelized, crispy border that defines this style.
Two-stage dough stretching: A rest between stretches keeps the dough relaxed enough to reach every corner of the pan without tearing.
Sauce over cheese: Applying sauce after the cheese, rather than under it, protects the crust from getting soggy during the bake.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 8.4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 104
- Carbs
- 22 grams
- Protein
- 2 grams
- Fat
- grams
- Sodium
- 970 milligrams
