Traeger Pizza – Recipe and Cooking Guide
Hey Smokers, and welcome to my post where we will run through my recipe and cooking guide for Traeger Pizza – which in simple terms means I am going to try and turn my smoker into a pizza oven. As you may or may not know, this site is all about cooking on my Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Smoker and seeing where we can take things – and today, it’s pizza.
Now, due to our weekly schedule, Thursday night often consists of something simple such as hamburgers or home made pizza. And last week, as he shoved the last slice into his mouth, my son casually asked why we don’t have “smoked pizza”?
I hadn’t really thought about this so my answer was “dunno, let’s try it next week”. And now it is next week so smoked pizza it is. ..
Traeger Pizza: What You’ll Need
Ok, so below is what I used to cook me some smoked pizza on the Traeger pellet smoker:
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
- Pizza sauce
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepperoni slices (or any other toppings of your choice)
- Olive oil
- Cornmeal (for dusting)
- Fresh basil leaves (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
We did the above to make a pepperoni pizza as well as one with chicken and bacon too. The chicken was pre-cooked and diced, as was the bacon. But of course it probably goes without saying that you can make your pizza out of just about anything you like (except Pineapple of course- that should be banned on pizza).
Equipment:
- Pellet smoker
- Pizza stone or pizza steel
- Pizza peel or baking sheet
The Cooking Process
This is what I did and when…
1. Preheat the Smoker
- Set your pellet smoker to 450°F (232°C) and preheat it with the pizza stone or pizza steel inside. This ensures that the stone/steel gets hot enough to cook the pizza crust evenly.
I used a pre-made sourdough pizza base so a pizza stone was not really necessary for me here. I did however still use a pizza steel for ease of movement.
2. Prepare the Dough
As above, I did not do this but have added here in case your skills are better than mine and you are using good dough.
- Prepare the Dough:
- If using store-bought dough, follow the package instructions for letting it come to room temperature.
- For homemade dough, let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping.
- Shape the Dough:
- Lightly flour a surface and your hands. Gently stretch and shape the dough into a circle or rectangle, depending on your preference and the shape of your pizza stone/steel.
- Transfer the shaped dough to a pizza peel or a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking.
3. Make the Pizza
- Brush the dough lightly with olive oil. This helps to create a crispy crust.
- Spread an even layer of pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
- Add your desired toppings
- If using fresh basil, add it after the pizza is cooked.
3. Cook the Pizza
- Transfer to the Smoker:
- Carefully slide the prepared pizza onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the smoker. If you’re using a baking sheet, you can transfer the pizza directly onto the stone/steel by sliding it off the sheet.
- Cook the Pizza:
- Close the smoker lid and cook the pizza for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rotate the pizza halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.
- Check for Doneness:
- Use a pizza peel or tongs to lift the pizza and check the bottom crust. It should be nicely browned and crispy.
4. Serve the Pizza
- Remove from the Smoker:
- Carefully remove the pizza from the smoker using a pizza peel or baking sheet.
- Finish and Serve:
- Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing.
- Optionally, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and add fresh basil leaves.
- Slice and serve hot.
My Results
So, as an outline of the above, I set the smoker at 450°F/232°C and then basically added the pizza until the cheese melted and started to go a nice golden brown – much like you would in a pizza oven.
If I am being honest, the pepperoni was really good but did not have any real smokey taste to it – maybe as it was not in there long enough and the dough was already cooked. The chicken and bacon however, did have a slight smokiness to it which really made it stand out as our winner.
All in all, if you want home made pizza and don’t have a pizza oven, then you could do a lot worse than use your pellet smoker for a great slice!
Where’s the photo Paul? – I forgot to take one haha.. watch this space.
Tips:
- Monitor the Temperature: Keep an eye on the smoker temperature to ensure it stays around 450°F (232°C) for even cooking.
- Experiment with Toppings: Feel free to get creative with your toppings. Smoked flavors pair well with a variety of ingredients like smoked sausage, BBQ chicken, or even smoked vegetables.
- Use a Pizza Stone/Steel: Using a pizza stone or steel helps achieve a crispy crust by evenly distributing heat.
Conclusion
So there you have it, my recipe and cooking guide for some Traeger smoked pizza. I hope it has been of assistance but as usual, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out by commenting below. I would also love to hear of your own experiences, preferences or suggestions here as well.
Are there any other products you have been looking at but want to know more about? If so, please comment below and I will do my best to get some details for you.
Until next time
Have fun and get smoking!
Paul