What's on the Grill #36

Pizza! I have been wanting for sometime to add a pizza stone to the grill. As I have talked about before, we are huge fans of homemade pizza. After using pizza sheets in the oven for years, I decided to move the operation to the grill. However, I refused to pay one hundred bucks for a fancy pizza stone cooking accessory. Actually, the money was only part of it. Size was the other (isn't it always?). Most stones I came across were only twelve inches. We always serve up pies that are eighteen inches, so I knew I needed to have an adequate sized work surface...among other things.

So, where do you turn for a DIY solution? Lowe's, where else! I picked up an eighteen inch natural stone tile. Price? Six dollars and some change. Based on the one hundred dollar Williams-Sonoma stone, that leaves almost ninety three dollars for beer!

I did a little research and learned that the only thing I needed to be careful with is that the stone is heated slowly. With the power of the 650, I decided to heat it in steps and it worked just fine.


The result? Probably the fastest cook and the crispiest crust I have yet to experience at home. We make the dough from scratch and I must say, on the stone, it was great. Zoe crafted her favorite artisan pizza of feta, sage and onion in the oven. Although, it too was really good...I stole a piece...don't tell her, I think mine was a tad better. Come to think of it, don't tell her that either.

The only thing I need to invest in to complete the grilling pizza process is a peel and a really good Italian accent.