An easy way to bake pizza using a cast-iron pan and your BBQ. Don't heat up your house this summer! Use your BBQ as an oven and enjoy delicious, homemade pizza.

Step 1: Heat Up the BBQ

The first step is to heat up the BBQ. If you're using gas, turn the burners on max. If you're using charcoal, light 8-10 charcoal briquettes. Place the grill over the heat source and close the lid. For charcoal, make sure the vents are open for maximum heat generation. Using a thermometer, my gas unit got up to 600F (315C).

This step preheats the BBQ and burns off any residue that may be present on the grill. You don't want your pizza tasting like burned steak!

Step 2: Oil a Cast Iron Pan

Oil up a cast iron pan or skillet. Use olive oil for the best flavor, but any oil will work.

Step 3: Slap Some Dough in There

Use enough dough to cover the entire bottom of the pan about 1/4" (65mm). I used the dough from caledonian's pizzia recipe, with the following modifications:

replaced 1/2 cup white flour with wheat flour
added 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
added a dash of oregano
added a dash of crushed hot pepper

I also made the dough in a bread maker on the "dough/pasta" setting, rather than by hand.

Step 4: Add Some Ingredients

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so you can use whatever toppings you wish. The order is also dependent on taste. (I prefer the cheese on top so all the flavors stay in the pizza.) Add as little or as much of each ingredient as you like, but don't pile them over the top of the pan. BBQ spillage should be avoided!

Here's what I used, in the order I added them:

vodka marinara sauce
pepperoni
onion
bell pepper
stewed tomatos
mozzerella cheese
parmesan cheese
oregano
black pepper

Step 5: Place in the BBQ

Place your pizza in the preheated BBQ. If you have a top rack, place it there. After closing the lid, reduce the heat so the temperature stays in the 400F-450F (204C-232C) range. Every BBQ is different, so this step might require some experimentation. Using a digital thermometer on a gas BBQ, I was able to get mine to stay between 395 and 415 the whole time.

Step 6: Bake for 20-30 Minutes

Baking time will vary, so if this is your first pizza, check the baking progress every 10 minutes or so. Mine took 30 minutes. (Remember, the more often you check, the longer it will take.)

The pictures were taken at 10-minute intervals.

Step 7: Enjoy Your BBQ Pizza!

The cast iron pan helps conduct the heat into the pizza and cook it thoroughly.

Please post any of you ideas or modifications in the comments. I would love to try them!