Okay, so I’ve been wanting to make pizza at home, like real pizza, not that soggy stuff from the oven. I saw these brick oven pizza cookers online and thought, “Why not give it a shot?”
First, I got myself one of those cookers. It’s basically a round metal thing with a stone inside. Nothing fancy, really. I placed it on my gas grill outside – gotta have good ventilation, you know?
Getting Started
Next up, I whipped up some pizza dough. I used a simple recipe I found – flour, water, yeast, salt, and a bit of olive oil. Kneaded it for a good while, then let it rise in a warm spot. Took about an hour, maybe more. I’m not the most patient person, but hey, good pizza takes time, right?
While the dough was doing its thing, I prepped my toppings. I’m a classic pepperoni and cheese kind of guy, so I sliced up some pepperoni and shredded a bunch of mozzarella. I also chopped up some onions and peppers, ’cause why not?
Cooking Time!
Once the dough had doubled in size, I punched it down (satisfying!) and divided it into two balls. I rolled one out into a circle – not perfectly round, mind you, I’m no pro – and placed it on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal. That cornmeal is key, keeps the dough from sticking.
Then came the fun part: assembling the pizza! I spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkled on the cheese, and arranged the pepperoni, onions, and peppers on top. Gotta make it look good, even if it’s just for me.
- Flour,Water,Yeast.
- Tomato sauce,Cheese,pepperoni,Onion.
Now, for the cooker. I fired up the grill to high heat and let the pizza stone get screaming hot. Took about 20 minutes, I think. I carefully slid the pizza onto the stone – that’s where the peel comes in handy – and closed the lid of the cooker.
I peeked at it every few minutes, because I was anxious, it’s my hand-made pizza. The edges started to puff up and brown, and the cheese got all bubbly and melty. It took maybe 5-7 minutes total? Way faster than a regular oven.
The Result
I carefully pulled the pizza out with the peel and placed on cutting board. The crust was crispy, the bottom had those nice charred spots, and the cheese was gooey perfection. Honestly, it looked (and smelled) amazing.
I sliced it up and took a bite. Wow. Just wow. It was so much better than any pizza I’d made in the oven before. The crust had that perfect chewiness, and the flavors were all melded together. I was seriously impressed with myself.
So, yeah, that’s my brick oven pizza cooker adventure. It was definitely worth it. Took a little effort, but the result was a pizza that was pretty darn close to what you’d get at a good pizzeria. I’m already planning my next pizza night!
