Camping Pizza

Camping Pizza

Pizza is a treat, especially while camping. But without a traditional oven (car camping) it can be a bit daunting.

I found that using a Table-top Gas Grill works just fine with some advanced preparation and a bit of modification.

Supplies

To make your pizza you need a few supplies and allow a bit of extra time to adapt to 'camping circumstances'.

Supplies:

Prepared Pizza Dough

Pizza Sauce

Cheese & Cheese (To your liking)

Other Toppings as Desired (This was a cheese only pizza, but feel free to indulge).

Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

Cooking Spray

Table-Top Gas Grill and Fuel

Cooking mitts and a pancake turner

Prepare Grill

You can't just put pizza dough on a grill -- well I guess you could, but the results would not be pretty.

To make the table-top grill more like an oven we need to diffuse the heat from the burner*. To do this I took some heavy duty aluminum foil and doubled it, then folded the sides inward so that the strip of foil was just a bit more narrow than the grill grate; leaving about an inch open on each side as shown.

The foil was run under the grate between the grate and the burner. The ends of the foil were pulled up over the end rods of the grate and folded over and crimped in place. The foil was essentially suspended between the burner and the grate.

This arrangement allows for an air gap just under the pizza pan and keeps direct heat off of it. Fooling the pizza to thinking its in an oven!

*[Since you are temporarily modifying a gas fired appliance I have to insert some disclaimers:

Making a mistake can result in damage to the grill, fire, property damage, personal harm or even death. You need to be familiar with your grill, and the hazards associated with it and gas fired appliances. Your grill will be different than my grill and may not be acceptable to use for this project. If you are not knowledgeable and comfortable with this project do not attempt it. You take full responsibility for your project. I may be taking risks that are acceptable to me, but may not be acceptable for you or your circumstances. Build at your own risk. If you do not understand or have questions consult a professional. Sorry for the disclaimer, but if you damage something, burn something down or kill yourself, I'm sorry to say it's your own fault.]

Construct Your Pizza 'Pan'

Now it's time to make a custom pizza pan to fit your table-top grill/oven!

The finished pan should not be any larger than the heat diffusing foil strip you installed on your grill in the last step. (Size the pan so that there is space on the ends and sides).

(The photos are in sequence, with the initial folds taking place at the top edge of the foil.)

A. Again, taking heavy duty aluminum foil you tear off a piece that is twice as long as the inside long dimension of your grill.

B. Fold the foil in half so it ends up being two layers thick.

C. (1st photo) Fold over the edge of the foil about an inch (makes it 4 layers thick).

D. (2nd photo) Then fold again so that the folded portion is folded over again (6 layers).

E. (3rd photo) Do this for all the edges of the foil 'pan'.

F. (4th photo) Fold up the edges and while doing so act like you are making a pouring spout at the corners where the sides meet. Push the spout to one side as you raise both sides up to vertical.

G. (5th photo) Bend the tip of the 'spout' to the side and smooth it out to finish the corner and make two flat sides meet.

H. (6th & 7th photos) You have a rectangular pizza pan with upturned sides.