Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza

Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza

Pizza night was extra special this week because of this collision of two of our family's all time favorites, thin crust pizza and pulled pork. Boy, was it ever delicious.

We had Apple BBQ Pulled Pork for dinner a couple of days beforehand and put the leftovers to good use in this terrific pizza. You can use your own favorite pulled pork recipe if you like or use one of our pulled pork recipes, whichever you prefer. If you have some of the leftover Apple BBQ Sauce form the original pulled pork meal, you can use that for the pizza or just go with the very simple tomato sauce that we have here.

You will need a pizza stone to properly cook this thin crust pizza to crispy perfection, so make sure it is well preheated for about a half hour before you bake the pizza. Mozzarella, provolone or Monterey Jack all are good choices for this pizza or even a combination of all three. I use cubes of cheese instead of grated because in the high heat of the oven, it can brown too quickly and easily. Keep the number of toppings to a minimum and in a single layer for best results and I guarantee this will be leftovers that absolutely nobody will complain about.


Pizza Dough

Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas

• Approximately 6 cups 00 Tipo Flour (the recipe will work with all purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional, omit for crispier crust)

Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.

NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

 Spicy Quick Pizza Sauce

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 8 large ripe tomatoes diced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce (or a pinch of chili flakes)
• salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving. Let the sauce cool thoroughly before using it on the pizza.

Preparing the pizza for the oven.

Other than the pulled pork and cheese, use whatever toppings you think go well together. I make simple versions of this pizza mostly with just cheese and onion but this is a list of some of the toppings we have used.

Pieces of pulled pork
Pre-cooked bacon, crumbled
julienne red onion
julienne red peppers
pickled jalapeno peppers or banana peppers
Cheese: Use any combination you like mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.

I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.

Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.

Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza