Grill Pizza on a Big Green Egg: Tips for a Crispy Crust

When it comes to grilling pizza, two things matter most: a great pizza dough and a hot fire. With those in place, a few technique tips will help you get a golden, crisp crust and outstanding flavor when making Grilled Pizza on a Big Green Egg.

As regular Big Green Egg cooks, we use our Egg nearly every day and have learned many practical tips for smoking, grilling, and baking. One of the most common questions we get is how to make great pizza on the BGE. This guide focuses on technique so you can use your favorite dough and toppings while getting consistent results on the grill.

Grilling pizza is fun and satisfying. Whether you’re feeding a group or making a weeknight pizza, the wood-fired flavor the Egg adds is excellent. The best results come from three things: the right tools, a dough that’s light yet crisps well, and a pizza stone heated to around 500°F.

Ingredients

• Good dough – Use high-quality store-bought dough, pre-made dough from a local pizzeria, or your favorite homemade recipe. A dough that is airy but still capable of crisping on the bottom works best.
• Pizza sauce – Choose a sauce that’s not overly thin or watery. Too much moisture makes it hard to transfer the pizza to the stone and can lead to a soggy crust.
• Cheese – Low-moisture mozzarella is ideal. If you prefer fresh mozzarella, be sure it’s well drained.
• Toppings – Go light. Heavy toppings weigh the dough down and make transfer and even cooking more difficult.

Best Tools for Grilling Pizza on a Big Green Egg

A few key tools make grilling pizza much easier:

• Pizza stone – A quality stone concentrates the heat and helps create a crisp bottom crust. For the Egg we prefer a ceramic stone sized to fit the grill.
• ConvEGGtor (plate setter) – Placing the ConvEGGtor with the legs up helps deflect direct charcoal heat and creates a more even oven-like environment. This prevents the bottom of the pizza from burning before the top is done.
• Pizza peel – A proper peel makes it easy to transfer pizzas to and from the stone and to rotate them while cooking. Metal or wooden peels both work; pick the one you find easiest to handle.

Best Thermometer for Grilled Pizza

An infrared (IR) thermometer is a worthwhile investment. It quickly measures the surface temperature of the pizza stone, helping you know when the stone has reached the target temperature. This avoids guesswork and gives more consistent results.

Pizza Dough

If you don’t make your own dough, ask a local pizzeria if they sell dough or buy a quality dough from the store. For home dough, many great recipes exist; longer fermentation often yields better flavor and texture. A dough with moderate hydration that can be shaped easily and still crisp on a hot stone is ideal for grilling.

Books and resources from wood-fired pizza experts can help refine your technique; if you enjoy making pizza often, studying a few reliable recipes will pay off.

Preparing the Dough

• Work on a well-floured surface or prepare directly on your pizza peel. Keep the dough dusted with flour or semolina so it slides easily.
• Bring cold dough closer to room temperature before shaping; chilled dough tends to spring back.
• Use a small amount of coarse cornmeal or semolina on the peel so the dough will slide onto the stone.
• Keep toppings light. Smaller pizzas—about 10–12 inches—are easier to handle and cook evenly. They’re also great for letting guests pick different toppings.

How to Grill Pizza

The following method works for most Big Green Egg models.

1. Preheat: Light the charcoal and set up the ConvEGGtor with the legs up. Place the grill grate and then the pizza stone on top. Heat the dome so the ambient temperature reads between 550°F and 600°F; your stone should reach about 500°F. Allow 25–35 minutes for the stone to come up to temperature.
2. Verify stone temperature: Use an IR thermometer to check the stone surface. If you don’t have one, assume the stone runs about 50°F cooler than the dome ambient temperature and adjust accordingly.
3. Grill the pizza: On a floured peel, assemble the pizza. Slide it onto the center of the stone, close the lid, and grill for 5–6 minutes. Rotate the pizza 180° with the peel to even out any hot spots and grill another 5–6 minutes.
4. Check doneness: Peek under the crust to ensure it’s browned to your liking. Remove the pizza when the cheese is bubbly and the bottom is firm and crisp.
5. Slice and serve: Transfer the pizza to a cutting board, slice, and serve immediately.

What temperature should I grill pizza at?

Set the Egg so the dome thermometer reads about 500–550°F and allow the pizza stone to reach roughly 500°F. That stone temperature crisps the bottom while cooking the toppings through without burning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Big Green Egg good for pizza?

Yes. The ceramic dome creates convection cooking and holds oven-like temperatures, making the Egg well suited for pizza.

What temperature do you cook pizza on the Big Green Egg?

Aim for a dome temperature of 500–550°F and a stone temperature of about 500°F. Let the stone reheat to target temperature before adding each pizza.

How long do pizzas take on a Big Green Egg?

Expect about 10–12 minutes total. Rotate the pizza halfway through to promote even browning.

Should I use a pizza stone or pizza steel?

On the Egg we prefer a pizza stone because it heats evenly and reduces the risk of burning the crust before the toppings are cooked. A steel heats faster but can create a hotter, more direct surface.

Easy Grilled Pizza Recipe On The Big Green Egg

Get a crisp, delicious grilled pizza using a good dough and your preferred toppings. This method makes one 10–12 inch pizza.

Ingredients

• 1 whole pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• ⅓ cup pizza sauce
• ⅓ cup hot pickled peppers (optional)
• 8 pieces pepperoni or salami (or other toppings)
• 2 tablespoons coarse cornmeal (for the peel)
• 2 tablespoons flour (for dusting)

Equipment

• Pizza peel
• Pizza stone
• ConvEGGtor
• IR thermometer (recommended)

Instructions

1. Preheat the Big Green Egg with the ConvEGGtor legs up and the pizza stone in place until the stone reaches about 500°F. This usually takes 25–35 minutes.
2. On a floured pizza peel, shape the dough to a 10–12 inch round. Dust the underside with cornmeal so it slides easily.
3. Spread sauce lightly, add peppers or other toppings, then finish with cheese.
4. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, close the lid, and grill for 5–6 minutes. Rotate the pizza 180° and cook another 5–6 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
5. Remove the pizza, let it rest briefly, slice, and serve.

Notes

Use an IR thermometer to confirm the stone temperature. Let the stone return to temperature between pizzas. Different doughs have varying moisture—wetter doughs take longer and may be heavier. A sprinkle of finishing salt after baking adds a nice final touch.

Nutrition (approximate)

Calories: 296 | Carbohydrates: 20 g | Protein: 17 g | Fat: 17 g

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About the authors

Mary, a certified sommelier and recipe developer, and Sean, a backyard pitmaster, are authors of the cookbooks Fire + Wine and Fire + Wine Backyard Pizza. They create content about cooking and outdoor techniques and live on a farm near Portland, Oregon.