Ingredients

The following ingredients have 3 Servings
  • 1 pound ground beef ((preferably chuck))
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 2 slices red onion ((about 1/2 inch [12-mm] thick), separated into rings)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup uncooked polenta, grits, or coarsely ground cornmeal
  • 1 batch pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
  • 3/4 cup tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought
  • 4 Cheddar cheese slices ((the kind that are 3 inches square))
  • 8 strips bacon (cooked until crisp and crumbled if desired)
  • 1 dill pickle (thinly sliced crosswise)

Instruction

  • Preheat your gas grill by opening the lid and setting all the burners on high. Close the lid and leave the grill on high for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat of all the burners to medium.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, mix together the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, onion powder, salt, and a pinch pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps of meat with a spoon, until no trace of pink remains. Let cool slightly.
  • Lightly brush the onion slices with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place on the grill over direct heat and cook until browned and slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
  • Generously sprinkle a pizza peel or the underside of a baking sheet with the uncooked polenta, grits, or cornmeal. Place the dough in the center of the work surface and roll it around until it's evenly coated and then generously drizzle the dough with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. (If making individual pizzas, divide the dough into 4 equal portions.) Roll the dough with a rolling pin or stretch it out with your hands, being careful to press it out from the center, until the dough is 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Don’t worry about making it perfect—organically shaped crusts are part of the charm of grilled pizza.
  • Move the pizza dough close to the grill and pick it up by the corners closest to you. Working swiftly and in a single motion, place the pizza on the cooking grate, starting by lowering the dough at the back of the grill grate down first and ending at the front. Close the lid and grill for 3 minutes (no peeking!). Check the crust and, if necessary, continue grilling until the bottom of the crust is well marked and golden brown. If your grill cooks unevenly, finesse this by rotating the crust and/or moving it to another section of the grill. (Once you become comfortable making pizza on the grill, this part of the process will become second nature to you.)
  • Use tongs to transfer the crust from the grill back to the peel or the upside-down baking sheet. Immediately close the lid on the grill to keep it at the ideal temperature.
  • Flip the crust to reveal the grilled side. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the crust. Top with the ground meat mixture. Place the squares of cheese on the pizza, arranging 1 square on each quarter of the pizza, making sure they don’t overlap. (If making individual pizzas, place a single slice on each pizza.) Top the pizza with bacon and grilled onions. You want the pizza to resemble a bacon cheeseburger.
  • Before returning your pizza to the grill, switch the grill to indirect heat. (For a two-burner grill, turn off one burner. For three- or four-burner grills, turn off the center burner or burners.) Transfer the pizza onto the grate over the unlit section and close the lid. Grill until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is melted, 7 to 10 minutes. (If using a two-burner grill, rotate the pizza 180° after 5 minutes.)
  • Remove the pizza from the grill, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with pickle slices. Slice and serve immediately.