How I Made the PERFECT Pan Pizza Dough

In this video, I try to discover the secrets to a perfect pan pizza dough.

Let Me Help You👇🏼

🍕 Discover The Dough Handling Secrets To Make Perfect Pizza EVERY Time

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🔪 Equipment / Ingredients Used in This Video

🍕 MY FINAL PAN PIZZA PROCESS:
100% Bread Flour
80% Water
2% Salt
0.25% Yeast
Mix dough, and perform 4 sets of stretch and folds during bulk fermentation (one set every 30 minutes). Dough should rise by about 50% during this time.
Transfer the dough to the fridge for 24-48 hours.
On the day of baking, divide the dough into the desired number of pieces, ball each piece up, and place them into the pan (I use a 250g dough ball for a 8x10" pizza, or a 438g dough ball for a 10x14" pizza.)
Stretch the dough to the edges of the pan. If it doesn't stretch all the way, return every 30 minutes to give the dough another stretch until it reaches the edges.
Allow the dough to rise for about 2-4 more hours until it is very airy.
Top the dough with pepperoni, then cheese.
Bake at 550F for about 8-10 minutes, until the pizza is fully cooked through but not too charred around the edges.
Top the pizza with sauce, and serve.

💻 MY DETROIT-STYLE PIZZA SAUCE RECIPE

📃 TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 - A few tips for better pan pizza
1:50 - What is the best hydration level for pan pizza?
6:13 - Trying to fix the biggest issues with my pan pizza
11:27 - Trying a few more things...

Written and Filmed by: Charlie Anderson
Edited by: Van Clements and Charlie Anderson

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[modernliving]

I've been making NY style pizza last few weeks based on your methods/recipes. I know how much research and testing you put in to your videos and it's really helped me. I'm shocked that I can make this good of pizza at home. Thanks!!

[johnweimer]

I think the thing that you’re missing for the crust is you should put a decent amount of oil in the pan and brush it all around the bottom, sides and edges before you put your dough in. Not extra-virgin, but regular olive oil. Then work your dough to the edges over the oil and then cook it. Try that out. You will get sweet crust perfection.

[bastardsuperstar]

I've been making a bunch of DSP since the first lockdown, and researching everything I can. And my biggest recommendation is try 475° for more like 15 minutes, on a preheated stone or steel, on the lowest rack. I've been really happy with my results and I used to live in Detroit for years, so I know what I'm trying to achieve. If you're not in the Facebook Detroit Style Pizza Enthusiasts group you absolutely should be. I've learned so much there.

[Nepomniachtchi_Austin]

All of your videos leave me absolutely craving pizza.

And finally, someone else that can describe the difference between crispy and crunchy. Also just saying, that was an incredible looking pizza for one that came out of a pyrex/glass cake pan

[MP_Single_Coil]

I cook my Detroit style at 450 for 13-15 minutes. I use a 70% hydration with multiple stretch and folds and a 24-36 hour cold ferment. I've been able to get the right crust without burning the edge.

[stonecoldmunchin]

Glad you decided on another project pizza. Cant wait to see your final solutions!

[demevs]

To achieve the perfection you want in a home oven. you have to do a 2-steps process (both are at the same temperature, in my case, 250ºC or 428ºF, but my oven goes up to 280ºC or 536ºF and the results are similar):

1) Parbake the dough without toppings, with the pan in direct contact with the oven floor, for 6 minutes, turning the pan halfway for even browning on the bottom (I have a gas oven, so the heat element is right below the floor of my oven). This will give the initial rise (even better than you have on the video) and set the dough structure to allow even heavy and wet toppings without collapsing. You can then proceed to the next step right away or even let your dough cool down for a couple of hours and then go to the second step, but you have to turn the dough upside down in the baking pan, so the top is not exposed to the air and dries out, and there is no problem with the bottom to be left exposed, as you wanted it dry anyway for crispness, and the fat absorved on the this first step is going to add to a even crispier bottom. I'm using an 80% hidratation dough with 48 hours fermentation time;

2) Put the toppings on the dough and cook it for more 8 to 10 minutes to cook the toppings and give the cheese on the border some good browning. You can use even raw sauce and there is enough time to cook it and evaporate the excess water so you have a pretty good, simple sauce (I use for my raw sauce tomato pellati - Roma, as San Marzano as rare in Brazil, even canned, salt, a touch of sugar and dry basil that I sun-dry myself for two weeks, it acts much more like fresh basil than the store bought one, and crumbles just as equal, with a more potent fragrance). This oven time allows the cheese to be golden brown without the burnt appearance and any toppings to cook. I even make my own sausage and put it raw as a topping in small amounts and it cooks just fine.

The only drawback with this method is that the cheese over the pizza does not brown as if you would bake it normally, but I don't see much of a difference in taste. If you really want the same results you would get with the normal method, I suggest to use the broiller for one or two extra minutes after the second step baking time, but I do not see the need to do that. But with this, you achieve the trifecta: dough with good rise and chew (and if you pause during the steps you will have unbelievable crunch bottom), golden brown border without looking burnt, and no danger of dough collapsing.

One more thing: have your cheese diced, not grated, as cubes his will slow down the melting and the browning of the cheese as they have less surface area exposed to the heat. You can test the cheese cubes with the normal baking and see how this goes. I use low-moisture mozzarella as there is no brick cheese in Brazil, and it performs very well.

I hope I helped you with some insights. Anything else just contact me and keep up with the good work, your cheesestake and NY pizza were really good, but I think I got more experience than you on this one, as I have been tinkering with this style of pizza for years now in order to open the first Detroit-Style pizzaria in Brazil. Maybe next year?...

[ctownsoul]

For higher hydration, perhaps you should look into the French technique bassinage, where you reserve a portion of your remaining water and slowly incorporate it during kneading, and the theory is that it strengthens the gluten more.

[igorsmetaniuk]

I know from baking Sourdough bread it really helps to introduce steam for added oven spring (rise). You do this by simply putting some type of pan on the bottom of the oven while heating up stone/steel. Right after you load pizza you quickly throw about 6 large ice cubes into the hot pan. Have these ready so you don't keep nice hot oven door open too long. Maybe this we be a good experiment.

[umwhathowmany]

Fix that cave in with a par bake. I make a similar style pizza in a 12 cast iron pan. 2 cups of flour makes about the right size dough for the pan. My dough is pretty much focaccia, 80% hydration, rosemary makes it taste nice, dimple it for texture. Bake it for 10min at 450. Then I take it out and top it. I use slices of mozzarella cover the top and go up the sides of the pan to get a good caramelized crust. Then sauce, then whatever toppings.

[davidhalldurham]

It's always a good day when you upload a new video, Charlie. I really appreciate the work and dedication you put into these.

[RevuitNet]

Parbake would fix the caving issue if you tooped after a short parbake, also you can better control cheese browning without needing to worry about the bottom.

[jamkpa]

Good job! Detroit is my favorite. I find lard is great to greasing the pan too.

[barcham]

Use a CAST IRON skillet. Pour olive oil in the skillet, add the dough. Allow the dough to spread out to the edges. Top the pizza, do NOT put sauce on top at this time. Put the pan in the oven, on a heated steel or stone, and pull it out 5 minutes before the pizza is done, add some sauce to the top at that time. Back in the oven for another few minutes. Remove, check the doneness of the bottom crust. I also like to add grated parmigiano around the edge of the pie to get a nice tasty frico around the edge of the pizza.

[jasonreinecke]

Great video. Couple thoughts: (1) a great middle-ground compromise is to add the sauce in the middle of the bake after the crust has mostly set but before it's done. (2) I do everything very similar to you but my edge doesn't always get that dark. I think it depends on the cheese you use and how much oil you got on the side of the pan or otherwise accompany with the cheese (e.g., pepperoni near the edge). Also it still tastes good when it's pretty dark.

[xmas]

For me, 475 degrees directly on the steel works great.

[jfernandez]

How bout you tell us the secret of staying in shape while eating pizza all day? I need this in my life😂

[jlaudio]

charlie to prevent burning and also help with caving, par bake the dough by itself for a few minutes before taking it out and adding toppings

[modernliving]

Woohoo, been looking forward to new video!

[waynerob]

I've been watching your videos last few weeks especially for the sauce, its been an amazing help! Also I've found that detriot in the oven doesn't need the steel, and that way I don't get a burnt crust 😊