Thursday, March 25, 2010

BBQ Smoked Pork Pizza with Red Onions, Poblano Peppers, and Smoked Provolone on Grilled Cornmeal Pizza Dough



I don't know what can be more satisfying than getting outside to smoke meat as soon as the weather starts to warm up. This past weekend we had temps in the mid 60's -low 70's. How better to celebrate than with smoking a pork butt? It was delicious!

It was a large butt so we had a lot left over. Smoked pork is leftover's best friend. I can think of a ton of ways to use it up. This time, the creative juices were flowing. BBQ pizza isn't exactly new. But if you jack it up a few notches with smoked provolone, poblano peppers, and a cornmeal pizza dough, your taste buds will take notice.

Dough
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 cup luke warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 cup coarse cornmeal
1 cup white bread flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

Toppings
1/2 pound smoked provolone - shredded (I'm able to get smoked provolone in one of our local stores.)
3 cups smoked pork - chopped into bite size pieces
1 poblano pepper - cut in slivers
1/2 red onion - cut in thin slices
about 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (mine is Famous Dave's - one of the most wonderful BBQ sauces I've ever come across)
1 tsp olive oil


In a large bowl add the water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. With a fork, gradually add in the cornmeal and 1/2 a cup of bread flour. Mix with the fork, mixing in the same direction to build the gluten. Add the salt, 1/2 tbsp olive oil and remaining flour. As always when building a dough, amounts of flour may vary depending on the moisture content of the flour and humidity in the air. Mix for about 3 minutes. Gently add in the remaining flour stopping if the dough appears to be dry and is not absorbing the flour. Once you've combined the ingredients, knead the dough with the heel of your hand right in the bowl for about 1 minute. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil and rub over the dough ball. Allow to rise for about 1 1/2 hour.

In a saute pan on medium high heat, drizzle the olive oil. Toss in the pork pieces and cook until heated through. Toss in the onions and peppers and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Heat your grill. Roll out the dough. Once the grill is hot gently layout your dough on the hot grill top. Grill for about 3-4 minutes. Time may vary depending on the heat of your grill. The dough will move very easily once it is ready to be flipped. Cook on the other side for another couple of minutes (2-3). The grilled pizza crust should be golden brown. Place the crust on a sheet pan.


Heat the oven on broil.

Spread the BBQ sauce over the crust. Evenly top with the pork, onions and poblano peppers.

Spread the cheese evenly over the pizza. Place in the oven on broil, on the bottom shelf so that the pizza is not directly under the broiler. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Check frequently because each oven will cook at a different pace.

Have your friends over for a dinner party. This will surely be a hit!

2 comments:

  1. 5-14-2010--There is only so many pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw you can eat without being bored so I thought a pulled pork pizza would be good. My wife wrinkled up her nose at the idea. Then I ran across this recipe. FANTASTIC!! I charred the poblano on my grills sideburner and skinned it like I do for salsas and added it to the meat and onion and heated it before I put it on the bbq sauce on the pizzas. I slightly undercooked the homemade pizza crust on one side and prepared the pizzas as directed with a smokey BBQ sauce on one and a sweeter on the other. Used Monterey Jack cheese on the sweet BBQ and smoked Provolone on the other. I turned on only part of the grill and put the pizza, with the undercooked side down, on the cool side with the bbq lid closed to melt the cheese and finished it on the hot side to finish crisp the bottoms of the pizza. You have to try it. What a treat!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the comment! Sounds delicious and it's great that you experimented!

    ReplyDelete