Topped with a 3-cheese blend, cremini mushrooms, pepperoni cups, maple bacon and steaming tomato sauce. Finished with a homemade ranch dressing and chopped chives. This is what happens when a Detroit-Style Pizza crosses the border into Canada!
Thick crust pizza that remains light, fluffy, and tender. Crispy on the bottom, and most importantly, crispy, and cheesy on the edges.
We used Ooni's Detroit-Style Dough recipe and revised the instructions. We par-baked the dough and baked it our home oven using our pizza steel.
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Equipment Used
Cooked in the new Ooni Detroit-Style Pizza Pan on the Ooni Pizza Steel, in the bottom rack of our oven for the crispiest crust! Proud Ooni Ambassadors, opinions in this post are my own.
Detroit Style Pizza History
The history of Detroit-style pizza dates back to the mid-20th century in Detroit, Michigan. It is believed to have originated at a pizzeria called Buddy’s Rendezvous (now known as Buddy’s Pizza) in the 1940s. According to legend, Buddy’s Pizza began serving square-shaped pizzas with a thick, focaccia-like crust baked in blue steel automotive parts trays, which were readily available due to Detroit’s auto industry.
The style gained popularity over the decades, particularly in the Detroit area, and eventually spread to other parts of the United States. Detroit style pizza is characterized by its thick, airy crust that is crispy on the bottom and edges, yet light and chewy on the inside. The crust is often topped with Wisconsin brick cheese, which caramelizes along the edges during baking, creating a crunchy, cheese-filled perimeter known as the “frico crust.”
Traditionally, Detroit-style pizza is assembled with toppings in a specific order: first the cheese, followed by other toppings, and finally the sauce, which is typically ladled in stripes across the pizza’s surface. This unique layering method helps maintain the integrity of the crust and prevents the toppings from weighing it down.
While Buddy’s Pizza is often credited with popularizing Detroit-style pizza, other pizzerias in the Detroit area have contributed to its evolution and spread. Today, Detroit-style pizza has gained recognition internationally, with numerous restaurants, pizzerias and home cooks offering their own interpretations of this iconic style.
Ingredients
Ooni Detroit-Style Pizza Dough
- Water
- Instant dried yeast or active dried yeast or fresh yeast
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Strong bread flour
- Fine sea salt
- Butter or olive oil, for greasing the pan
Toppings
- Low moisture mozzarella
- Mild cheddar
- Parmesan
- Thick cut bacon
- Maple syrup
- Pepperoni, 'cup and char' style
- Cremini mushrooms
- Pizza sauce
- Ranch sauce (recipe below)
- Fresh chives, chopped
Ranch Sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- Dried dill
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt
- Pepper
See recipe card for quantites.
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
Add the water, yeast, olive oil, flour, and salt into a food processor with a dough blade. Mix for 1 minute until the dough is smooth, silky and has good elasticity.
TIP: This process can be mixed and kneaded by hand to form a smooth dough; it will take about 15 minutes. Or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low for about 5 minutes
Transfer the dough into a lightly greased Detroit-Style Pizza Pan, then cover with plastic wrap and/or a kitchen towel. Let it proof at room temperature for 3-4 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
While the dough is proofing, prepare the toppings:
Ranch Sauce
In a medium sized bowl whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving for the flavours to meld.
Bacon
Place the strips of bacon into a skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and brush with the maple syrup. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it into small pieces and set aside.
Mushrooms
Leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet, cook the mushrooms over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Cheese Blend
Mix all of the cheese together in a bowl and set aside.
Pizza Sauce
Heat on low to simmer.
Par-bake the Dough
Using the pads of your fingers (dipped in olive oil), dimple (gently press the dough down with your fingers to release some larger air bubbles in the dough) and stretch it into the corners and along each edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and/or a kitchen towel and let rest for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the pizza steel and oven to 485°F Convention.
The dough will be more relaxed now, so you can stretch and dimple it again, stretching it to all of the edges of the pan. Next, use ¾ cup of the shredded cheese blend and pile it along the edges of the dough and against the sides of the pan. (This step prevents the dough from shrinking away from the sides of the pan)
Put the lid on the pan and place in the oven on the pizza steel. Bake for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, remove the lid and bake for 3-4 more minutes.
Tip: You can par-bake the dough a day in advance. When cool, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the Toppings
Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the cheese blend lightly over the pizza and generously along the edges to get the crispy-cheesy 'frico' edge associated with a DSP. Next layer the mushrooms, then the pepperoni.
Place the uncovered pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Sprinkle the bacon and cook for another 3 minutes.
Tip: At this point, peek to see if the sides are getting crispy enough. If you need more time, place it back into the oven with the lid slightly ajar for another 2-3 minutes.
Carefully remove the pizza pan from the oven and place onto a heat resistant surface. Let the pizza it rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Then gently run a thin metal spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the pizza. Carefully lift it out and slide it onto a cutting board.
Using a ladle, pour 2 'stripes' of pizza sauce down the length of the pizza.
Slice the pizza down the middle lengthways and widthways to produce four corner pieces. Drizzle the ranch sauce over each piece and sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!
Why We Par-Bake the Pizza Dough
A few reasons why we believe par-baking is beneficial for Detroit-style pizza dough:
Texture: Par-baking helps develop the desired texture of the crust-crispy on the outside while remaining soft and airy on the inside. This method allows the crust to crisp up without becoming overly hard or dry during the final baking stage with toppings.
Structural Integrity: Detroit-style pizzas are known for their thick, airy crust with crispy edges. Par-baking provides structural support to the dough, ensuring it can hold the weight of the toppings without becoming soggy or collapsing.
Even Cooking: By partially baking the dough before adding toppings, you ensure that the crust cooks evenly throughout. This prevents undercooked or doughy areas in the center while allowing the edges to crisp up nicely.
Make in Advance: Par-bake the dough a day in advance. When cool, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Watch how this DSP was made here
Leave a Comment
Did you try this Oh Canada, Detroit-Style Pizza recipe or have any questions? If you could spare a few moments to leave us a comment and rating it would really help us out (and make our day!) Thanks so much, Elaine & James (aka Zimmy)
📖 Recipe
Oh Canada, Detroit-Style Pizza
Ingredients
Ooni Detroit-Style Dough
- 260 grams water
- 3 grams instant dried yeast or 4 ½ grams active dried yeast or 9 grams fresh yeast
- 20 grams extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for coating the metal pan
- 350 grams strong bread flour
- 10 grams fine sea salt
- Butter or olive oil for greasing the pan
Toppings
- 1 ¼ cups low moisture mozzarella grated
- 1 ¼ cups mild cheddar grated
- ½ cup Parmesan grated
- 4 strips thick cut bacon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 75 grams pepperoni 'cup and char' style (more or less to your taste)
- 200 grams cremini mushrooms sliced
- 389 ml pizza sauce
- Ranch sauce recipe below
- Fresh chives chopped
Ranch Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Add the water, yeast, olive oil, flour, and salt into a food processor with a dough blade. Mix for 1 minute until the dough is smooth, silky and has good elasticity.
- TIP: This process can be mixed and kneaded by hand to form a smooth dough; it will take about 15 minutes. Or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on low for about 5 minutes
- Transfer the dough into a lightly greased Detroit-Style Pizza Pan, then cover with plastic wrap and/or a kitchen towel. Let it proof at room temperature for 3-4 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the dough is proofing, prepare the toppings:
Ranch Sauce
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving for the flavours to meld.
Bacon
- Place the strips of bacon into a skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and brush with the maple syrup. When the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it into small pieces and set aside.
Mushrooms
- Leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet, cook the mushrooms over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Cheese blend
- Mix all of the cheese together in a bowl and set aside.
Pizza Sauce
- Heat on low to simmer.
Par-bake the Dough
- Using the pads of your fingers (dipped in olive oil), dimple (gently press the dough down with your fingers to release some larger air bubbles in the dough) and stretch it into the corners and along each edge of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and/or a kitchen towel and let rest for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat the pizza steel and oven to 485°F Convention
- The dough will be more relaxed now, so you can stretch and dimple it again, stretching it to all of the edges of the pan. Next, use ¾ cup of the shredded cheese blend and pile it along the edges of the dough and against the sides of the pan. (This step prevents the dough from shrinking away from the sides of the pan)
- Put the lid on the pan and place in the oven on the pizza steel. Bake for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, remove the lid and bake for 3-4 more minutes.
Add the Toppings
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the cheese blend lightly over the pizza and generously along the edges to get the crispy-cheesy 'frico' edge associated with a DSP. Next layer the mushrooms, then the pepperoni.
- Place the uncovered pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Sprinkle the bacon and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Tip: At this point, peek to see if the sides are getting crispy enough. If you need more time, place it back into the oven with the lid slightly ajar for another 2-3 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pizza pan from the oven and place onto a heat resistant surface. Let the pizza it rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Then gently run a thin metal spatula around the edges of the pan to loosen the pizza. Carefully lift it out and slide it onto a cutting board.
- Using a ladle, pour 2 'stripes' of pizza sauce down the length of the pizza. Slice the pizza down the middle lengthways and widthways to produce four corner pieces. Drizzle the ranch sauce over each piece and sprinkle with chives. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Texture: Par-baking helps develop the desired texture of the crust-crispy on the outside while remaining soft and airy on the inside. This method allows the crust to crisp up without becoming overly hard or dry during the final baking stage with toppings.
- Structural Integrity: Detroit-style pizzas are known for their thick, airy crust with crispy edges. Par-baking provides structural support to the dough, ensuring it can hold the weight of the toppings without becoming soggy or collapsing.
- Even Cooking: By partially baking the dough before adding toppings, you ensure that the crust cooks evenly throughout. This prevents undercooked or doughy areas in the center while allowing the edges to crisp up nicely.
- Make in Advance: Par-bake the dough a day in advance. When cool, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Oh my gosh yes for this!
Thanks so much Dina & Bruce!
Happy Friday friends 🍷
Elaine & James