How To Ensure A Crispy Crust When Making Pizza In Your Cast Iron Skillet

The cast iron skillet is undeniably a great asset to your kitchen. The best uses for the cast iron include everything from searing steak to baking cornbread — and making pizza. One of the best parts about making pizza using a cast iron skillet is that you can use the cast iron to ensure that the pizza has a super crispy crust.

This method of pizza making is broken down in Tasting Table's recipe for veggie lovers cast iron pizza, which was developed by Miriam Hahn. The dough is added to the cast iron skillet right after it's made — after it rests, you spread the dough and add the sauce and toppings. Next, the key step: The skillet is placed on the stovetop on high heat for three minutes. This step gets the bottom of the crust nice and crispy. From there, the cast iron is transferred to the oven, where the crust and toppings finish baking (about 15 to 20 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit). When the pizza comes out of the oven and you slice it, you'll be delighted to find that the crust is crisped up to perfection.

Now that you know the basic method for a cast iron pizza, you have what you need to make sure that any pizza has that super crispy crust that only cast iron can give it. Simply take any of your favorite pizza recipes and swap out the baking instructions for the stove-to-oven instructions from the cast iron pizza and, of course, swap out a baking sheet for a cast iron skillet.

For example, the Tasting Table recipes for a loaded barbecue chicken pizza and an extra cheesy spinach artichoke pizza are cooked on baking sheets but can be elevated by the cast iron method. Both recipes call for a lower oven time at 425, along with a lower cooking time. Since the cast iron skillet is a much different vessel than the baking sheet, stick with the oven temperature and cooking time of the veggie lovers cast iron pizza to ensure a perfectly cooked pizza — complete with that crispy crust. Additionally, knowing the times and temperature for the stove-to-oven cast iron method, you can use the opportunity to create your own perfect pizza recipe. Feel free to play around with toppings until you find your favorite combination.