The Cast Iron Hack For Turning Any Frozen Pizza Into A Deep-Dish Delight
Instead of traveling to Chicago, you can achieve the deliciousness of the city's beloved deep-dish pizza in your own kitchen by using a regular frozen pizza and a cast iron skillet. It does require taking the extra step of getting out your cast iron skillet. However, this hack will completely transform any average store-bought pizza from the frozen food aisle into one with a puffy, golden crust and a cheesy center bursting with toppings.
This hack will work with almost any type of frozen pizza. The only major constraint to what kind of pizza you select for this project is the size of your cast iron. Since the pizza will be cooked in the pan, it has to fit. Measure the bottom of the skillet and pick up a frozen pie that will fit nicely in the bottom. Aside from that, what brand and toppings you choose are entirely up to you.
How a cast iron skillet creates a deep-dish-style frozen pizza
Once you're ready to go, take your frozen pizza out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter for about 20 minutes. This step is crucial so the dough can adequately rise during cooking. After it's ready, place the pizza into the cast iron skillet and put it in the oven. Ensure your cast iron is oiled before the dough goes inside; cast iron is a great non-stick surface, so you'll avoid the issue of the crust getting stuck. To get the pie as close to deep-dish status as possible, let it cook for 10 minutes longer than the directions suggest.
Frozen pizzas come in many varieties, so remember this hack will likely work best when you choose one with enough dough. For example, some of the ultra-thin crust options in the store — or those that promote a cracker crust — likely will create a slightly lower edge than traditional deep-dish or pan pizzas. On the other hand, rising-crust options are more likely to yield a finished product that more closely resembles the authentic pies found in Chicago.
Why cast iron is the best tool for deep-dish pizzas
Unfortunately, frozen pizzas sometimes have soft spots or soggy crusts and may cook unevenly. Not only does cast iron help you create a deep-dish-style pizza out of your favorite frozen pie, but it also prevents these issues by distributing heat evenly all over the crust. Cast iron is also a fantastic tool for creating a crispier, crunchier crust that holds up to lots of sauce and cheese, which is why many authentic deep-dish-style pizza recipes call for baking in cast iron in the first place.
Deep-dish is all about the gooey mess that rests inside the flaky walls of the crust. Most frozen pizzas aren't going to come with the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on the top, but you can do a few things to get a close recreation. Think of your original frozen pizza as a base and consider adding some extra cheese and a layer of sauce to it for something that really gets close to the deep-dish experience. Naturally, you can layer in more of your favorite pizza toppings, like pepperoni and sausage, or peppers and other veggies. It may not exactly be Chicago-style, but it's pretty delicious.