Detroit-Style Pizza

Looking to up your pizza game? You've come to the right place. I spent hours researching and testing to come up with the best Detroit-style pizza recipe that can be made from the comfort of your own home. Now you won’t need to buy specialty flour for your pizza dough, acquire an unusual pan (you won't believe what this was originally made in, see below!), or track down hard-to-find cheese to get the perfect crispy crispy-edged slice of Detroit pizza.

To hew as closely as possible to the original while keeping my recipe maximally accessible, I went with a basic 13" x 9" metal baking pan over the traditional 14" x 10" Detroit pizza pan. And while purists will swear it’s not Detroit-style pizza without Wisconsin brick cheese, a regional favorite, I found that a mix of buttery Muenster, melty mozzarella, and sharp cheddar hit all the right flavor notes.

What Is Detroit-Style Pizza?

Developed in the Motor City during the mid-'40s, this pizza was originally baked in pans built for holding small automotive parts. The dough boasts a higher water-to-flour ratio (70% to 85%), than a typical Neapolitan or NY-style pizza dough (60% to 65%). The higher hydration level results in a lighter and airier crust, closer to Sicilian pizza or focaccia. The buttery, slightly tangy Wisconsin brick cheese traditionally used gives the pizza its distinctive flavor and crispy burnt edges.

How To Make Detroit-Style Pizza

INGREDIENTS

Dough

• All-Purpose Flour: Most Detroit-style pizza recipes call for bread flour, but keeping two kinds of flour on hand can be a pain. That’s why I recommend King Arthur brand all-purpose flour, which works just as well as bread flour thanks to its high protein content.
• Instant Yeast: I like the convenience of instant yeast for this recipe but feel free to substitute with an equal amount of active dry. No harm, no foul.

Pizza

• Canned Whole Tomatoes: High-quality canned tomatoes are make-or-break in a sauce as simple as this one. The easiest way to know you’re getting the good stuff? Look for "San Marzano" on the label. San Marzano tomatoes are a richly flavored, particularly fleshy variety of plum tomato. These tomatoes originated near Naples, Italy—the very city that gave birth to pizza. No surprise, then, that every pizzaiolo worth their salt swears by San Marzanos.
• Muenster, Cheddar & Mozzarella: Wisconsin brick cheese, the classic for Detroit-style pizza, is easy to find—in Wisconsin (and neighboring states). I needed a cheese for the rest of us. Finding one wasn’t easy, so I settled on a mixture of three—two classic grilled-cheese varieties (Muenster and cheddar) and one quintessential pizza topper (mozzarella). All melt superlatively and, together, approximate the unique tangy-buttery-nutty quality of brick cheese.
• Pepperoni: Perhaps no other pizza style is so closely associated with pepperoni. Though Detroit-style pizza can accommodate any toppings you care to throw at it, pepperoni is the go-to choice and the best place to start your Detroit pizza journey.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

This dough requires some serious kneading to achieve proper gluten development. A stand mixer is the right tool for the job. Start by mixing on low speed, just until a dough begins to come together, then give it a 5-minute rest to allow the flour to hydrate. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to a clean large bowl, drizzle with oil, and shape into a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot in the kitchen until the dough is doubled in size. I find this takes about 2 hours, but the timing will vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen: warmer = faster, cooler = slower.

Now transfer the dough to a well-oiled baking pan and pat out with your fingertips. Don’t worry if it doesn’t stretch all the way to the edges of the pan; by the end of the final rise, it will have relaxed enough to fill the pan. Cover and let rise 30 to 60 minutes. Lift and stretch the dough into the corners of the pan, cover again, and let rise one final time, until bubbly and doubled in size.

Meanwhile, turn your attention to the sauce. This one couldn't be easier: just a simple purée, no cooking involved. I like to retain a bit of texture in my pizza sauce, so I prefer to use a food processor. If a smoother sauce is your thing, use a blender.

Time to top! They do things a little differently in Detroit, layering the topping in reverse order: first pepperoni (just trust), then cheese (keep trusting), then sauce (have faith). Hot tip: It is absolutely critical that you cover the entirety of the pizza, all the way to the edges of the pan, with cheese; I am talking wall-to-wall cheese. This guarantees that a deeply browned, almost charred, oh-so-precious cheese crust forms around the edges of the pie as it bakes. Believe me, you don't want to miss out on that.

Top the assembled pizza with the remaining pepperoni and into the oven it goes. That's where the magic happens.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

What kind of flour to use for Detroit-style pizza? If you can’t get your hands on King Arthur all-purpose flour, your next best bet is any other brand of unbleached all-purpose flour. The pizza may end up a little denser but it will be just as delicious.

How to proof pizza dough:
A drafty kitchen can lead to an inconsistent, longer rise. To hit the optimal proofing temperature (72° to 77°), proof the dough in a warm spot: On top of the fridge is often a good choice, as is the inside of the oven with only the oven light turned on.

What is the difference between Detroit-style pizza and Chicago-style deep-dish pizza?
Sure, both are cheese-happy pan pizzas, but there is much that separates them two. Let’s start with the crust: Chicago-style is flaky and buttery, Detroit-style is thicker, closer to focaccia. Then there’s the cheese: Chicago is all about the ooey-gooey mozzarella, whereas Detroit goes all in on nutty-tangy Wisconsin brick cheese. Finally, there’s the pan itself: Chicago demands a round, straight-sided aluminum pan; Detroit, a rectangular blue steel or anodized aluminum pan.

Serving Ideas

Let's face it, Detroit-style pizza ain't lean cuisine. You're going to want a vegetable to make it a meal. Here are some slam-dunk possibilities:

• Caesar Salad: I know I'm not breaking new ground here, but Caesar salad and pizza (of any type) are indisputable besties.
• Antipasto Salad: Take an antipasti spread, dump it in a bowl, toss with a punchy vinaigrette. Genius.
• Roasted Cauliflower: Heck, you just went to the trouble of making your very own, incredibly awesome pizza from scratch. Cut yourself a break and roast some cauliflower to serve alongside. It couldn't be simpler.