Grilled Pulled Pork Pizza

Instructions

1. Use a 4-5 pound pork shoulder roast for the pulled pork. Leaner cuts like center loin will not work.

2. Rub the entire surface of the pork shoulder with a generous amount of Smokin’ Summer Spice Dry Rub. You want to get as much as you can to stick to the meat. Cover the roast in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for up to 48 hours; the longer the better but a minimum of 6-8 hours will do.

3. Prepare several smoke packs by soaking hardwood smoking chips in water for up to an hour. Cherry, apple, mesquite or hickory all work well. Tightly wrap a couple of small handfuls of the soaked wood chips in a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil for each smoke pack. Poke a couple of small holes into the top of the smoke packs with the tip of a knife. Depending on how deeply smoked you like pulled pork, you can use about 1 an hour but 3 or 4 packs are enough will give plenty of smoked flavor to the pulled pork.

4. Turn on only one burner of your gas grill. Place the dry rubbed roast on the opposite side to the burner being used. You do not want to place the meat over direct heat. Regulate the heat to as close to 250 degrees as you can. The roast will need up to 8 to 10 hours depending on the size of the roast to cook through and begin to become fall apart tender. During that time, place a smoke pack over the gas flame. I like to use a vegetable grill pan with a perforated bottom to keep it in place. Replace the smoke pack about once an hour.

5. The roast should be pulling away from the bone and be fall apart tender when fully done.

6. As an alternative, you can smoke the roast for a couple of hours to impart the smoke flavor, then transfer it to a 250 degree oven to finish cooking in a covered roasting pan for several hours.

To make the pizza dough

1. Makes sufficient for 10 individual sized pizzas. The dough portions can be frozen in airtight plastic containers for another time if you don’t use them all.

2. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook. Mix for 5 -10 minutes on medium speed. You may need to add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time until the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Alternatively stir together with a wooden spoon before turning out onto a floured bread board and kneading for 5-10 minutes.

3. Cover the dough and allow to rise for about an hour until about doubled in size. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for another few minutes.

4. Divide into about 10 equal portions (I weigh out 5 ounce portions for individual pizzas) Form into balls and let rest for about 10-15 minutes before stretching or rolling the dough out into about 8 inch rounds.

5. Preheat your gas grill to about medium heat and place the stretched dough portions a couple at a time directly on the grill. Watch these carefully, adjust the temperature and move them around on the grill as needed. When bubbles appear it's time to flip them over and grill for about another minute.

6. To prepare individual pizzas, turn off the burner/s on one side of the grill and place a flatbread or two on the other side. You do not want the flatbreads over direct heat.

7. Spread a few tablespoons of your favorite pizza sauce over the flatbread. I like to make my own Pizza Sauce and have it on hand in the freezer in small containers for when I need it.

8. Add small chunks of pulled pork, red onion and small chunks of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese to the top of the pizza and close the lid of the grill.

9. Cooking time will vary from grill to grill but try to keep the internal temperature at about 400 degrees F until the cheese melts and the bottom of the pizza is crispy. I like to turn the pizza 180 degrees half way through the cooking time to ensure even cooking.