We’re all human with tastebuds here, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t love pizza. We’re also (mostly) South Africans on this blog, so we know you all “smaak ‘n’ braai.” It’s basically illegal not to. What if we told you that based on this data, we’ve found the most universally lovable dish to serve on any outdoor adventure? AND we’re about to show you five crowd-pleasing ways to make it happen on your next big expedition feast (or even at home dinner, when loadshedding is showing you the OPPOSITE of flames) crowd-pleasing, easy and endlessly versatile?
Welcome to Camp Master’s guide to the Dutch oven Braai Pizza, a prep-ahead masterpiece that’ll keep every camper coming back for more.
You gotta start with the base-ics
The trick to a great expedition pizza is making the base beforehand and bringing it with you to the campsite in a Camp Master cooler. This saves you prep time in the bush, ensures you can create the perfect dish even after a long day of adventuring, and saves you time as the sun is setting and you just want to chill out with your loved ones. We’ve found that this specific prep ahead base (courtesy of Natasha’s Kitchen) is the best thick base recipe around:
Ingredients:
– 1 1/4 cups warm water, a luke warm.
– 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
– 1 tsp honey
– 1/2 tbsp fine sea salt
– 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust your crust!
Method:
- In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt.
- Sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit for 5 minutes then stir.
- Add the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the centre then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together.
- Knead by hand for 2 minutes (your dough will be sticky).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky, then divide in half.
- Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the centre like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds.
- Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
- Take these dough balls on your adventure to finish preparation later
To top it all off…
The crowning glory of any camping pizza is obviously the toppings you choose! We know everyone’s taste in pizza is as diverse as their personality, so we suggest checking in with every member of your squad what they might want on pizza night.
If you want to go with some scrumptious classics, here are 5 classic favourite topping suggestions we know will cover all your bases (excuse the pun) when prepping slices of deliciousness for a large group:
1. Classic Margherita Pizza
– Tomato base
– Mozzarella cheese
– Origanum flakes
– Thyme flakes
– Fresh Basil leaves
2. BBQ Chicken Pizza
– Tomato base
– Mozzarella & cheddar cheese mix
– Chicken cubes
– BBQ sauce
– Green pepper
– Pineapple
3. Veggie Lovers Pizza
– Tomato base
– Mozzarella & cheddar cheese mix
– Robot peppers slices
– Olives
– Caramelized onions
– Cherry tomatoes
– Red onion
4. Hawaiian Pizza
– Tomato base
– Mozzarella & cheddar cheese mix
– Smoked ham
– Pineapple chunks
– Sweet Chili Sauce (optional)
5. Breakfast Pizza
– Tomato & onion mix base
– Mozzarella & cheddar cheese mix
– Mushrooms
– Bacon
– Red onion
– Scrambled eggs
– Red peppers
Let’s get cooking!
After a long day of hiking, trail running, off-roading, exploring or even just reading a book in the bush on your Camp Master hammock, it’s time to get prepping your Dutch oven pizza! We love this method from Let’s Camp More, and we think it’s pretty failproof when you use one of our cast iron bake pots to execute it.
Method:
- Prepare 25+ charcoal briquettes for your Dutch oven.
- Cover the inside of the Dutch oven with oil spray or use a Dutch oven liner.
- Roll out the pizza dough and press it into the bottom of your oven leaving a little lip around the edge.
- Spread pizza sauce on the dough up to the lip.
- Cover the sauce with cheese.
- Top with your desired toppings.
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
- Arrange 8 prepared coal in a small circle and place the oven over it.
- Place 17 hot coals on the lid of the Dutch oven.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the lid and pot in opposite directions halfway through baking.
- Slice, serve and enjoy your newfound reputation as the Pizza Braai Master! Don’t count on leftovers though!
Tips and tricks for perfecting that pizza pie:
– Preheat the Dutch oven: Place the Dutch oven on top of the coals and let it preheat for at least 10-15 minutes before adding the pizza. This will mean you sear in the moisture of the dough and prevent it from getting too dry and bread-y.
– Prepare the pizza dough properly: Keep in mind that the crust will rise during cooking, so don’t make it too thick.
– Sprinkle toppings artfully: Spread the sauce and toppings on top of the pizza dough. Remember to keep the toppings thin to ensure even cooking.
– Keep an eye on that pie! Check the pizza after 20 minutes to see if it’s done. The crust should be golden brown and the cheese melted. Extra points for crispy little bubbles of goodness.
– Adjust the heat: If the pizza is cooking too quickly, move the Dutch oven away from the coals to reduce the heat. If it’s cooking too slowly, move it closer to the coals. You can also adjust how many coals are on the lit.
– Let it rest: Once the pizza is done, remove it from the Dutch oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. We know it smells good, but you DON’T want to bite into molten cheese and spend the rest of your trip with a burnt palate. We are definitely saying this from experience.
Bon Appetit, Camp Masters!
There you have it – the ultimate guide to the ultimate outdoor snack. Don’t say Camp Master doesn’t love you! We’re passionate about everything outdoors here, and that includes delicious adventure food. That’s why we’ve created a full range of camping kitchen and braai essentials, to keep you full, fed and happy as you make your way through our beautiful country.
Eat like a king, feasting on smokey delights under the African sky, when you shop our durable yet affordable range at a Builders’ Warehouse, Makro or a Game store near you. Make sure to snap a photo of your camp cuisine and tag it #CampMasterCooking so we can share it on our @campmasterSA Instagram stories. Eat up and enjoy!