Detroit-Style Pizza

Name: Detroit-Style Pizza
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups/300 grams bread flour, plus more for dusting; 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); 1 1/2 teaspoons/5 grams instant yeast; Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing; 4 ounces packaged thinly sliced pepperoni; 12 ounces Wisconsin brick cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, or 6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar and 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce, or a 12-ounce jar

By Naz Deravian

Updated Feb. 21, 2024

Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes, plus 3 hours 45 minutes’ resting
Rating: 4(800)
Comments: Read comments

With charred and cheesy edges, a thick and chewy crust, and a reverse order of toppings, Detroit-style pizza has earned its place in the seemingly endless world of pizza. This hearty pie first appeared on the menu at Buddy’s Rendezvous Pizzeria in the Motor City, in 1946. Owner Gus Guerra baked his mother-in-law’s recipe for Sicilian-style pizza in the deep pans typically used to hold auto parts; the dark, industrial steel better distributed heat than traditional baking pans. Using plenty of sharp, aged Wisconsin brick cheese (see Tip) cut into cubes, with some touching the sides of the pan, helps create the pizza’s coveted burnished edges. You can find a Detroit-style pan online, but a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan will also work. (You’ll just have to settle for slightly less crispy edges.) Inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt’s Detroit-style dough recipe, this version calls for bread flour, which creates a delightfully light and chewy crumb.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

2½cups/300 grams bread flour, plus more for dusting
1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
1½teaspoons/5 grams instant yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
4ounces packaged thinly sliced pepperoni
12ounces Wisconsin brick cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, or 6 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar and 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes
1½cups pizza sauce, or a 12-ounce jar

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Drizzle in 1 cup lukewarm water and mix on low until the flour is incorporated and the mixture becomes a shaggy dough, about 3 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes. Knead on medium-low until the dough is smooth and supple but still sticking to the bottom of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Using lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours. (Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand on a floured surface, until smooth and supple, 13 to 15 minutes. Shape into a ball and transfer back to the bowl.)
Step 2
Generously grease the bottom of a (10-by-14-inch) Detroit-style pizza pan or metal 9-by-13-inch baking pan with oil (about 2 tablespoons). Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to the pan, turning it in the pan until coated in oil. Using your hands, stretch the dough out in the pan as far as it will spread. (It won’t yet reach the sides.) Cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Stretch the dough again; if it still doesn’t reach the edges, re-cover and allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then try again. When the dough has relaxed enough to reach the edges, stretch it up and slightly beyond the edges of the pan so it will stay put. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 45 minutes.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 500 degrees with the rack in the lowest position. Remove the plastic wrap and, using your fingers, press down on the dough to remove any large air bubbles. Top the dough evenly with the pepperoni. Add the cheese, making sure to spread some of the cubes right to the edges of the pan (this will help create a crispy crust). Spoon the sauce evenly over the cheese in three rows, running the length of the pan.
Step 4
Bake until the edges are crisp and charred and the cheese is melted and bubbling, 15 to 18 minutes. Run a knife or an offset spatula along the sides of the pizza to help release it from the pan, doing your best not to break up the charred edges. Using one or two flat spatulas, carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 6 to 8 square slices and serve.

Tips

Pepperoni is traditional, but you can swap with bell peppers or mushrooms for a vegetarian version. Remember to place any toppings under the cheese.
Wisconsin brick cheese is available at specialty cheese shops and online. It is very sharp, tangy and pungent. (Its name comes from the bricks originally used to press the curds in the late 1800s.)

Ratings

4 out of 5

800 user ratings

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Comments

MmM Oakland1 year ago

When I worked as a cook in one of the original Detroit style pizza joints (Shields) back in the day (‘85) the dough would always rest in the pans refrigerated for at least a day to develop the flavor. Since there is so much dough in a Detroit style pizza it really makes a difference.

Kim from the D1 year ago

The brick cheese used on Detroit pizza is NOT the aged brick that the author describes as pungent, tangy and sharp. Mild brick is used, which shares creamy and subtle blunt sharp qualities with Muenster and havarti, either of which make a good substitute with the addition of some sharp white cheddar. Mild brick used to be widely available in the Midwest. I now order mine from the Pinconnong Cheese Co in Michigan.

Sharon de Cook1 year ago

I spent every Friday night at the original Buddy's in the late 1960's with my first husband in Detroit. This pizza was best paired with a boombah (bomba ???) of cold draft beer, served at a table with a good view of the bocci ball court. This weekly habit, eventually contributed to divorce, but not due to the pizza, beer, or bocci ball.

Chris C1 day ago

I've made both this recipe and Kenji's. The main difference seems to be the baking time and temperature and location within the oven. For a browned crust similar to Jets, I recommend Kenji's. Don't forget to bake it on the bottom rack of a 550 degree oven for exactly 15 minutes.

Claire C1 month ago

I made a few adjustments, sue me. Living in Pittsburgh I wasn’t sure I’d have access to WI cheese so I did 8 oz mozz 4 oz extra sharp white cheddar. Don’t have a metal pan so I used an enamelware Fiestaware baking dish. Was so worried I used way too much oil in the pan but it turned out SO good. Def will make again, so easy and so few ingredients. Should probably use homemade pizza sauce next time too…

Rochelle1 month ago

Can someone check me on this please? Recipe says 5g instant yeast or 1 1/2 t. Fleiscman pkg is 7g (there are 3 in a strip totalling 21 g) which per pkg says 1) 4 oz. = approx. 2 1/4 t. I weighed the whole pkg (without wrapper) and it was 4 g. Just checking how many grams to really use! Thanks for your help NYT readers!

Austin1 month ago

of all the ingredients, exact weight of yeast is least important since the yeast will divide many times and sort of self-regulate. When I've made this I just used a whole packet and it's been great - it might start to rise a little faster and give a bit more yeasty flavor but really not a big difference. So I'd say half a packet if you want to be precise-ish or the whole one if you want to not worry about it :)

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