Bake time: 14-16 minutes at 425°F. That's it. Here's how.
Every year, Leslie and I make a trip to Michigan. And every year, without fail, we eat Detroit-style pizza. If you've never had it, here's what makes it different: the cheese goes on first, right on top of the dough, all the way to the edges. The sauce goes on top of the cheese. It bakes in a deep rimmed steel pan at high heat, and what comes out is a thick, airy crust with crispy, caramelized cheese edges that are genuinely unlike anything else in pizza.
I'm from a steel family. So naturally, when I started making this at home, I put a Detroit pan on top of a Baking Steel. The result is better than anything I've eaten in Michigan and I say that with full respect to Detroit.
What Temperature to Bake Detroit Style Pizza
425°F for 14-16 minutes, with the Baking Steel preheated on the top rack for one full hour before the pan goes in. The steel underneath the pan drives intense bottom heat up through the dough, that's what creates the crispy bottom and the dramatic rise on the crust.
Don't rush the preheat. One hour minimum.
What You Need
Dough
- 800-1200g our 72 hour pizza dough (our 72 Hour Dough Pack works perfectly one pack, proofed overnight)
Sauce
- 10 oz crushed tomatoes
- 10g sea salt
Toppings
- 4 oz whole milk low-moisture mozzarella, cubed
- 3 oz pepperoni, thin sliced
Equipment
- Baking Steel Original — on the top rack
- 10" x 14" Detroit-style pan (or a deep-sided cake pan)
How to Make Detroit Style Pizza on a Baking Steel
1. Preheat Place your Baking Steel on the top rack and preheat your oven to 425°F for one full hour. This is non-negotiable, the thermal mass of the steel needs time to fully charge.
2. Oil the pan and rest the dough Generously oil your Detroit pan. Place the dough ball in the pan and roll it around to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest on the counter for 1-2 hours. You want the dough relaxed and pliable.
3. Make the sauce Open your can of crushed tomatoes, add 10g of sea salt, stir. That's your sauce. Don't overthink it.
4. Stretch the dough Using your fingers, press and stretch the dough to fill the pan. Work it toward the corners. It'll fight you and spring back, that's fine. Let it rest 15 minutes uncovered, then come back and stretch again. Pop any bubbles. It doesn't have to be perfect.
5. Build the pizza — cheese first This is what makes Detroit style Detroit style. Lay pepperoni evenly across the dough first. Then add the cubed mozzarella, spread it all the way to the edges of the pan. That's what creates the caramelized cheese crust on the edges. Finally, add 3 rows of tomato sauce on top of the cheese, as seen in the video above.
For a more authentic Detroit style, mix in cubed sharp cheddar or Wisconsin brick cheese with the mozzarella push it all the way to the edges of the pan. The cheddar caramelizes harder against the steel sides and creates those deeply browned, lacey cheese edges you see at the classic Detroit spots.
6. Bake Use a pizza peel or oven mitts to set the pan directly on top of your hot Baking Steel. Bake for 14-16 minutes until the cheese is deeply browned and the edges are crispy and caramelized.
Pro Tip: After baking, slide the pizza directly out of the pan and onto the hot Baking Steel for 2-3 minutes. This blasts the bottom crust and takes it from good to exceptional crispy all the way through, not just the edges.
7. Remove and slice Take the pan out and let it cool for a few minutes. Run a spatula around all the edges to loosen the pizza, then slide it out onto a cutting board. Slice into rectangles — Detroit style is always cut into squares or rectangles, never triangles.
Why the Baking Steel Makes the Difference
A standard oven rack doesn't conduct heat, it just holds the pan. The Baking Steel conducts heat 18x more effectively than a ceramic pizza stone and delivers intense, even bottom heat directly into the pan. That's what drives the dramatic rise on the crust and crisps the bottom without burning it.
The combination of a Detroit pan sitting on a fully preheated Baking Steel is as close as you're going to get to a professional deck oven at home.
The Detroit-style pan linked above is an Amazon affiliate link. Our 72 Hour Dough Pack pairs perfectly with this recipe, mix, proof overnight in the fridge, and it's ready when you are.
