Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza: The secrets for perfect results!

I've partnered with Rhode's Bake-N-Serv to bring you my family's favorite cast iron deep dish pizza. All opinions are my own.

Utilize frozen bread dough and your cast iron pan to create the ultimate deep dish pizza with ease! Full of old-fashioned flavor and perfect for customizing to your family's pizza loves...you'll be making this pizza again and again!

You know I love Rhode's Bake-N-Serv for SO MANY recipes. Using their products keeps my life easy and delicious. Using their frozen bread dough for my cast iron deep dish pizza creates the tastiest and easiest crust.

Love using frozen bread dough and rolls from Rhode's Bake-N-Serv, like me? Try my easy Cinnamon Rolls, Almond Pull-Apart Bread, Hot Ham & Swiss Sliders, or Baked Brie bread bowls....just to name a few!

Secrets for PERFECT cast iron deep dish pizza:

For the perfect pizza sauce recipes: Homemade Pizza Sauces- the BEST recipes all in one place!

SECRET #1: Pre-bake the crust.

When we pre-bake the crust we help that bottom crispen up and not get soggy. Soggy pizza crusts are the WORST. Don't add those toppings straight to the dough...bake the dough first.

SECRET #2: Season the dough.

Giving frozen bread dough a brushing of olive oil mixed with a bit of seasonings before pre-baking results in AMAZING flavor and a crispier crust. I pinky swear-you need to try this!

SECRET #3: Shred your own cheese.

The cheese you buy in the store that comes already shredded needs to be mixed with a bit of flour to keep it from clumping in the bags. That flour, however, reduces all that good meltiness you want on pizza. Shredding your own results in melty cheese and perfect pizza!

SECRET #4: Finish the baking at a high heat.

Pizza needs a HIGH heat to keep a crispy outside on the crust. When making this recipe, we use a lower temperature at first because of the thickness of the crust (nobody wants doughy crust) and then crank it up to get that nice crispy crust and golden brown edge.

Mistakes that make for a soggy crust:

Mistake #1: Using high moisture veggies without pre-cooking or salting.
Veggies that contain high moisture content (tomatoes are one!) need to have proper attention before putting them on your pizzas.

1. Remove the seeds from tomatoes and other seeded veggies.
2. Slice the veggies, lay them out on a paper towel, and lightly salt them. After a few minutes you will find much of the moisture has come out of them
3. Roast the veggies on parchment paper for a few minutes prior to putting them on your pizza.

Mistake #2: Not using a high enough heat on your oven.
Pizza needs a HIGH heat. For thin pizza crusts, they usually will be fully cooked in the 5-7 minutes a homemade pizza needs to cook at high heats.
For deeper crusts, cranking the heat up towards the end of baking helps to ensure you have a full cook AND a crispy bottom.

Mistake #3: Not preparing your pan.
Crispy bottoms LOVE a bit of oil on the pan to help them crisp up. They also adore hot hot pans, particularly pizza stones. Take extra time to oil up your pans or stones and pre-heat them. TIP: make up your pizza on the counter (on parchment paper works well) and slide it to your stone.

Pizza combos to try:

• Barbecue sauce, chicken, cheddar cheese, parsley, and onion.
• Taco meat, tomatoes, olives, onion, and taco sauce. Top with lettuce and sour cream.
• Shaved beef, green peppers, onion, mushroom, provolone cheese, and a beef gravy.
• Sliced tomatoes, onion, feta cheese, pepperoni, olives, oregano, and a simple olive oil sauce.
• Ham, pineapple, jalapeno, mozzarella cheese, and traditional pizza sauce.
• Shrimp, bacon, mozzarella cheese, and traditional pizza sauce.
• Prosciutto, sliced pears, arugula, and goat cheese.