Meat Lovers Pizza
47 min · 11 steps
Medium: 31–60 min or 7–12 steps
About this dish
Cold-fermented dough developed over 48–72 hours gives this pizza a chewy, blistered crust with genuine depth of flavour, topped with a bright San Marzano sauce and four distinct meats cooked to maximise texture contrast.
Allergy Info
Dairy, Gluten
Diet Info
Meat
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- garlicminced3 cloves
- fresh basilleaves picked1 small bunch
Meat & Poultry
- Italian fennel sausagecasings removed150 g
- pepperonithinly sliced120 g
- smoked bacon lardons100 g
- cooked pulled porklightly seasoned100 g
Dairy & Eggs
- low-moisture mozzarellacoarsely grated200 g
- fresh mozzarellatorn into pieces100 g
Tins & Jars
- canned San Marzano whole tomatoesdrained400 g
Dried Goods
- strong bread flourplus extra for dusting500 g
- instant dried yeast7 g
- caster sugar5 g
- cold water325 ml
- semolinafor launching1 tbsp
Spices & Seasonings
- fine sea salt10 g
- dried oregano1 tsp
- crushed red pepper flakes1 tsp
Oils & Condiments
- olive oilplus extra for greasing15 ml
Utensils
- Large mixing bowl
- Covered dough containers
- Pizza stone or baking steel
- Pizza peel
- Skillet
- Meat thermometer
- Pizza cutter
Method
Combine flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add olive oil and cold water, mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide into 2 equal balls, place each in a lightly oiled covered container.
Refrigerate dough for 48–72 hours to cold-ferment.
Remove dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking and allow to come to room temperature on a lightly floured surface, loosely covered.
Crush the drained San Marzano tomatoes by hand in a bowl until coarsely broken down. Stir in minced garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Set aside — do not cook the sauce.
Place a pizza stone or heavy baking steel on the top rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to its maximum temperature (at least 260°C / 500°F) for a full 45–60 minutes until the stone is thoroughly heated.
Cook the fennel sausage in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles, for 5–6 minutes until browned and cooked to an internal temperature of 74°C — verify with a meat thermometer. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Cook the bacon lardons in the same skillet over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes until the fat has rendered and the edges are just beginning to crisp. Transfer to the same plate and allow all meats to cool.
Stretch one dough ball on a semolina-dusted pizza peel into a 30–32 cm round, working from the centre outward with your fingers and maintaining a slightly thicker rim.
Spread a thin, even layer of the tomato sauce across the base, leaving a 2 cm border. Scatter over half the grated low-moisture mozzarella, then top with half the pepperoni, fennel sausage crumbles, bacon lardons, and pulled pork. Dot with half the torn fresh mozzarella.
Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake for 10–12 minutes until the crust is deeply golden with char spots, the cheese is bubbling and browned in places, and the pepperoni edges have crisped.
Remove from the oven, scatter with fresh basil leaves, and allow to rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the second dough ball.