1 day Ago By [email protected] (Laura Oakley)
Nothing beats a hot and fresh pizza from a local pizzeria, but frozen pizza can be surprisingly delicious when it's made with quality ingredients — and when you know how to treat it. Daily Meal consulted a pizza expert for insight on how to get a restaurant-quality pie from virtually any pizza you find in the freezer section. James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur Ann Kim is featured on Netflix "Chef's Table: Pizza" and is Target's first ever chef partner with Good & Gather Collabs for which she developed several frozen pizzas and Korean-inspired dishes .
"For certain pizzas, like the ones in my Good & Gather line at Target, I recommend letting the pizza sit out at room temperature for several minutes before putting it in the oven," says Kim. "That allows the wood-fired style crust to set a bit and allows the pizza to cook more evenly." Although allowing the pizza to thaw a bit adds time to your frozen pizza making, it's well worth the wait.
There are, however, a few additional considerations when taking this approach. How to prep frozen pizza for the oven If you want your frozen pizza to rival your favorite pizza joint, the goal should be making sure it achieves an even bake and crispy crust. When prepping frozen pizza for the oven, Ann Kim notes, "Just be sure to remove all the packaging and set the pizza on a cooling rack or a cutting board when letting it defrost a bit.
" She explains that leaving it in the packaging while thawing will lead to a soggy pizza due to trapped condensation. Another advantage to letting the pizza defrost slightly before putting it in the oven is that you can make sure the toppings are perfectly to your liking. "The toppings and cheese often shift on frozen pizzas once it's packaged and shipped, so I always like to move my toppings around before the bake for even topping distribution and consistent bake," adds Kim.
Other tips for cooking frozen pizza When it comes to getting a restaurant-worthy crust on frozen pizza, you want to steer clear of baking sheets – you don't even want to use pizza stones for frozen pizza because it could damage the stone. "I always bake my frozen pizzas directly on the rack and not on a pizza tray," says Ann Kim. "This makes for a crispier crust and creates a more even bake on the bottom.
" Kim also says to keep a close eye on your frozen pizza as it bakes, as the suggested cooking instructions may not work perfectly for your oven. "Every oven is different so use the baking times and temperature as a guide," recommends Kim. "Set your timer for a little less time and check up on your pizza as it bakes.
Some ovens are hotter in the back, so I like to rotate my pizza around at about the halfway point." With this advice, you won't need to splurge on a ball of burrata to upgrade your frozen pizza , or any of these other 12 ways to improve frozen pizza . You'll have a delicious, evenly baked pie with a satisfyingly crispy crust.
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