Undercooked pizza dough is as unappealing to look at as it is to eat. Needless to say, if you’re checking on your pizza and it isn’t cooked all the way, you need to fix it ASAP. The best way to fix it is to simply lower the temperature and move your pizza to the lowest rack in the oven.
Hi, fellow pizza fans! My name is Michelle, and I think that making pizza is so much fun. I won’t deny that it can be a bit tricky, though. I have certainly dealt with all types of pizza situations, including undercooked pizza dough. Luckily, it’s a relatively quick fix that can be avoided.
Noticed that your pizza dough is not cooked all the way? Obviously, that’s not going to cut it for family pizza night. But what should you do? I’ll tell you what you do – you keep reading to find out how to fix undercooked pizza dough. It’s easy, I promise.
How to Fix Undercooked Pizza Dough
Like anything else you cook, undercooked pizza dough is a sign that it simply isn’t done baking. The problem is that pizza can become delightfully golden brown with bubbly cheese while still having a hollow in an undercooked crust. If you continue cooking, it could burn.
So what should you do? Lower the temperature and place the pizza on the lowest rack. This will ensure that the bottom of the pizza – the crust – gets the most heat so it can continue baking without affecting your precious cheese and toppings on top.
You only need to adjust the temperature by about 10 or 20 degrees; nothing dramatic. Bake your pizza in three-minute intervals until it’s baked entirely. Sometimes, you may only need a single three-minute baking session, and other times, you might get to nine or twelve.
Avoiding Undercooked Pizza Dough (5 Tips)
The excellent news about undercooked pizza dough is it’s an easy fix. Essentially, just keep cooking. However, there are a few ways to ensure that you avoid undercooked pizza dough in the future.
Follow these easy tips for pizza crust success.
1. Use the Highest Heat Setting
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy staying in the 350F to 425F. It’s my comfort zone when cooking or baking, and it can sometimes be hard for me to go any lower or higher than that. But with pizza, you don’t really have a choice. So what temperature to bake pizza?
Pizza should be cooked hot and fast. It shouldn’t take 20 minutes (or more) like some pizza boxes state. Turn up your oven to 500F and let the oven work its magic on your pizza dough. Keep in mind that the oven must be preheated before placing your pizza inside.
Note: You should not use temperatures above 500F. Otherwise, you could end up with dried-out or burnt crust.
2. Use a Pizza Stone
Want to know one of the biggest secrets to achieve pizza shop-quality pizzas every time? A pizza stone. A pizza stone is a unique tool that is designed for pizzas. All you need to do is:
- Preseason the stone. Unless your stone is glazed or sealed, you can pre-season it using olive oil.
- Preheat the stone in the oven. Your pizza stone needs to be piping hot for it to work correctly. That said, you essentially need to bake the pizza stone before you bake your pizza. When the oven is preheated, so is your stone.
- Slide pizza on top. Next, you will want to slide your pizza right onto the stone.
- Bake and remove. Let your pizza bake until it’s nice and golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, then remove.
- Enjoy!
Note: Pizza steel can also be used, and it’s mostly personal preference. Learn more about the differences here.
3. Wait to Place Toppings
Putting toppings on a pizza is one of the best parts of making pizza. Unfortunately, doing it too soon has consequences – like undercooked pizza dough.
This happens because you give the moisture from the toppings too much time to seep into the dough, thus rendering it soggy and difficult to bake.
The best way to ensure your pizza dough doesn’t end up soggy is to wait until the last minute to place your toppings and stick them in the oven. You can also drizzle a little olive oil between the dough and the toppings as an added layer of protection from sogginess.
4. Stick to Thinner Pizza Crusts
I love a good deep-dish pizza. That doesn’t mean that I’m fond of cooking it at home, though. Thick pizza crusts retain far more moisture, and it can be challenging for ovens to permeate the dough to evaporate it, even when heated to 500F.
That said, you might want to stick to thinner pizza crusts. You don’t have to have it so thin that it comes out like a cracker. You just don’t want a mile-high dough as you see at your favorite deep-dish pizza joint.
Roll it out thinner, and you will have a much easier time avoiding undercooked pizza dough.
5. Don’t Use Cold Dough
Cold dough will be difficult to use for the simple fact that it will be challenging to stretch. So, I can’t imagine too many people trying to put cold pizza dough into their oven.
However, that’s not to say it’s not possible. If your dough is cold (not room temperature, at least) and you try to cook it, it will take a much longer amount of time. This can result in undercooked pizza dough.
Simple solution: wait until your pizza dough is at room temperature before you try to stretch and bake it.
FAQs
Undercooked pizza dough is a no-no, but now you know how to fix it and avoid it in the future. If you still have some questions you need answers to, you might find them below.
What happens if pizza dough is not fully cooked?
If the dough isn’t fully cooked, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to eat it. Therefore, dinner will be ruined. If anyone does try to eat it, they will likely end up with a foodborne illness. Yes, you can get sick from the undercooked dough, so it is imperative to make sure it’s done all the way.
Why is my pizza dough not cooked in the middle?
Really, it could be due to any number of the reasons listed above. Perhaps it wasn’t cooked long enough, or the area was colder than the exterior. Maybe you’re not using the correct heat settings or using the wrong equipment. Follow the steps above for a perfect pizza crust next time!
Is slightly undercooked pizza dough OK?
Nope, unless, of course, you want a stomachache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Undercooked – even slightly – can make you ill. It’s best to make sure the dough is cooked entirely.
Final Words
Nobody wants to eat undercooked pizza dough. If yours is undercooked, put it back in the oven on the lowest rack. Reduce the temperature by 10 to 20 degrees and keep baking for a few minutes at a time. Avoid this mishap in the future by taking the proper steps and precautions.
Have you ever cooked a pizza and ended up with undercooked dough? How did you fix it? Share your success stories below!
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