I have been making pizza for years. NY street pizza style, grandma Sicilian style, chewy & thick style, and crispy & thin cracker style. Over the past couple months, I've tried to land an authentic Detroit style pizza several times and it has always fallen short of the mark. I did a lot of research on the dough formulations, sauce variations, cheeses used, toppings, and how to load them in proper order. All the pizzas were very good, but not really Detroit style. I was able to achieve decently crispy bottoms, with airy and light crusts. However, none hit right on the mark, especially when it came to that signature Detroit style caramelized cheese crust edge. I've used 9x13 inch cake pans, 8 and 9 inch round cake pans, half and quarter sheet cake pans, cast iron skillets, and brownie pans. Nothing really landed that signature Detroit pizza crust and caramelized cheese edge. I wondered if a particular kind of pan could really make that big of a difference. The only way to find it is to use one, so I ordered it. It's not a cheap pan for sure. But it was the pan that I needed to use and find out. I made a batch of dough for the pan upon it's arrival. For those doing research, I determined that a 545 gram, or about 19.25 ounce dough batch is what is needed for this 10x14 inch pan, and I used 75% hydration. That's a higher hydration than typical pizza dough, but what gives Detroit pizza that focaccia bread kind of crust. The cheese, sauce, and topping preference are up to you, but I do have a couple suggestion about cheese. Don't use any pre-shredded cheeses. The cellulose or starch powder used to keep the shreds separate will burn and turn black before the pizza is baked properly. A 500F degree oven will have no mercy on the powder coated cheese. Another suggestion is that if you cannot get brick cheese, that using muenster or Monterey Jack in a blend with mozzarella will give a good flavor, stretch, and bite. Most importantly, it's the inclusion of either of those softer and more fatty cheeses that is especially important in getting that cheese crust around the edge. I’ve taken to using a mix of sliced and hand shredded cheese when topping the dough. I find that taking some muenster cheese slices, cutting them into four equal strips, then putting them around the edge of the dough so that they touch the side, ensures that I get that signature cheese crust as it melts and fries in between the side of the pan and dough. However you decide to do it, ensure that a good amount of the muenster or Jack cheese (if not using brick) get layered right to the edge of the dough so that its making contact with the sides of the pan. A softer and higher fat cheese like one of those two (I prefer to use muenster), will give that signature dark, caramelized, cheese crust of a Detroit style pizza. Also, don't skimp on the cheese. I use either 12 or 16 ounces of cheese, depending on whether it's just going to be a cheese pizza (16 ounces of cheese), or a pizza with other toppings (12 ounces of cheese). I know it sounds like a lot, but 16 ounces of cheese works out to 2 ounces of cheese per slice for a cheese pizza, and about 1.5 ounces on a pizza with other toppings, so it's not really that extravagant. There are plenty of places online to learn about Detroit style pizza dough formulations, sauces, cheeses and such. Read them, learn about it, and experiment to find what you like best. But most importantly, get this pan, because achieving that signature caramelized cheese crust around the edge of the pizza is what it's all about, and this pan makes it effortless. This pan is pretty much maintenance free. It doesn't require seasoning of any kind like a steel pan would, since this one is anodized aluminum. Its easy release finish works exactly as it should. I use metal tools when baking with it to break the crusty cheese from the sides of the pan, and to remove it to a cooling rack once free, and they create no issues. The pan cleans effortlessly with some hot water and a nylon soapy scrubby thing of your choice. Follow the instructions that come with the pan for prep and care, and you'll be good to go. After making my first pizza in this pan, I liked it so much, that I ordered a second once so that I can make two at a time. Sometimes, eight slices just isn't going to be enough. The pans are not cheap, but if you want to make an authentic Detroit pizza, it’s what you need. Needless to say, I have no problem finding folks to hang at my place for some beverages and Detroit style pizza. It's a great pan that makes great Detroit pizza.
