Baking pizza on the kamado: tips, temperatures and recipe

Baking pizza on the kamado is one of the most spectacular things you can do with a ceramic barbecue. The combination of intense radiant heat from below (via the pizza stone) and hot convection air from above produces a result that you simply cannot achieve at home in a regular oven: a crispy, airy base with melted, lightly grilled cheese. In this article, you'll find everything you need for the perfect kamado pizza.

Why is the kamado so good for pizza?

A professional wood-fired pizza oven reaches temperatures of 400–500 °C. At home in a regular oven, you rarely exceed 250 °C. The kamado can reach those high temperatures — and that makes all the difference:

• Crispy base — the pizza stone absorbs moisture from the dough and provides intense radiant heat
• Fast baking time — at 350–400 °C, a pizza is ready in 3–5 minutes
• Melted cheese — the hot convection above melts and colours the cheese perfectly
• Smoky aroma — a subtle charcoal flavour that you never get at home

The beauty of it: a Keij Kamado can easily reach and maintain 350–400 °C. Read more about the versatility of the kamado in how to use a kamado.

Which accessories do you need?

Two accessories are essential for baking pizza on the kamado:

1. Pizza stone

The pizza stone is the most important accessory. It absorbs heat and gradually releases it to the dough — just like the floor of a real pizza oven. Choose a stone made of cordierite or ceramic, at least 2–3 cm thick. Thinner stones are more likely to crack at high temperatures.

2. Plate setter / heat deflector

The plate setter (or heat deflector) is placed under the pizza stone. This diverts the direct flame heat into indirect, surrounding heat — exactly what you want for evenly baked pizza. Without a plate setter, the base will burn before the top is cooked.

Optional: pizza peel

A pizza peel makes it easier to slide the pizza in and out of the kamado. Choose a thin metal peel (not wood — it draws moisture from the dough). Always dust the peel with semolina or flour so the pizza slides easily.

View our full range of barbecue accessories including pizza stones and plate setters.

The right temperature for kamado pizza

For the best home pizza experience, we recommend 320–380 °C. This is achievable for every kamado without extreme measures, and already produces a spectacular result.

Heating up the kamado for pizza: do it right

The biggest secret of kamado pizza: give the kamado and pizza stone enough time to heat up. Many beginners are too impatient — the thermometer shows 350 °C, but the stone is only half as warm. A cold stone produces a floppy, wet base.

1. Light the kamado and let it slowly heat to 250 °C (15–20 minutes)
2. Place the plate setter and pizza stone inside
3. Continue heating to the desired temperature
4. Keep the temperature stable for at least 20–30 minutes before placing the first pizza — then the stone is completely heated through

A handy test: sprinkle some flour on the stone. If it turns brown within 10 seconds, the stone is ready.

The dough: Neapolitan or classic

Good dough is just as important as the technique. For kamado pizza, a simple Neapolitan dough works best: little yeast, long rising time, little oil.

The secret to light, crispy dough lies in cold fermentation: make the dough the evening before, place it in the fridge and take it out 2–3 hours before use. The slow fermentation gives flavour and structure that you never achieve with a quick-rise recipe.

Baking pizza on the kamado: step by step

1. Heat the kamado with plate setter and stone for at least 30 minutes to the desired temperature
2. Roll out the dough on a flour-dusted surface — as thin as you dare
3. Top the pizza on the pizza peel: tomato sauce, mozzarella, toppings. Work quickly — wet toppings make the dough soft
4. Slide the pizza onto the stone with a quick, confident motion
5. Close the lid and bake for 3–8 minutes depending on temperature and thickness
6. Check after 2 minutes — rotate the pizza a quarter turn for even cooking
7. Remove as soon as the base is crispy and the cheese bubbles and lightly colours

Tips for the best result

• Less is more — too many toppings make the pizza wet and heavy. Neapolitan pizzas have only 3–4 ingredients
• Squeeze out the mozzarella — fresh mozzarella contains a lot of moisture. Squeeze it out or use dry mozzarella (fior di latte)
• No olive oil on the stone — this causes smoke and burnt spots. Use only flour or semolina
• Thin base = shorter baking time — the thinner the dough, the faster the pizza is ready and the crispier the base
• Multiple pizzas in a row — the stone stays warm between pizzas. Feel free to bake 6–8 in succession
• Charcoal with smoky flavour — add a small piece of smoke wood (cherry wood, apple wood) for extra aroma

Basic pizza dough recipe (4 pizzas)

Ingredients:

• 500 g tipo 00 flour (or strong bread flour)
• 325 ml cold water
• 10 g fine salt
• 3 g dry yeast (or 7 g fresh yeast)
• 1 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the cold water, wait 5 minutes
2. Add flour and salt, knead for 10 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms
3. Divide into 4 balls, cover with cling film
4. Allow to rise for at least 24 hours in the fridge (48–72 hours is even better)
5. Remove from fridge 2–3 hours before use

Conclusion

Baking pizza on the kamado is surprisingly simple if you know the basic rules: proper heating, the right stone and dough with a long rising time. The result surpasses anything you can produce at home in a regular oven.

Don't have a kamado yet? View our range of kamado barbecues and Keij Kamado models, or read which kamado is best in 2026. Questions? Our specialists are happy to help you via phone, email or WhatsApp.