Detroit-style pizza

Detroit-style pizza is a rectangular pizza with a thick crust that is crispy and chewy. It is traditionally topped with Wisconsin brick cheese, then tomato sauce layered on top of the other toppings (rather than directly onto the dough). This style of pizza is often baked in rectangular steel trays designed for use as automotive drip pans or to hold small industrial parts in factories. The style was developed during the mid-twentieth century in Detroit before spreading to other parts of the United States in the 2010s. The dish is one of Detroit's iconic local foods.

Detroit-style pizza
Detroit-style pizza
TypePizza
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateDetroit, Michigan
Main ingredientsPizza dough, tomato sauce, brick cheese
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History
Pizza in a traditional-style pan

The pizza was developed in 1946 at Buddy's Rendezvous, a former blind pig owned by Gus and Anna Guerra located at the corner of Six Mile Road and Conant Street in Detroit.[1][2][3] Sources disagree whether the original Sicilian-style recipe was based on Anna Guerra's mother's recipe for sfincione[4] or a recipe from one of the restaurant's employees, Connie Piccinato.[5][6] The recipe created a "focaccia-like crust" with pepperoni pressed into the dough to "maximize the flavor penetration".[5][7] The restaurant baked it in blue steel pans available from local automotive suppliers, made in the 1930s and 1940s by Dover Parkersburg[6] and used as drip trays or to hold small parts or scrap metal[6] in automobile factories because baking pans available at the time were not appropriate for the dish.[1][2][5][8] Some 50- to 75-year-old pans are still in use.[6]

The restaurant later was renamed Buddy's Pizza. In 1953, the Guerras sold it and opened the Cloverleaf in Eastpointe, Michigan.[3][9] Former Buddy's employee Louis Tourtois founded Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park, Michigan.[9] National chain Jet's, local chain Shield's, and Luigi's the Original of Harrison Township are other locally-notable restaurants serving the style.[10][11][12]

Buddy's Pizza chief brand officer Wesley Pikula, who started at Buddy's as a busboy in the 1980s, said that he had never heard the term "Detroit-style" before the 1980s when a trade magazine used it and that even afterward it was seldom used except in national trade articles.[1] As late as 2007, some local media were referring to the style as "Sicilian-style".[13] Some makers of Detroit-style pizza in other areas questioned whether to call their pizza by that name, as "sometimes people have negative thoughts about Detroit."[8]

The Detroit-style pizza was popular throughout the Detroit area but until the 2010s was not often found at restaurants outside the area.[1][14] In 2011 two Detroit brothers opened a Detroit-style pizza restaurant in Austin, Texas, using the "Detroit-style" name as a point of differentiation.[1] In 2012, a New York restaurateur created a pizza he called "Detroit-style", though he had never visited Detroit, using focaccia dough, mozzarella, and ricotta.[1]

Pizza with "racing stripe" sauce
Example of Detroit-style pizza with "racing stripe" sauce placed on top of the toppings.

In 2012, local restaurant cook Shawn Randazzo won the Las Vegas International Pizza Expo world championship with a Detroit-style pizza, and according to pizza educator Tony Gemignani, the reaction was immediate.[8] "After he won, I must have had six phone calls from operators, from guys who are big in the industry, saying, 'Give me a recipe for Detroit. How do I figure this out?'"[8] Randazzo started a training and certification program to teach others in the industry to make "authentic Detroit-style" pizza.[8] By 2018, he had trained 36 restaurateurs from the US, Thailand, and South Korea.[5] By 2019 a restaurant in Canberra, Australia was serving the style.[15] By 2019, the San Francisco Bay Area also experienced interest and growth.[16] Montreal, Canada has a restaurant that began serving the style in 2020, describing that Detroit-style pizza is “everything we love about pizza, a long dough fermentation mixed with a combination of soft, chewy, and crunchy textures."[17] According to Serious Eats, "in early 2016 or so, everyone seemed to be talking about it or writing about it or opening up restaurants devoted to it."[2] Trade journal Pizza Today wrote in 2018 that "Perhaps no pizza style has entered the public consciousness in quite the way that Detroit-style pan pizza has."[18] They credited Randazzo's International Pizza Expo win with "rock(ing) the pizza world".[18] Trade journal Restaurant Hospitality said the style had become popular on Instagram.[19]

In 2019, Esquire called the style "one of the hottest food trends across America",[12][20] and both the Detroit Free Press[12] and Eater said Detroit-style pizza was "having its moment".[1] Eater wrote that pizzerias offering the style were spreading across the US, but that the new pizzas were different:[1]

On one side are the local Detroit pizzerias and restaurants devoted to their normcore, family-restaurant roots with toppings directly on the crust, a layer of processed brick cheese, and sauce on top. Then there are the "artisanal" square pizzas, with their aged doughs, organic toppings, unprocessed cheeses, and "frico" crust. These designer square slices are sometimes baked in a wood-fired oven and often served on Instagrammable metal trays in perfect lighting — a departure from the checkered tablecloths, no-frills boat drinks, and generous displays of bocce ball plaques at Buddy's. And in this new era of Detroit-style pizza, it's this photogenic version that many Americans are discovering first.

Detroit-style pizza showing sauce on top of some of the toppings, lacy cheese crust, and cheese to the edge

Eater said the artisanal trend was slow to catch on in Detroit.[1] Along with the Coney Island hot dog and the Boston cooler, the traditional Detroit-style is one of Detroit's iconic local foods.[21][22][23] Restaurant Insider named Detroit-style pizza as one of the top pizza trends in 2019.[24]

Frozen Detroit-style pizza products with positive reviews are available from takeout providers and food producers.[25][26][27] One positive review with three tasters featured compliments about the "thick, fluffy, chewy crust".[28]

In 2021, after about one year of development and 500 iterations, Pizza Hut released four versions of its Detroit-style pizza.[29][30]

Description
Detroit-style pizza showing typical lacy cheese crust edge and sauce on top

Detroit-style pizza is a deep-dish rectangular pizza topped with Wisconsin brick cheese and a cooked tomato-based sauce.[1][2] The dough typically has a hydration level of 70 percent or higher, which creates an open, porous, chewy crust with a crisp exterior.[12][18][31] Shield's Pizza describes the importance of the sauce for flavor and how quality is ensured by consistently baking pizza for 13 minutes at 440°F.[32]

Traditionally the toppings are layered with the cheese below the sauce.[1][32] Pepperoni is often placed directly on the crust, and other toppings may go directly on top of the cheese with the cooked sauce as the final layer, applied in dollops[12] or in "racing stripes," two or three lines of sauce.[1][2][18][32][33] Some recipes call for the sauce to be added after the pizza comes out of the oven.[2] The style is sometimes referred to as "red top" because the sauce is the final topping.[19][31]

Close-up of a Detroit-style pizza slice showing details of the porous crust and lacy cheese crust edges.

The cheese is spread to the edges and caramelizes against the high-sided heavyweight rectangular pan, giving the crust a lacy, crispy edge.[2][18] According to the trade journal Pizza Today, "The key to this pizza is the delicious caramelized cheese that melts down the interior walls of the pan".[18]

Reception

GQ magazine food critic Alan Richman included Buddy's Pizza and Luigi's the Original among his 2009 list of 25 best pizzas in America.[11] A Detroit-style pizza made by Randazzo, who was then working at Cloverleaf, won the 2012 Las Vegas International Pizza Expo world championship.[8] The Chicago Tribune reviewed Jet's Pizza in 2013 and rated it very highly.[34] In 2019, The Daily Meal website named Buddy's the best pizza in Michigan.[35] The Detroit Free Press named the Cloverleaf its Classic Restaurant of 2020.[4] In 2016, the New York Post called it "the new hipster horror".[36] In 2020, four Detroit-area restaurants, Buddy's, Supino Pizzeria, Loui's Pizza, and Cloverleaf Pizza, were listed in the 101 Best Pizzas in America by The Daily Meal.[37] SmartBrief mentions that "Detroit-style pizza has been popping up on more menus over the past few years, and the hearty square pies have proven especially popular in the pandemic era".[38] The Palm Beach Post describes how within minutes, a Delray Beach, FL bakery with a Detroit-style pizza pop-up store sells out its takeout pizza that is ordered online at noon on a Monday for pickup on the following Sunday.[39] A writer for Delish originally from Chicago and now based in New York City provided a positive review in an article correspondingly entitled "What Is Detroit-Style Pizza? It's Way Better Than Your Deep Dish Or New York Slice".[40]

See also

References
  1. Houck, Brenna (April 9, 2019). "Detroit-Style Pizza Is Having a Moment. But Are Its Originators Getting Left Behind?". Eater. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. López-Alt, J. Kenji (February 28, 2017). "Detroit-Style Pizza Is the Best Thing You're Gonna Make This Year | The Food Lab". Serious Eats. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. "Buddy's Pizza". Buddy's Pizza. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  4. "Freep Names Detroit-Style Pizza Joint (Not Buddy's) 'Classic Restaurant' of 2020". www.deadlinedetroit.com. February 9, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  5. Day, Jennifer (August 23, 2018). "Detroit-Style Pizza, a Motor City Classic, Revs Up Chicago Dining Scene". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  6. "Detroit-Style Pizza". www.cookscountry.com. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  7. Schafer, Michael (June 19, 2013). "Motor City Export". Hour Detroit Magazine. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  8. Rector, Sylvia (January 23, 2011). "Shortage of steel pans has Detroit-style pizza makers scrambling". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  9. "A History of Detroit-Style Pizza and Where to Find It". Michigan. August 7, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  10. Houck, Brenna (January 19, 2016). "Detroit-Style Pizza: The Definitive Guide". Eater. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  11. Richman, Alan (May 22, 2009). "25 best pizzas around the country". Today. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  12. Selasky, Susan (July 30, 2019). "6 places to get Detroit-style pizza in metro Detroit". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  13. "Buddy's Pizza revives Detroit tradition: Friday night bocce is back". The Detroit News. August 12, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  14. Rector, Sylvia (April 27, 2015). "Detroit-Style Pizza Gaining Fame, Winning Fans Nationwide". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  15. Hardy, Karen (August 21, 2019). "Grease Monkey brings Detroit-style pizza to Braddon". The Canberra Times. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  16. Kauffman, Jonathan (January 10, 2019). "How the Bay Area came to embrace Detroit-style pizza". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  17. "A new Detroit-style pizza has been added to this Montreal pizzeria | Dished". dailyhive.com. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  18. "Knead to Know: Detroit Style Dough". Pizza Today. May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  19. Dawson, Gloria (April 24, 2018). "Detroit-style pizza finds its niche outside Motor City". Restaurant Hospitality. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  20. Mamoon, Omar (February 14, 2019). "Hip to Be Square: Detroit-Style Pizza Is Conquering America". Esquire. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  21. Lande, Samantha (July 26, 2017). "5 Foods To Try in Detroit". Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  22. Marklew, Tim (January 12, 2018). "10 Iconic Detroit Dishes You Need to Try". Culture Trip. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  23. Houck, Brenna (September 22, 2017). "31 Iconic Dishes to Try in Detroit". Eater Detroit. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  24. Resendes, Stephanie (January 31, 2020). "The Top 5 Restaurant Pizza Trends to Look Out for in 2020". Restaurant Insider. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  25. Staff, Chowhound. "Our favorite gourmet frozen pizzas to order online". CNET. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  26. Cain, Brenda; Rodriguez, Yadi; .com (April 15, 2020). "2 Outsiders pizzas swept Best Frozen Pizza contest so we had to sample and rank all 6 flavors". Cleveland.com. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  27. Baetens, Melody. "Internet celebrity's bite changes things for Detroit Style Pizza Co". The Detroit News. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  28. Kane, Dan (November 14, 2018). "Taste Test: Detroit-style pizza a winner with tasters". The Canton Repository. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  29. Selasky, Susan. "Pizza Hut launches Detroit-style pizza: Here's my official taste test". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  30. Lucas, Amelia (January 26, 2021). "Pizza Hut to launch Detroit-style pizza in bid to advance its turnaround". CNBC. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  31. "About Detroit Style Pizza Co". DetroitStylePizza.com. February 27, 2013. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  32. Schafer, Michael (June 19, 2013). "Motor City Export". Hour Detroit Magazine. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  33. "A pan and a plan: how Buddy's "Detroit style" pizza evolved from local delicacy to national delight". www.michiganradio.org. October 29, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  34. Arnett, Lisa; RedEye (January 15, 2013). "Pizza review: Jet's Pizza". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  35. Myers, Dan (April 29, 2019). "The Best Pizza in Every State". The Daily Meal. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  36. "Detroit-style pizza is the new hipster horror". New York Post. June 24, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  37. Rock, Taylor (September 10, 2020). "The 101 best pizzas in America". The Daily Meal. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  38. "Comforting Detroit-style pizza is a star of takeout menus". SmartBrief. September 21, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  39. Balmaseda, Liz. "Death By Pizza: Delray's new pizza obsession sells out within minutes". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  40. Schaltegger, Megan (August 15, 2019). "Sorry, Detroit-Style Pizza Is Way Better Than Deep Dish Or A New York Slice". Delish. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
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