Meat Lover’s Pizza Recipe

A really good meat lover’s pizza hits different than anything you can get delivered. After trying dozens of combinations, I’ve found this version gives you that perfect mix of salty, fatty meats without turning into a greasy mess.

The key is layering the toppings in the right order – pepperoni and ham go under the cheese to keep them from burning, while the bacon and sausage go on top to get nice and crispy. It’s definitely not health food, but it’s exactly what you want when you’re craving something hearty and satisfying. Perfect for game days or when you’ve got friends over. Just make sure you have plenty of napkins handy – this one’s deliciously messy.

What you need for Meat Lover’s Pizza

How to make Meat Lover’s Pizza

Let me walk you through making this loaded pizza – it’s all about getting that perfect crispy crust and making sure all those meats are cooked just right.

1. First, let’s get your oven screaming hot – set it to 450°F. If you’ve got a pizza stone, put it in now. The stone needs about 30 minutes to heat up properly. If you’re using a regular baking sheet, no need to preheat it.

2. While the oven’s heating, lay out your pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes – this makes it much easier to stretch without it snapping back. You’ll know it’s ready when you can poke it and it feels soft and pliable.

3. Stretch your dough into a 16-inch circle. I like to use my hands rather than a rolling pin – start from the middle and work outward, letting gravity help as you rotate the dough. You want it thin but not transparent – about 1/4 inch thick. If it resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.

4. Mix the olive oil with garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush this all over your stretched dough, getting right to the edges. This creates a barrier that helps prevent the crust from getting soggy under all those toppings.

5. Spread your pizza sauce in an even layer, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges for the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread it – you want enough to cover the dough but not so much that it’s swimming in sauce.

6. Sprinkle about 1 cup of the mozzarella as your base layer. This first cheese layer helps “glue” all your meats in place.

7. Now for the fun part – layer on your meats: crumbled bacon, Italian sausage, ground beef, Canadian bacon, and pepperoni. Spread them evenly so you get a bit of everything in each bite. The pepperoni goes on last because it’ll get nice and crispy on top.

8. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with dried oregano. If you like heat, add some red pepper flakes now.

9. Carefully transfer your pizza to your preheated stone or baking sheet. If you’re using a stone, a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet works great – just make sure to dust it with cornmeal first so the pizza slides off easily.

10. Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway through for even cooking. You’re looking for a few key signs it’s done: the cheese should be completely melted and starting to get golden brown spots, the crust should be golden brown (lift it carefully with a spatula to check the bottom), and the pepperoni edges should be starting to curl and crisp up.

11. Let it rest for about 2-3 minutes after taking it out – this helps the cheese set up so your toppings don’t slide off when you slice it. Cut and serve while it’s still hot and the cheese is gooey.

The whole process takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, including preheating time. Trust me, it’s worth every minute when you bite into that perfectly cooked, meat-loaded slice!

Meat Lover’s Pizza

Meat Lover’s Pizza

A hearty meat lover’s pizza loaded with crispy bacon, savory sausage, pepperoni, and ham, all topped with gooey cheese and rich tomato sauce. A carnivore’s dream!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 8 large slices

Ingredients

  

• 1 pizza dough 16-inch
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
• 1/2 cup cooked Italian sausage crumbled
• 1/2 cup pepperoni slices
• 1/2 cup Canadian bacon chopped
• 1/2 cup ground beef cooked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

 

• First, let’s get your oven screaming hot – set it to 450°F. If you’ve got a pizza stone, put it in now. The stone needs about 30 minutes to heat up properly. If you’re using a regular baking sheet, no need to preheat it.
• While the oven’s heating, lay out your pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes – this makes it much easier to stretch without it snapping back. You’ll know it’s ready when you can poke it and it feels soft and pliable.
• Stretch your dough into a 16-inch circle. I like to use my hands rather than a rolling pin – start from the middle and work outward, letting gravity help as you rotate the dough. You want it thin but not transparent – about 1/4 inch thick. If it resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes and try again.
• Mix the olive oil with garlic powder in a small bowl. Brush this all over your stretched dough, getting right to the edges. This creates a barrier that helps prevent the crust from getting soggy under all those toppings.
• Spread your pizza sauce in an even layer, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges for the crust. Use the back of a spoon to spread it – you want enough to cover the dough but not so much that it’s swimming in sauce.
• Sprinkle about 1 cup of the mozzarella as your base layer. This first cheese layer helps “glue” all your meats in place.
• Now for the fun part – layer on your meats: crumbled bacon, Italian sausage, ground beef, Canadian bacon, and pepperoni. Spread them evenly so you get a bit of everything in each bite. The pepperoni goes on last because it’ll get nice and crispy on top.
• Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with dried oregano. If you like heat, add some red pepper flakes now.
• Carefully transfer your pizza to your preheated stone or baking sheet. If you’re using a stone, a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet works great – just make sure to dust it with cornmeal first so the pizza slides off easily.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating halfway through for even cooking. You’re looking for a few key signs it’s done: the cheese should be completely melted and starting to get golden brown spots, the crust should be golden brown (lift it carefully with a spatula to check the bottom), and the pepperoni edges should be starting to curl and crisp up.
• Let it rest for about 2-3 minutes after taking it out – this helps the cheese set up so your toppings don’t slide off when you slice it. Cut and serve while it’s still hot and the cheese is gooey.