Grilled Pizza w/ Onions, Peppers, Corn, and Brats

Would you believe me if I told you that Guinness© Blonde™ American Lager tastes an awful lot like Guinness Stout? Because that's what I'm telling you. As a lover of the deep, rich Porter that everybody knows as Guinness, my first sip of Blonde was a happy one. It may be a lighter in color, but not in complexity or flavor.

The first fusion beer in the new Guinness Discovery Series, Guinness Blonde combines European brewing techniques with American Hops to brew a lager that is hoppy with citrus and floral notes, while still having that "biscuity" malt finish so characteristic of Guinness. It's great for kicking back with and relaxing, but it also lends itself well to cooking and food pairings.

Today I'm taking part in the #BlondeBBQChallenge, in which Guinness challenged me to come up with my best summer barbecue dish to pair alongside the new Blonde Lager. After reading through the challenge, I took the word "barbecue" in the sense of "from the grill". Up here in the Midwest, we call it grilling or cooking-out, but it's the same thing. Hopefully I interpreted the challenge correctly. My goal was to think outside of the box a little; veer away from the typical items I've been making on the grill so far this season.

As I sipped a Blonde for inspiration, I asked myself what I wish I was enjoying alongside it. Pizza. I mean, what's better than pizza and a cold beer? How about grilled pizza and a cold beer! I've made pizza on the grill before, but not in a couple of years, so I knew that was the direction I was headed. Although a pizza is nothing without a good crust, the complementary flavors were going to be all about the toppings.

So, to echo the beautiful smoky taste associated with grilling, I knew I wanted the toppings to come from the grill, as well. We'd eaten brats and corn-on-the-cob from the grill the night before, and I had a couple of each leftover. Add a red onion and a yellow and orange bell pepper that were hanging out on the counter, and the flavor profile was complete.

The crisp Guinness Blonde is super easy drinking alongside a few slices of this pizza. Enjoy around the picnic table with an ice chest nearby for the ultimate summer barbecue experience!

Grilled Pizza w/ Onions, Peppers, Corn, and Brats

Exchange your normal grilling fare for some pizza dough and toppings reminiscent of summer, like brats and corn.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Keywords: grill entree nut-free soy-free American summer

Ingredients (2 pizzas)

• 2 (1 lb) balls of pizza dough
• vegetable oil, for oiling grill grates
• 1 cup pizza sauce, homemade or storebought
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 grilled brats, sliced
• 1 grilled onion, chopped
• 2 grilled bell peppers, chopped
• 1-2 ears grilled corn, cut from cob

Instructions

It's important to have all of the toppings ready before you take the dough to the grill, because this cooks quickly.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to low heat. If using charcoal, allow the coals to turn completely grey (otherwise the crust will burn immediately). At this point, you could grill your toppings first, if you don't already have them prepared. Brush the grill grates with a little bit of oil.

Gather all of your toppings on a baking sheet (or similar) and set close to the grill.

Roll out the pizza dough into a large round, as thick or thin as you would like. If your grill is large enough, set both rounds of dough on the prepared grill (or do one and then the other). Grill for 2-3 minutes, watching the bottom closely.

Use long tongs and/or a pizza peel to lift the dough up and flip it over. Immediately cover with pizza sauce, cheese, and other toppings; cook for another 2 minutes or so.

If your cheese isn't entirely melted and you have an upper rack, transfer the pizza to that rack to let the cheese finish melting.

Cut into slices and serve. Recommended beer pairing: Guinness Blonde.

Have you enjoyed Guinness Blonde American Lager yet? What did you think of it, and what would YOU pair it with for a summer barbecue or cook-out?

I received a Guinness Blonde BBQ Kit at no charge for participating in the #BlondeBBQChallenge. All opinions are my own.