Serves 3-4 humans
Ingredients
1 lb (454 g) pasture-raised ground pork 1/2 tablespoon (30 ml) dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) coarse ground sea salt 1 organic egg, beaten 6oz (170.1 g) tomato paste 1/2 cup (480 ml) onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced cherry tomatoes, sliced fresh basil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F (190°C). In a medium-sized mixing bowl add ground pork, dried oregano, sea salt and egg. Using both hands, or a large spoon, dig in and mix together. Lay a piece of parchment paper across a pizza stone (or a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet). Pour the pork mixture onto the parchment paper and use your hands to flatten the meat as thin as possible. Wrap a wooden rolling pin with parchment paper and roll the pork to an even height, avoiding tearing. If you want to go the extra mile and really make it look perfect, use a butter knife to trim any excess meat around the edges so the circle is presentable. Press the excess meat into the center of the prepared circle and smooth out again with the knife and/or rolling pin. Bake pork in the oven for 10 minutes. Note: This meat crust will shrink once cooked. Carefully remove from the oven. Use paper towels to pat the excess fat drippings then flip the pork over, using the parchment to help. Discard parchment and pat the drippings on the reverse side. Bake for another 5-7 minutes. Remove the pork crust from the oven and let rest 5-10 minutes as you prepare your toppings. Smear tomato paste to coat pork in a thin layer, leaving a rim around the edge. Sprinkle onion, garlic and garnish with sliced tomatoes and sea salt to taste. Transfer pizza back to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with fresh basil and serve.
Enjoy!
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Meatza is pizza night with a crust made entirely of seasoned ground pork, and it is every bit as satisfying as the flour version. Rolled thin and baked until the edges crisp, the meat base stands up to a thick smear of tomato paste, onions, garlic, and fresh basil. It is a protein-packed, grain-free pizza that weeknight carnivores dream about.
Pro Tips
- Roll the pork mixture as thin as you can between parchment — thick meatza stays dense and greasy, while thin crust bakes up firm enough to hold in one hand.
- The crust shrinks as it renders, so expect the circle to pull in from the edges and don't be tempted to under-bake it to keep the size.
- Pat both sides dry with paper towels after each bake. Removing the rendered fat is what keeps the finished meatza from being heavy.
- Trim the ragged edges with a butter knife and press the scraps back into the circle before baking — it is the trick for a pizza that actually looks like pizza.
- Rest the baked crust 5-10 minutes before saucing so the tomato paste doesn't slide off when you slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground beef instead of pork for meatza?
Yes, but leaner beef can dry out when baked thin. A beef-pork blend keeps the crust juicy while giving you the browning and flavor of beef.
How do I know when the meatza crust is done?
After the first bake the crust should be firm and lightly browned at the edges, then it crisps further on the flip. Give it 5-7 minutes on the second side before topping.
Can meatza be made ahead and frozen?
Bake the plain crust, cool it completely, and freeze it wrapped tightly for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge, then add toppings and reheat at 375F until warmed through.
What toppings work best on a meat crust pizza?
Stick with low-moisture toppings like tomato paste, sliced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, onion, and fresh basil. Watery vegetables will pool on the crust and make it soggy.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl add ground pork, dried oregano, sea salt and egg.
- Using both hands, or a large spoon, dig in and mix together. Lay a piece of parchment paper across a pizza stone (or a 10x15 rimmed baking sheet).
- Pour the pork mixture onto the parchment paper and use your hands to flatten the meat as thin as possible.
- Wrap a wooden rolling pin with parchment paper and roll the pork to an even height, avoiding tearing. If you want to go the extra mile and really make it look perfect, use a butter knife to trim any excess meat around the edges so the circle is presentable. Press the excess meat into the center of the prepared circle and smooth out again with the knife and/or rolling pin.
- Bake pork in the oven for 10 minutes. Note: This meat crust will shrink once cooked. Carefully remove from the oven. Use paper towels to pat the excess fat drippings then flip the pork over, using the parchment to help.
- Discard parchment and pat the drippings on the reverse side.
- Bake for another 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the pork crust from the oven and let rest 5-10 minutes as you prepare your toppings. Smear tomato paste to coat pork in a thin layer, leaving a rim around the edge.
- Sprinkle onion, garlic and garnish with sliced tomatoes and sea salt to taste.
- Transfer pizza back to the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, top with fresh basil and serve.
