As I started researching low carb pizzas I kept running into something called a "Meatza". Turns out it's been a standard low carb recipe since around 1999 which uses a meat crust instead of a dough crust. Yeah, that's what I said ... meat crust? Fast forward to last night's dinner and man O man was it ever a success all around. The Money $Shot above speaks for itself!! Looks like a pizza, cuts like a pizza, and tastes like a pizza - don't forget your fork. One, maybe two Meatza slices with a side of salad will more than satisfy any hearty appetite. Just like pizza, variations of Meatza recipes are endless - limited only by your imagination and taste buds ... Best of all, just like pizza it's great hot or cold and keeps well in the refrigerator.
The first big lesson I learned is that you need to use
lean ground beef to prevent shrinkage. This time I baked the meat crust in a preheated 400ºF oven but next time I will be making the Meatza Pie in my MAK 2 Star. Baked the crust for 15 -20 minutes (depending on thickness) until the crust reached an internal temperature of 160ºF. Removed and drained the grease/fat. Used a paper towel to dab away grease/fat from the top of the meat crust.
Meat Crust: - 1 lb lean ground beef (something I didn't use this time)
- ¼ cup minced red onions
- ¼ cup Italian style bread crumbs or any low carb alternative
- 1 egg
- Garlic salt, seasoned salt, granulated garlic & black pepper to taste
Toppings: This is what I used but change anything to meet your preferences
- 2+ cups of mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 cup of pizza sauce - more or less
- Sliced mushrooms, sliced red onion, black olives, sliced deli pepperoni & shredded Parmesan cheese
Topped the meat crust with a layer of mozzarella, pizza sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, red onion, pepperoni, and olives. Placed Meatza pie back in the 400ºF oven and baked for an additional 10 - 15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.