Southwestern Chukar Pizza

Written by Jeff Davis

Prep Time: 2 hours - Cook Time: 8 min

This is pizza number three of my summer pizza blowout. I'm calling it a Southwestern Chukar Pizza; it's loaded with Black Beans, Corn, Jalapeno, Red Onions, and Roasted Chukar. Instead of a traditional pizza sauce, I'm using a spicy little bean dip. The recipe I'm including is for doing one 12-inch pizza, with a thick crust. You could roll this dough out thinner if you wanted to do a larger, thin crust pizza, but our pizza oven is only big enough for these small pizzas.

I actually made two of these small 12-inch pizza's, one bird was more than enough to do both of them. I opened a can of Black Beans and Whole Kernel Corn, but even doing two pizzas, you only need a fraction of each can. This pizza would also be good using White Queso as the pizza sauce or even drizzled on after the pizza comes out of the oven. I'm using a Mexican pilsner beer in my crust and a little bit of sugar to darken the crust.

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I brined the Chukar in some buttermilk with a little hot sauce for about 4 hours. Stuffed them with some Lime and Cilantro, then roasted them in the oven at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes. I allowed the meat to cool then shred it into small pieces.

Ingredients

Garlic Infused Oil

3 clove(s) Garlic

1/2 cup(s) Olive Oil

Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup(s) `00` Flour

1/2 cup(s) Pilser Beer - I used Modelo

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Honey

Southwestern Chukar Pizza

1 whole Chukar

1 1/2 cup(s) Buttermilk

1 tbsp Hot Sauce

1 Lime

Fresh Cilantro

1 can(s) Southwest Bean Dip

1/8 cup(s) Whole Kernel Corn

1/8 cup(s) Black Beans

1 Jalapeno

1/4 cup(s) Diced Red Onion

Fiesta Blend Cheese or shredded Colby Jack

White Queso

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp Butter

Instructions

Garlic Infused Oil

Step #1 Slice Garlic cloves and add to a small container

Step #2 Cover with Olive Oil and allow to sit for a couple of hours before use. This will make more than enough for one pizza. Save the remainder to use a different day, it'll get better over time. Also good for making Garlic Toast.

Pizza Dough

Step #1 Pour beer into measuring cup and leaving sitting out to reach room temperature. The yeast will take longer to activate if you mix with cold beer.

Step #2 Add all your dry ingredients, the yeast, flour and salt to stand mixer. Add dough hook to stand mixer then turn on to lowest setting and slowly pour in beer while it mixes. Keep the setting low or it'll sling flour all over the kitchen. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Allow to run for a couple of minutes on low before switching to high.

If you don't have a mixer, you can incorporate by hand. Turn out onto a well flour surface to knead by hand until the dough starts to bounce back when pressed on, could take 5-10 minutes.

Step #3 Allow to run on the higher setting for 5-7 minutes.

Step #4 When it's all come together, drizzle in Olive Oil.

Step #5 Spray a mixing bowl with cooking spary. When we transfer dough this this bowl, it'll help keep the dough from sticking.

Step #6 Form the dough into a roundish ball and add to mixing bowl.

Step #7 Sit the bowl in a warm spot and allow the dough to rise for a couple of hours. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. I like to run the towel under the facet, ring it out the excess water, then microwave for a couple of minutes.... be extra careful if you do this because the towel will be steaming hot and will burn.

Step #8 After a couple of hours the dough should double in size. Pour out onto a well floured surface and form into a loaf shape. At this stage I like to wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Let sit for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Step #9 After 20-30 minutes it should be ready to use. Or you can leave wrapped and place in the refrigerator to use another day.

Southwestern Chukar Pizza

Step #1 Place birds in a zip lock bag and cover with buttermilk. Add a few dashes of hot sauce, seal the bag and shake back and forth to combine. Add zip lock bag to the refrigerator for 4-6 hours to brine.

Step #2 Remove bird from brine and give a quick rinse. Place on a wire rack to air dry. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Step #3 Stuff the cavity of the birds with slices of lime and cilantro.

Step #4 Season the birds generously with salt and pepper.

Step #5 Add 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter to an oven proof skillet. Set heat to medium high and allow to get hot. Add the birds to the hot skillet allow to cook for two minutes. Remove skillet from stove hot and place in hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes or the internal temperature reach 155 degrees.

Step #6 Remove the birds to a plate and allow to cool. When cool, shred meat into tiny pieces.

Step #7 Start pizza oven and allow to reach 450-500 degrees.

Step #8 Drain Corn

Step #9 Rinse Black Beans

Step #10 Dice Jalapeno and Red Onions. Shred cheese if you bought it in a block.

Step #11 On a well floured surface, punch down your dough and form into a roughly round pizza shape, it doesn't need to be perfect.

Step #12 Cover your pizza peel or an upside down baking sheet in corn meal and move pizza dough to it.

Step #13 Brush the pizza dough all over with the Garlic Infused Olive Oil

Step #14 Spoon out some of the bean dip and spread out into an even layer.

Step #15 Sprinkle on shredded cheese blend.

Step #16 Add your shredded Chukar meat.

Step #17 Add Corn, Black Beans, Jalapeno's and Red Onions.

Step #18 Add pizza to oven and allow to cook for about 8 minutes, turning often.

Step #19 Allow to cool.

Step #20 Top with fresh chopped Cilantro. Optionally drizzle with White Queso.

Recipe Card

Southwestern Chukar Pizza

Written by Jeff Davis Visit : Visit authors website

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Prep Time: 2 hours - Cook Time: 8 min