Detroit vs Chicago Pizza

The battle between Detroit and Chicago pizza stands as one of America’s most distinctive culinary showdowns. Deep dish pizza has conquered metropolitan areas nationwide. These two styles share thick crusts loaded with toppings, but their construction and taste create completely different experiences.

Detroit and Chicago pizzas first diverge in their shapes. Detroit pizza makers craft their pies in rectangular or square pans. Chicago’s deep dish pizza boasts its iconic round shape. The crusts tell two different stories. Chicago pizza’s thick, doughy crust rises up to two inches high and creates a buttery fortress of indulgence with flour, cornmeal, and butter. Detroit pizza’s dough uses more water that creates a softer, airier texture as with focaccia bread. These regional titans also differ in their cheese placement. Detroit’s signature Wisconsin brick cheese flows abundantly over the edges. Chicago’s high-edged pie crust contains generous amounts of cheese beneath a chunky tomato sauce.

What is Detroit-style pizza?

Detroit-style pizza stands as a rectangular revelation with its own unique identity in the competitive world of American pizza styles. This Michigan marvel offers a special preparation method and texture profile that pizza lovers all over the country can’t get enough of, unlike its Chicago cousin.

Origin and history of Detroit pizza

The story of Detroit-style pizza began in 1946 at Buddy’s Rendezvous, an old speakeasy on Six Mile Road and Conant Street in Detroit. The owners, Gus and Anna Guerra, created something revolutionary by introducing their square-shaped pizza to hungry Detroiters.

The pizza style stayed a local favorite for almost 80 years. Everything changed in 2012 when pizza maker Shawn Randazzo won Pizza Maker of the Year at the International Pizza Challenge. His win brought worldwide recognition to this unique style. Detroit-style pizza’s popularity exploded after that, reaching beyond Michigan to cities throughout America and even places as far away as Dubai.

People still debate about where the original recipe came from. Some say it was inspired by Anna Guerra’s mother’s Sicilian sfincione recipe, while others give credit to a Sicilian employee named Connie Piccinato. The pizza style’s Sicilian roots show clearly through its rectangular shape and substantial crust, whatever its true origin.

Key features of Detroit-style pizza

Detroit-style pizza stands out with several unique characteristics:

• Rectangular shape: Square or rectangular every time, perfect for corner piece lovers
• Thick, airy crust: A chewy interior meets crispy exterior, usually about 1½ inches thick
• Brick cheese: Wisconsin brick cheese is the traditional choice, a mild cheese that creates beautiful caramelization
• Edge-to-edge cheese: Goes right on the dough to the edges, creating a caramelized “frico” or lacy crust
• Reversed layering: Toppings often go under the cheese with sauce on top, sometimes in “racing stripes”
• Double-proofed dough: Two rises give it that special light, airy texture

The dough’s hydration level typically hits 70% or higher, creating an open, porous, chewy crust with a crisp exterior. The crust gets its buttery flavor from the melting Wisconsin brick cheese, even though it uses very little oil.

Why it’s called a ‘pan pizza’

The sort of thing I love about Detroit-style pizza’s history is its connection to the city’s automotive roots. Yes, it is true that the first pizzas were baked in rectangular blue steel pans borrowed from local car plants. These industrial pans, made by Dover Parkersburg in the 1930s and 1940s, started life as drip trays or containers for small parts and scrap metal in automobile factories.

These pans played a crucial role. Their heavy-gauge steel spread heat perfectly to create that signature crispy crust, especially as cheese caramelized against the high sides. Places like Buddy’s and Cloverleaf still use original pans that are 50-75 years old. Blue steel isn’t made anymore, which makes authentic vintage pans highly sought after.

This industrial pan heritage shows how Detroit’s manufacturing legacy merged with its food innovation. The result was a pizza style as unique as the city itself – a working-class creation that came from creativity and making the most of what was available.

What is Chicago-style pizza?

Chicago-style pizza has become a culinary icon that’s won over pizza lovers across the country. The debate between Detroit and Chicago pizza shows these styles couldn’t be more different. The Windy City’s creation has grown into several versions, each with its own loyal fans.

How Chicago deep-dish was born

The story of Chicago’s signature pizza style started in 1943 when Pizzeria Uno opened its doors in the city’s Near North Side neighborhood. Ike Sewell and Richard Riccardo started this place and created something completely different from the thin, foldable slices people knew.

Food historians still debate who really created deep-dish pizza. Pizza expert Peter Regas spent over 10 years looking into deep-dish’s roots. He found the pizza was created at 29 East Ohio Street (Pizzeria Uno’s address) in fall 1943—but Sewell might not be its creator. Regas thinks Ric Riccardo could be the genius behind it after he found a pizza oven and round cast iron pans in the kitchen.

The original deep-dish pizza was about an inch tall—half as high as today’s versions. It used basic pizza dough made with flour, yeast, salt, and water. The recipe changed substantially in the 1950s. Alice Mae Redmond, a cook from Mississippi, mixed in parts of her Southern-style biscuit recipe to make the dough stretchier.

Signature traits of Chicago-style pizza

Chicago-style pizza stands out from other types—especially compared to Detroit style—because of its unique build. The process starts with coating a cake-like pan with olive oil. A special dough mix of white and semolina flour (sometimes cornmeal) gets pressed against the deep pan’s round bottom and sides.

The layering technique makes this pizza special. Unlike Detroit-style, Chicago pizzerias put sliced mozzarella right on the dough. Next comes meat and vegetables (usually Italian sausage), topped with crushed tomatoes. This backwards build keeps the cheese from burning during the long baking time.

The crust deserves its own spotlight. Classic recipes often use a thick pizza crust that’s sometimes pre-baked before adding toppings, which gives it more spring. The sides climb high to hold all the fillings. The olive oil lightly fries the dough while baking, creating that golden crunch Chicago pizza fans love.

Why it’s often compared to a pie

The way Chicago deep-dish looks and feels matches a traditional pie. Its high-edged crust packed with layers looks more like a savory pie than regular pizza. Picture a bread-like base loaded with mozzarella and chunky tomato sauce, all wrapped in a crust that climbs up the sides of an oiled steel pan.

You eat it differently too. New York or Detroit styles work as hand-held food, but Chicago deep-dish needs utensils. One Chicago pizzeria owner puts it simply: “You’ll need a knife and fork. Real deep-dish Chicago pizza works better as a sit-down meal”.

The original deep-dish idea has sparked new versions over the years. Nancy’s Pizza and Giordano’s Pizzeria started playing with deep-dish in the 1970s and created “stuffed pizza”. This version adds another layer of dough over the toppings and packs in more cheese than regular deep-dish. Pan pizza also emerged (made famous by places like Pequod’s) with its focaccia-style crust and crispy, caramelized cheese edges.

Chicago and Detroit pizza differ mainly in structure and how you eat them. Detroit’s rectangular, crispy-bottomed style contrasts with Chicago’s round, fork-and-knife pie creation. Each style shows how American cities put their own spin on pizza, reflecting their unique culture and food breakthroughs.

Detroit vs Chicago Pizza: Crust, Cheese, and Sauce

The battle between Detroit and Chicago pizza boils down to their foundations: crust, cheese, and sauce. These American pizza titans take different paths with these elements and create unique experiences for pizza lovers.

Crust texture and thickness

The crust differences between Detroit and Chicago style pizzas stand out right away. Detroit-style pizza has a surprisingly light crust that doesn’t match its hefty look. The dough contains high water content (75% hydration level) which creates an interesting mix of crispy and chewy textures. You’ll find a tender-chewy inside with an extra-crisp outside that turns golden brown and caramelizes beautifully.

Chicago-style deep dish takes a completely different route. Its crust climbs up to two inches high and forms what many call a “buttery fortress” from flour, cornmeal, and butter. Unlike Detroit’s light and airy texture, Chicago’s crust is dense and strong by design. The crust needs this strength to hold up its mountain of toppings. Chicago pizza’s crust works like a container more than anything else.

Cheese types and placement

Each pizza style changes completely based on its cheese choice. Detroit-style pizza sticks to Wisconsin brick cheese – a high-fat cheese that tastes buttery without any actual butter. The cheese spreads to the pan’s edges and creates Detroit pizza’s famous caramelized “frico” crust.

Chicago deep-dish relies on whole-milk mozzarella and sometimes adds provolone. Both styles break the usual pizza-making rules by putting cheese directly on the dough before sauce, but each has its reasons. Chicago does this to keep the cheese from burning during its longer cooking time. The sauce acts like a shield.

Sauce consistency and layering

These styles part ways again when it comes to sauce. Chicago pizza shows off a thick, strong tomato sauce with bits of tomato, garlic, and oregano you can see. This hearty sauce sits on top of the cheese and gives the pizza its signature look.

Detroit-style sauce goes a different way – it’s smoother and more subtly seasoned. Detroit pizza makers often add sauce in “racing stripes” or spots on top, sometimes after baking (known as a “red top”). The sauce packs flavor with garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano.

The way these three elements – crust, cheese, and sauce – come together creates the main difference in the Detroit vs Chicago pizza debate. Each city stands behind its unique take on pizza perfection.

Toppings, Shape, and Serving Style

The detroit vs chicago pizza rivalry goes beyond basic ingredients and cooking methods. Each style has its own unique toppings, shapes, and serving approaches. These elements create dining experiences that showcase each city’s food culture.

Traditional toppings for each style

Each pizza style champions its own signature toppings. Detroit-style pizza features a special kind of pepperoni – not the usual large, flat circles you see on other pizzas. Instead, it uses smaller, thicker rounds that curl into tiny cups during baking. These little pepperoni cups hold onto their fat while cooking and make the pizza more flavorful.

Chicago-style pizza takes a different approach with sausage as its star topping. Cooks place sausage crumbles between layers of cheese and sauce. This smart layering keeps the sausage moist throughout the long baking time.

Both styles welcome creative toppings. People love adding chicken, bacon, green peppers, black olives, mushrooms, ham, feta, artichoke, jalapeño, anchovies, and roasted garlic. All the same, Detroit and Chicago styles are different in how they add toppings. Detroit pizza makers place toppings carefully in the center to create an even taste in every bite.

Square vs round: how shape affects the experience

Detroit and Chicago pizzas look completely different at first glance. Detroit’s rectangular shape gives you more corner pieces with extra-crispy edges. The square cut means you get the same amount of toppings and crust in every bite.

Chicago deep-dish keeps the traditional round pizza shape but makes it deeper. The high sides work like a bowl to hold all the ingredients inside.

How each style is sliced and served

These regional favorites have unique serving styles too. Detroit-style pizza comes in square pieces instead of triangles. This cutting style gives you more crispy-edge pieces and makes sharing easier.

Chicago-style deep-dish needs a completely different approach to eat it. You’ll need a fork and knife for these hefty slices. Eating Chicago pizza feels more like a sit-down dinner than casual finger food. Each slice packs so much weight and depth that you can’t rush through your meal.

Ingredient and Cooking Method Differences

The technical details of detroit vs chicago pizza explain why each bite tastes so different. These regional favorites stand apart because of their unique preparation methods that shape their distinct character.

Dough hydration and flour types

Detroit-style pizza’s dough has a high hydration level of 70-75%. This creates its famous airy interior and porous structure. Chicago deep-dish takes a different approach with lower hydration—usually below 58%—which makes a denser and stronger base. Detroit dough uses bread flour to get the perfect chew and sometimes adds cornmeal for extra texture. Chicago dough also uses cornmeal but focuses on making a sturdy foundation rather than achieving airiness.

Baking temperature and time

Detroit-style pizza bakes at around 475°F (245°C) and takes about 20 minutes to cook perfectly. Chicago-style pizza needs a cooler oven at 425°F (220°C) but takes much longer to bake—anywhere from 30-45 minutes. The extra time helps heat reach through Chicago’s thicker structure completely.

Pan types used in each style

Each pizza’s unique character comes from its special pan. Detroit-style pizza makers use rectangular steel or aluminum pans with straight sides. These heavy metal pans create an intense heat that almost fries the bottom crust. Chicago-style deep-dish pizza needs round pans that stand at least 2.5 inches tall with straight sides. This creates its famous pie-like shape.

Summing all up

Detroit and Chicago pizza styles are unique culinary achievements that have fans all over America. They share some common ground with their thick crusts, generous toppings, and reversed layering techniques. But their differences are what make each style special.

Detroit-style pizza catches your eye with its rectangular shape, airy crust, and cheese that caramelizes around the edges. The pizza’s crispy exterior and chewy interior come from blue steel pans borrowed from car factories. On top of that, it features sauce stripes added last – a visual signature that matches the city’s car-making heritage.

Chicago deep-dish takes you in a completely different direction. This round, pie-like creation needs a fork and knife rather than hands. Its buttery crust, enhanced with cornmeal, creates walls that hold layers of cheese, toppings, and chunky tomato sauce. This masterpiece takes time to prepare and eat, giving you a full meal instead of just a quick slice.

The choice between these regional favorites comes down to what you like best. Some pizza fans love Detroit’s crispy corners and lighter texture, while others can’t resist Chicago’s hearty, fork-and-knife experience. Both styles show how pizza adapts to local tastes and what’s available nearby.

You should definitely try both styles before picking a favorite. Detroit’s rectangular, crispy-bottomed creation and Chicago’s deep, round pie give us a great look at how regional food identities grow and thrive. Though they differ in almost everything – from shape and construction to baking methods and serving styles – both pizzas are perfect examples of American culinary breakthroughs.

Here are some FAQs about Detroit vs Chicago pizza:

What is the difference between Detroit and Chicago pizza?

The key difference in detroit vs chicago pizza lies in their crust and structure – Detroit style features a thick, rectangular crust with crispy cheese edges, while Chicago deep dish has pie-like tall sides with ingredients in reverse order. In the chicago vs detroit pizza comparison, Chicago’s version uses a buttery flaky crust that holds massive amounts of toppings, whereas detroit style pizza vs chicago has a lighter, airier focaccia-like base. The detroit pizza vs chicago debate often comes down to preference for crispy caramelized cheese (Detroit) versus towering saucy layers (Chicago).

How is Detroit-style pizza different?

Detroit style pizza vs chicago stands out with its rectangular blue steel pan-baked crust and signature crispy cheese perimeter. Unlike other styles in the detroit vs chicago pizza discussion, authentic Detroit pizza layers toppings under the sauce (often in three stripes) and uses Wisconsin brick cheese that caramelizes against the pan. The detroit pizza vs chicago comparison highlights how Detroit’s airy yet crunchy crust differs from Chicago’s dense, buttery deep dish base.

Is deep dish pizza from Detroit?

No, despite the detroit vs chicago pizza comparisons, true deep dish pizza originated in Chicago, not Detroit. The detroit style pizza vs chicago distinction shows that while both are thick, Detroit-style isn’t technically “deep dish” – it’s more accurately described as a thick, rectangular pan pizza. In the chicago vs detroit pizza history, Chicago’s deep dish predates Detroit’s style by about a decade.

Why do people like Detroit-style pizza?

Fans of detroit pizza vs chicago praise the perfect textural contrast between the crispy cheese edges and airy interior crust. The detroit vs chicago style pizza preference often comes down to Detroit’s balanced flavor profile where no single ingredient overwhelms. Many in the detroit style pizza vs chicago debate appreciate how Detroit’s version offers substantial heft without Chicago-style’s sometimes overbearing richness.

Why is Chicago pizza so different?

Chicago’s signature pizza stands apart in the detroit vs chicago pizza discussion due to its pie-like construction with ingredients in reverse order (cheese first, then toppings, topped with sauce). The chicago vs detroit pizza contrast highlights how Chicago deep dish uses a tall, buttery crust that’s almost pastry-like compared to Detroit’s focaccia-inspired base. This detroit pizza vs chicago difference creates entirely distinct eating experiences.

Are Detroit and Sicilian pizza the same?

While similar, the detroit style pizza vs chicago comparison shows Detroit-style differs from Sicilian with its signature crispy cheese edges and specific pan requirements. In the detroit vs chicago pizza family tree, both Detroit and Sicilian are rectangular thick-crust pizzas, but Detroit uses Wisconsin brick cheese and a blue steel pan that creates its unique caramelized crust. The detroit pizza vs chicago and Sicilian discussion reveals subtle but important preparation differences.

Is Detroit pizza just focaccia?

While Detroit-style crust shares some qualities with focaccia in the detroit vs chicago pizza comparison, it’s distinctly different. The detroit style pizza vs chicago analysis shows Detroit pizza dough is typically made with higher hydration and baked in oiled steel pans, creating its unique texture. Unlike plain focaccia in the detroit pizza vs chicago discussion, Detroit pizza features signature cheese-laden edges and is always topped as a complete pizza.

What is the secret of Detroit pizza?

The magic behind detroit vs chicago pizza lies in the blue steel pans that create perfect heat distribution for crispy edges. Key to detroit style pizza vs chicago is the Wisconsin brick cheese that caramelizes against the pan’s sides, forming those signature crunchy corners. The detroit pizza vs chicago secret also includes a high-hydration dough that bakes up light yet sturdy enough to support generous toppings.