What Makes Michigan's Detroit-Style Pizza Unique?

Pizza is one of those foods that pretty much everyone loves. It seems almost impossible to dislike pillowy crust draped in zesty sauce, cheese, and an array of savory toppings. In fact, pizza is so popular that many cities in the United States have developed their own iconic ways to make it.

There is, of course, the famous foldable New York-style pizza beloved by Anthony Bourdain that constantly rivals the indulgent Chicago deep-dish. However, Michigan's Detroit-style version may just be the most delicious pizza you've never heard of. It starts with a chewy, twice-stretched deep dish crust layered into a lightly greased square pan. The crust is then covered from edge-to-edge in cubed Wisconsin brick cheese before everything is smothered with aromatic, garlicky tomato sauce.

The most important factor here is the way the crust and cheese interact. Wisconsin brick cheese is an earthy, nutty cheese that melts beautifully, developing a buttery flavor. Brick cheese also contains less moisture than traditional mozzarella, which can make pizza soggy if handled incorrectly. Since the cheese is distributed right to the edge of the dough, fats released during baking drip down between the metal pan and the outside of the pizza dough. This creates a crispy, golden-brown crust that tastes almost deep-fried, with a savory border of perfectly burned cheese around the upper edge.

Detroit-style pizza toppings are also layered on in reverse order, with pepperoni (America's favorite pizza topping) frequently snuggled under the cheese against the crust. However, some Michigan pizzerias do place pepperoni on top of the sauce to char, cup, and coat the pizza in oily deliciousness. Both options are tempting, as they allow the spicy oils from the pepperoni to meld seamlessly with the gooey cheese or lightly sweet tomato sauce. If you can't decide which sounds better, some pizzerias will do both.

Another must when it comes to Michigan's favorite savory pie is baking it in a square pan. When restaurant-owners and married couple Gus and Anna Guerra invented Detroit-style pizza in 1946, they kept overheads low by sourcing their pans from local automotive companies. These square-shaped pans were made of blue steel and conducted heat perfectly to create that signature crisp-yet-chewy crust.

The original square pans were also heavy-duty enough to handle baking such a dense style of pizza, making them essential to cooking this Detroit classic properly. Today's pans are still square, but made of anodized nonstick aluminum instead of blue steel. Modern pans are also black to help conduct heat, ensuring fat that drips down from the cheese renders to fry the crust instead of sinking into it and making an oily mess. The result is a heavy, deeply savory pizza guaranteed to fill your stomach and linger in your daydreams.