You've probably seen the photos. That deep, dark, lacy cheese crown—officially called a frico—creeping up the sides of a blue steel pan. It looks intimidating. Most people think you need a commercial deck oven or a secret 100-year-old recipe from a guy named Sal in Motor City to pull this off. Honestly? You don't. In fact, if you switch your standard yeast for a wild sourdough starter, you’re going to get a crust that blows most commercial pizzerias out of the water.
Sourdough Detroit style pizza is the ultimate crossover. It’s the high-hydration, airy complexity of a San Francisco sourdough loaf meets the greasy, unapologetic decadence of a Michigan dive bar.
Most Detroit style pizzas use commercial yeast to get that fast, predictable rise. It’s fine. It’s consistent. But it’s a bit... one-dimensional. When you use sourdough, the lactic acid bacteria go to work on the flour over 24 to 48 hours. This doesn't just make it "sour." It breaks down the gluten and starches, creating those massive, irregular bubbles that make the crust feel light as a feather despite being an inch thick.
If you've ever felt like a brick hit your stomach after eating deep dish, that’s usually under-fermented dough. Sourdough fixes that.
The Secret Isn't Just the Starter, It's the Steel
Let’s talk hardware. If you try to bake this in a glass Pyrex dish or a thin cake pan, stop. Just stop.
The original Detroit pizzas were baked in blue steel pans scavenged from automotive factories. These pans were used to hold small parts or catch oil. They’re heavy. They hold heat like crazy. More importantly, the high sides allow the cheese to melt down and fry against the metal. This is the frico. Without the right pan, you’re just making focaccia with sauce on top.
Brands like LloydPans have basically cornered the market on this now. Their pans are pre-seasoned and non-stick, which is a lifesaver because digging a stuck pizza out of a corner is a recipe for a bad Saturday night. You want the 10x14 inch pan for a standard family size, or the 8x10 if you’re flying solo or want more edge-to-crust ratio.
Why Your Hydration Levels Are Lying to You
When people talk about sourdough Detroit style pizza, they obsess over hydration percentages. You’ll hear "75% is the sweet spot" or "Go 80% or go home."
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Here’s the reality: your flour matters more than the math.
If you’re using King Arthur Bread Flour, it can drink up water like a sponge. If you’re using a generic store-brand all-purpose flour, 80% hydration will turn your dough into a literal soup that won't hold air. For a sourdough version, I usually aim for a "shaggy but manageable" 70-72%. Remember, your sourdough starter itself is usually 50% water and 50% flour (100% hydration). You have to account for that liquid.
The Wisconsin Brick Cheese Dilemma
If you want to be a purist, you need Wisconsin Brick cheese. It’s a high-fat, semi-hard cheese that stays buttery even when it's blasted at 500 degrees.
But unless you live in the Midwest, finding it is a pain.
Don't settle for the "Pizza Blend" bags at the grocery store. They contain potato starch to keep the shreds from clumping. That starch prevents the cheese from melting into that glorious, oily barrier that fries the crust.
Instead, go to the deli counter. Ask for a block of low-moisture, whole-milk mozzarella and a block of Monterey Jack. Cubing the cheese instead of shredding it is a pro move. Use half-inch cubes. When they melt, they create little pockets of fat that seep into the sourdough's crumb. It’s incredible.
The Timeline: How to Not Stress Your Starter
Sourdough is slow. Detroit pizza is thick. Combining them requires patience.
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- Morning (Day 1): Feed your starter. You want it at its peak—bubbly and passing the "float test."
- Evening (Day 1): Mix your flour, water, salt, and about 15-20% starter. Don't worry about kneading it to death. A few stretch-and-folds over two hours will do.
- The Cold Bulk: Put that dough in the fridge. Forget about it for 24 hours. This is where the flavor happens.
- Day 2 (4 hours before dinner): Take the dough out. Oil your LloydPan heavily with olive oil or even Crisco (it’s a Detroit secret). Plop the cold dough in.
- The Dimple: It won’t want to stretch to the corners yet. Don't force it. Let it relax for an hour, then come back and gently push it to the edges.
- The Final Proof: This is the most important part. Let it sit in the pan at room temp until it’s jiggly and doubled in height.
Handling the Heat Without Burning the House Down
Your home oven is actually a beast for Detroit style. Most residential ovens top out at 500°F or 550°F. That is perfect.
Unlike a Neapolitan pizza that needs 900 degrees for 60 seconds, a sourdough Detroit style pizza needs a "low and slow" approach by comparison. You’re looking at 12 to 15 minutes.
Place your rack in the bottom third of the oven. You want the heat hitting the bottom of that steel pan to fry the dough in the oil. If the top is browning too fast, move it up.
The "Racing Stripes" Sauce Method
In Detroit, the sauce goes on last. Sometimes even after it’s baked.
The reason? Moisture. If you dump a bunch of watery tomato sauce on top of raw sourdough, you’re going to get a "gum line"—that raw, doughy layer right under the cheese.
Cook your sauce down until it’s thick. I’m talking paste-adjacent. Use canned San Marzano tomatoes, a bit of oregano, plenty of garlic, and a pinch of chili flakes. Once the pizza comes out of the oven, ladle two or three thick "racing stripes" of hot sauce down the length of the pie. It keeps the crust crispy and the cheese charred.
Common Mistakes That Ruin the Vibe
I’ve messed up a lot of these. Usually, it's because I got impatient.
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If you don't wait for the final proof in the pan, the sourdough will be dense. It’ll taste like a giant cracker rather than a cloud. If you see big bubbles on the surface, don't pop them! Those are the best parts.
Another big one: over-saucing. We already talked about the gum line, but seriously, less is more. You can always dip the crust in extra sauce later.
Also, watch your edges. The cheese needs to be piled high against the metal. I mean high. It should look like a cheese wall. That’s what creates the carbonized crust that people fight over. If the cheese isn't touching the metal, it’s just a square pizza. It’s not a Detroit.
Is Sourdough Actually "Healthier" for Pizza?
"Healthier" is a loaded word when we're talking about a pound of cheese and fried dough. However, there is some real science here.
The long fermentation of sourdough breaks down phytic acid. This makes the minerals in the flour more bioavailable. For people with minor gluten sensitivities (not Celiac, obviously), sourdough is often much easier to digest because the bacteria have already done the heavy lifting of breaking down the proteins.
So, basically, you can eat an extra slice and call it "wellness." Sorta.
Actionable Steps for Your First Bake
If you're ready to try this, don't overcomplicate it. Follow these specific steps for your first run:
- Get the right pan: Order a 10x14 LloydPan. It’s an investment, but it lasts forever.
- Check your starter: Make sure it’s active. If it hasn't been fed in a week, give it two feedings before mixing your dough.
- The Cheese Wall: Use a mix of Monterey Jack and Mozzarella. Cube it, don't shred it.
- Temperature Check: Use an infrared thermometer if you have one. You want the pan to be screaming hot.
- The Post-Bake Rest: Let the pizza sit in the pan for 2 or 3 minutes after it comes out. This allows the frico to firm up so it pulls away from the metal in one piece. Use a metal spatula to gently pry the edges before lifting the whole thing out onto a wire rack. Don't let it sit in the pan too long, or the steam will turn your crispy bottom soggy.
Cut it into squares. Not triangles. Ever. The corner pieces are the gold standard—every bite has two sides of fried cheese. Once you taste the tang of the sourdough against the salty, caramelized edges of a Detroit style pie, there’s really no going back to standard delivery. It's a project, sure, but it's one you can eat. That's the best kind.