Let the Dough Rest: Set your fresh pizza dough on the kitchen counter to come to room temperature, then roll it to 13 inches.

Skillet Coating: Brush olive oil along the bottom and up the interior sides of your 12-inch cast-iron skillet before preheating the oven to 425°F.

Drain the Beef: After browning the ground beef with Italian seasoning, tilt the skillet or use a fine-mesh strainer to drain off all rendered fat so the pizza filling stays firm and clean.

Use a Slotted Spoon: Deep dish sauce should be thick, not soupy. Using a slotted spoon to transfer the crushed tomatoes prevents excess canning liquid from pooling on top of the cheese.

Let It Rest: Resisting the urge to slice immediately is critical. Let the deep dish rest in the skillet for 10 minutes lets the melted cheeses stabilize so slices hold their shape on the plate.

Sausage Swap: For a traditional Chicago sausage patty style, swap the ground beef for 1 lb of mild Italian sausage. Press the raw sausage into a flat disc directly over the bottom cheese layer; it will cook through completely during the 30-minute bake.

Extra Veggie Layer: Sauté 1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms and 1 diced green bell pepper, then layer them between the ground beef and the fresh mozzarella.

Pan Sizing: A 12-inch cast-iron skillet is ideal. If using a 10-inch skillet, trim about 20% of the dough and scale the filling layers down slightly so the pizza doesn’t overflow the pan walls.