DSP Sauce

[Chicago Pizza Papi]

I looked high and low for a thread about sauce and was surprised not to find one. I feel as if Detroit Style is pretty straight forward besides the sauce. Cooked? Not cooked? Spices added or just tomatoes and salt? Is every restaurant different or is it like NYC which is usually pretty similar besides #10 tomato can/brand used? I would preferably like to mimic some of the most popular places in Detroit like Buddys. Speaking of which, as someone from Chicago, I would like to get a Michigan natives perspective on what places are most popular. The only one I hear coming up over and over again is Buddy's.

[Howitzer21]

Welcome to the forum.

User HansB has a wonderful thread about his home DSP, including his sauce recipe. It's worth a read:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=42012.0

User CharlieAnderson has also been working on his home DSP recipe, which he's documented on Youtube (playlist linked, multiple videos):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DYAG-fINfA&list=PLWKCVGwB1Bg2iCOMB_QEqosPQrPuPPL2I

Other than Buddy's, Shield's, Detroit Style Pizza Company, Cloverleaf, Como's, Michigan and Trumball, Grandma Bob's, and Loui's seem to be some of the more popular names for DSP.

[parallei]

I looked high and low for a thread about sauce and was surprised not to find one. ''''''''' a Michigan natives perspective on what places are most popular. The only one I hear coming up over and over again is Buddy's.............

Simple is always good. Crushed tomatoes, pepper and salt. Not even sure one needs the salt with all that cheese. If you are feeling adventurous, chuck on a bit of oregano after the fact.

[Chicago Pizza Papi]

Thank you for the reply and all the good info!

I started reading through HansB's thread earlier today. There is alot of great info there, but I know he prefaced the thread with "this is how I like doing it", which is completely fine, but I wanted to make one where if someone ate it they would be like "wow this takes me right back to buddy's" or "damn this tastes just like DSP Company. How did you do this?"

I also have watched through Charlies videos. He does great research and puts together awesome videos. What I noticed is he never really referenced where he got the thyme, oregano, and red pepper flake from, besides saying thats what he thought he tasted when he tried the pizzas. It seemed like alot more of the testing and detail went into how much to cook the sauce, if at all, and mixing it with tomato paste.

Thyme definitely throws me off as I have used it before in pizza sauce and I really didnt like it. I was a young pizza maker at that point so maybe I added too much and need to try again.

I guess I was just curious if anyone who has lived there or worked there has heard through the grapevine or has personally made pizzas at one of those shops so I have a more evidence based starting point since I dont have old taste bud adventures to rely on. It also sounds like I may just have to go up to Detroit for a day like Charlie did and try 3 or 4 spots to get a better idea. 😂

Welcome to the forum.

User HansB has a wonderful thread about his home DSP, including his sauce recipe. It's worth a read:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=42012.0

User CharlieAnderson has also been working on his home DSP recipe, which he's documented on Youtube (playlist linked, multiple videos):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DYAG-fINfA&list=PLWKCVGwB1Bg2iCOMB_QEqosPQrPuPPL2I

Other than Buddy's, Shield's, Detroit Style Pizza Company, Cloverleaf, Como's, Michigan and Trumball, Grandma Bob's, and Loui's seem to be some of the more popular names for DSP.

[Chicago Pizza Papi]

Definitely agree! Less is usually better.

I was just trying to get it as close to authentic Detroit as possible, so I was curious if anyone had the down low. In Chicago, like Lous Deep Dish for example, we can look at the frozen pies listed ingredients AND all Marc Malnatis interviews and he legitimately says what's in his sausage, sauce, etc.

Simple is always good. Crushed tomatoes, pepper and salt. Not even sure one needs the salt with all that cheese. If you are feeling adventurous, chuck on a bit of oregano after the fact.

[foreplease]

I live in Michigan but I am 100 miles closer to Chicago than Detroit. That said, I have eaten pizza with Hans at Buddy's original location and I have made his "my way" dough/pizza many times. I have not had Buddy's and Hans's on back to back nights but my sense is Hans's is indistinguishable from Buddy's. As his thread reveals, this is not something he lucked out and got right on the first try. There were several small changes that led to his current formula and all the other details that follow mixing the dough.


It's more than the dough though. It's handling, fermentation, the pan and its preparation. The bake. It's brick cheese until you tire of sourcing it. Toppings under the cheese. Sauce on top. At some point you may decide "this is a very good base, a solid (and easy) formula and work flow, I am going to top it as I like and prefer things."


In my own trials I have used my standard thin uncooked sauce as well as sauce thickened by cooking a few minutes. There is also a choice to be made between saucing before the bake, post-bake, or a couple minutes before the end of the bake. Try them all and see which you prefer. If you are in a hurry you can try all three methods on the same pizza. I think I prefer the thicker sauce post bake but not by much. FWIW, I don't recall which way Buddy's did it. At some point, unless Buddy himself is coming to dinner, making it to your own personal preferences will please you the most IMO.

[stamina888]

I've tried Detroits with pizza sauce, and some Detroits with homemade marinara sauce, and I enjoy both.  I seem to like marinara better on top of pizza than under the cheese for whatever reason.

I don't remember my exact recipe off hand, but its something like this.

4-6 can Alta Cucina
1 can Super Dolce
1 cup Basil
1 cup Garlic Confit
0.25 cup Sugar