In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, and salt.
Add the melted butter, olive oil (1 tablespoon), and the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until a dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 7-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, dried oregano, and dried basil. Simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
In a skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the ground beef, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the beef is browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat and set aside.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer it to a 12-inch deep dish pizza pan or a 9×13-inch round cake pan.
Press the dough evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan to create a thick crust.
Layer half of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the dough.
Spread the cooked ground beef evenly over the cheese layer.
Pour the prepared tomato sauce evenly over the beef layer.
Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese, spreading it evenly.
Bake the deep dish pizza in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.