A pie iron turns bread and a handful of fillings into a sealed, toasted pocket right in the coals. This line covers pie irons and related campfire cookers for people who want a hot meal without a camp stove.
A pie iron is a pair of hinged, hollow-faced metal plates on long handles. Bread goes in with a filling, the plates clamp the edges shut, and the whole thing cooks in or over the coals. The result is a pocket with a crisp outside and a hot center, closer to a grilled sandwich than anything you would get on a stick.
That sealed format is what makes the tool so flexible. Savory fillings such as cheese and ham, pizza toppings or scrambled egg all work, and so do sweet versions with fruit, chocolate or pie filling. One tool, many meals, very little cleanup beyond the iron itself.
The format is also forgiving of imperfect ingredients. Day-old bread, leftover chili, a few slices of deli meat and the end of a block of cheese all turn into something good once they are sealed and toasted, so a pie iron doubles as a way to use up what is left in the cooler.
We are developing the cooking line in stages, starting with the pieces that cover the most meals. Specifications will be released closer to launch.
Our campfire cookers are meant for cooks who want to hold food above the coals instead of pressing it in a hinged pair of plates. We will announce details as designs settle, and we will not describe features that are not yet final.
If you already own an iron, or you are borrowing one for a trip, our guide to pie iron recipes and how to use a pie iron explains buttering, filling, sealing and turning, with ideas for breakfast, dinner and dessert.
Good coals matter even more here than with a stick. A pie iron likes steady heat rather than leaping flame, so learn the fire first with how to build a campfire and let it burn down to a bed of coals.
A sealed pocket hides what is happening inside, so judging doneness by sight is risky. The USDA says ground beef patties should reach 160 degrees F and poultry 165 degrees F, checked with a food thermometer, and notes that color alone is unreliable, especially at night in the woods.
Use precooked or fully cooked meat for pie iron fillings when you can, keep raw ingredients cold in the cooler until just before cooking, and wash your hands before and after handling food. Wear a heavy glove when handling the iron, because the handles warm up and the metal stays hot well after it leaves the fire.
Keep the cooking area uncluttered. Set a heat-safe spot beside the fire where a hot iron can rest while you open it, and keep plates, napkins and drinks well away from the coals. Burns usually happen in the handoff, when a hot tool changes hands or a cook turns to grab something.
Pie irons shine when several people cook at once, each building their own pocket with a favorite filling. Scout troops, family reunions and backyard gatherings all benefit from the build-your-own format. Group leaders and retailers can tell us what they need through the list form.
Gift buyers will find an iron pairs easily with a loaf of bread, a jar of pie filling and a recipe card. For a larger event, offer one iron per two or three people so no one waits long between turns.
A last point for new owners: break in a new iron at home, in a safe outdoor spot or a backyard fire where rules allow, before taking it on a big trip. A practice round teaches you how much filling fits and how often to turn it.
Not yet. The cooking line is still in development. Join the Campfire List for launch news.
Toasted sandwiches, pizza pockets, breakfast pockets and fruit pies are common choices. Our pie iron guide includes several ideas.
Coals give the steadiest heat. Tall flames can scorch the bread before the center warms.
Let it cool, scrape off residue and follow the care instructions for its material. Dry it well afterward so it does not rust.
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