Camping & Pie Iron Cooking

When you think camping, do you think cast iron cooking? I definitely do! When it comes to camping there are so many many fun ways to cook with cast iron. My favorite way to use cast iron when camping with my kids is to use the pie iron! 

What is a pie iron? It is two small cast iron pans attached to a metal handle. The cast iron pans close so you can place them into a fire to cook. 

What is the benefit of cooking with a pie iron? There are so many benefits to cooking with a pie iron! Since they are small, they make a single portion which means everyone can make their meal to their preference; this is great for picky eaters! Since the pie irons close you can place them on the fire and take a step back so that you are not directly in the smoke of the fire. Also since you take them off of the fire to load them with food, you are not adding food while dealing with smoke from the fire. 

What can you make in a pie iron? While there are many recipes on Pinterest and all over the internet for pie iron meals, my favorites are dessert sandwiches and a breakfast bake. To make dessert sandwiches you take a slice of your favorite bread and take a pie filling or Nutella/nut butter of your choice and spread it on the bread. You then top with another piece of bread to make a sandwich and place in a greased pie iron. Cook for 3-5 minutes right outside of a hot fire. We like to top ours with ice cream, but that is totally optional. This is a great quick recipe for kids. They can make their sandwich with the ingredients that they choose and an adult can place the sandwich in the pie iron to cook! My family also used the pie irons to make individual breakfast bakes. We heated the pie irons up and then greased them. We lined the pie irons with tater tots (potato puffs) and cracked an egg over- this is where everyone made theirs differently- added precooked bacon or sausage, spinach, cheese, and even peppers and onions. This was very fun because no two breakfast bakes were the same! This was the most requested breakfast we made on our camping trip, and I cannot wait to make it again.

What else do you need to know about pie irons? There are a few important things you should know about pie irons prior to using them. First, because they are cast iron, they will need to be seasoned before use. Second, they will rust very easily so it is best to store them properly between use. Third, you will need a surface to place them on to fill them and to let them cool. We usually find a large rock to fit two pie irons because that works best for our family. While pie irons are great for cooking with, kids they are heavy and hot and require adult supervision. Pie irons are relatively inexpensive to purchase, but if you are buying online they may be more expensive because shipping may cost more because of the weight of the cast iron. 

My family fell in love with using pie irons while camping and I hope your family loves them as much as mine. It is a fun interactive way to interactively cook with your kids while camping or even at home in a fire pit. Happy cooking! 

Have you ever cooked with a pie iron or cast iron? We’d love to know which recipes you use. Connect with us on Instagram @MapsCookingKids or on Twitter @MapsCookingKids. Until next time, Agape, be kind, and happy parenting!