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Bush Pies

Since it is the season to be camping...and eating outdoors...I'm sharing a family favorite dish that is meant to be cooked on the open fire.  A bush pie is basically a sandwich grilled inside a cast-iron pie iron (available where camping equipment is sold).   The base of the pie iron is rectangular with two long handles that can be latched together, and they are available in a single or double size. 
 

  • bush pie maker
  • loaf of sliced bread (2 slices per bush pie)
  • butter
  • main course bush pie fillings (these can include pizza sauce and toppings, meat, chili, cheese)
  • dessert bush pie fillings (pie filling, nutella, bananas, chocolate, mini-marshmallows, etc.)
  1. Spread the outside of two slices of bread generously with butter (or margarine)
  2. Lay the un-buttered side up and top with desired fillings.
  3. Place the bread (buttered side down) on open bush pie maker.
  4. Top with second slice of bread...buttered side to the outside.
  5. Close bush pie maker...sealing the pieces of bread together.
  6. Place over fire or in the coals.
  7. Turn pie-iron over after several minutes and grill second side.
  8. Pie is cooked when the bread is golden brown and filling is hot.
  9. Open the pie-maker and serve.
We were camping over the long weekend and tried out several kinds of dessert bush pies.  Though the one with cherry pie filling was quite tasty...the hands-down favorite was the smore bush pie (with nutella, banana slices, marshmallows and chocolate chips).  If you are looking for a fun camping food..for kids of all ages...try bush pies!

26 comments:

  1. Have you ever used crescent rolls instead of bread? It takes a little bit more work to press the crescent rolls in each pie iron but it is so yummy. We prefer crescent rolls over bread.

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    1. Michelle...we have never tried the crescent rolls in the pie maker, but it sounds good. We roll the crescent rolls around roasting sticks and cook them over the fire...then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. The kids call them cinnamon snakes.

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  2. That is such a wonderful idea. If you don't have open fire maybe you could use a tosti grill ??? We have those in The Netherlands, I don't know if you have them in The States. You can make all kinds of grilled sandwiches with it and you can change the filling of the sandwich. How about plain white sugar sprinkled with cinnamon, that is so delicious too, because the sugar gets caramelized ; )

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  3. Those look delicious! We'll have to try them sometime.

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  4. My favorite is to use pizza bun topping. I really like pie iron cooking but hubby isn't as big on the crusty bread so I haven't ventured into as many options as I would like to. But the smore pie iron IS yummy!

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  5. we like to use tortillas instead of bread
    mmmmmm pie iron pizzas and pies yummy meal

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  6. Adding cream cheese frosting to the filling of a dessert pie iron brings it to a whole new level...so yummy!

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  7. I read about this on your blog and was hoping you would include directions. Thanks it looks really, really good.

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  8. We call them mountain pies (not sure if for any other reason than we vacation in the Adirondack mountains) and mine is packed. I'll be using mine in 21 days, 22 hours, 23 minutes and 7 seconds...not that I am counting :)

    Thanks for some new flavors to try!

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  9. We've been doing these bush pies while camping for a few years now too and have always done fruit pie fillings. but i want to try the meal/pizza ones this year, and that s'mores one? DEFINITELY will have to try that! Just one week to go... :)

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  10. It's a new one to me! I don't recall ever seeing those pie irons, but then, I'm not hanging around the camping section too often. It sounds great!

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  11. These are great! We used to call these bush burgers at bible college :)

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  12. How about doing the same thing usung a Pinini maker?I think I may try that .

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  13. I have one and even use it in my fireplace in the winter! I haven't tried pizza though or smores....I always do the cherry pie filling.

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  14. I have to look for my pie iron - haven't seen it in years. You reminded me of the possibilities and I'd forgotten how good those bush pies are!

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  15. Also good for breakfast with bacon and eggs. Just precook the bacon and you're good to go. Mmmmm

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  16. Buffalo chicken pies...leftover chicken chopped and tossed with hot sauce, and crumbled blue cheese. Big time delicious!

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  17. Ahh, Pie Irons, best camping food ever! It is very sad when there is a fire ban when we are camping because then we have to skip these. We have been doing pie irons for over 20 years. I would strongly suggest buying the good ones, make sure they are cast iron (the heavy dark ones)- do not get the aluminum ones. We have had ours for over 20 years and they are still going strong! Each year, when we are done with them, we clean them well and rub cooking oil on them to keep them from drying out over the winter and just wrap then in plastic bags.

    We have tried:
    pizza toppings(of course),
    pie fillings,
    left over spaghetti with some cheese,
    1/2 a beaten egg with cooked bacon(don't put too much egg in- it won't cook),
    just cheese- great grilled cheese sandwich.

    We also try buy square bread since our irons are square shaped. That way we don't have to waste so much bread.

    Also, we have a family of 6 and 2 irons is enough. We just take turns. Once the irons are heated, they cook up fast.

    Also, for those just starting out, get a good fire going well ahead of time so that you have lots of coals. They cook very well in the coals rather than over the fire.

    Happy Camping!

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  18. I have a new fire pit at my house, am thinking I may need to go find one of these irons! YUM

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  19. When we do them for breakfast we use only one slice of bread - buttered side to the outside on one side then crack the egg on the other side which is sprayed with "Pam". Sprinkle with salt and peper. Then we add a slice of cheese to the egg and close it. They get done quickly when the iron is preheated which is something you have to do! We find the egg does not get done well with two slices of bread.

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    1. Thanks for the breakfast-cooking instructions. Sounds great!

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  20. Pie irons are awsome! I haven't been camping in 30 years and I still remember using those to make what we called "hobo pies." They were usually fruit filled. Sometimes we'd make them into pizzas. :)

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  21. bush pies are the best. try egg roll wrappers filled with mixed veg and curry great samosas. put cooked chicken pesto cream cheese these are excellent. such versatile cooking tooluse all time as i live in northern saskatchewan, fire going all time.

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  22. We have happy memories of making these with grandchildren using the wood stove in the cold of winter! Somehow made summer seem closer. Ham and cheese, pizza sauce with cheese and pepperoni, peanut butter and jelly, or pie fillings were the choices. It took a while but we all enjoyed the process.

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