Campfire Pie Iron Pizza Pockets with Mozzarella and Pepperoni
Butter two slices of bread, fill with pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni, then clamp it in a pie iron. Cook over medium coals for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning often, until golden and the cheese is melted. Plan about 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes to cook four pockets in two batches.
This is the pizza you make when the fire has burned down to coals and everyone is hungry. A pie iron presses the bread into a sealed, crisp pocket. The cheese melts inside and the edges toast. Nobody needs a plate.
It's easy to set up as an assembly line, and everyone can build their own. Keep the filling modest or it will leak out. Hold the iron a bit above the coals so the butter browns instead of burning.
Campfire Pie Iron Pizza Pockets with Mozzarella and Pepperoni
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals
- Pack weight
- 3 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 2 cast-iron pie irons with long handles
- heat-resistant gloves
- tongs
- butter knife
- small bowls for fillings
- cutting board
- paper towels
- shovel and water bucket for the fire
Steps
-
Build a coal bed
Burn a fire down until the flames are low and the coals glow with a light gray ash. You want medium heat. You should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the coals for about 4 seconds.
-
Prep the fillings
Stir the oregano into the mozzarella. Set out the sauce, cheese, pepperoni, bell pepper and Parmesan in small bowls so everyone can build. Keep everything in the cooler until you're ready to assemble.
-
Butter the bread
Spread butter on one side of each slice, about 1/2 tbsp. The buttered sides go against the iron, so no extra grease is needed.
-
Fill the pockets
Set one slice buttered side down in the open iron. Spoon on 1 tbsp sauce, then add a little cheese, 3 pepperoni slices, some bell pepper and a pinch of Parmesan. Add another 2 tbsp cheese on top and cover with a second slice, buttered side up.
-
Close and trim
Close the iron and latch it. Trim any bread or filling that squeezes out with a butter knife, since it will burn on the coals.
-
Cook over coals
Hold the iron 3 to 4 inches above the coals, or rest it on a grate. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning with the long handles, and check after the first turn. Lower the iron if the bread browns before the cheese melts.
-
Check and rest
Open the iron and look for golden bread and visible melted cheese. Let the pocket rest 2 to 3 minutes, because the cheese and sauce inside are very hot. Cut it in half to cool it faster.
-
Repeat and clean
Wipe the iron with a paper towel and rebuild the next pocket. Stop and eat when everyone's pocket is done, then put leftover cheese and pepperoni back in the cooler right away.
Trail Notes
Dice the pepper and shred the cheese at home. Pack the cheese, pepperoni and sauce in separate zip bags so camp is just assembly.
Keep cheese, pepperoni, butter and opened sauce in a cooler at 40°F or below. Discard anything left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F.
No pie iron? Make a regular pizza sandwich in a lidded cast-iron skillet on a camp stove over medium-low heat, 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula. Cooked crumbled sausage or sliced mushrooms also work in the filling.
Cook in an existing fire ring and let coals burn down to white ash. Pack out all trimmings, crumbs and paper towels, and drown the fire fully before you leave.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Chili Mac Breakfast Skillet with Chorizo, Pinto Beans and Baked Eggs
LunchCampfire Honey-Lime Chicken and Rice Foil Packets
DinnerCar Camping Cast-Iron Baja Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw and Lime CremaMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Do I need to grease a pie iron for camping?
Not if you butter the outside of the bread. If it's your first use or the iron is dry, wipe the inside with a little oil first.
How do I keep pie iron pizza from burning?
Cook over coals, not flames, and hold the iron a few inches above them. Turn every 2 minutes and move it higher if the bread darkens too fast.
How long do pie iron sandwiches take over a fire?
About 6 to 8 minutes total, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Hotter fires cook faster but are more likely to burn the bread.
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