I am still very much hyped on my new pie iron, so here is another fun pie iron recipe to try around your next campfire. The only thing better than pizza? Pizza in the wild.
I keep calling these pizza pockets… they’re low-rent calzones. But they’re low-rent calzones in the wild.
Pack these supplies to make your pie iron pizza pockets
- Pizza dough
- Pizza sauce
- Cheese
- Fillings of your choice
- Cooking spray or butter
I like to use a pre-made dough (like Pillsbury) because they are easy to throw in your cooler. Throw the package in a large Ziploc bag before you leave so the packaging doesn’t get soggy in your cooler and so that you can save any leftover dough for later.
Don’t forget to grate the cheese and cut up the veggies before you leave so you can whip your campfire pizza together with zero effort!
How to make your pie iron pizza pocket
- Take the pie iron apart and grease both sides using a cooking spray or butter
- Cover one side of the pie iron with dough
- Add pizza sauce, cheese, and fillings
- Cover the top of the pizza with more dough
- Press the edges of the dough together with your fingers
- Put the pie iron back together and cook it over the fire until both sides are golden
You want to keep your pie iron close enough to the fire to cook the pizza pocket but not so close that it burns. The slower, the better. Try to resist the urge to open the pie iron until you are convinced that the dough is cooked enough to maintain its structural integrity, then you can check periodically until you’ve reached your desired crustiness.
Pro-tip: You’ll know it’s ready when the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap it.
My favorite campfire pizza combos
Classic pepperoni — Pick up pre-made dough, a squeeze bottle of pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and pepperoni — you are basically done. If you are looking for an option that requires literally zero prep beforehand, here you go!
Taco — You can use salsa or pizza sauce. Layer cheese, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and taco meat (ground beef + taco seasoning). Add sour cream, hot sauce, or crushed tortilla chips (or Doritos) for an extra crunch.
Hawaiian — Coming straight from Canada: the Hawaiian pizza. Yep, that’s right — Canada was the birthplace of pineapple on pizza. Add pizza sauce, cheese, pineapple chunks, and ham. You can use actual ham (or Canadian bacon!) but I just rip up some pieces of deli meat.
Chicken bacon ranch — Save yourself the dishes and cook a chicken breast before you leave town. Instead of pizza sauce, substitute ranch dressing. Add cheese, tomatoes, onions, shredded chicken, and crumbled bacon (save a piece from breakfast!).
BBQ chicken — Use barbecue sauce instead of pizza sauce. Layer cheese, shredded chicken, bell peppers, and onions. If you want some kick, add banana peppers too.
Greek — Layer pizza sauce, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and black olives. If you need some meat, add pepperoni or ham. If you have room in your cooler, adding a little bit of feta will take it to the next level.
Meatball sub — Mix ground beef, onions, garlic powder, marinara, and cheese. Lay it on top of a bed of spinach and top it with parmesan.
Since you already have the dough, you might as well finish the night with a pie iron dessert. Check out these dessert ideas!
No pizza dough?
Any kind of store-bought refrigerated dough works — English muffin, croissant, you name it. If you don’t want to use dough, you can always use tortillas, flatbread, or regular bread.
No campfire? Fire ban?
You can still make these over a portable stove or BBQ.
Turns out, the secret to the perfect pizza night isn’t delivery — it’s a campfire and a pie iron. Want to stay in touch? Sign up for The Trail Report and join me on the trail!
