Here are some tips for cooking with pie irons.

• Get a good fire going so it will burn down to lots of coals.
• Preheat the pie iron in the fire before using.
• Once the pie iron is preheated, it will be hot! So, be careful where you place it so you don’t burn a plastic tablecloth or little fingers.
• Use stick “butter” to grease each side of the inside of the pie iron or a light coating of cooking spray.
• Place one slice of bread (can also use tortillas or pie crust, etc. ) on one side of the pie iron.
• Build your pizza in one half of the pie iron.
• Spreading pizza sauce with the back of the spoon works great.
• When finished building the pizza, place another piece of bread on top.
• Close the pie iron together by leaving the filled half on the table, and hinging it by moving the empty side.
• Squeeze together.
• If they have little closing hooks, I don’t use them in the cooking process as it makes it hard to check the doneness.
• Place directly in the coals of the fire.
• Check and turn often until desired doneness. Remember, you are just warming up the inside and toasting the bread.
• To remove, take one side off and turn the pizza out onto a plate.
• Besides making pie iron pizzas, you can also make dessert pizzas. Try cooking biscuits or rolls in them.
• Enjoy!

Here is a tip for carrying charcoal without the mess.  Pack it in egg cartons!  That way, you will know precisely how much you have, and also have a nice firestarter as a bonus!  Just remember the charcoal chimney and the matches!