Apple Turkey Cheddar Grilled Cheese (Pie Iron Recipe)
Melted cheddar cheese paired with turkey breast and fresh apples create a delicious handheld sandwich cooked over the campfire in a pie iron or on a camp stove. It’s an elevated version of a classic grilled cheese – and just as easy to make!
It’s a camping sandwich that goes by many names – pie iron sandwich, hobo pie, pudgy pie, or camp cooker sandwich. Whatever you want to call it, one thing is certain – it’s a fun way to cook that delivers hot, delicious food while camping!
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Ingredients
- Canola Oil Cooking Spray: This is super important for oiling your cast iron prior to cooking (if you don’t – you’ll have a stuck on mess when you’re done). Easily substitute a regular cooking oil and rub it over the inside of your pie iron.
- Sourdough Bread: Any type of bread or bread-like items works in a pie iron sandwich. Get creative with multi-grain wraps, pizza dough, croissants, tortillas – anything works.
- Butter: Butter helps to crisp up the sandwich and give it a nice crust. Mayonnaise can be spread on the outside of the bread as well prior to cooking instead of butter.
- Turkey: Smoked turkey is delicious on this sandwich, but any turkey breast flavor will work well.
- Cheddar Cheese: The recipe calls for one slice per sandwich, but feel free to double it if you love melted cheese!
- Dijon Mustard: If you hate dijon (like everyone in my family except me), omit it, or replace it with a different sauce.
- Granny Smith Apples: Granny smith apples hold their crunch well when cooked and pair well with cheddar, but feel free to substitute any apple here.
- Arugula: Arugula adds some flavor, but spinach works nicely as well.
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Equipment
Cast Iron Pie Iron (Camp Cooker): Pie irons are made of aluminum or cast iron, but I highly recommend using cast iron as they withstand much higher temperatures for longer periods of time. However, aluminum pie irons do not require seasoning and can be cleaned like all other dishes, so there are benefits to using them as well. If you do not have a pie iron, you can also make these sandwiches using a camp stove and pan!
- Round cast iron camp cooker
- Square cast iron camp cooker
- Double cast iron camp cooker – allows you to make twice as many sandwiches with half the work prepping and cleaning!
- Aluminum pie iron camp cooker – although I don’t like the way they cook as much, they are easier to use because they don’t need to be seasoned and can be cleaned like all your other dishes.
Portable Over the Fire Cooking Grate: While cooking in hot coals or embers is ideal for cast iron pie irons, you can also cook over a fire by using a fire grill grate. It’s perfect for a wide variety of campfire pits and can easily be adapted to work at your site. It’s also great if you just started your fire and want to get cooking right away! Simply place your pie irons on the grate and turn halfway through cooking.
How to Make Pie Iron Grilled Cheese
In this section you’ll find a step by step tutorial of how to make this recipe with photos. The full recipe with exact measurements, steps and a printable card can be found at the bottom of the post.
1. Assemble the sandwich
Spray the inside of the pie iron with cooking spray and then begin building your sandwich. Start by spreading butter on one side of the bread and then place it face down in the bottom of the pie iron. Layer dijon mustard, cheese, apples, turkey, and arugula and then place another slice of bread, butter side up, in the pie iron.
2. Seal pie iron camp cooker
Close the pie iron around the sandwich. It’s okay if some of the bread is hanging over at this point. In fact, it helps to seal up the sandwich which prevents contents from oozing out during cooking. Once closed, trim away excess bread from around the edges.
3. Cook over campfire
There are two options when cooking with a pie iron: in the coals or over the flame. I find that cooking in the coals is faster, but sometimes can result in over cooking/burning more easily. Cooking on a grate over the fire is usually a few minutes slower, but you have a bit more control over the temperature.
- Hot coals: Place pie iron directly in the hot coals and embers from your fire. If your fire has been going for awhile, simply pull a pile of coals a bit to the side and place the camp cooker on those hot coals.
- Over the flame: Use a grill grate to create a flat cooking surface over the fire. Place the camp cooker on the grate and let it cook.
Don’t have a cast iron camp cooker? Simply use your camp stove (or fire grate with a cast iron skillet) to crisp up these sandwiches in a pan, just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich at home.
4. Enjoy!
This pie iron grilled cheese is perfect for lunch or dinner and can be adapted based on the taste preferences of each person.
Pie Iron Apple Turkey Cheddar Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tbsp butter
- 8 oz. sliced turkey breast
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 1 granny smith apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
- arugula
Instructions
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Lay one slice of bread, butter side down, into the bottom of the pie iron.
- Spread dijon mustard on bread and then layer cheese, turkey breast, sliced apples and arugula on the bread.
- Top with another slice of bread, butter side up, and close pie iron. Trim away any excess bread.
- Place pie iron on hot coals or next to direct heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes (turning halfway through) until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.