Hobo Pies

Hobo Pies are the best camping treat you can make, even better than s'mores.  They are very versatile; you can make them on a grill or campfire, at home or camping.  Rossillini first taught us about Hobo Pies on an A's Spring Training trip five years ago.  He grew up making hobo pies when he lived in Ohio.  Over the last five years we have created some hobo masterpieces with many groups of friends.

So what exactly is a hobo pie?  It starts with a cooking iron, or what we like to call a hobo pie maker.  This can be used directly in a campfire, or on top of a grill or stove.  It's best to preheat the maker before using it.  Then, you would butter or spray with oil each side of the iron on the inside, to prevent sticking.  If you're going for a 'pie' style hobo, next comes two pieces of cheap white bread pressed into either side of the irons.  Then put in your filling (see below), and close the maker and cook over heat until bread is toasty brown.  They are a bit messy, so if sharing with a group around the campfire, it's best practice to take a bite and pass it along.

The best part about hobo pies are they are incredibly versatile.  You can pretty much cook anything you have laying around in one.  Here are some ideas below for the different types of styles of hobos - you can use any combination of ingredients depending on taste and style. Recently I had an epiphany that it's basically just like Raclette, just a different style.  That opened up so many more possibilities. 

Dessert Pie:

white bread for each side of the maker

canned pie filling

fresh fruit - berries, bananas, peaches, etc.

chocolate

marshmallows

cookies

candy

honey

peanut butter

Dinner Pie:

bread for one or both sides of the maker (if just one, serve bread on bottom)

mini tortillas for one or both sides of the maker

cheese

chopped veggies (any kind!)

eggs

tomatoes sliced or chopped

herbs and spices

sausages/hot dogs

onion

Breakfast Egg Pie: 

(hobo pie makers make the best eggs on the planet! I make them at home all the time.)

bread for one side of the maker (served on bottom) or no bread

egg

cheese

onion and veggies

salt and pepper