This is a campfire pie-iron dessert, not a pastry-crust pie: spoonable Saskatoon filling sits inside quick batter cooked in a hinged iron. This version follows Chef Jodi Robson’s recipe published by Tourism Saskatchewan, which ties the berries to a farm near Qu’Appelle. It is one contemporary chef’s take on a familiar bush pie.
This is a campfire pie-iron dessert, not a pastry-crust pie: spoonable Saskatoon filling sits inside quick batter cooked in a hinged iron. This version follows Chef Jodi Robson’s recipe published by Tourism Saskatchewan, which ties the berries to a farm near Qu’Appelle. It is one contemporary chef’s take on a familiar bush pie.
Step 1In a saucepan, simmer berries, water and orange zest until glossy and juicy. Whisk sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon; stir into the berries and cook, stirring, for 2–3 min until thick. Remove from heat, stir in orange juice and cool promptly in a shallow container.
Step 2Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl whisk milk, eggs, cooled melted butter and maple syrup. Stir wet into dry just until combined. Do not taste the raw batter.
Step 3Pack cooled filling and batter separately in covered containers in a cooler at 4°C or colder. At the site, keep them chilled. Use only a permitted fire pit and steady hot coals, not active flames.
Step 4Preheat and lightly oil both sides of the clean pie iron. Spoon batter into each half. Place about 60 mL (¼ cup) cooled filling in the centre of one half, leaving a border. Cook open until edges start to set and bubbles form on the surface.
Step 5Close and latch the iron carefully; cook over coals, turning for even colour. When set and golden, check the thickest batter with a clean digital thermometer: it must reach 74°C. Continue cooking if needed; coals and irons vary, so the source timing alone is not a safety check.
Step 6Remove with a clean utensil and cool for a few minutes before eating. Repeat with remaining batter and filling, oiling the iron lightly as needed. Refrigerate perishable filling or batter left out for over 2 hours; when in doubt, discard.
Make the filling and batter ahead and transport them separately in a cooler with ice packs at 4°C or colder. Never taste uncooked batter: both raw eggs and uncooked flour can carry pathogens. Use a permitted fire pit and follow posted fire rules; the iron becomes very hot. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep at 4°C or colder, eat within 2–3 days or freeze, and reheat to 74°C.
Rounded estimate per one of about eight pies. It uses approximate berry and cup-to-weight conversions and generic composition data; the pie-iron size, brands and amount of oil retained change the value. Optional ice cream and extra maple syrup are excluded. Not laboratory analysis or a product label.
Contains wheat/gluten, milk and eggs. Keep batter and filling cold at 4°C or colder until cooking; do not taste raw batter. Cook each pie until its thickest batter reaches 74°C. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, use within 2–3 days or freeze, then reheat to 74°C.
Yes. Keep it in a covered container, separate from the cooled filling, in a cooler at 4°C or colder. Take out only what you are about to cook.
