Pudgy Pies inspired by the shores of Lake Superior

Last weekend we made it up to the Wisconsin, Upper Peninsula region along Lake Superior. This is where my wife’s family is from and we always love to get up there. The trees were already changing color and the temp at least 10 degrees cooler than southern WI where we live. 

The history of this area is rooted in mining, logging and has a heavy Finnish heritage. Something this area is also known for are pasties. These are pastry crusted savory meat hand pies that are portable and were easy for the workers to bring down into the mines. Pasties are still found in the region and we went to an old favorite called Joe’s Pasty Shop in Ironwood, MI. They’ve been making them since the 1940s. 


I bring this up because they are great to make in a Pie Iron. You can do them in the XL Square Pie Iron or the Double. 
When making a pie iron pasty, I like to use crescent roll dough sold in tubes at the grocery store. I like to make the classic which consists of seasoned ground beef, and sautéed onions and diced potatoes. Cook the ingredients up ahead of time. Line one side of the pie iron with dough, fill with the seasoning and add the second layer of dough. Pinch the edges to form a sealed pouch. Cook over a medium temp fire or on the grill for about 5 minutes.