I made a blueberry pie this weekend, and used a pie bird for
the first time. The theory is that the pie bird gives steam
from the pie an escape route so the pie filling doesn't bubble
out onto the crust. But the pie bird sits flush on the bottom
crust, and when I took the pie bird out the bottom of it was
sealed with crust, leaving me to wonder how steam ever could
have gotten out through the pie bird. So, do these really
work? Maybe it only got sealed with crust after the pie cooled?
Did I do something wrong?

Thanks -

Jeneen

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 10:51:56 -0700, Jeneen Sommers
> wrote:

>
>I made a blueberry pie this weekend, and used a pie bird for
>the first time. The theory is that the pie bird gives steam
>from the pie an escape route so the pie filling doesn't bubble
>out onto the crust. But the pie bird sits flush on the bottom
>crust, and when I took the pie bird out the bottom of it was
>sealed with crust, leaving me to wonder how steam ever could
>have gotten out through the pie bird. So, do these really
>work? Maybe it only got sealed with crust after the pie cooled?
>Did I do something wrong?
>
>Thanks -
>
>Jeneen

I've always inserted it into a hole in the center of the top crust and
it was supported by the fruit underneath. It sinks a bit as the fruit
cooks, but it is still poking out the top.

Just cutting a hole in the center of the top crust along with slits
around it, works, too. You need to make sure the hole & the pasty
slits are large enough so they do not get baked closed. Fruit is
liable to bubble up from these open areas, too, so it is wise to put
something under the pie to catch the drips. Boy, can they bake on
something miserable.

Boron

In article .EDU>,
Jeneen Sommers > wrote:

> I made a blueberry pie this weekend, and used a pie bird for
> the first time. The theory is that the pie bird gives steam
> from the pie an escape route so the pie filling doesn't bubble
> out onto the crust. But the pie bird sits flush on the bottom
> crust, and when I took the pie bird out the bottom of it was
> sealed with crust, leaving me to wonder how steam ever could
> have gotten out through the pie bird. So, do these really
> work? Maybe it only got sealed with crust after the pie cooled?
> Did I do something wrong?
>
> Thanks -
>
> Jeneen

Dunno. Did it work and prevent juice from not bubbling?
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 6/17/05 Pictures & story
from Notable Women's Dinner at the Governor's Residence.

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005, Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> Dunno. Did it work and prevent juice from not bubbling?

Hard to say. It didn't get messy, but maybe it wouldn't
have anyway. I think Boron is probably right...that kind
of pie bird should be set on top of the fruit. Some pie
birds have little vents on the bottom so they aren't
flat on the crust. That makes more sense to me. I'll
try to get one of those.

Thanks for the help, Barb & Boron!

Jeneen

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 15:58:14 -0500, Melba's Jammin'
> wrote:

>In article .EDU>,
>Jeneen Sommers > wrote:
>
>> I made a blueberry pie this weekend, and used a pie bird for
>> the first time. The theory is that the pie bird gives steam
>> from the pie an escape route so the pie filling doesn't bubble
>> out onto the crust. But the pie bird sits flush on the bottom
>> crust, and when I took the pie bird out the bottom of it was
>> sealed with crust, leaving me to wonder how steam ever could
>> have gotten out through the pie bird. So, do these really
>> work? Maybe it only got sealed with crust after the pie cooled?
>> Did I do something wrong?
>>
>> Thanks -
>>
>> Jeneen
>
>Dunno. Did it work and prevent juice from not bubbling?


I've always thought of them as steam vents and never as anything
that'd prevent a bubble over...maybe that is do to my lack of success
in preventing bubble over....or the sloppy juiciness of the
peach-blackberry pies.

Boron