How to Use a Camping Toastie Maker (Stove and Campfire)

By toastiemaker.com · Updated 16 Oct 2026

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To use a camping toastie maker, butter the outside of two slices of bread, place the sandwich in the open iron, clamp it shut and trim off any overhanging crusts, then cook over a medium gas flame for about 2–3 minutes a side, or on hot campfire embers for 1–3 minutes a side. Open it to check after the first side, because heat from a fire varies far more than from a kitchen appliance.

This guide covers stovetop and campfire toastie irons, also called jaffle irons or pie irons. They are two hinged metal plates on long or short handles, with no electrics at all. If you are still choosing one, our best camping toastie maker guide compares cast iron, aluminium and gas-hob models.

Cast iron vs aluminium: what changes

Before first use

Seasoning a cast-iron jaffle iron

Seasoning is a baked-on layer of oil that stops sticking and rust. Even "pre-seasoned" irons benefit from a top-up.

1. Wash in hot water with a little washing-up liquid to remove any factory coating, then dry completely over a low flame.
2. Rub a very thin layer of vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil over all surfaces, inside and out, then wipe off as much as you can. Too much oil goes sticky.
3. Heat it in the oven at about 220°C (fan 200°C) for an hour, or over a gas burner until it stops smoking. Let it cool.
4. Repeat two or three times for a solid non-stick layer.

Non-stick aluminium irons

Wash with warm soapy water, dry, and wipe a few drops of oil on the plates. That's it. Never season these in an oven hotter than the manual allows, and keep them away from direct flames.

On a gas camping stove or gas hob

1. Light the burner and turn it to medium. The flame should lick the base of the iron, not wrap up its sides.
2. Preheat the closed, empty iron for about 1 minute per side (2–3 minutes for cast iron).
3. Open it, lay in the first slice butter-side down, add the filling and the top slice butter-side up.
4. Close and clamp. Run a knife around the edge to cut away overhanging crust, or tear it off; that excess catches the flame and burns.
5. Cook 2–3 minutes, flip, cook another 2–3 minutes. Open and check; give it 30 seconds more a side if pale.

Stovetop toastie irons need a flame. They don't work on induction, and on ceramic or electric plate hobs contact is poor and the plates heat unevenly; check the manufacturer's guidance before trying.

On a campfire

The secret is cooking over embers, not flames. Flames blacken the outside in seconds while the cheese stays cold.

1. Let the fire burn down for 30–45 minutes until you have a bed of glowing coals with little flame.
2. Rake some embers to one side to make a cooking area. You should be able to hold your hand about 15 cm above for only 3–4 seconds; that's medium-hot.
3. Preheat the iron in the embers for a minute or two.
4. Fill, clamp and lay the iron directly on the embers, or rest it on the edge of a grill grate over them.
5. Cook 1–3 minutes per side, turning once or twice. Open after the first 2 minutes to check: you are aiming for deep golden, not black.

On a portable barbecue the method is the same: wait for the coals to turn grey with ash, then cook over them with the lid open.

Timing guide

More timings across every method are in how long to cook a toastie.

Filling and bread tips for outdoor cooking

• Use soft, medium-sliced white bread. It squashes and seals in the clamp; crusty sourdough often won't. See best bread for toasties.
• Pre-grate cheese at home and carry it in a tub. It melts faster than slices.
• Keep fillings drier and smaller than at home. Drain beans, use pre-cooked meats only, and keep raw meat and eggs out of the iron because you cannot easily tell when they are cooked through.
• Put cheese below and above wet ingredients so they cannot leak and burn on the plates. More in how to stop toasties leaking.
• Sweet fillings like fruit pie filling or chocolate get extremely hot. For ideas and prep-ahead tips, see our camping toastie recipes.

Safety

• Lay the hot iron down on a stone, metal grate or the stove base, never on grass, a tent groundsheet or a plastic camping table.
• Open the iron away from your face; trapped steam and molten cheese can spit.
• Let toasties stand a minute or two before eating, especially for kids.
• Follow site rules on open fires, and put fires fully out with water before leaving.

Cleaning at camp

Let the iron cool until just warm. Scrape out cheese with a wooden spatula and wipe with kitchen paper. For cast iron, rinse with hot water and a brush (no long soaks), dry it over the stove for a minute and wipe on a thin film of oil to stop rust. Non-stick irons get a wipe with a soft sponge and a drop of washing-up liquid. Make sure the hinge is dry before packing it away. For electric models at home, see how to clean a toastie maker.

No iron yet? A cast iron jaffle iron with long handles is the most versatile choice for both gas stoves and campfire embers; our camping toastie maker guide compares the options.

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