Cast-Iron Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sharp Cheddar
Caramelize sliced onions in a buttered 12-inch cast-iron skillet over a medium-low stove flame or coals for about 20 minutes. Build sandwiches with sourdough, sharp cheddar, Gruyère, onions and thin apple, butter the outsides, and toast two at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Plan on about 45 minutes total for four sandwiches.
This is a grilled cheese with a little more going on. Sweet, jammy onions, crisp apple and two cheeses sit between buttery, golden bread. It is easy to cook at camp and one skillet does all the work.
The onions take the longest, so start them first and stir now and then. Once they are done, the sandwiches go fast. Serve them hot with a cup of tomato soup from a pot or a handful of chips.
Cast-Iron Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sharp Cheddar
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-low coals or medium-low flame
- Pack weight
- 4 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- Lid or heavy-duty foil
- Spatula
- Knife and cutting board
- Mixing bowl
- Paper towels
Steps
-
Heat the skillet
Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt.
-
Cook the onions
Add the onions, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 18 to 22 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until soft and deep golden. If they stick or scorch, add a splash of water and scrape up the brown bits.
-
Finish with vinegar
Stir in the cider vinegar and cook 1 minute. Scoop the onions into a bowl and wipe the skillet with a paper towel.
-
Build the sandwiches
Spread mustard on 4 slices of bread. Layer on half the cheddar, then the Gruyère, onions and apple slices. Top with the rest of the cheddar and the remaining bread.
-
Butter the outsides
Spread softened butter on the outside of each sandwich, top and bottom. This gives you an even golden crust.
-
Toast the first side
Set the skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 sandwiches and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until deep golden. Keep the heat low so the bread doesn't burn before the cheese melts.
-
Flip and melt
Flip the sandwiches and cover the skillet with foil or a lid. Cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until the cheese is melted. Repeat with the other 2 sandwiches.
-
Rest and slice
Let the sandwiches sit 1 minute so the cheese sets. Slice in half and serve hot.
Trail Notes
Caramelize the onions at home and chill them in a sealed container. They keep in the cooler for up to 3 days, which cuts 20 minutes off your camp time. Warm them in the skillet for a minute before building.
Use a ripe pear instead of the apple, or add a few slices of cooked bacon for a meat version. Mayonnaise spread thin on the outside of the bread works in place of butter and browns very evenly.
Keep the cheese, butter and cooked onions in the cooler at 40°F or below until you cook. Sliced apple browns fast, so cut it just before you build the sandwiches.
Pack out onion skins and apple cores. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and pack that out too. Don't dump butter or grease on the ground, because it draws animals.
Campers ask
How do you make grilled cheese over a campfire?
Cook in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low coals, not open flame. Butter the outside of the bread and cover the pan so the cheese melts before the bread burns.
How do you keep camp grilled cheese from burning?
Use low, steady heat and move the skillet farther from the coals if the bread browns in under 3 minutes. A lid or foil over the pan melts the cheese without more heat.
Can you caramelize onions on a camp stove?
Yes. Use a medium-low flame, stir every few minutes, and give them about 20 minutes. A splash of water keeps them from scorching.
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