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S'mores and Grilled Desserts on a Compact Grill

The best part of a charcoal cook might be what happens after dinner. As the coals die down, they're perfect for desserts: gentle heat for toasting marshmallows, caramelizing fruit, and warming chocolate. Where fires are allowed, the Slot Grill Compact also works as a small fire pit for marshmallows. One RV owner described setting it up first thing in the morning for a "sweet breakfast."

"This morning we wanted to roast marshmallows. Set up was efficient. In minutes we were roasting our sweet breakfast."Richard Shapero, Compact owner

Serves: 4 · Total time: About 15–30 minutes · Grill: Slot Grill Compact

Why this works on the Compact

• Small coal bed = gentle, controllable heat as it dies down.
• The griddle is great for warming fruit and toasting pound cake.
• Doubles as a small fire pit where allowed.

Ingredients

• S'mores: graham crackers, chocolate bars, large marshmallows, roasting sticks
• Grilled peaches: 2 ripe peaches halved and pitted, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, pinch of cinnamon
• Grilled pineapple: fresh pineapple spears, honey or brown sugar
• Banana boats: bananas, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, foil
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Gear

• Slot Grill Compact, seasoned (how)
• Chimney starter, charcoal or cooking wood, newspaper or natural fire starters, a lighter
• Long tongs and a sturdy spatula
• Heat-safe gloves
• Instant-read thermometer
• Metal can with a lid for cold ash
• Sheet pan or foil pan for raw-to-grill and a clean one for cooked food

Step by step

1. Use the dying coals. After the main cook, let the fire settle to a gentle glow. Pull the grates if roasting marshmallows directly.
2. S'mores: hold a marshmallow a few inches above the glowing coals, turning slowly until golden. For a quick char, get closer, but watch it. Sandwich with chocolate between graham crackers; let the hot marshmallow melt the chocolate.
3. Grilled peaches: brush cut sides with butter, place cut-side down on a clean, oiled grate over medium coals for 3–5 minutes until marked. Flip, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook 2–3 minutes until soft.
4. Grilled pineapple: grill spears 2–3 minutes per side over medium heat, brushing with honey at the end.
5. Banana boats: slit bananas lengthwise through the peel (not all the way), stuff with chocolate and marshmallows, wrap in foil, and set on the grate over low coals for 5–10 minutes.
6. Serve warm, with ice cream if you have a cooler.

Variations

• Peanut butter cup s'mores: swap the chocolate bar for peanut butter cups.
• Griddle cobbler: sliced fruit, butter and brown sugar on the griddle, topped with crumbled cookies.
• Grilled pound cake: butter slices and toast on the griddle; top with fruit.
• Cinnamon apples: sliced apples with butter, cinnamon and sugar in a foil packet.

Troubleshooting

Serving, leftovers and cleanup

Make sure kids roasting marshmallows stay back from the grill and use long sticks. When the coals are out and cold, dispose of ash safely.

Safe internal temperatures

Guessing is how small-grill cooks go wrong, because everything happens fast over a close fire. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone. USDA minimum internal temperatures:

Taking this recipe on the road

The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:

• Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
• Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
• Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
• Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
• Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
• Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.

For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.

Quick-start checklist

• Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
• Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
• Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
• Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
• Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
• Clean tray ready for cooked food

Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)

1. Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
2. Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
3. Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
4. Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
5. Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
6. Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
7. Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
8. Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
9. Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.

After the cook: burn-down and pack-down

1. Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
2. When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
3. Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
4. Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
5. Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.

Safety basics (every cook)

• Outdoors only. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, tent, camper, boat cabin or vehicle. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
• Stable, level, non-combustible surface. Bare soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad. The Compact's 2⅞" air gap between the table and the bottom of the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it is still a live fire.
• Clearance. Keep it away from tents, vehicles, siding, overhangs, dry grass and anything that can burn. Keep kids and pets back.
• Follow local rules. Burn bans, campground, park, venue and HOA rules come first.
• Water or a fire extinguisher nearby, plus heat-safe gloves for handling grates and panels.
• Ash stays hot for a long time. Put it in a metal container with a lid and never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle.

Cooking in wind, rain, cold and heat

Frequently asked questions

Can you make s'mores on a charcoal grill?

Yes. Toast marshmallows over the glowing coals after the main cook, with the grates removed or above them.

Can I use the Slot Grill Compact as a fire pit?

Where fires are allowed, owners use it as a small fire pit for marshmallows. Follow local fire rules and burn bans.

What fruit grills well?

Peaches, pineapple, bananas, apples and plums all grill well over medium coals.

How do I keep fruit from sticking?

Clean and oil the grate, use medium heat, and let the fruit sear before moving it.

Slot Grill Compact

12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)

$89.97$99.97

Shop the Compact at SlotGrill.comAdd a griddle

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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.