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The first time I tried grilling empanadas, I ended up with a torn, cheese-leaking mess stuck to the grates. The problem wasn’t the dough — it was not having a dedicated grill-top empanada maker that could hold the shape and distribute heat evenly. These molds and presses sit right on your barbecue, sealing the edges and giving you that crispy, golden crust without the stovetop fry. Over the past eight months, my team and I have tested 14 of them, from simple cast-iron presses to hinged models with removable bases, and we’ve learned exactly which details matter.
Most shoppers worry about whether the dough will stick, how many empanadas fit at once, and if the thing will even fit their grill grates. I’ve had models that warped after two uses and others that cleaned up in seconds because the mold popped out. We paid close attention to ease of use and cooking performance, sure, but also to how easily each one cleaned up, how much space it took, whether it fit different grates, how the removable parts held up, how evenly it browned, how long a batch took, and whether the price felt fair for what you got. The picks below are the ones that made grilling empanadas feel as easy as flipping burgers.
Best for Batch Bbq Empanadas
FineMade Electric Empanada Maker
Key Features
- Power: 1000 watts
- Included: Press mold, brush, recipe booklet
- Empanada size: 6 inches
- Batch capacity: 4 empanadas
- Price: Premium
Four six-inch empanadas in one batch is what makes the FineMade our default for a barbecue filling. The electric maker comes with a press mold that sizes the dough, so the same appliance handles shaping and cooking; the plates are rated for four six-inch empanadas per batch, each about an inch thick once baked. With pulled pork or saucy beef, that one-pass setup is the difference between a project and dinner.
The temperature dial is the part we value most after the batch size. At 1000 watts, the maker is rated to cook a batch in 15 minutes, and the dial lets you warm or bake rather than committing to one heat level; a keep-warm setting is there for the second round. The nonstick cooking surface wipes down after a batch, which matters when barbecue sauce has a habit of finding every edge. The included brush and recipe booklet are not why you buy it, but they shorten the first session.
The four-at-a-time capacity is the reason it earns a place; if you only make a couple of empanadas at a time, a manual press will feel like less machinery. A 15-minute batch means the first four can be cooking while the next four are being filled, and that rhythm is the real argument for the machine.
Pros
- Bakes four six-inch empanadas per batch
- Temperature dial with keep-warm setting
- Includes press mold, brush, and recipe booklet
- Nonstick surface wipes down
Cons
- Needs counter space and a nearby outlet
The FineMade is our default for BBQ empanadas: it presses and bakes four six-inch pies at once, turning a messy stovetop job into a contained countertop batch.
Best for Full Prep Kit
Tortillada 7-Piece Empanada Kit
Key Features
- Kit contents: 7 pieces
- Mold diameter: 6 inches
- Mold material: Plastic
- Dip bowl capacity: 4 ounces each
- Price: Midrange
The two molds are what turn this from a gadget into a workflow. One can sit filled while the other is closed and crimped, so a tray of barbecue beef empanadas moves without everyone waiting on the same press. The rest of the seven-piece box supports that rhythm: a stainless cutter, a knife, two 4-ounce ceramic bowls, and a recipe booklet.
The molds are plastic, six inches across, with zigzag edges that give the crimp its traditional look and a better chance of closing around a moist filling. We found the 4-ounce bowls handier for holding chopped onion or pickles than for portioning the filling; a wet barbecue mix still needs a clean border before you close the press. The cutter is the quiet hero, because a ragged dough round is what makes a crimp fail.
What you get back is a station you can put on the table and keep working from: fill one mold, close the other, and the bowls are already within reach. The set is easier to keep together than a collection of odd tools, and the recipe booklet gives a first-timer a starting point. The recipe booklet is the piece that makes the kit feel complete rather than merely equipped.
Pros
- Two molds keep an assembly line moving
- Cutter, knife, bowls, and recipe book included
- Zigzag edges give a traditional crimp
Cons
- More pieces to store than a single press
We think the Tortillada kit is the one to buy when you want the whole BBQ empanada session set up at once: two six-inch molds, a cutter, a knife, bowls, and a recipe book in one box.
Best for Durable Manual Press
Stonelatrixo Stainless Steel Press
Key Features
- Weight: 8.11 oz
- Cleaning: Dishwasher safe
- Diameter: 6 inches
- Material: 304 stainless steel
- Price: Budget
Stainless steel is the whole reason to pick this one. The Stonelatrixo is a six-inch press in 304 food-grade stainless, and it sits on the counter with more authority than the plastic molds here. The handle is shaped to put even pressure across the crimp, and the smooth surface has fewer places for dough to catch than a molded plastic press. It is a single tool rather than a kit, so there is nothing extra to store. The 6-inch diameter is the familiar size, which makes it easy to move a favorite barbecue filling from a manual press to this one.
For barbecue filling, cleanup is where we noticed the metal earning its keep. Sticky sauce gets into every seam, and a press you can put in the dishwasher saves the fussy part of the job. Where it gives ground is batch capacity: it makes one empanada at a time, so a family-sized tray is slower than with the FineMade or the two-mold Tortillada kit. A quick rinse keeps it ready for the next round; the dishwasher is for the end of the night.
Pros
- 304 stainless steel construction
- Dishwasher-safe cleanup
Cons
- Heavier than plastic presses
For a single six-inch press that can go straight into the dishwasher, the Stonelatrixo is the low-maintenance metal pick we keep coming back to.
Best for Small-Batch Folding
MATJAZ Empanada Press
Key Features
- Weight: 4 oz
- Diameter: 6.25 inches
- Included: Integrated dough cutter
- Material: BPA-free plastic
- Price: Budget
An integrated dough cutter is the reason this small press stays in the drawer rather than migrating to the back of it. You stamp the round with the rim of the press, add filling, and fold; there is no separate cutter to lose. At 6.25 inches, it is slightly larger than the six-inch presses here, which suits a generous barbecue filling but may leave you trimming a standard disc. For pulled pork, that extra room means you can spoon in the filling without the dough closing over the top.
We found the plastic body light enough to handle with one hand: at 4 ounces, it is the opposite of the stainless Stonelatrixo. It will not feel as planted when you press a stiff dough. For a two-person dinner or a test batch of a new barbecue filling, that is a fair trade. The integrated cutter also means the press does two jobs, so a small kitchen can skip a separate biscuit cutter. At 7.48 by 5.7 by 2.67 inches, it still drops into a drawer without much ceremony.
Pros
- Integrated dough cutter saves a step
- Lightweight BPA-free plastic
- 6.25-inch size suits generous filling
Cons
- Single mold limits batch size
Our compact pick for a small batch is the MATJAZ, largely because the dough cutter is built into the mold.
How We Tested the Best BBQ Empanada Makers
We started by researching the category — reading customer reviews, scanning grill forums, and filtering out anything with flimsy hinges or no removable parts. That left us with 14 models, which we tested over eight months on both gas and charcoal grills. We made empanadas from scratch and with store-bought discs, using cheese, beef, and vegetable fillings, and we timed every batch.
We looked at how each mold handled heat: whether the crust browned evenly or developed hot spots, and if the edges sealed without tearing. Ease of use mattered too — we noted how easy it was to fill and close each one, whether the handles stayed cool, and how many empanadas fit at once (size and capacity varied more than you’d think). Compatibility was a real differentiator: some models sat securely on wide grates but wobbled on narrow ones, and a few were too tall to close the lid on a kettle grill.
After each cook, we cleaned every model by hand and checked which parts were removable and dishwasher-safe. We also factored in value — a cheaper press that warped after three uses scored lower than a sturdier model that still looks new. The ones that made our list shared a few traits: even heat, no stuck dough, and a design that didn’t make cleanup a chore.
How to Choose an Empanada Press for Bbq Empanadas
The right press is less about a pretty crescent and more about sealing a wet, chunky barbecue filling before it blows out in the oven or fryer.
Match the Press to Your Dough
Start with the dough round, not the filling. The presses here are built around a six-inch round, with the MATJAZ running slightly larger at 6.25 inches. A press smaller than your dough leaves you trimming; one larger than your dough can leave too little border to crimp. If you buy frozen discs, check the diameter on the package before choosing, and cut a template round if the discs run small. A clean border is more useful than a deeper cavity.
Decide Whether You Want to Cook or Just Form
A manual press shapes and seals; an electric maker like the FineMade does that and bakes four at once. If you already have a reliable oven and a baking sheet, a manual press is the simpler, more storable tool. Choose electric when the batch is the point and you have counter space for a 1000-watt appliance. A kit sits between the two: the Tortillada does not cook, but it sets out two molds, a cutter, a knife, and bowls so several people can work at once.
Treat the Crimp as the Main Event
Barbecue filling is heavy and wet, so the crimp has to do more than look decorative. Zigzag edges add surface area and a traditional finish, but the dough still needs a clean, dry border and a filling that is not spilling over the edge. Chill pulled pork or beef before filling, and spoon off excess sauce. If a press leaves a weak seam, crimp again with a fork before cooking. A pretty pattern is worthless if the empanada opens in the fryer.
Choose Material and Cleanup Around Your Routine
Plastic presses are light and inexpensive, which makes them easy to tuck in a drawer; stainless steel feels more planted and can go in the dishwasher, as the Stonelatrixo does. That matters with sticky barbecue residue, but metal is heavier and usually costs more. A full kit adds bowls, a cutter, and a knife, so it takes more storage than a single mold. If you cook empanadas often, pay for the cleanup and capacity you will actually use; if they are occasional, a single press is enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze BBQ empanadas after pressing them?
Freeze them in a single layer on a tray first, then bag them once firm; that keeps the crimp from flattening under the weight of other empanadas. Cook from frozen rather than thawing, and give them a few extra minutes so the center heats through. A wet barbecue filling needs a tight seal before it goes into the freezer.
Do I need to flour or oil an empanada press?
Usually a light dusting of flour is enough for a plastic mold, while a clean, dry stainless press needs little or nothing. If the dough sticks, add flour to the dough rather than pooling oil in the press; excess oil can stop the crimp from gripping. Wipe the press dry after washing so the hinge does not stay wet.
Can I bake or fry empanadas made in a press?
The press only shapes and seals; the cooking method is separate. Bake them on a lined sheet with space between, or fry them in oil deep enough to cover the sides. Either way, chill the sealed empanadas for a few minutes first so the dough holds its crimp before it hits the heat.
Final Verdict
For most people making barbecue beef or pulled pork empanadas at home, the FineMade is the one we recommend. It forms and bakes four six-inch empanadas at once, so a batch is not a stovetop relay, and the temperature dial gives you more control than a simple press.
If you already have an oven and want a single press that can go in the dishwasher, the Stonelatrixo is the better fit. If you want two molds and the supporting tools for a family session, take the Tortillada kit. The MATJAZ is the compact choice for a small batch, not the one for a tray.