6 Essential Tips for Using Your Fire Pit to Cook This Summer

Fire pits are a great way to unwind and soak up the outdoors even during cooler nights in spring and fall. But they aren't just for warmth and ambiance. Some models come ready to double as wood-fired grills, while others can easily be adapted into backyard cooktops with a few add-ons.

Once you start cooking over your fire pit, you'll wonder why you didn't try it sooner -- I certainly did. Hey, you've already got the fire blazing, you might as well give it double duty and save your propane tank for next time. 

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Whether it's meat, fish, poultry or seafood, everything tastes richer and more flavorful when cooked over real wood fire. If you've been thinking about turning your fire pit into a grill or want to learn how to get started, this guide has you covered.

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1. Choose the right fire pit

Even the most ornamental wood-burning fire pit can serve as a backyard grill. But it has to have the right equipment or design elements to do this. Typically, that comes in the form of a grill grate attachment. 

Some pits also have built-in cooking surfaces. Breeo products that come with circular steel searing plates are a good example. And if your pit lacks a cooking grate, there are numerous aftermarket products that let you make this upgrade. We've also tested and loved the simple Barebones Cowboy Fire Pit with its classic look and relatively lightweight build and quality construction.

Other fire pit makers like Solo Stove sell cooking kit add-ons. Each package is tailor-made for a specific model in the company's fire pit lineup. Breeo also hawks a grill grate upgrade called the Outpost. It also comes in several sizes made to match particular sizes of Breeo fire pits. You can use the Outpost as a stand-alone grill, too, if you mount it over a traditional campfire.

However, those who own gas fire pits are out of luck. They're primarily meant for enhancing the decor of your outdoor space and perhaps providing a bit of warmth. I don't recommend cooking over them. Any food, grease or other drippings that fall onto the flames below will, at best, create a mess. The worst-case scenario is that this foreign debris will damage your pit's gas burner system. 

2. Don grill gloves 

Whenever you're dealing with fire and dangerously hot objects, safety gear is a must. One essential tool to have on hand is a pair of heat-resistant gloves. 

They're useful for tending the fire and manipulating hot grates and other metal surfaces. I recommend using high-density fabric gloves designed to withstand intense heat for these tasks. 

3. Use the right fuel

You might be tempted to use any type of fuel in your fire pit. This could be anything from damp leaves and branches to even lighter fluid. That's a terrible idea, especially when cooking. Moisture will cause excess smoke which then adds acrid, foul flavors to your food.

The same goes for chemical accelerants and softer wood with a high sap content. Stick with dry hardwoods such as oak and hickory. Avoid soft woods like pine, fir, spruce and cedar. 

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4. Start the fire early

One rookie mistake is to start your fire too late. I still commit this offense more often than I'd like to admit. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to build the fire, start it and grow the flames in your pit. That includes removing old ashes and stacking fresh wood. 

Don't get stuck without plenty of kindling on hand either. In my experience, you can never have enough smaller pieces of wood at the ready. Invest in a handheld wood splitter. Better yet, get the Kindle Cracker. I bought this gadget myself and can personally vouch for it. It works particularly well when securely mounted to a heavy base like a tree stump.

5. Cook over the coals

Cooking successfully over open flame is all about timing. Wait until all the large logs in your pit have fully caught fire. Also key is to hold off until the fire dies down a little. It's fine to have some flame, but ideally you want to cook over hot coals, not a raging inferno. 

Grease and other meat drippings will cause flames to ebb and flow. That's a good thing though, since these tiny flare-ups impart outstandingly delicious flavors to food above. 

6. Don't be afraid to bust out the cookware

You can cook almost anything over a fire pit that you would over a grill or in an oven, especially when you bust out some cookware. A cast-iron Dutch oven or skillet is perfect to lay over the fire pit grates or directly on the coals if you're careful. Make a pot of beans, chili, meatballs or anything else.

For an easy side, wrap russet or sweet potatoes in tin foil and toss them right onto the hot coals until fork tender.