You can definitely grill on any wood-burning fire pit. If you use a propane fire pit, you may not be able to get enough heat or reach the proper temperatures on your cooking surface to cook your food completely. Gas fire pits are usually cooler burning and not suitable for cooking meals, but most patio-top or "portable fire pit" style fire pits are perfect for outdoor cooking.
Cooking with a fire pit is a great choice for camping or traveling. It's fun for backyard use and a terrific way to bring everyone together. Kids love cooking around a firepit, and most adults enjoy the delicious smokey flavors that come from cooking over an open flame. Cooking with high temperatures helps you get that delectable char on the outside while maintaining the juicy flavors on the inside of your food.
If you’re wondering how to grill on a fire pit, you need just a few outdoor cooking supplies. The first item is an adjustable cooking grate or grill rack for fire pit use. These racks are built especially for backyard-type grilling. Most are easy to handle and small enough to carry and transport. Grill grates offer the easiest way to cook over the fire.
You could also try cooking with a tripod or using a heavy-duty skillet pan or Dutch oven to ensure you get the right temperature and timing. You can also use other tools, including camp forks and sandwich cookers, to help you cook a variety of fire pit-friendly foods.
Choosing a Grill Rack: What Do I Need to Turn My Fire Pit into a Grill?
Like most outdoor jobs, successful backyard cooking starts with the right tools. The main accessory you will need for cooking with a fire pit is a grill grate and/or a tripod, depending on your fire pit style. Some fire pits come with built-in grill racks. The best fire pits for grilling are good-quality pits built for heavier-duty use.
It’s simple to find a grill rack for firepit use. Look for racks that are made specifically for backyard or camping firepits. These racks typically go over the top of the fire, resting on the edges of the fire pit structure. Racks or screens are the easiest and most affordable backyard grilling option, but they only work for brick and stone fire pits with raised and level sides to support the grate.
For in-ground fire pits, a tripod is helpful. A tripod is a three-legged grilling accessory that holds a pot or a rack above the fire so it doesn’t burn or scorch the bottom of your food. A tripod suspends the cooking grate above flames at adjustable heights, which is convenient for open-fire cooking. There are also frames that rely on stakes you stab into the dirt—these are portable for camping but won’t work well in paved fire pit areas like a deck, porch, or patio.
You will also want appropriate cookware to use with a fire pit cooking. If you’re planning to grill, a grilling basket is helpful—you can contain all the food in the basket, the food cooks evenly, and you can easily turn it without losing any smaller bits in the fire.
Some pots and pans work well for cooking in a fire pit. Look for camping Dutch ovens and cast-iron cookware, which maintain an even temperature without fire damage. A cast iron skillet is a good idea for outdoor cooks. Household pots and pans are often not made to cook over a fire because the handles can melt or burn. Stainless steel pans and accessories may discolor on an outdoor cooktop but won't burn. However, other indoor pots and pans may not withstand the high heat of an outdoor fire pit.
In addition to cookware and long-handled tools, you may want other cooking accessories, such as an instant-read digital thermometer. It's especially important that you cook meat at the right temperature to keep it safe and avoid food born illness. Be sure to keep meats and raw food separate from cooked food, using different cooking accessories to handle ingredients during their stages of cooking.
FAQs
Grill grates offer the easiest way to cook over the fire. You could also try cooking with a tripod or using a heavy-duty skillet pan or Dutch oven to ensure you get the right temperature and timing.
Can you grill over a fire pit? ›
Even the most ornamental wood-burning fire pit can serve as a backyard grill. Of course 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.
How to turn a fire pit into a barbecue? ›
If your fire pit doesn't already come with a grilling grate you can buy a rack to fit over the top. Alternatively you could provide each of your guests with a grilling basket so they can cook their own food over the pit and freeing you as the host to enjoy the social scene of the evening.
Do you put the lid on a fire pit while burning? ›
Please be aware: you should never use Lid when there are still flames visible in the fire pit, only when red, hot embers are visible. “This lid works great! I use it at the end of the night once my fire is down to coals, and it does a great job of preventing embers from coming out and keeps the elements out of the pit.
What is the best fuel for cooking in a fire pit? ›
We'd recommend using hardwoods, such as oak, ash and beech which are best for heat when cooking and will provide a long burn and flavour. If you're looking to add a little more flavour, Apple or Pear wood provides a fantastic flavour or why not try adding a little hickory at the end of cooking for a smokey taste.
What is the best meat to cook on a fire pit? ›
From prime rib roasts to tri-tip to hamburger patties, or perhaps you prefer a hunk of chuck, a rack of ribs, a mighty tomahawk, or a real thick-cut steak (New York strip, ribeye, or otherwise).
Can you use briquettes in a fire pit? ›
Again, the moisture content in wood briquettes makes them an ideal fuel for a fire pit. The moisture content in briquettes is typically around 7 - 10%. Which is lower than the recommended 20% of kiln dried logs. So again with this type of product, the smoke output will be less, and they will burn with a good heat.
Can you cook hotdogs over a propane fire pit? ›
Yes, you can cook hotdogs over a propane fire pit. You'll want a grill grate or a utensil to hold your hotdog over the fire pit. It won't produce a lot of grease though.
How to cook burgers on a fire pit? ›
When your fire and burgers are ready, place the hamburger patties in the beef basket and place it over a fire. Depending on the fire, they will need to cook for about 5 minutes on each side.
What is the difference between a fire pit and a BBQ pit? ›
Fire pits can accommodate wood or charcoal as fuel, and their open design promotes a more communal, inclusive cooking and dining experience. On the other hand, BBQs, whether gas, charcoal, or electric, is typically a more contained and controlled appliance designed specifically for grilling.
Get your fire going! Rub oil directly onto the steaks and then rub your desired seasonings on top. Cook the steak on the barbecue grill plate over the coals, turning when needed. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak and remove it from the heat just before your desired doneness.
How do you make a good BBQ pit? ›
Beginner's Guide to Building a BBQ Pit [Infographic]
- Step 1: Gather All Your Materials. ...
- Step 2: Pick Your Location. ...
- Step 3: Digging Your Pit. ...
- Step 4: Laying the Gravel. ...
- Step 5: It's Mortar Time. ...
- Step 6: Lay the Cinder Blocks Down. ...
- Step 7: Time for the Bricks. ...
- Step 8: Brick by Brick.
Use a BBQ Grate - Pick a sturdy, thick steel grate that allows you easy access to the fire below to manage logs and coals, like the Firepit BBQ Grilling Grate. It's possible to cook over a fire without one, but infinitely easier with the right equipment.
What do you put in the bottom of a fire pit? ›
The bottom of your fire pit needs an inflammable surface for safety. Add gravel on top of the compacted dirt to create a base for your fire pit. Pour a generous amount of crushed gravel paver base into the hole so your finished base will be approximately 5 inches thick.
Should I put anything in the bottom of my fire pit? ›
Without sand or another buffer at the bottom of your firepit, heat can quickly become unevenly distributed, resulting in a burn or unwanted burn marks on your firepit itself.
How do I get the best heat from my fire pit? ›
When arranging wood in your fire pit, or adding it to your fire, place logs on the outer edges of the grate rather than the middle. The key to this technique is bringing heat from the center of the fire pit to the outer walls. The warmer the walls, the better the secondary burn, and therefore, the hotter your fire.
How do you cook on top of a campfire? ›
You can grill meat and vegetables directly on the grate or use it as a stand to hold pots and pans for boiling water, frying, or slow cooking. Cast iron cookware is recommended for campfire cooking as the dense metal retains heat better and distributes it more evenly.
What is the best thing to put a fire pit on? ›
Set your fire pit on stone, brick, gravel or on a slab on decking (it will develop rust as it ages which can mark stone surfaces). If putting your fire pit on grass, be aware it may get scorched underneath. Ensure a spark will not reach anything flammable.
Can you use aluminum foil in a fire pit? ›
Solid pieces of metal don't burn easily.
Aluminum foil doesn't catch on fire in an oven, on the grill or even in a campfire. It can burn, however — though sparklers actually use aluminum as their fuel.
