Cooking Over an Open Flame
Fire is the original stove. It demands your full attention because it never stays the same, shifting from high-heat searing to a gentle, smoldering glow as the wood breaks down.
Manage your zones before the food hits the grate.
Build a heavy bed of coals on one side of your pit for searing, and leave the other side clear for indirect cooking. Use long-handled tools to avoid singing your hair.
- Hardwood charcoal or seasoned firewood
- Heavy-duty long-handled tongs
- Steel grill grate
- Fire-resistant leather gloves
What goes in.
- 2 lbthick-cut ribeye or flank steak
- 2 tbspcoarse sea salt
- 3whole unpeeled garlic bulbs
- 1 bunchfresh rosemary
Measuring heat by proximity
Hold your palm six inches above the coals. If you can hold it there for two seconds, it is searing heat. Five seconds means a moderate, steady glow ready for slower cooking.
The method.
Establish the fire
Burn your wood until it turns into a glowing, ash-covered bed of embers. Do not place meat over open, yellow flames; they deposit soot and create uneven heat.
Prepare the grate
Place your grate over the coals and let it heat until it is smoking hot. Wipe it with a rag dipped in oil to prevent sticking.
Sear the protein
Lay the meat directly over the hottest part of the coals. Leave it undisturbed until it releases from the grate naturally; this indicates a crust has formed.
Move to the cool zone
Transfer the meat to the indirect side of the grill. Cover with a heavy lid or a large metal bowl to trap the ambient heat until the interior reaches your desired temperature.
Other turns to take.
Ember-roasted vegetables
Place unpeeled onions, peppers, or eggplants directly into the coals. Rotate until the skins are blackened and the insides turn soft and smoky.
Cast iron sear
Set a seasoned cast iron skillet on the grate. Use it to baste the meat in butter and aromatics while it cooks over the flame.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always pull your meat from the fire five degrees before your target temperature, as the heat from the carryover will finish the job.
Keep a spray bottle of water nearby, but only use it for actual flare-ups caused by dripping fat, not to lower the heat.
Avoid using lighter fluid, as the chemical smell will linger on the food long after the coals go gray.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when the coals are ready?
The coals are ready when they are glowing orange and covered in a fine layer of white ash. The volatile smoke should have dissipated, leaving only a clean, woody aroma.
Can I cook over pine or softwoods?
Avoid them. They contain high amounts of resin that create thick, acrid black smoke that will ruin the flavor of anything you cook.
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