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.
