To turn a fire pit into a grill- just place a grill grid on top of your pit. It might be as simple as placing and setting your grill grid directly over the hole and supporting it with the sides of your fire pit, or you can purchase a grill grid designed exclusively for fire pits. Although several types of fire pits come with features designed for cooking, both portable or fixed wood-burning fire pits can be easily turned into a perfect grill.
What Are the Tools Needed to Turn Your Firepit into a Grilling Machine?
Turning a fire pit into a grilling machine is very simple, and you can cook in various ways by adjusting and applying different accessories to the fire pit. And for another type of portable fire pit, the company designs and provides some grilling grates or cooking accessories with the fire pits.
Take a look at the below tools and accessories that you might need while enjoying a nice BBQ over a fire pit:
Campfire Swivel Grill:
This bonfire grill grate fits simply over any open fire. Drive the stake into the ground and spin the grill grate over the fire to adjust the height.
Grill Grid:
Place a grill grid on top of your firepit. It might be as simple as setting your grill grid directly over the hole and supporting it with the sides of your fire pit, or you can purchase a grill grid designed exclusively for fire pits. Also, if your fire pit is designed with a cooking intention, you may get a grill grid with the fire pit.
Campfire Tripod:
A campfire tripod can hang a Dutch oven above the fire. This is a very simple and traditional method for boiling stews or roasting small shrimps. If you are looking for specific materials, some tripods are cast iron, while others are aluminum or steel.
Fire Pit Rotisserie:
Rotisseries are excellent for roasting meats, for example, chicken, beef, or lamb. These instruments are positioned above a fire pit, and the food is speared with a strong rod. You can manually control them with a handle or a motor that keeps the food rotating to guarantee proper roasting.
Campfire sticks and forks:
As you may already know, propane or gas fire pits cannot handle heavy grilling or cooking like a wood-burning fire pit. Campfire sticks and forks are the more fantastic options if you have a gas fire pit and want to enjoy toasty marshmallows. You can roast marshmallows, hot dogs, or even small sausages with the help of burning sticks and forks.
[Related Topic: Can I leave my fire pit in the rain?]
How to Turn a Fire Pit into a Grill
Before turning your fire pit into a grilling machine, remember you can not use propane or gas fire pit as a grilling machine. All you can do is use a dutch oven to help you or grill sticks to roast marshmallows or hot dogs. Also, in many tabletop gas fire pits, you can use dutch ovens to grill or roast food. Keep in mind that, in the case of an indoor and outdoor fire pit, the outdoor fire pit is suitable to cook or grill perfectly. And there are several types of portable or fixed wood-burning fire pits available on the market. The wood-burning fire pit is best for having a smokey flavor, and below is the step-by-step guide to turning it into a grilling machine;
Step 1: Build and light the fire
First, clean the fire pit so that no debris is clogged up, as it may give the food a foul smell or taste. Then, ignite the fire with a regular stick.
Step 2: Put Grill Grid
Using a campfire swivel grill is best if you plan to grill various food together. Use the grill grid that fits into your fire pit ideally; if it does not, then take the help of the outer edge of the fire pit to tie it and use the edge as support.
Step 3: Place tripod
Place a tripod and hang the meat; it is a perfect choice if you want it to be toasty and grilled. Also, the tripod can be used with a dutch oven, where you can put several types of little food at once, which might fall in the fire between the grill grid holes.
Step 4: Use a Fire Pit Rotisserie
If you want a one-grilling solution, then rotisseries are best. You can hang the meats on the roads and put other foods over the grill grid. Furthermore, you can rotate or flip the foods quickly by using an automatic motor.
Step 5: Control the fire
Do not be hasty while cooking in the fire pit; be patient and observe. Always try to grill the foods on ember, not on fire, so control the fire by arranging dry woods and adjusting the location perfectly, and enjoy an excellent Barbecue time.
[You may like: How can I put out my fire pit?]
Tips While Cooking Over Fire Pit
Cooking over a fire pit is tremendously easy, and once you get the hang of it, o will be able to master the processes in a short time. Some recommendations may be helpful for our safety and better experience while cooking on a fire pit;
- Check that the setup and the fire are secure. Use cooking accessories to prevent burns and other mild injuries.
- Cook while restricting yourself. For example, you may get excited to cook over an open fire, but remember cooking over a fire is not the same as cooking in a kitchen.
- Do not burn anything but firewood. According to researchers in the UK, try to use only dry wood for the fire pit and avoid any softwood.
- Cook on the ember, not on fire directly; it may ruin the overall taste of the food.
- Always keep the fire pit clean from debris and other wastes because remaining debris, plastics, etc., may get burned in the fire, resulting in a foul smell on the food.
- Put fire extinguishers, water, or sand nearby to ensure that o is always ready in case an accident occurs.
Is it Healthy to Grill on a Fire Pit?
Food cooked on a wood-burning fire pit I always tastier, and it has been a practice from the ancient people to grill or roast food over a wood fire. Cooking over a wood-burning fire pit may be healthier than cooking over a charcoal grill.
According to a Men’sHealth article, charcoal fires emit high levels of carcinogenic chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). And about gas or propane fire pits, it is entirely safe to grill marshmallows or hot dogs over them. The pungent smell of gas will not come, which is the same gas used in professional gas grilling.
Moreover, there are no health issues regarding cooking on a fire pit, whether a wood-burning one or a gas type. Cooking or grilling on fire pits has shown no health side effects till now. So, you can enjoy as much fire pit cooking as you want.
However, remember that eating grilled food more often is not suitable for your health. Grilled meats are tasty and lower in fat and calories, but they may contribute to cancer risk. So, keep this in mind and fix your eating schedule on grilled foods.
