There’s something different about food cooked over a fire. Maybe it’s the smoky aroma, the crackling flames, or simply the experience of cooking outdoors while everyone gathers around.
If you’ve never cooked on a fire pit before, it can seem a little intimidating. How much wood should you use? When is the fire ready? And how do you stop your dinner from turning into a smoky mess?
The good news is that fire pit cooking is easier than you might think.
Start With the Right Wood
The foundation of a good cooking fire is good-quality, dry wood.
For your Wizard Fire Pit, we recommend hardwoods such as mānuka, kānuka, oak and applewood.
Try to avoid pine. Its high resin content can create heavy black soot and excess smoke, which isn't ideal when you're trying to enjoy a meal outdoors.
And one important one to remember: never burn driftwood. The salt absorbed by driftwood can be corrosive and may damage the metal over time.
Build Your Fire Before You Start Cooking
One of the biggest beginner mistakes is putting food on too soon.
Give your fire time to properly establish itself. When lighting your Wizard Fire Pit, keep the airflow lever fully open on the “+” setting. This allows plenty of oxygen into the fire and helps it burn efficiently.
As the fire gets hotter, you'll start to see the secondary combustion system working through the holes around the upper section of the fire pit.
For this to work properly, keep your fuel below the line of the upper holes.
Once you have a strong, established fire, you're ready to start thinking about dinner.
Grill or Pot? Choosing the Right Setup
For straightforward fire pit cooking, our Portable Fire Pit Grill is a great option. It sits over the top opening without blocking the fire and provides a stable cooking surface for foods such as steaks, burgers, sausages, chicken and vegetables.
You can also cook using a pot or pan, but it should have a flat bottom so it can sit securely on top of the fire pit. This is ideal for meals such as stews, sauces and other dishes that benefit from cooking in a pan.
Whether you're grilling directly or using cookware, allow the fire to establish first and position your food according to the heat. The majority of the heat comes through the top opening, making it the main cooking area.
What Can You Cook?
This is where the fun begins.
You don't need complicated recipes to get started. Try grilling some vegetables, cooking burgers for the family, or putting a pan over the fire for a simple one-pot meal.
Once you're comfortable with the basics, you can get more creative. From perfectly grilled steaks and juicy burgers to slow-cooked shredded beef and gooey baked brie, there are plenty of ways to make your fire pit part of the menu.
Some of the best fire pit meals are simply good ingredients cooked over a hot fire and enjoyed outside.
Managing the Heat
Cooking over a fire isn't quite like turning a knob on your kitchen stove. Instead, you learn to control the heat by managing your wood, airflow and cooking position.
Add wood gradually rather than putting too much on at once. Depending on how hot you want your fire, you may find yourself adding another log approximately every 30 minutes.
If something is cooking too quickly, move it away from the hottest area. If you need more heat, add another piece of suitable dry wood and allow the fire to build.
With a little practice, you'll quickly get a feel for how your Wizard Fire Pit behaves.
What About Smoke?
A properly established fire should burn much cleaner than a typical open fire, but the fuel you use makes a big difference.
If you're experiencing excessive smoke, check that your wood is dry, the airflow is fully open and the fuel is staying below the upper holes.
And if you're using pine, try switching to another type of wood. Hardwood or good-quality macrocarpa can make a noticeable difference.
More Than Just Cooking
One of the best things about fire pit cooking is that dinner doesn't have to mean sitting inside waiting for the oven timer.
You can prep your ingredients outside, cook while chatting with family and friends, and enjoy the meal right beside the fire.
From a simple Friday-night barbecue to perfectly grilled steaks or juicy burgers shared around the fire, cooking outdoors can turn an ordinary meal into an experience.
Ready to Cook Over Fire?
Start simple, use good-quality dry wood and give your fire time to establish before you start cooking. Once you've mastered the basics, there's a whole world of outdoor recipes to explore.
Light the fire, bring out the food and make your Wizard Fire Pits the centre of the gathering.
