Family Outdoor Fireplaces

Archive for the ‘Tools Needed’ Category

Cooking over the outdoor fireplace can be a challenge for someone used to all the modern conveniences of an up to date kitchen.

There’s no porcelain cook top that just wipes clean, no easy dial temperature control – none of the things that today’s cook counts on to make food preparation a breeze. Fortunately, we’re not quite stuck with Colonial cooking methods. You’ll find entire suites of outdoor cooking tools that are just meant to make cooking over your outdoor fireplace easier.

Cooking Grid
The most important cooking accessory for your fireplace usually comes with it – a cooking grid that is designed to fit the fire pit. With the cooking grid in place, your outdoor fireplace doubles as a grill. You can stand pots and pans on it, or grill your favorite meats and vegetables just as you’d do on the barbie.

Broiler Basket
Even if you don’t have a grid over your outdoor fireplace, you can still grill meats over the fire with a broiler basket. Typically, the broiler basket is a hinged metal basket with long handles. You can place meats, vegetables or anything else you want to grill inside it, close the handles and hold it over the flames till the food is perfectly grilled.

Long-handled Barbecue Utensils
You don’t need much in the way of utensils for cooking over the fire, but a basic set of barbecue utensils should include a turner, a fork and a set of tongs, all with handles at least 18 inches long to keep your hands out of the fire.

Dutch Ovens
A cast iron Dutch oven can expand your outdoor cooking repertoire far beyond grilled meats and veggies. The best are crafted of heavy duty cast iron, and have a rimmed lid so that you can pile hot coals on top and heat your food from the top and the bottom.

Popcorn Popper
One of the most fun outdoor fireplace utensils is a popcorn popper. They’re elegantly simple – a sheet iron basket attached to the end of a long handle. Drop a half cup of un-popped corn kernels into the basket, close and hold over the fire and watch the fun ensue.

Roasting Fork
Roasters are long-handled implements with tines that are used to hold hot dogs, sausages and other meats over the fire or in the flames. Long handles should be made of a material that won’t heat up or catch fire.