There’s something special about cooking over a real fire. The crackle of burning wood, the aroma of smoke, and the simple pleasure of preparing food outdoors all combine to create an experience that gas BBQs simply can’t replicate.
In a recent video, I set myself a challenge: teach my daughter how to grill a steak on an outdoor fireplace.
For this lesson, we chose sirloin steak. Sirloin is one of the best cuts for beginners because it has a good amount of marbling and fat, which helps keep the meat juicy and forgiving during the cooking process.
When cooking over a wood fire, simplicity is often best. Rather than using marinades or complicated rubs, we seasoned the steak with salt and let the natural wood smoke provide the flavour. One of the biggest advantages of cooking on an outdoor fireplace is the incredible taste that comes from cooking over real embers and hardwood.
Learning to Cook Over Fire
One of the key skills when cooking on an outdoor fireplace is managing heat. Unlike a gas grill where temperature is controlled by a dial, live-fire cooking requires paying attention to the fire, the embers, and the position of the grill plate.
Using our swing-frame grill system made it easy to move the steak closer to or further from the heat source as needed. This allowed us to create a beautiful sear while maintaining control over the cooking process.
We also covered simple techniques such as checking for colour, monitoring grill marks, and using the feel of the steak to judge doneness. These are valuable skills for anyone wanting to become more confident cooking over fire.
More Than Just Cooking
While the goal was to teach her how to grill steak, the experience of cooking together is what matters most! Cooking outdoors creates opportunities to spend time together, learn practical skills, and build confidence around fire and food preparation.
Whether you’re new to live-fire cooking or looking to improve your skills, starting with a simple steak is one of the best ways to learn. With quality ingredients, a well-managed fire, and a little patience, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve.
Watch till the end to see how she did!