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Or sign-in if you have an account.Jean Robert (JR) Mallet, a former chef turned outdoor adventure blogger at Off Track Travel, cooks pizza over a fire on Vancouver Island. Gemma TaylorThere’s something primal about cooking over a live fire. You’d think, given our ancestral roots, we’d be naturals at it. If only. Speaking from experience, the results are often charred on the outside and still raw on the inside.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorCooking over an open flame takes practice. But once you master it, the payoff is pretty sweet. Food just tastes better outdoors, smoke-kissed and eaten under an open sky. Outdoor meals linger in our memories long after the embers die out.Yet unlike cooking on a stove, live fire demands your full attention.“Live-fire cooking requires patience, intuition, and respect for the process. You have to understand the behaviours of the coals, airflow and heat zones. The fire is not something you simply control; it’s something you learn to read and work alongside,” says Daniele Mereu, executive chef at Janevca, the celebrated dining room inside Victoria’s historic Rosemead House, where open-flame cooking is the main event.How to build a cooking fireAlmost any fire setup can work for cooking, but the key is to create hot embers rather than cooking over flames, says Jean Robert (JR) Mallet, a former chef, now full-time outdoor adventure blogger at Off Track Travel.“Medium-sized logs (around 15 to 20 centimetres thick) are ideal because they burn long enough to produce lasting embers without taking too long to get going. I like to keep an active fire burning on one side and then move (with tongs) the hot embers over to a separate cooking area when ready,” he says.Choose your wood wiselyWood isn’t just fuel, it’s flavour. Mereu prefers well-seasoned hardwoods because they burn cleanly and provide consistent heat. “Oak is one of my favourites because of its versatility, while fruitwoods can add beautiful aromas to certain ingredients. The most important thing is using quality wood that enhances the food rather than overpowering it,” he says.A special note for those cooking in the Rockies or on the Prairies: birch, pine and fir are poor choices for cooking wood. They hold more moisture, which causes smouldering and pushes unwanted smoke flavour directly into your food. Whatever wood you use, make sure it’s properly dried.Master your heatThe most common mistake home cooks make is cooking directly over flames.“It’s whimsical and looks like something out of a movie, but in reality, the flames will quickly burn the outside of your food before it’s cooked through,” says Mallet. Jean Robert (JR) Mallet says the most forgiving foods when cooking directly on embers are those with a natural wrapper or thick skin. Gemma TaylorExpect it to take at least 45 minutes to produce a bed of glowing embers.“A strong coal base gives you better temperature control, more even cooking, and deeper flavour,” notes Mereu.For safety, Mallet recommends having a pair of heavy leather gloves and long metal tongs on hand.What to throw on the fireFor novices, Mallet recommends trying anything that can be held on a stick, such as hotdogs or bannock, to start off. “When cooking directly on embers, foods with a natural wrapper or thick skin are the most forgiving, such as acorn squash and corn (cooked with the husk),” he says.Sweet potatoes develop a caramelized sweetness that’s hard to beat. While broccolini, zucchini and eggplant are reliable crowd-pleasers when cooked over a grill. And any leftover eggplant whips beautifully into smoky baba ghanoush. Cast iron pans transform nachos, cornbread and garlic butter mushrooms when cooked over an open flame.Live fire is also perfect for premium ingredients because it enhances their natural character, says Mereu.“At Janevca, we cook Prime AAA Reserve Canadian Angus rib-eyes, both bone-in and boneless, beef tenderloin finished with melted Taleggio cheese, Spanish octopus, and seasonal vegetables over charcoal. The fire brings depth, caramelization, and subtle smoke while keeping the ingredients at the centre,” he notes.One thing to avoidTempted to use your indoor fireplace? Don’t. Without proper ventilation, the smoke has nowhere to go, and neither does the heat. Stick to an outdoor grill or fire pit.A word on patienceLive-fire cooking is as much about learning to read your fire as it is about recipes. Airflow, weather, and the dryness of your wood all affect how your fire behaves. Expect a learning curve, and don’t stress over the occasional singed edge.“Live fire teaches you humility because every fire behaves differently. I quickly learned that patience, observation, and respect for the coals are just as important as the cooking technique itself,” notes Mereu.Whether you’re in the backyard or at a campsite, the results are worth every careful moment tending those coals. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.