Gather 'Round the Fire

Why you should cook and gather over a wood flame

The first use of fire of Hominins (the group consisting of modern humans, Homosapians, extinct human species, and all our immediate ancestors) goes as far back as 1-2 million years ago by Homo Erectus. The use of fire put us directly on the path towards civilization and is considered to be one of the first “tools” to be harnessed by our species. Suffice to say that the importance of fire cannot be overstated. But what was it used for?

Fire was used for warmth from the elements and safety from predators that roamed the primordial world, of course. But I’d argue the most important uses of the flame were cooking and creating a gathering place for tribes after a long day.

Cooking with Fire

I would be willing to bet that most people in the world today use domesticated forms of cooking such as electric or gas. And, even those that love to grill or be outdoors will probably use propane or charcoal on their burgers and steaks. I’m here to tell you why, if you don’t already, you need to switch over to an open wood flame concept for cooking. And no, I don’t mean a wood pellet grill (although those are very cool and have special use cases).

Gas cooking

Let’s start with gas - I think most people will agree that propane and other gases do nothing to add any flavor to what you’re cooking. To quote Hank Hill from one of my favorite childhood TV shows, “taste the meat, not the heat”. And he’s right, if you want to be tasting only the flavor of whatever it is that you’re cooking, gas is a fine option. The other “benefit” of cooking with gas is that it’s way faster. Heck, I have a propane grill specifically because sometimes I crave the guilty pleasure of just getting that food cooked and served quick!

Charcoal cooking

With charcoal, people usually like it because of the smoky aroma it imparts on meat and vegetables. But, cooking with charcoal has a dark side… To cook with charcoal, you will usually need to use some form of lighter fluid, whose ingredients are petroleum or alcohol based, methanol, or ethanol. Do you really want that leeching into your food? Depending on the brand, charcoal’s ingredients aren’t always the best either. Even charcoal that’s made of wood byproducts loses most of the compounds that gives wood its benefits.

Wood cooking

Enter wood cooking. First off, the aroma and flavor of wood are in a league of their own. Better yet, you can customize for the type of wood and thus, flavor. Traditionally, people used the wood that was most prevalent in their area. So, using just the United States as an example: Northerners use oak, Southerners burn hickory, Californians use almond wood, Pacific Northwesterners burn cherry or alder, and in the Southwest, we burn mesquite. Of course today, if you go to any wood yard you can pick from any of these and more (although I still find myself buying mesquite every time).

So where does that excellent flavor come from? Well, the high, dry heat of a wood fire (1,000 degrees or more), caramelizes the proteins in meats and the plant sugars in fruits and vegetables when cooking, something that cooking on a stove indoors just can’t do. But wood-grilled foods get even more of their distinctive flavor and edge from the fragrant smoke that emits from the wood. This is where being able to change the flavor profiles of the food you eat based on your fuel source really comes into play.

The one drawback of cooking over a wood fire is that it is a process, and a long one at that. You need to chop the wood (or buy it already chopped), start the fire (duh), wait for it to get hot enough and form embers to cook over, and of course wait for the food to reach the right temperature which takes a bit longer when you’re outside. But, this is why taking longer isn’t the drawback you think it is…

Gather ‘Round

Today, everyone is always in a rush for something. To get ready in the morning, to get to work, to scarf down lunch, to get home, and to make dinner. We don’t take the time to really enjoy anything in our day to its fullest extent. Part of this is because of the stresses of city life, but also because we just feel that we need everything now. Back when humans roamed in close knit tribes, of course they were hungry, but they also took the time while food cooked over fire to gather with each other, tell stories, and bond with one another.

One of our favorite parts of cooking with a wood flame IS the time that it takes to have food ready. This is why I mentioned wood pellet grills earlier - while they’re awesome tools for making great food, they don’t lend to the gathering aspect as much.

Maddie will usually prepare the vegetables while I prepare the meat for the fire. While it’s cooking outside, we have a chance to talk, mutually tend to the fire together to keep it hot enough for cooking, while our dogs play outside. Even better, when we have friends over, it lends more to bonding and having a great time because sitting around the fire just feels like more of an event than waiting for the oven bell to ring. This bonding is why so many people love holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas - the food takes awhile, but you love the time catching up with friends and family so you don’t mind the wait!

To add, there is something just so primal about sitting around fire. You KNOW what I’m talking about if you’ve done it before. It has a way of bringing deeper conversations out of you and those that experience it with you.

Take action: You don’t have to ditch your current cooking setup, but definitely begin saving for a wood fire grill. I use a Breeo - They look cool, they’re made in America, and they flat out work. There are cheaper options out there, but I support my values by trying to buy things made in the USA when I can. If you are waiting to save for a grill, simply slowing down while you cook as a family goes a long way too.

-Sebastian