Fireplace Cooking Grills

Construction

• Camping grills, gridiron grills and Tuscan grills all have similar construction to outdoor cooking grills for cooking over a fireplace fire, consisting of a rack supported above the fire on legs or a rack. Specialty features distinguish the different types of grills. Look for a cast-iron fireplace cooking grill. These grills will be heavier than chrome steel varieties, but the cast-iron retains heat longer and supports heavy pots and pans better than the lightweight steel of a camping grill. Before you decide to pursue the hobby of fireplace grilling actively, try it on a makeshift grill first. Support a barbecue grate on top of a pair of bricks placed at each end of the grate.

Features

• Look for grills supported on an adjustable rack instead of on fixed legs. The rack enables you to move the grates higher or lower, depending on the level of the flames in the fireplace. Ideally, the grill should hold the food 4 to 6 inches over the fire. Some Tuscan grill makers build fireplace grills like a combination panini press and rotisserie. Food is held firmly between two grill grates. Instead of flipping the food with a spatula to cook the top after the bottom browns, both of the grates with the food between are rotated to cook the other side of the food. Such an innovation is for serious fireplace grillers willing to pay for this the added amenity.

Indirect Cooking

• Just as an outdoor grill can be set up for cooler, more controlled indirect cooking, so can a fireplace grill. Also known as hearthside grilling, the cooking grill is set up on the hearth directly in front of the fire. For this cooking method, lower the grates, if possible to 2 1/2 inches from the embers. You cook by moving embers from the fireplace to under the grill in a shallow layer less than 1 inch deep under the food to produce a low cooking heat. The cook must keep a close eye on the food because the close proximity of the food to the warm embers changes the cooking time. Use this cooking method for delicate meats, vegetables, breads and fruits.

Direct Cooking

• Shovel hot embers from the fireplace grill directly under the food and you have produced an indoor version of barbecue grill. The same cooking methods for high-heat direct cooking are used with such a setup. Place the fireplace cooking grill into the fire to heat slowly. This ensures a hot cooking surface and it prevents a rapid swing in temperature that could damage the metal of the grill. The food sits 4 to 6 inches directly above a pile of embers taller than 1 inch for high heating. Follow the cooking times in recipes for fireplace grilling or use direct grilling instructions as guidelines and use a food thermometer to verify the food has cooked through.