Tyler Fenton has been cooking since he was eight. One of his favorite methods is over an open fire. The kitchen he runs, BATA, is the perfect example, as it’s not only one of the best American restaurants, but an homage to woodfire cuisine.
The chef operates out of Tucson, where he grew up. The Arizona college town is also home to an eclectic food scene, inspired very much by the Sonoran Desert surroundings. For Fenton, there’s never a bad time to cook with fire.
So, as we head into winter and tend to trade grills for living room fireplaces, let’s keep the flame-cooking goodness alive. You can use your hearth to make some excellent food. We reached out to the chef for some details, tips, and more.
On cooking steak
Proteins do very well over an open fire. There’s a lively debate over the best way to cook a steak, but utilizing a flame is undoubtedly a top option. It satisfies a primal instinct and can cook the meat perfectly.
One of the things Fenton recommends is starting that fire nice and early. “You need to burn through any kindling and have your first round of wood burned down to coals to have a successful fire for cooking,” he says.
“For fireplace steak, I recommend having one of the two products attached to set you up for success. I like to cook one very large steak when entertaining vs multiple smaller steaks. A large ribeye, or cowboy steak, or porterhouse is ideal. If you are looking for an excuse to focus on cooking vs socializing, cook the steak from raw in the fireplace,” Fenton says.
“If you go this direction, make sure you pull the steak two hours before cooking to allow it to temp up. Season with just salt, and season aggressively. Set up a cooling rack next to the fireplace and do interval cooking, cooking the steak for 1 minute at a time over a very hot fire, and then pulling it off the heat to rest for a few minutes. Repeat this process until the steak is very nicely crusted and cooked to desired doneness, check with an instant-read thermometer or a cake tester,” he says.
“To serve, allow the steak to rest, then slice and plate on a large platter. I like to garnish with some very nice extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, and coarse freshly cracked black pepper. If you want to spend more time socializing, I recommend par-cooking the steak ahead of time and just using the fireplace to sear/finish the steak. This method gives you great results with a touch of theatrics, without tying you down to the grill station. For par-cooking, I would recommend either sous vide or the reverse-sear method, starting in an oven,” adds the chef.
A three-course meal for the fireplace
Ready to give it a go? Fenton has created a delightful three-course meal you can do at home, with the aid of your fireplace. Best, you don’t need a whole lot in the way of tools.
Start with lightly grilled king crab legs with shoyu/tamari smoked butter. For the second course, the chef suggests a large-format steak, either porterhouse or bone-in ribeye, along with some mushroom rub. Finish the meat with some extra virgin olive oil and aged vinegar, and go with a side of grilled broccoli dressed with preserved lemon, garum, and preserved chiles.
The final course? Go with something nostalgic like s’mores. “Elevate it with a fancy chocolate spread, or don’t,” Fenton says. “Or if you want something plated, I would make a basket of grilled fruit with lightly whipped cream and lemon zest.”
Tools of the trade
Really, you don’t need a whole lot. While there are a lot of specialized gadgets out there (pans made specifically for roasting chestnuts and the like), Fenton counts on the essentials. You can always add to your arsenal as you go.
There are a few things the chef likes to have at the ready when it comes time to do some fireside cooking. One is a standard hand grill, like this. Another is a portable camping grill, which affords a sort of Argentinian-style approach to cooking proteins. He likes this option.
By no means essential, other things might include a good meat thermometer, gloves or mitts for handling hot cookware, and a good poker for that fire. A nice pair of tongs is always a good idea as well. With the fire itself, you can have some fun with the wood types. Those who smoke foods or just appreciate good old fashioned BBQ know how different something can taste depending on whether it was cooked over alder or, say, mesquite.
Now, get your apron and fire ready and get to cooking. Great flame-made meals await.
