Chefs are a bit like moths to the flame when it comes to live fire cooking. Maybe it taps into some primal part of the brain from our caveman ancestors. Perhaps it’s the wild, raw challenge. Whatever it is, it can’t be resisted! We chatted with our mate Chef Thomas Horner for his top tips on cooking with fire.

Keep in mind, the appeal is all about our primal natures. Read or watch Cooked, and you’ll learn that cooking food over fire was humankind’s way out of the caves with bigger brains! OK onto the tips:

#1 Start small. Your old-fashioned Weber or a Yakitori grill with charcoal is a great way to begin. You learn to play with the balance of flavor from high-heat char and low-heat smoke.

#2 Get to know asado grills. It’s a style of cooking that’s all over the world — indirect heat; so low and slow. The grill is big and showy with iron crosses, a real plus at outdoor events and parties. Lamb is fantastic on the asado, as are sausages and even salmon.

#3 Cooking with live fire is all about controlling the flames and the heat, really the essence of cooking itself. So many variables are part of the appeal, from the wood or charcoal you use, to wind, ambient temperature, humidity…and that’s before you even think about what you’re cooking.

#4 The best tip: Cheat! Brine and inject your meats. This gives you some room for error, since the easiest and most commonly made mistake in live fire is overcooking.

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