Experts reveal the fire pit trend that's hotting up this summer

It seems everyone is jumping on the latest fire pit cooking trend this season, with people even swapping their favorite fire pit recipes to up their alfresco cooking game. 

Wild travel expert Martin Beetschen at Hi Van says he’s seen the trend for cooking on the best fire pits rocket in the last 12 months. 'A decade ago, we’d see the occasional article about cooking on a fire pit. By 2021, even Martha Stewart jumped onboard by publishing an article sharing top picks for the best fire pits for making food. Cooking over a fire pit is primal, it brings us back to our fundamental natures.'

So, why is fire pit cooking such a thing now and what do we need to know?

It’s simple to cook over a fire pit – just add a grill, although if you’re looking for fire pit ideas you can now buy a huge range of cooking implements such as smokers and suspended cauldrons for making soup and stews. 

A crucial point, says James Watts, CEO of outdoor cooking expert Own The Grill 'is that fire pits are typically less expensive to purchase and keep in the long run in comparison to the best BBQs and grills, which is likely another reason why there has been an increased interest in them over the last few years.'

Holiday at home

Another reason why the fire pit cooking trend has become so popular is because we’ve all been spending so much time at home in our backyards, believes Baron Christopher Hanson, realtor at Coldwell Banker Realty in Sarasota, Florida.

'Instead of buying or selling a home based on curb appeal out front, Covid housing priorities trended far more towards backyard oases,' he says. 'This included gardens, pools, lounge areas, and of course an emphasis on grilling and fire pit installations.'

The thrill of the grill

The popularity of cooking on a fire pit is the next big challenge for seasoned BBQers, says Christie Vanover, competitive pitmaster and owner of GirlsCanGrill.com, a website dedicated to teaching people how to grill. 

'Millions of Americans have recently discovered new ways to cook at home, and one of those ways was on a grill in the backyard. Now that these outdoor cooks have one to two years of experience behind them, they’re looking for new, fun ways to cook meals outdoors. Fire pits add an experiential element to cooking that you don’t get from just standing behind a gas or pellet grill.'

Will you be switching up your outdoor grill ideas and trying the fire pit cooking trend this season?