Not all meat is created equal over fire. Some cuts were practically made for the coals, others need more controlled heat. Here are the seven cuts we reach for most during summer fire cooking season, and exactly how to handle each one.
1. Skirt Steak
Skirt steak is the fire cook's best friend. Thin, fatty, and intensely beefy, it cooks fast over high heat and picks up char and smoke better than almost any other cut. Two to three minutes per side over a hot coal bed, rest for five minutes, slice against the grain. That's the whole recipe.
The Special Edition Cleaver is perfect for breaking down a full skirt steak and portioning into serving pieces. The wide blade handles the long cut easily and moves the sliced pieces straight to the plate.
2. Bone-In Chicken Thighs
Thighs are forgiving. The higher fat content means they stay juicy even if you pull them a few minutes late, and the bone adds flavor and structure during the cook. Put them skin-side down over medium coals, leave them alone for 10 minutes, then flip. Let the bone side cook for another eight minutes.
Season aggressively. Thighs can handle bold rubs, marinades, and sauces. They're one of the most versatile and affordable summer grilling proteins you'll cook all season.
3. Whole Spatchcock Chicken
Spatchcocking removes the backbone and flattens the bird, which creates even contact with the heat and dramatically reduces cook time. The result is crackling skin, juicy breast meat, and a bird that feeds a crowd without requiring hours of babysitting. Use your Special Edition Cleaver to remove the backbone with a clean, confident cut down each side of the spine.
Place it flat over medium-low coals, skin side down, for about 20 minutes before flipping. Finish skin-side up until the breast reaches 165 degrees internal temperature.
4. Tri-Tip
Tri-tip is underrated in most of the country but remains a West Coast staple for good reason. It has deep beefy flavor, great fat marbling, and a triangular shape that allows for different levels of doneness in a single cut. The thicker end stays medium-rare while the thin tip cooks further for those who prefer it.
Sear it over high heat for a few minutes per side to build a crust, then move it to indirect heat to finish. Rest for 10 minutes and always slice against the grain.
5. Pork Spare Ribs
Low and slow is the path for spare ribs. Build your fire to one side, place the ribs on the opposite side, and let them ride for three to four hours over indirect smoke heat. No wrapping needed if you keep the temperature consistent. The fat renders, the connective tissue breaks down, and you get fall-off-the-bone results.
Brush with sauce only in the final 20 minutes so the sugar doesn't burn before the ribs are done.
6. Lamb Chops
Lamb and fire belong together. Loin chops cook fast, about three minutes per side over high heat, and they pick up a smoky, slightly gamey crust that tastes incredible. Season with rosemary, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Let them marinate for at least two hours.
Serve them slightly pink. Lamb chops overcook quickly and lose their best qualities when pushed past medium.
7. Whole Fish
Whole fish on fire is one of the best kept secrets of outdoor cooking. Score the skin a few times on each side, rub generously with olive oil and salt, and lay it directly on the grate over medium coals. Eight to ten minutes per side for a one- to two-pound fish. The Special Edition Cleaver handles scoring and portioning beautifully once the fish comes off the fire.
The skin crisps, the flesh steams inside the scored cuts, and the whole presentation at the table is a showstopper. If you haven't tried whole fish over fire, this summer is the time.
MWTP Trailblade 5" Handforged Steak Knife Set
Shop Now
When the fire cooking is done and it's time to eat, the Trailblade Steak Knife Set puts the right blade in every hand at the table. Handforged and built to last. On sale at $149.95, down from $200.00.
Pick a Cut. Build a Fire. Start Cooking.
Every one of these cuts is better over fire than it is on a gas burner or in a pan. That's not opinion, it's just how fire cooking works. Smoke, char, and heat produce flavors that nothing else replicates.
Start with what sounds most approachable and work your way through the list over the summer. By the time September rolls around, you'll have a go-to outdoor cook for every occasion.