The After Party: How to Keep Your Flames Going on Your Open Fire BBQ Grill

Struggling to keep the flames alive on your open fire BBQ grill? Well, we all know that a successful day of grilling with family and friends doesn’t simply end after you’ve had your meal. No, until you’re sitting around the fire under the star-studded sky, with a s’more-filled belly, your gathering is not complete. But of course, this is only possible when you have flames that are going to keep you and your guests warm all night long. At KUDU Grills, we believe that outdoor cooking is all the precious moments you share while lingering a little longer around the fire. So, we’re here to give you a few tips on how you can build a fire that will last almost as long as the memories.

4 Tips to Keep Your Flames Going All Night Long

Tip 1: Take it One Log at a Time: Know How to Build a Fire

Yes, we’re serious. This tip may seem elementary, or even downright useless, but knowing how to light the perfect fire is vital to creating your pit of ‘eternal flames’. Don't think piling some logs and paper and lighting a match is what it takes to create a after-party-worthy fire. If you do, we’ve got a thing or two to tell you. The best way to start up your flames on your open fire BBQ grill is to start small and add your logs gradually. You need to nurture your fire, so don’t be in a rush to pile too many logs onto it at one time. Adding your wood gradually will allow your fire to build up a strong and steady heat. And it will therefore remain consistent long after you serve dessert.

Tip 2: Patience is a Virtue: Use Well-Seasoned Wood

When wood is seasoned well, it offers a great deal more heat than greenwood. Did you know that seasoned wood offers four times the amount of heat than uncured wood? And if you prefer gathering your own wood for grilling season, it’s best to do so well in advance. Cut and prepare the wood in early spring and then allow it to sit outside in the elements until it is seasoned. This can take anything from six months to a year, depending on the climate you live in as well as the kind of wood you are cutting.

Pro Tip: Remember the ‘Half-Inch Rule’

Every camping and outdoor enthusiast is familiar with the half-inch rule. Basically, it means that half an inch of wood is equal to an hour of burning time. So, if you have a ten-inch piece of wood, your fire is likely to burn for five hours. But again, this depends on the type of wood you use. This will be especially useful for the fire master who loves to socialize. It’s easy to lose track of time and your fire when you’ve got a full belly and good company. This trick allows you to calculate your burning time in a flash and to gradually add your wood to keep the flames going.

Tip 3: Your Fire is Alive, Allow it to Breathe: Create Ventilation

Another way to keep those flames flickering is by creating ventilation, to enable your fire to breathe. A common mistake is setting up the perfect fire but then neglecting to clear out the ashes that block ventilation. You must continuously create space to ensure that oxygen is always able to reach the base of your fire.

Tip 4: Bring on the Flames: Use the KUDU Fire Rings

The KUDU Fire Rings are just what you need to keep your guests warm, chatting, and grabbing that bag of marshmallows. Its ease and convenience automatically turn your KUDU Grill into an incredible fire feature. This creates the perfect ambiance for you and your guests. To use your KUDU Fire Rings effectively, simply open them up and place them over the elevation bars of your KUDU Grill. Stack enough wood so that the logs go past the last fire ring (you’ll need to build it high if you want your fire to last). And then, simply light up your fire to enjoy more warmth (even when you’re standing further away) with no smoke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlHOxEjd1JY

The Outdoor Party is Just Getting Started

Keeping your flames and the outdoor party alive has never been so easy! For us, there’s nothing better than gathering around the fire after a successful day of grilling. With everyone’s bellies stuffed (but somehow always able to fit in a few extra s’mores), sitting around the fire with your loved ones is the treasure trove of outdoor cooking. With the help of your KUDU Grill and a few extra grilling tools, your outdoor cooking experiences are bound to be a hit. Contact KUDU Grills and we’ll fulfill all your outdoor cooking needs.