For years, Brandon had this particular fire kettle on his wish list. I finally surprised him with it the Christmas before last and it has been one of the best things for our family. Heck, I knew if we didn’t invest in a kettle style of fire pit like this one, he would spend the same amount of money, if not more, on building a built-in, brick fire pit area for our new home—and this one can move with us wherever we go, long enough to become a family heirloom, and a built-in one surely cannot! And that’s just one of the many things we love about it.

I share our fire pit occasionally on Instagram stories, but I don’t think I’ve ever shared any specifics, so I thought I’d do that in today’s post to answer a few questions that seem to be commonly asked…

 

Our kettle is by Sea Island Forge. Here’s a little backstory on how we found them and why we had our sights set on this particular fire kettle…

A handful of years ago, we were staying at The Cloister at Sea Island and went over to The Lodge for dinner. Afterwards, we had s’mores outside by their large fire kettle, which we soon realized was made by Sea Island Forge. It was the best time—just the four of us having dessert and chatting by the fire under the stars. It was the good stuff, you know? Now that we have one at our own home, we’re recreating those same memories all the time.

In fact, Sea Island Forge created these fire kettles with that very sentiment in mind. Back in southern history, kettles just like this were used to melt down extracted sugar cane juice into syrup. It was a long process that took many hours, so families would gather around the kettle during the process. It’s this same tradition that we carry on today… just without the sugar cane syrup!

 

 

We’ve had our fire pit for well over a year now, so I feel pretty confident in answering some commonly asked questions!

What size do you have? These wood burning fire pits come in two sizes, 30 gallon and 50 gallon. We have the 50 gallon. They are also now offering gas fire pits in the same sizes!

What makes it different? I think it’s important to note that these fire pits were created with such specific materials and in such a specific shape to create a warm, even fire. Sort of how Smithey dutch ovens are made with such high quality cast iron and in a particular shape to evenly heat your food better than other pots… it’s the same kind of principle here! Some fire pits get really smokey and the heat isn’t evenly distributed at all. Apparently, if the kettle is too shallow, the fire won’t feel hot enough and won’t efficiently last. Sea Island Forge mastered the shape of their fire pit to create a perfectly warm and even fire every time. And they did so with ductile cast iron, which together, creates an heirloom-quality product that can be passed on through the generations!

Is it hot to the touch? Are you worried about your kids touching it? Surprisingly, no! The boot rail that goes around the kettle was designed to prop your feet up, but also to provide that extra layer of protection. It dissipates heat and is designed to stay cool to the touch, even after hours of burning. That said, our children are old enough to understand not to touch the actual kettle bowl.

Does it need to be covered or protected from the weather? These things are tough and built to be weather-resistant! Though it’s suggested to treat it the same way you’d treat a cast iron skillet, so rubbing it down with vegetable oil in between burnings is great for it.

Do you only use it in the winter? Absolutely not! We grill on it just as much in the spring and summer as we do in the fall and winter. And sometimes we just sit around the fire pit to enjoy a cocktail, even when the fire isn’t lit.

What accessories do I need? Okay, so they hand-forge tons of different accessories for these fire pits! You definitely need the fire poker and I’d suggest the fire screen as well. We have the griddle, which we’ve used for smash burgers, as well as the grill and heat dome, which together make a mean steak. We also have the copper table top cover, which turns your fire pit into a a coffee table, while also providing protection for it from rain. In addition, Sea Island Forge offers legs for this table top cover, creating a big table at countertop height. We use this all the time to hold all of our “fixings,” from marshmallows to grilling spices, drinks, etc. There are even more accessories you can see on their website… my favorite is probably the side kick, which attaches to the fire pit and gives you a small platform to put a cast iron skillet on, for example. Eggs and bacon by the fire always taste better!

Where are these made? All of their products are designed just outside of Sea Island in Brunswick, GA! That’s also where their metalsmiths create their products at The Forge. We love having something that is so carefully designed and created right here in the south.

Is it hard to make the fire? Honestly, no! A quick little trick that Steve and Sandy Schoettle, Co-Founders + Owners, like to share is to add coals to the kettle first, and once they get hot, add your logs. This makes a quick, hot fire!

 

 

Pictured above is their “forks and quiver” set. It would make an excellent gift! They are great for cooking hot dogs or roasting marshmallows! That’s what we did last night…

 

 

Honestly, time by this fire pit and the feeling it gives us has been engrained within me. When we are there, we are relaxing, enjoying the company of those around us, telling great stories, playing the guitar, and devouring good food and drinks. It’s definitely the best gift I’ve ever been able to give Brandon.