Fire-Blistered Tomatoes with Burrata on the Buschbeck

This is what I make when friends arrive before I'm ready. Ten minutes over the coals on the Buschbeck and a punnet of cherry tomatoes turns into something that looks like you've been slaving away all afternoon. You haven't. That's the trick.

Cooking this on a Buschbeck rather than a stovetop changes the whole character of the dish. The coals give the tomatoes a smoky edge you just can't get indoors, and because the heat's uneven, some tomatoes blister and some nearly collapse, which is exactly what you want. A cold burrata torn open in the middle does the rest of the work for you.

Serve it straight from the pan with lots of grilled bread for mopping up the juices. It's loud, it's messy, and it disappears fast.

Serves 4 · Fire: medium-hot coals · Cook: 15 min

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb) cherry tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
• 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 burrata, about 200 g (7 oz)
• A handful of basil leaves
• Sourdough slices, to serve

Method

1. Let the fire burn down to medium-hot coals and set the grill rack over them.
2. Toss the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a cast iron skillet. Cook on the grill for 10–15 minutes, shaking now and then, until blistered and bursting.
3. Take the pan off, splash in the balsamic and sit the burrata in the middle. Tear it open.
4. Grill the sourdough for a minute each side. Scatter the basil over the tomatoes, add pepper and a drizzle of oil, and serve.

Fire note: Keep the skillet towards the front of the firebox, away from the flames, so the tomatoes blister without scorching. Use heat-resistant gloves on that handle.

Buschbeck kit: Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Grill · Heat-Resistant Gloves

How to cook fire-blistered tomatoes with burrata on a Buschbeck

You'll want your Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Grill for this one, set over medium-hot coals - not roaring flames. Let your fire burn right down until the coals have that steady orange glow with no flicker left in them. That's your sweet spot for blistering rather than burning.

Sit the cast iron skillet towards the front of the firebox, away from the direct flame. This is the bit people skip, and it's the bit that matters. Too close to the fire and the garlic catches before the tomatoes even start to soften. Towards the front, you get gentle, even heat that coaxes the tomatoes into bursting without scorching the skins.

Give the pan a shake every few minutes rather than stirring constantly - you want some tomatoes to catch a bit of colour while others go jammy. Fifteen minutes is usually enough. You'll know it's done when the skins have split and the oil's gone a deep, rusty red from the garlic and balsamic.

Keep your Heat-Resistant Gloves on hand the whole time. Cast iron handles hold heat for ages after they've left the fire, and this is an easy one to forget mid-conversation with a drink in your other hand.

What to serve with fire-blistered tomatoes and burrata

Lots of grilled sourdough is non-negotiable here - you need something to drag through the burrata and those balsamic-soaked juices. If you're building out a bigger spread, this sits beautifully alongside a Margherita pizza from the Buschbeck pizza stone or a loaf of wood-fired rosemary focaccia. Keep it simple and let the tomatoes do the talking.

FAQs

Can I make fire-blistered tomatoes on a Buschbeck without a cast iron skillet?

A cast iron skillet is ideal because it holds heat evenly over coals, but any heavy, flameproof pan will work. Just avoid anything with plastic handles.

What heat do I need on my Buschbeck for this recipe?

Medium-hot coals with no active flame is what you're after. If the fire's still flaming, wait until it burns down a bit before you start.

Why does my burrata go watery when I add it to the hot tomatoes?

Burrata releases liquid when it's torn open, especially over warm tomatoes. That's normal and part of the sauce - just serve it straight away with bread to soak it up.

Can I cook this on other outdoor fireplaces, not just a Buschbeck?

Yes, the method works on any wood-fired setup with a grill rack and coals. I just always cook it on my Buschbeck because that's what's in my backyard.

Get all 89 recipes in The Wood Fire Kitchen

Fire-Blistered Tomatoes with Burrata is one of 89 recipes in my cookbook, The Wood Fire Kitchen: Recipes for your Buschbeck outdoor fireplace. It covers everything from lighting and reading the fire to pizza, grilling, the rotisserie, camp-oven dinners and desserts baked in the embers, with a Buschbeck kit note on every recipe so you know exactly which accessory to reach for.

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