Humans have been drawn to fire for thousands of years. In Harry Callinan's case, it changed the course of his career.
The talented chef has worked in kitchens all over the world but is in his element cooking on his trusty offset smoker.
Callinan cooks at, and caters for, events in and around Newcastle and the Hunter under the name Mulga Bill.
"It was my first fire pit and it's still the star of the show," Hallinan said.
"It's such a simple set up that produces incomparable flavours. I now have many unique pits that allow me to cook a wide range of foods for different events."
With an offset smoker, the fire is off the side of the cooking chamber. This means it can run at very low temperatures, cooking the meat slowly with plenty of time for the internal fat to render down. The end result is tender and flavoursome.
Also, cooking a chicken on the offset smoker is very different to cooking, say, a lamb.
"The way I cook different things is definitely driven by what sort of meat or vegetable or what cut it is," Callinan explained.
"For low, slow and smoky pulled meats and brisket, the offset works really well; chickens are best swung over coals from chains, allowing them to get that authentic charcoal taste.
"Veggies love the coals and the camp oven."
He has embraced diners' renewed interest in vegetables, for example, the popular roasted cauliflower.
"I think it's fantastic - using vegetables in the meat domain is a real treat," he said.
"I use a lot of camp ovens for vegetable curries and braises, and the coals for real fire-tasting roast vegetables.
"Stuffing tomatoes and baby capsicums and cooking them in the offset produces a really flavoursome treat, and cauliflower coated in yoghurt and tandoori paste is unbelievable in the smoker."
Callinan prefers to use red ironbark and yellow box timber in his smokers for practical reasons, as well as for flavour.
"The ironbark holds a great coal and the yellow box burns hot and fast so I can keep a small fire clean by not creating too much acrid smoke," he said.
"For the other open pits I'm not too fussy; most hard wood works well but always some ironbark in there for the coal.
"The flavour that comes from the iron bark is very Australian and the yellow box has a sweetness. This flavour can not be mimicked; it's always been the secret."
His motto when it comes to flavour is "less is more".
"For brisket I just use salt and pepper to enhance the flavour of the meat, not overpower it. Pork loves citrus juice and simple rubs. I have also come up with some great Mexican rubs for meats for that authentic Mexican street taco flavour."
There is a lot of instinct and versality involved when Callinan cooks; the where, what and how. Take the lockdown months, for example, which he describes as "a strange time".
"I kept busy flaunting the laws by doing a one-day COVID-safe taco run out of my back lane," he said, laughing.
"We called it Dirty Lane Tacos, and out of that idea a DIY taco kit was born - homemade sauces and pickles with smoky meats and a dozen tortillas to feed four people.
"It was a real hit during lockdown, and has now become part of our catering offering.
"I also did some consulting work for Meantime on Beaumont Street, they opened last November."
With winter now upon us, Callinan has revived his Mulga Bill venture and is ready to take his offset smoker across the countryside, catering for all kinds of events.
"I've got some great events coming up locally and in the Hunter, such as a five-course members' lunch called The Fire Starter at Glandore Estate as the opening event for the annual Burning of the Barrels," he said.
"I also have a collaboration with the guys from Dashville for Pigsty in July.
"The catering side is growing, with a focus on creating off-grid produce-driven food and fire experiences. I have a few weddings this year and some other wine and food events in the works.
"The taco experience is also gaining traction, with people able to book a Mulga Bill smoky taco pop-up at their venue or order DIY taco kits for their party."
Underpinning it all is one man's love of cooking with the elements. It's a lifelong learning process for Callinan.
"I am really driven to learn everything I can about fire as a cooking medium - I see it as a very fragile thing despite its masculine reputation," he said.
"It's different every time I light a fire.
"This love affair was born out of an adventurous childhood of fire-cooked meals, storytelling and family connection."
HARRY'S TIPS
1. Get all your messy prep done in the kitchen before you bring it to the fire.
2. Light your fire well before you place the meat on, at least 30-45 mins for an offset, at least an hour for open pits.
3. Add moisture to your smoker - a tray or old pot with water will create a moist cooking environment and won't dry out your meat.
4. Always harvest the pan juices, that's the magic.
5. Trust the process, if you're looking you're not cooking.
