Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

You’ve spent all day tending a fire and radiant coal bed to heat your <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/diy-wood-fired-neapolitan-pizza-oven-for-less-than-50">“hotrod” backyard brick oven</a>. You’ve fired a few <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/how-to-make-pro-pizza-at-home-with-joe-heffernan-of-independent-pizzeria">pizzas</a>, and maybe a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/wood-fire-basted-tomahawk-steak">steak</a>. You’ve <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/wood-fire-crusty-rosemary-focaccia">baked bread</a>, seared gooey <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/crispy-crusty-wood-fire-queso-fundido">queso fundido</a> to get an ultra-crispy and chewy bottom, and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/butter-baked-wood-fire-lobster-dungeness-crab">basted a whole lobster and crab</a>. Now the day—and those coals—are winding down. But that heat isn’t going anywhere fast. So, put it to good use. The oven has lots of residual heat stored in the thermal mass of the bricks. In the video, Grant shows you how to maximize those smoldering embers. Take advantage of that slow, steady heat by braising tomatoes and whole heads of garlic until they transform into succulent, super-concentrated jammy, caramelized goodies. You can use an enamel-coated cast iron braiser or Dutch oven here, or a stainless-steel roasting tray. This method works well for other veggies, too—braise eggplants to make a <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/grilled-dips-spreads-sauces">baba ghanoush</a>, or roast hearty squashes to blend into a dip or soup.

Wood-Fired Brick Oven Set-It-And-Forget-It Tomato Jam