Woodstove Cooking

[Erinny]

I live in my grandfather's old hunting cabin and its not wired for a electric or gas stove, so I have a woodstove. I have gotten the top figured out but the two ovens leave me dumb. I have tried baking things in them, and I have to use a thermomter constantly and it works ok but I have a rough time with it.
Any help? Sure would love some help. I have all cast iron cookware my mom gave me and my bread turns out ok and so does meatloaf but some other things haven't and I used my crockpot. I want to learn to use this stove better because Mom says its best for cooking but I ask her, she says heck if I know so not a lot of help there.
Any ideas? Can I use it as a regular stove? People have told me I can but I don't know how. Nobody seems to be able to tell me how.
Help please?

 

[Katie H]

I really, really can't help you with your question but I give you great big "kudos" for persevering and trying to work with what you have. However, I am a bit curious. If the property doesn't have electricity, as you say, how are you able to use your crock-pot?

 

[Erinny]

I do have electricity, it's just not wired for a electric stove. I have 120 but not 240 for a stove or a refirgerater. I have a tiny fridge that I plugged in and I don't have a washer or dryer or dishwasher or anything and the cabin has a little fusebox and it would cost a lot to get a electrician in here to redo the cabin at about $2000 so I think I'm better off for now just with I have.

 

[Katie H]

Okay, but you still have a challenge and you seem to be approaching it with optimism. Good for you. Not many folks would do what you are doing.

 

[gadzooks]

Hi, Erinny...it actually sounds like you're doing pretty well with your wood stove. It just takes a lot of practice and patience...and a good thermometer. I learned to cook on my grandmas coal stove in Pennsylvania, although not strictly out of necessity. The stove part is easy...the fire part takes time to figure out how to achieve and maintain the desired temperature. Keep after it.

 

[Erinny]

Well I was gifted with the cabin and the three acres with it and I am planning a garden too and I was real proud to have it! Imagine it, not so many people are so blessed. My sister got a nice two story house with everything but that is normal she is older.

 

[Erinny]

Hi Gadzooks, I do have a good thermometer and I try to make things ok but it is a challenge and your right the fire part is hard. Mine is wood and I have to make sure the fire is right so that the temperture is right.
Sometimes when I try a roast I have to keep poking the thermometer in it. Isn't there an easier way?

 

[Maverick2272]

Sounds like you are doing pretty good. The trick with wood stoves is you have to start the fire early and let it 'coal' out a bit before using it. Two things that you will do a lot of is use your thermometer constantly and learn to use indirect heat. I don't know how big your stove is, but usually you need to start the fire off to the side and let it build up good, then use the thermometer to find a spot that fits your baking needs temp wise.
Again, not knowing much about your stove it is hard to give advice, but think of it as baking on a grill, your vents are a big help in keeping a constant temp as you go along.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I use one of these sometimes in BBQing where fire control is a must. I would think fire control would be very important in using your wood fired stove/oven.

Have Fun !!!!!

 

[gadzooks]

Hey, Erinny, I'm thinking two thermometers. One can be a meat thermometer that measures the internal temperature of your food, and should probably be the kind you can leave in while the food cooks. The other thermometer would be for oven temperature, one that you can move around in the oven to find hot spots and cool spots, so you know how that oven cooks. It would clue you for better fire control, too. What Uncle Bob said.

 

[bethzaring]

woods are key, use small pieces of poplar or similar quick burning wood to start a fire and to up the temp for a hot oven.....oaks and other hardwoods to bank the fire....fire tending is an art. How are you obtaining the wood for the stove? Is it seasoned and split?

Yes you can use it as a regular stove, but it will be a challange. It is much easier to use the stove top for soups, simmering things, heating water....I used a wood cookstove for many years, 3 actually, the best one was a combination wood/gas cookstove, each one had its own quirks.

Do you have any specific questions?

 

[justplainbill]

In addition to Bethzaring's excellent tips you need to adjust the fire boxes bottom (air intake) and chimney dampers to achieve optimum combustion, fuel consumption and temperature control. Trivets, placement of pots over different locations on the stove top or over a portion of the stove-top where the lid or 1 or more of the lid rings have been removed can also be done to adjust pot temperatures.
Probably the oven compartment farthest from the fire-box is a warming oven.
If your stove has shaker grates you might want to use large chunks of hard coal to keep the stove going overnight. The size coal you'd need depends on the size of your stoves grates. If you use coal, make sure you sleep with your head near an partially open window to avoid coal gas poisoning.


The best turekys I've ever eaten were baked in your kind of stove. I'd speculate you could make some outstanding bread in that stove.

 

[Aria]

Practice and practice

I agree with bethzaring. Cooking top of wood stove is best. You can move tha pans towards more heat....and move away from the heat. Constant WATCH> The oven you must WATCH and keep the fire as constant as you can. Not easy. Take practice.

I used a wood stove when I was planning to start a Country Store Business. Did cook top of stove FINE. Oven??? that was a challenge.

You can also get one of those top of the stove old fashioned ovens...they are metal and they can work too. It is fun to master. Use your oven only when you have a lot of time. Trial and error. Aria.

 

[justplainbill]

In addition to the firebox and chimney dampers I mentioned above, your stove probably has a control which lets you route firebox hot air/ gases either under the cooking surface and out the chimey or (once the stove is up to heat) under the cooking surface then around the oven and out the chimney. This changing of the routing can be used to adjust oven temps. Bear in mind, for the oven to work well, that the passageway under the oven floor as well as over the top and outer side of the oven wall need have the soot buildup cleaned out periodically. Wish I was there to show you.

 

[Erinny]

Yes I have the dampers and all, it's a huge thing with two ovens and a warming oven. I haven't tried using coal in it, I have seasoned hardwoods I got but I split it myself. I use birch to get it going and I do soups and stews well on top but its the ovens that drive me nuts. I like that thermomter, I think I will get one of those! My bread and roasts are ok but I have to keep an eye on it and make sure the fire isn't too hot.
It's really tricky and I was wondering if this is just going to be tricky forever but are there secrets to using these things?
Oh and soot buildup. That I have! But I'm real careful to clean that up. Its a mess. I get the chimneys cleaned twice a year. I have wood heat too.
Thanks for all your helps here! I do appreciate it alot. Maybe I'll get the hang of this just in time to wire the cabin for 220/240!

 

[Katie H]

Erin, my oldest son and I are also members of a board called "HomesteadingToday.com." I just did a search there for woodstove cooking and came up with this. You might want to see what information they can give you.

 

[Robo410]

oven thermometer is important, and a couple varied sized blocks of wood to prop the oven door open a bit and a bit more when it is too hot inside.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

This is too cool, Erinny. I have no experience using, much less cooking with, a woodstove but I love reading about how you're doing it. Amazing! I hope you're blogging this somewhere and that you will share the link with us. You go, girl!

 

[Erinny]

Thank you all! Katie, I went to the link and I think I'll join there. That is really interesting. There sure is a lot to this. Thank you all so very, very much!
EDIT: Thank you, Fisher's Mom! Maybe I will master this someday!

 

[Katie H]

Thank you all! Katie, I went to the link and I think I'll join there. That is really interesting. There sure is a lot to this. Thank you all so very, very much!
EDIT: Thank you, Fisher's Mom! Maybe I will master this someday!

Glad I could offer a resource. If you sign up there, please use Katie E as your referral member. That's my user name there.