From vintage to new, small to large, Cast Iron Wood Cooking Stoves still capture our imagination. Cast Iron Wood Cooking Stoves help define the look of a kitchen in any era.
Whenever most people think of a wood-burning cook stove, they immediately envision a pioneer woman slaving over a black cast iron cook stove. Just opening the door looks heavy and cumbersome! However, even now, wood-burning cook stoves are still used by avid cooks with an eye toward conservation and a clean energy source.
If you’ve never considered a wood-burning cook stove as a realistic cooking appliance, think again!
Dual Benefit of the Cook Stove
Since a wood burning stove is the heart of the cook stove, the obvious benefit is as a heat source for the home. However, it goes a bit deeper than just warmth. When you use a wood-burning source of heat, you gain much more than a lower heating bill and a mesmerizing flame to curl up on the couch in front of on a cold night!
Wood is a renewable source of energy and s sustainable source as well when purchased locally
Wood is an economical source of energy, it costs less per BTU than other fuels or electricity
Wood heat is not dependent on electricity if the power goes out, your heat source is not turned off
Wood-burning cook stoves combine stove-top cooking, baking, water heating and home heating, all in a single appliance. Owners of them also note their benefit as a humidifier! When used for cooking, the rich aroma of wood smoke is intertwined with bread, pies, and stews, providing a unique layer of flavor to any cuisine. However, it is important to remember that there are some tricks to know when using a wood-burning cook stove.
Useful Tips When Cook Stove Cooking
Some cooks find the wood-burning cook stove hard to control. However, it just takes some good old fashioned patience and when to use a trick or two to get the wood stove to behave the way you desire.
Combat hot spots by placing a pan of water in the oven close to the cook box which can absorb excess heat
Ensure your fire is even and long-lasting by only using slow burning woods (i.e. oak or hickory) that are fully dried (kiln dried cooking wood is best)
Obtain the most accurate cooking temperature by using a standalone oven thermometer inside the oven
Allow at least 1 to 1 ½ hours for a cold stove to warm up to the correct temperature for baking
Just remember, like building a fire in the fireplace or cooking over flames on a camping trip, it takes practice to learn the best techniques to get the most out of the natural goodness of a wood fire. The art of cooking with a wood-fired cook stove is no different. So, remember practice makes perfect and the residual benefits of your wood burning cook stove exceed any nuances you may encounter!