cooking on a wood heat stove

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The other night we put on a big pot of brown beans on top of our wood heat stove and let them cook all night while we slept. Come about 5 O'clock in the morning started smelling a wonderfull aroma in the bedroom. Couldn't hardly wait for breakfast and have some good ole beans to eat. We have cooked frozen greenbeans and tators, and squirrel and dumplins also on top of the wood stove with great success.

My question is "What all have you countrysiders cooked on top of your wood stove? Also, has anybody ever tried one of those Coleman ovens on top of there wood stove and made biscuits or rolls? I'm curios of what all can be cooked on top of a wood heating stove while keeping the house warm.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), December 30, 2001

Answers

Hello Rh,

We cook beans and ham hocks, johny cake, rice, stews, soups, etc. What I like about the whole idea is that we are heating the house and cooking a meal at the same time, and it is for free, since I cut all my own wood off my land!

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.


I have not found anything that could not be prepared well on a wood heating stove! I have never used a Coleman oven on or off of my stove but I have used a cast iron spider with a lid to "bake" breads, puddings ect. I have also used a cast iron dutch oven for baking. I put the dough or batter (if it's a cake) into the prepared pan then set the pan inside of the dutch oven on top of an iron trivet, put the lid onto the dutch oven and let it bake. Don't forget to use a cast iron trivet on the back on the stove to hold foods you want to keep warm but not toasty! Good Luck!

-- rory (rorykj@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

I learned how to cook on a wood stove. Grew up with one in the kitchen. Provided most of the heat for the house (oil furnace for backup), had an oven with glass window and thermometer on it. My mother was a pro at getting that oven temperature exactly where she wanted it, and keeping it there. Mom's Austrian, and especially at this time of year I remember fondly the struedels, stollens, Christmas goose, cookies, and loads of other goodies that came out of that stove! We have an airtight in our basement now. During winter we often put a big cast iron pot of stew on there, or get out the big stock pot and make a potfull of lentil soup. A few times when I've got the coals just right, I can scoot those aside and put a few potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil in there for baked potatoes.

Don't know what it is about a woodstove...the heat feels better and the food tastes better! ;-)

-Chelsea

-- Chelsea (rmbehr@istar.ca), December 30, 2001.


I was just thinking about this today. We have a small woodstove in the living room. I want to try to make venison stew on it. I don't have a cast iron dutch oven ( on my wish list!!) but I have a regular one that will fit on top of the stove. I also want to try baked potatos, beans, and pea soup. I like the idea of using the heat to cook with as well as heat my house. Anything to save money!!

-- Colleen (bean@northwoods.net), December 30, 2001.

Forget the coleman- heres how to do cakes, biskits, etc., Take one lager deep dish style bakingg tray. Fill about 1/2 way up with water. Take a second, slightly smaller and not quite as deep tray OR cupcake tray and put the item you want to bake in that one. Cover with tin foil- shiny side in. Cook it till the tooth pick comes out clean. You can expect to have much moister products than the oven, but they are great! One of my favorite ddeals is blackberry/ cornbread mufffins, using cupcake tray (lightly oiled)

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), December 31, 2001.


you can cook anything on a woodstove. It'll likely take longer than a kitchen range. You'll need a hot fire stoked for frying. Aluminum pans will save time over cast iron.

I've used a coleman oven on a coleman stove. It'd work good on a woodstove. Not much to it, just a collapsable box with a rack and oven thermometer. You could make one yourself cheaper.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), December 31, 2001.


rh you can cook anything on a wood stove you can cook on a regular stove. As far as the coleman stove you can use it just put it on the top of the heating stove. when the temperature get to where you want it put your meal or whatever in it and bake. My ex-sil made me an oven out of metal one year and we have cooked a turkey and all kinds of stuff in it. You will love cooking on your stove. gakins

-- gakins (maude73529@yahoo.com), December 31, 2001.

On the cookstove with oven you can and have cooked everything that any "normal" stove can cook. It does take a little patience to learn how to cook all over again on a cook stove. On our coalmaster stove...a brown box type...we have cooked just about everything too.. chili.. sauces.. soups..bacon and eggs..anything but nothing beats making pancakes on a cook stove..don't know what it is but it just sure taste better !!! Good Luck !!!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), December 31, 2001.

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