cooking on log burners

[possum]

we have one and whenever possible when it is going we try to cook on it. When first lit, great for slow cooking things, then later one it ends up fast boiling the pots and it sticks to the bottom. I have heard that cast iron tivets are the answer, but have not found them to buy here yet, the theory is that the slower you want it to cook, the higher the trivet is.
I have also heard that you can get hoods to convert the stove top into an oven, has anyone done this?

[MINESAPINT]

I cook mainly on an old Yorkshire Range using wood as fuel. When I boil things on the bottom of the oven I shim the pans up on anything I think suitable to reduce the heat.

Can't help you with the oven conversion thingy but I am sure you could sort something with a bit of practice. Don't take any notice of timings in the cook book though. I judge the temperature of the oven by how long I can hold the brass knob on the oven door!

[possum]

thanks.
I cooked baked potatoes in the stove for the first time, I wrapped them in foil and put them at the front in with the logs.
I find that the temperature of the logburner depends mostly on the type of wood we are burning. We get it started with pine, and then once hot enough we put on tree lucerne, that really gets it hot.
Thinking about it, we have a wok ring thing for the cooker which probably would work for lifting it off a bit.

[MINESAPINT]

Its a luxury to be able to choose the type of wood you burn. I just burn anything that comes my way as long as its free, old pallets, driftwood off the beach, fallen trees, joinery offcuts etc

[possum]

Well, we just burn what we have growing and needs pruning, we are fortunate to have loads to choose from, so just stack it as we prune it. Gum trees burn really hot and we may be tempted to fell one that is a bit close to the house just for that reason.

[Ellendra]

Coleman makes a portable oven for camping, I'm sure it could be used on a woodstove too. Just google "Coleman camping oven".

[possum]

thanks, it probably would do the job, I just need to find a stockist over here.

[romany123]

Hope this helps

http://www.sportsworld.co.nz/cs/prodList.asp

Dave

[farmerdrea]

If you can find a large stockpot, you can insert a smaller one in that, or a casserole dish or similar and just set on a ring made of aluminium foil. When wanting to cook things slower, I just set the pot on a metal cooling rack (not bought here in NZ, though, so haven't needed to look for one here). An oven rack might just work.

There's a really good new and second hand catering supply place on Fiztgerald Ave in Chch called Food Equip - you may be able to find the right thing there -they have heaps of stainless steel thingies of all sizes and shapes.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[starchild]

That camping oven looks *so* cool!
I cook succesfully on top of our woodburner and find that it's even better than the hob - for some reason it doesn't catch on the bottom, no matter how long I leave things on it for.

it makes great rice pudding and porrage :) And I've even cooked Sunday veg on there - just a little bit of water in a saucepan with the veggies cut up in it and I'll put them on for 1 1/2 hours. it never comes to the boil, but it just cooks and softens things beautifully.

We have a villager with a tall canopy over it, so perhaps that is why it works well. I wished there was a way to actually put food up inside the hood, like potatoes, so i'm now very tempted to get one of these cookers!

Thanks for a great thread!

[possum]

I wished there was a way to actually put food up inside the hood, like potatoes, so i'm now very tempted to get one of these cookers!

I wrap them in foil and put them in the stove itself

[starchild]

Doesn't that work only if you have glowing embers rather than a roaring fire?
I would have thought they might get black on the outside and be uncooked on the inside!

I'll have to just try it and see what happens :)

[possum]

Our log burner is deeper than it is wide, so the logs tend to end up at the back with an empty space at the front, you just need to remember to turn them round every 15 mins so they cook evenly. We had baked potatoes this evening - yum

[starchild]

Thanks Possum - I almost wish it was winter now!

[possum]

There's a really good new and second hand catering supply place on Fiztgerald Ave in Chch called Food Equip - you may be able to find the right thing there -they have heaps of stainless steel thingies of all sizes and shapes.

Oh yes, I know this place, I had a look round once but was skint at the time so didn't buy anything, I think I am overdue for another look. If nothing else I would like to redo our kitchen into a commercial kitchen type look