# anyone cook/can regularly on a wood cookstove?



## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

I am seriously considering getting rid of my propane stove when we remodel the kitchen and replace it with the wood cookstove, as we are trying to work towards getting off the grid anyhow. I found a monarch cookstove in great condition. I have several questions. 

1. Can you use a pressure canner on one? I do lots of canning.
2. When you use one, does it heat up the whole house? This would be an asset in the spring/fall/winter....but summer when I am doing lots of canning- that would certainly make it miserable.
3. Ties with 2...how much heat does a cookstove put out- outside of the stove?


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## cowkeeper (Feb 17, 2007)

Yes it "can" be done :hysterical: but you have to mind the stove a lot to keep the temperature/pressure stable. Depending on how much heat you need in winter, the cookstove can provide some heat, but on the older stoves will be hard to hold a fire overnight. The older ones can be managed to sometimes keep some coals live overnight. The newer ones, airtight (Pioneer Maid is a good one), do a much better job of heating and holding a fire, and keeping the heat stable. When using for room heating, you leave the oven door open. The old houses were built with a 'summer kitchen'...usually off the regular kitchen, which kept the heat out of the main part of the house when cooking. Positioned to catch the prevailing winds, with windows on both sides for air-flow. Or..you can have a second cookstove out on a screened roofed/chimneyed platform.
If you need serious heat, the cookstove will not replace the box stove. But they are wonderful for cooking on.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

Yep, the house I live in now has an old summer kitchen. That's to keep from melting the inhabitants in the summer. 

My grandmother canned over an open fire, using a washtub as the hot water bath. I bet you could use a pressure canner on a grill the same way, just keep the fire steady.


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## Willowynd (Mar 27, 2005)

Well, the stove I was looking at was missing parts...and being from the late 1800's I doubt those parts would be available now. Kinda bummed as from the outside it looked great, but it would have taken some doing and $$$ to get it in workable order. So I guess this is going to be put on the back burner for now (pun intended).


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I don't currently use one but have in my lifetime.

Yes, it heats the house even better than the usual summer sun/heat and humidity.

It is hard,sometimes impossible to keep going overnight (which is a detriment in the winter)

You have to work hard to keep the temp the same (for the pressure canner) and going along with that is a huge frustration curve when it doesn't keep the pressure up.

I'd think that a late 1800's stove might be dangerous, as would be trying to get it in working order.

Also, consider that there's a considerable mess associate with it, what with all that wood and kindling needing to be brought in all the time. 

I grew up with one and learned to cook on it and it does make you 'bomb proof', but I'd consider long and hard before that became my only source of a cooking stove.

dawn


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

Search the Backwoods Home site. Jackie Clay (off the grid godess) pressure cans on one frequently, although she does use a summer kitchen with a propane stove during the warm months. From what I've read, if you ask her, she'll just tell you that you will need to "get to know" your stove in order to keep the pressure steady.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

1. Can you use a pressure canner on one? I do lots of canning.

I am not up to that. The time it would take and the size of my stove and since most of my canning is summer, It just would be TOO hot I fear. 

2. When you use one, does it heat up the whole house? This would be an asset in the spring/fall/winter....but summer when I am doing lots of canning- that would certainly make it miserable. 

My wood stove is a homemade one it is very big and nothing like anything I have ever seen before it has a SS top and heat water and runs radiate infloor heat. other than the stainles steel it is cast Iron. It holds heat very well.

Same boat. Canning outdoors is a common event here.
3. Ties with 2...how much heat does a cookstove put out- outside of the stove? 
__________________


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Willowynd said:


> I am seriously considering getting rid of my propane stove when we remodel the kitchen and replace it with the wood cookstove, as we are trying to work towards getting off the grid anyhow. I found a monarch cookstove in great condition. I have several questions.
> 
> 1. Can you use a pressure canner on one? I do lots of canning.
> 2. When you use one, does it heat up the whole house? This would be an asset in the spring/fall/winter....but summer when I am doing lots of canning- that would certainly make it miserable.
> 3. Ties with 2...how much heat does a cookstove put out- outside of the stove?


I have done a lot of canning on a wood cookstove, but it does heat up the whole house in the summer when you need it for canning. I found it was much better to set it up on the porch outside for the summer months. You will get some heat out of it in the fall and late spring in the kitchen, but dont count on much during the cold winter months.


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