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Baking on top of a wood stove
- Thread starter kman
- Start date
You can - that's what the lip around the lid of the dutch oven is for. You pile hot coals from your fire onto the lid, and the bread inside is baked top and bottom. It's easier on a hearth or campfire, of course.
sDg -
-K
Sounds challenging inside the house! I just ordered this 6 quart enameled dutch oven. Seemed like a wicked good deal for $35. I figure I can at least do chili, stews or what not with it.
I cook inside my woodstove and have been for years. I wrap my food in aluminum foil and put in right on the hot coals. Taste delicous.
Potatoes cook in about 1/2 hour and about the same time for a chicken breast.
Potatoes cook in about 1/2 hour and about the same time for a chicken breast.
There is a great book called woddstove cookery that was published by Country Journal back in the 70s or 80s. It is all about cooking on your air tight woodstove. I will look up how they bake in it. IIRC the use a large roasting pan and you bake in that. We did it probably 7 or 8 years ago. It worked but it was a lot of monitoring.
Found a link and they show the oven on the cover. I was wrong it was a dutch oven.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Country-Journal-Woodburners-Cookbook/dp/0393000761
Found a link and they show the oven on the cover. I was wrong it was a dutch oven.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Country-Journal-Woodburners-Cookbook/dp/0393000761
Hiltonizer
Banned
artisan breads are common in a dutch oven.. there's also this if you want loaves:
http://www.breadtopia.com/store/oblong-la-cloche.html
http://www.breadtopia.com/store/oblong-la-cloche.html
Timely topic as we just got back from vacation... we were at the family camp in northern maine the last couple of weeks and made a point of using the dutch overn for half of dozen meals or so. I usually make cobbler (or cake for the kids) but my wife tried some non-traditional meals in the dutch overn. We made a few pizzas, a southwestern corn tortilla meal, a breakfast casserole, and some misc other items. While I usually just use coals from the fire pit, I did try traditional charcoal as we found many dutch oven recipes even gave you the number of briquets to us....I still prefer the coals though.
The cookware you bought is designed for modern kitchen. What others are talking about and what I think you want is the campfire style Dutch oven similar to this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1VCE9913DV1MZ2DQNN9E
You can do lots of dishes in such oven, including bread. There are even clubs dedicated to Dutch oven cooking. Lots of books, videos and classes available for learning the art of Dutch oven cooking. Here is just one of many recipes.
PS – there are other ways to bake bread in emergency situation, but using the true Dutch oven is one of the easiest and most reliable methods.
You can do lots of dishes in such oven, including bread. There are even clubs dedicated to Dutch oven cooking. Lots of books, videos and classes available for learning the art of Dutch oven cooking. Here is just one of many recipes.
PS – there are other ways to bake bread in emergency situation, but using the true Dutch oven is one of the easiest and most reliable methods.
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Metalhead
NES Member
You could probably heat stones in the stove and use them on the top of the DO. Do you get a lot of heat under the stove? If you do start on top of the stove then finish underneath it.
That's a good idea! I am going to try this in my normal oven now and then on the stove in the Fall.
Well by modern, I assume you talking about the enameling. My Jotul cast iron wood stoves are enameled too and so are the humidifiers I put on top of the stove in the Winter. I think it should work ok just as long as I don't get it over 400F.
Nice. ![[thumbsup]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/044.gif "Thumbs Up [thumbsup]")
The video is not mine, just some woman on YT. But I’ve done that and other recipe so I felt comfortable posting it. As for the “modern kitchen” – yes enamel is part of it, but so is the lid design and flat bottom. These are designed to be used on most modern ranges and inside most ovens, including induction and electric. They are not designed for campfire, charcoal or hot stones. One of the key differences between a stove and an oven is the direction of heat. Although you can trap stoves heat using various methods (for instance clay pot lined with aluminum foil) it’s not IMHO as optimal as the second independent source of heat. Do not get me wrong, most brick ovens work with one source of heat so it surely doable, but controlling level of heat and baking duration is substantially more difficult.
I love cast iron, including enameled type. I have few Staub in different sizes and love them (like these (http://www.staubusa.com/prod_cocottes/black.asp). Notice the upper lip on the lid. Theoretically I could place stones on top of those lids. Of course I doubt you’ll find many people willing to put stones on top or bottom of their Staub.![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
I do however regularly use the campfire Dutch oven (similar to the one I posted previously and used in that YT vid) on prolonged hunting and fishing trips. I’ve even used it a few times on ice for fresh fish soup. Although you got to pay attention and periodically move it or bring some plywood – otherwise it will melt right through. ![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
One more thing – given the price and source of your cookware I am guessing it’s made of low quality iron. If so be patient and each time bring it slowly up to the operating temperature and also allow plenty of time to gently cool down. This applies to all cast iron, but unlike better quality products, I have a feeling this one won’t be able to handle substantial thermal shock.
The video is not mine, just some woman on YT. But I’ve done that and other recipe so I felt comfortable posting it. As for the “modern kitchen” – yes enamel is part of it, but so is the lid design and flat bottom. These are designed to be used on most modern ranges and inside most ovens, including induction and electric. They are not designed for campfire, charcoal or hot stones. One of the key differences between a stove and an oven is the direction of heat. Although you can trap stoves heat using various methods (for instance clay pot lined with aluminum foil) it’s not IMHO as optimal as the second independent source of heat. Do not get me wrong, most brick ovens work with one source of heat so it surely doable, but controlling level of heat and baking duration is substantially more difficult.
I love cast iron, including enameled type. I have few Staub in different sizes and love them (like these (http://www.staubusa.com/prod_cocottes/black.asp). Notice the upper lip on the lid. Theoretically I could place stones on top of those lids. Of course I doubt you’ll find many people willing to put stones on top or bottom of their Staub.
I do however regularly use the campfire Dutch oven (similar to the one I posted previously and used in that YT vid) on prolonged hunting and fishing trips. I’ve even used it a few times on ice for fresh fish soup. Although you got to pay attention and periodically move it or bring some plywood – otherwise it will melt right through. One more thing – given the price and source of your cookware I am guessing it’s made of low quality iron. If so be patient and each time bring it slowly up to the operating temperature and also allow plenty of time to gently cool down. This applies to all cast iron, but unlike better quality products, I have a feeling this one won’t be able to handle substantial thermal shock.
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Nice.
The video is not mine, just some woman on YT. But I’ve done that and other recipe so I felt comfortable posting it. As for the “modern kitchen” – yes enamel is part of it, but so is the lid design and flat bottom. These are designed to be used on most modern ranges and inside most ovens, including induction and electric. They are not designed for campfire, charcoal or hot stones. One of the key differences between a stove and an oven is the direction of heat. Although you can trap stoves heat using various methods (for instance clay pot lined with aluminum foil) it’s not IMHO as optimal as the second independent source of heat. Do not get me wrong, most brick ovens work with one source of heat so it surely doable, but controlling level of heat and baking duration is substantially more difficult.
I love cast iron, including enameled type. I have few Staub in different sizes and love them (like these (http://www.staubusa.com/prod_cocottes/black.asp). Notice the upper lip on the lid. Theoretically I could place stones on top of those lids. Of course I doubt you’ll find many people willing to put stones on top or bottom of their Staub.
One more thing – given the price and source of your cookware I am guessing it’s made of low quality iron. If so be patient and each time bring it slowly up to the operating temperature and also allow plenty of time to gently cool down. This applies to all cast iron, but unlike better quality products, I have a feeling this one won’t be able to handle substantial thermal shock.
So Staub is like Le Creuset? I ordered a normal cast iron Lodge 5 qt oven yesterday. I am debating on getting a tripod next.
My skills are getting better. I mixed in some buckwheat today too.
Yes. But I actually prefer Staub. Similar high quality iron, similar high quality enamel, similarly trained workforce, similar equipment, but significantly lower brand premium and IMHO better overall design. I like Staub lids better. They have a self-basting design, which is not a gimmick, but at the same time most dishes do not need the moisture to drip evenly. So for some/many dishes it does not add anything. I also like the lip of the lid that can hold heat. Although I never would use rocks or charcoal, I sometime do use boiling water to add gentle heat to the top for some dishes, or ice for extra condensation.
If you look hard enough you can find deals that let you buy great cookware at reasonable prices. For instance, you can get 5¼-quart Fontignac for $100 shipped (http://www.cutleryandmore.com/fontignac/cast-iron-round-dutch-oven-p125423). Keep in mind that enamel and wet dishes like stew would let you get away with low quality iron. But try dry dishes and hot spots alone are enough to drive you insane. For instance, I have few Lodge skillets and I had to minimize hot spots on each one. I also had to polish each one because iron surface was too rough. And Lodge is supposedly middle level quality. I do not think I would even bother with Chinese skillets like these http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-cast-iron-frying-pans-44707.html FYI, I would not buy Lodge enamel products. Those are made in China. So you might as well pay $35 like you did instead of $80.
So I made the best bread yet today. Using Coastie's book recommendation there, I put 1/3 cup honey into the mix and used brushed on water twice during the baking. Oh man, it's soooo good with the added honey! The brushed water made it crusty on the outside too. It reminds me of the When Pigs Fly brand of bread except better. I'm gonna make a few loafs now and put it into the chest freezer.
