Cooking on your wood stove - pre EPA, EPA non-catalytic, EPA catalytic.

[deerlakejens]

Nothing better than bacon and eggs in a cast iron skillet on the stove, it definitely has a great and unique flavor. I learned pretty quick to use the splatter screen to keep the stove top grease free! Also agree that baking potatoes in aluminum foil in the stove is about as easy as can be, I usually allow about 40-45 minutes, turning them two or three times. Add some barbecued beef, sour cream and chopped green onions and you have a really tasty meal.

 

[72fj40]

That's a nice feature, I'm interested in one of those for my next stove. How long have you had that and what's your impression so far?

I had it for 6yrs, I figured, I wanted a cast iron stove, no cat. & top loading. I had read that cat converters might have to be replaced periodically, so that nixed them for me. The lever on the left side of this stove is the "afterburner"(A/Br) it re-burns the smoke, creates great heat & long burn times. The afterburner is made of a strange ceramic material that can be consumable. When I 1st got the stove I would sometimes flip the lever w/the fire box over 550*+, which i found out was hard on the afterburner. Now the lever gets pulled @ 500* or less. The afterburner 1st showed signs of deteriation, but since changing my operation it has been fine. If the coals get too high in the box it can cover the A/Br intake which will load the firebox w/pressure and will eventually burp smoke into the room thru the top door. So I stir the coals once or twice a week thru the top to fill the ashpan. Once a yr it needs a real good cleaning, some disassembly is required in front of the A/Br intake. With this all said & once you figure out the learning curve, the stove is great. I would buy it again. This is my 1st stove, when I bought it a friend went w/me to pick it up. He was interested in upgrading to a new stove too. I got the Oakwood which fit my homes sq/ft nicely & it looks great. My friends home is about 2000sq ft. He purchased the larger steel version for his home. After he installed it, he was amazed w/it's performance & ease of operation. If there are hot coals in the box you just add wood, eventually it will light. If your in a hurry just open the ashpan door.
It's air control/heat adjustment is amazingly sensitive, in a good way. Wood fired treats are in a instant & very tasty. The only disappointing thing about this stove is spring time, when you realize, now you have to cook on a charcoal or gas grill, outside.