If you heat with wood there is a good chance the top of your wood burner is cast iron or metal unless of course you have a fireplace. If the top of your stove is metal or cast iron there is no reason why you cannot cook on it. Before you begin, get a wood burner stove thermometer that will monitor the temperature of your stove. This little gadget is magnetic and should be placed on top of the stove.

The next thing you will need is some cast iron pots and pans. You can buy new ones or used ones. If you get a used on and it has rust on it, use steel wool to scrub it off.

Cast iron should be washed in warm soapy water before the first use. Do this by hand, then sit it on top of the wood stove to dry. Never allow cast iron pans to dry naturally. Always use heat to dry them. Once the pan is dry, oil it, especially if this is the first use, then dry again.

To season, heavily coat the inside of the pan with lard, vegetable oil or another type of edible oil, you can then let it dry on the stove or put it in an oven. If you use an oven, turn it to 300 degrees F and leave it in there for about two hours. Use caution when removing the hot pan or simply let it cool in the oven.

Now that your pan is seasoned you are ready to begin. Let’s say you want to make a roast. A cast iron Dutch oven would be the pan for the job. Fill the pan with carrots, potatoes, the roast, a cup of water and whatever other ingredients you wish. Cover the pan. If you prefer, you can brown your roast in the bottom of the pan before you add the other ingredients.

Check the temperature on your wood stove. It should be about 250 degrees to 300 degrees. You do not want it too hot since putting cold cast iron on a hot stove could cause it to crack. If you are satisfied that the temperature is right, sit the pan on top of the stove. Allow this to cook until the meat is tender. Remember to stir it from time to time so the roast does not stick.

If you wish to bake bread, biscuits or cornbread to go with your meal, you can use a Conservo Oven, which can be found at antique stores or flea markets, or simply lay the pan on top of two bricks and cover.

The more you cook on your wood stove, the more you will learn. The temperature is the most important part. Learning to control the temperature takes time and practice. Once you get a steady fire going though you can add small pieces of wood from time to time to help keep it going.