Helpful Cooking Hints

Rule number one: Disregard any "cooking instructions" your recipe book calls for! It is important first and foremost to realize that wood heat is more intense than electric heat. If you've ever been in a home with an electric heat pump versus a home with a wood heater you already know this. A thermometer can tell us that both are 70 degrees, but the wood heated home always feels warmer.
Secondly, have you ever noticed the elements in an electric oven? When broiling the top element comes on. When baking the bottom element comes on. I'm not a rocket scientist, but doesn't this tell us that we're always cooking from one side? Not only is the wood heat more intense, but the wood cookstove oven cooks from five sides! It has been our experience that the food we cook on the Todd Wood Cookstove is always more flavorful than conventional cooking. We have also found that about one half the oven temperature called for in a recipe book is a good "rule of thumb" when baking.

Let's get down to some basic fundamentals of cooking on the Todd Wood Cookstove. When surface cooking, the two large eyes (parts # 1-2) on the left of the cooking surface would naturally be the "HOT" eyes since they are directly over the fire source. When your dish begins to boil or becomes too hot, you simply move the dish over to the center eyes (a little further from the fire source). To simmer you would use the two small eyes (parts # 3-2) at the right side of the cooking surface as they are the further-most distance from the fire source.

The direction of the fire is controlled by the oven temperature control knob (part # 7-5) at the right rear side of the cooking surface. When pushed to the right the fire/heat exits at the top of the flue, just below the cooking surface. When this knob is moved to the left the fire is forced to circle around the oven and exits at the bottom of the flue causing more oven heat. This adjustment is used to raise or lower the oven temperature. Pushed completely to the left is optimum oven heating. If the oven temperature becomes too warm there are three (3) options to lower it. The oven temperature knob (part # 7-5) can be gradually pushed to the right, the knob (part # 11-3) on the main draft/damper can be pushed to the left causing less air to enter the firebox, or the oven door itself can be opened slightly to allow heat to escape. When baking large items such as hams or turkeys the oven rack can be moved to the bottom of the oven. Since the fire source is always hottest on the left side, periodic turning of the item being baked is suggested.

Always start the fire with paper and dry kindling. For a quick hot fire use dry pine. For a slower and longer burning fire use semi-seasoned hardwood after a good bed of coals are established within the firebox.
The double overhead warming cabinet is great for keeping food warm for hours. We suggest you wrap the food in aluminum foil before placing it in the warming cabinet. This will ensure that your food retains its moisture and will not dry out.

Finally, do not become discouraged. This type of cooking is an art form that our ancestors had down to a fine science. In time, given some trial and error, you too will also master this wonderful art form of cooking with wood. Believe me, it's worth it!