The smell of burning wood and the warm atmosphere a wood burning stove brings to your space is hard to beat. Wood burning stoves are not only an amazing source of heat and a great conversation piece, they can also be an effective cooking appliance as well! If you are looking into the benefits of a Lopi Wood Stove, or some tips on using your current stove, then keep reading for our top tips on cooking with your stove.
Burn the right wood
If you want more heat, burn the correct wood. There are many varieties of firewood out there, and all of them can start a fire, but will you get a long lasting fire? The wood that will give you the most bang for your buck is dried hardwood. Dried hardwood is far more denser than softwood, which allows it to burn for longer. Dried wood has lost most if not all of its moisture, allowing for a dryer burn. Freshly cut wood still contains a lot of water and will prevent a fire from burning as optimally as it can.
Using dry wood will not only provide better heating for your space, your cooking surface will also remain consistently hot, perfect for long roasts. If you cut and store your own wood, try to only burn wood with less than 15% moisture. A moisture content meter can help measure a wood’s moisture content, giving you further insight to how your wood is going. For those who are storing their wood, make sure you know the best way to store firewood for the most optimal curing results.
Protect your cooking surface
Of course nothing beats the flavour from a cast iron pan, but with any pan or pot you use it will eventually scratch and leave marks on your stove. The best thing you can do when cooking on a wood stove is to use Hot Plate Liners on top of it. These liners are 100% food safe and protect the surface of your stove from scratches and even let you cook raw meats and veggies on top. It’s mainly used for BBQ’s but also has practical uses for your Lopi Rockport wood stove.
Don’t forget regular maintenance
The key to having a reliable, long lasting lopi wood burning stove is regular maintenance and cleaning. With a regular cleaning schedule, you’ll prevent potential problems from growing too big by stopping them once they appear. Too much buildup of burnt ash can also become very dangerous, and cleaning your chimneys is also important to prevent a buildup of creosote which can become extremely harmful when left untreated. If you’re unsure on how to keep your wood stove maintained, contact the experts at Fireside today. Fireside can give you all the advice you need on wood stove maintenance, care and sales inquiries for new wood stoves such as the Lopi Liberty 2020.
