On land left as a legacy, a young couple and their two small children set up an old shed as a cabin, using the wood stove they got for free off Craigslist to cook and keep warm. Lovingly referred to as "The Shabin," this off-grid, blue tin homestead is just up the hill from the original weathered wood homestead, now listing lazily to one side. The sunrise view from the muddy concrete step is breathtaking, and the cozy cabin radiates warmth as coffee and oatmeal bubble on the wood stove where Mama stands. The baby points with his little finger and says, "Hot! Hot!" Sister watches over him from across the room, keeping him away from the ancient source of meals and heat.

Cooking on Wood Stoves vs. Gas or Electric Ranges

Cooking on wood stoves connects us with the past. It saves electricity and money, and keeps meals very simple. Modern day kitchens make it easier to cook fancier things by controlling heat with the flick of a knob. However, modern methods of meal making take planning, preparation, special ingredients, detailed recipes, and this often turns the "easy" factor back up to "hard" again.

Cooking with a gas oven or electric griddle is somewhat safer than cooking on a wood stove. When heat is contained inside a heat-proof oven or to a single burner on top of a stove, babies can tumble around the chef's feet, and older children can even help stir. In an off-grid situation where the fireplace is also a cooking utensil, children cannot play in the "kitchen." The entire kitchen is a fiery-hot danger zone. Also, wood stoves don't always heat evenly, and cooking on them is a sweaty job. Still, the process is a source of pride if you are properly prepared.

Be Properly Prepared

You will need metal or cast iron pots or skillets. Ceramics will crack and split when submitted to direct and varying heat, so do not use clay cookware. A colorful cast iron dutch oven or casserole dish will cook oatmeal in the morning and yummy soups and stews for lunch and dinner. Allow an hour or two between building the fire and serving the meal. The stove isn't ready for cooking as soon as you light the fire. The stove is ready when a drop of water sizzles on the surface or when your hand feels uncomfortable when held several inches away. (Never EVER touch a hot stove!) In the winter, the fire is fed fuel and cooked on constantly. This is not ideal in the summer, so plan sandwiches, fresh fruit and veggies for lunch. Dinner is a good time to cook over an open fire outside.

Making Breakfast

If you like a cuppa joe with your morning meal, fill a metal percolating coffee pot - the kind that holds the coffee grounds near the top and bubbles water up through a tube - with water and let it come to a boil. When the color of the coffee darkens to your liking, remove and serve carefully. For oatmeal, bring a pot of water to a full boil, and then add raisins a half-cup of oatmeal for every cup of water. Stir occasionally for a few minutes, leaving it on the stove, and then remove it, cover it, and let it sit on a piece of wood until the oatmeal is fluffy. Serve with butter or milk and brown sugar. Vary the recipe with other bits of dried fruit.

Making Lunch and Dinner

Similar to a crock pot, cooking soups and stews on a wood stove can take all day. Soak beans, rice or barley in a pot of water throughout the previous night. Right after breakfast, add more water, veggies and chopped meat and put it all on the stove. Seasonings are up to you: Salt and pepper are the givens, but powdered garlic, chilli pepper, oregano, thyme, and a bay leaf are aromatic and flavorful, too! Dry ingredients are always easier to store when electricity isn't available. Move the simmering pot around on the stove's surface until you find a spot that seems to keep it bubbling very slowly all day. When the meat is no longer pink in the middle, it's time to eat! Serve with bread wrapped in tin foil and warmed on the stovetop for 30 minutes or so.

Cleanup

If food or drinks spill on the stovetop, wait until the surface cools to wipe it. Allowing buildup on the stove surface will create fouls smells and eventually hinder the cooking process. Make a habit of wiping off the stovetop whenever the fire dies. Cast iron cookware should not be washed with soap. Soak them in water and then wipe clean and dry with a recycled rag. Cooking at a boil will kill any germs and bacteria. Another helpful article about wood cook stoves can be found at https://knoji.com/wood-cook-stove-decrease-your-dependence-on-the-grid/