'Save on energy costs' by cooking with a wood-burning stove - here's how to do it
Wood-burning stoves are known for their low running costs and cosy aesthetic, but it's not just household heating that they're good for. Express.co.uk shares how to cook your favourite foods for less using a log burner.
Mrs Hinch shows off stylish indoor wood burner
Wood-burning stoves come with a large price tag though the running costs are much lower, According to Direct Stoves, they cost around one-third of the price of electric heating, and approximately 13 percent less than gas central heating for the average household. While their primary purpose is to keep your property warm, a Mumsnet user has shared how for cooking on a budget.
In response to a post on the Mumsnet forum, a user who goes by the name sheepandcaravan revealed how they cook everything from flatbreads to bolognese on their wood-burning stove.
They wrote that a power cut caused by Storm Arwen led to their unique cooking habits, which started out with "the obvious" recipe - beans on toast.
The Mumsnet user said: "It's slower and you need to keep a close eye as you are not regulating temperature, so lots of stirring. I don't use a trivet, but do use heavy base pans."
With some practice, the savvy home cook can now make casseroles, stir fry, one-pot pasta and even omelettes on the wood-burning stove.
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Other users shared their own cost-cutting cooking tips, with one person who goes by the name InterestQ explaining that they make baked potatoes on their wood burner.
The Mumsnet user wrote: "I've done baked potatoes on mine before - you don’t need to spend money on the cast iron potato-shaped things! I just wrapped mine in foil and put it in a Dutch oven/casserole dish on top.
"No trivet needed. They’re not super crispy-skinned or anything but fine. You can do exactly the same thing in a slow cooker if the aim is to save on energy costs."
According to an expert at Direct Stoves, wood burners hold "plenty of possibilities" for cooking rustic meals, though it will depend on the style of stove you have.
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They said: "The main requirement for cooking with your log burner is to have the flue outlet attached to the back, rather than the top, of your stove. This leaves a larger hot area which you can utilise for heating up food and drink."
How to cook on a wood-burning stove
You can use the top of the stove to cook anything you normally cook on top of your electric or gas appliances. However, without temperature controls, you need to learn other ways to adjust the level of heat.
To do this, the stove experts recommended adjusting the way you cook certain foods depending on whether you want to fry, grill, bake, or boil them.
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Vegetables
Wrapping potatoes and other vegetables in foil is the best way to slowly bake them.
Place the wrapped items in the ash pan at the bottom of the appliance until cooked.
Scrambled eggs
Cooking scrambled eggs is best done on top of the stove using a skillet. Stir constantly to avoid over-cooking them.
Using a hot skillet on top of your blanking plate to cook scrambled eggs
Bread
Flatbread and pizza can be cooked on a wood-burning stove by creating a makeshift pizza oven.
To do this, place a heavy-duty clay roasting dish or cast iron pot over the top of the stove.
Meat and fish
For grilled foods, the Direct Stove's expert advised using the hot embers of an extinguished fire.
If you don't want to cook entirely on your wood burner, try preheating cooking pans before using standard appliances.