Like many people of my generation, I had very little experience cooking on a wood oven prior to getting our Aga. There was a small one in our little old cottage back in SA, but I mostly cooked on our electric stove. My mother cooked on an electric stove, as did both my grandmothers. I had rarely even seen anyone cook on a wood oven, which meant getting one was a great learning curve. Especially as it was our only way of cooking and heating in the yurt over our first winter.
Like most things, learning to cook with a wood oven is a skill that can be mastered with a little patience. I listened to people from older generations and their stories about their mothers cooking on wood ovens, I chatted to friends who had wood ovens and I listened and read what I could. Then I simply got cooking. I learn best by trial and error and it helps not to overthink these things. I quickly learnt that a wood oven, unlike a conventional oven dictates the rhythm of the home. It requires patience and organisation.
Wood
Firstly there is wood to cut and kindling to collect. But unlike a slow combustion fireplace, the type and size of the wood are essential for the kind of even temperature control which is required for cooking. For instance, if I want a hot cooktop I'll let the coals build up and then put in a medium-size piece of redwood with smaller pieces of timber around it. This allows airflow and encourages roaring flames. If I want to simmer something I'll put a couple of larger pieces of wood on and then close the air vent a little so there are good hot coals, but the cooktop isn't so hot the bottom of the pot catches. If I want to bake I need to ensure the oven is evenly heated, so I'll load it up two hours in advance to ensure a completely even temperature.
Types of timber
Any timber used needs to be well seasoned to ensure a good clean flame. If you are felling your own trees, you will need to fell it and let it dry for a minimum of 12-18months. Redgum and bluegum burn beautifully and using some softer timbers can help create hot flames.
There are various woods in different areas that are not recommended for burning, and you will need to do your own local research. Pine is very soft, doesn't create a lot of heat and certain kinds can leave residue in the chimney so it is not ideal. Turpentine is dreadful to burn and avoid it at all costs. It leaves a thick tarry residue inside the chimney and internal ventilation system and creates a lot of smoke. Blocked chimneys are a serious potential fire risk so you want good, clean-burning timbers. Never burn treated timbers.
Wood oven maintenance
You will need:
- Metal dustpan and broom
- Metal bucket
- Shovel to clean out the ash
- Some kind of implement to clean the internal ventilation shafts. (we use a heavy old peg)
- Wire brush
- Natural bi-carb paste
- Soft cloths
Your oven will likely have inspection points which will need checking so you can ensure there are no blockages. A wire brush can help knock any debris off and reach under the edge of the hot plates. Our oven has two hot plates with a ventilation shaft connecting them. We use the long peg to scrape about under the hot plates, we further cleanup with a wire brush and manually scoop out the debris and push the rest through to the wood box ensuring all ventilation shafts are as clean as possible. A vacuum with a nozzle can help too.
The outside enamel can be cleaned by making a simple paste of bi-carb, water and a squirt of dish liquid then gently rubbing on with a soft damp cloth and wiping off with a clean damp cloth.
A wire brush can be helpful on the top to loosen up any stubborn baked-on mess before sweeping off and wiping over with a damp cloth.
The chimney should be inspected and cleaned every single season or a couple of times a year if your living in a cooler climate and use your oven year-round. There are people who can do this for you but Grant does ours. He simply pulls the entire thing apart and gives it a good clean before putting it back together.
Troubleshooting
Wood ovens are pretty simple pieces of equipment and as long as your oven is in good working order troubleshooting any issues should be relatively easy.
Very smoky oven
- is your timber well seasoned? Green wood, or wood that has been freshly felled won't burn well instead it smoulders as well as creating a build-up that can potentially block the flue.
- Are you burning the right kinds of wood?
- Is there a blockage in the oven or the flue that is stopping your oven from drawing properly?
- Is the flue high enough? A flue which is too short will allow smoke to be pushed back into the house.
Baking not rising properly.
A wood oven requires patience, and a good quality cast oven takes time to heat up properly. Just because you have a good fire burning in the wood box, doesn't mean the oven is hot. This is where organisation comes in. Make sure the oven is burning well a couple of hours prior to baking, you want lots of red coals before you start.
Pots burning
Temperature control is pretty basic on a wood oven. There will be a lever which controls the ventilation to the fire, more airflow equals a hotter fire. If you need a lot of heat, open it all the way up. If your oven is too hot simply shut it down a little. With practice, you will get to know your oven. I can open the ash door on my oven which is helpful when lighting the oven.
If your contemplating getting a wood oven, or have one in your home that you are unsure how to use I hope this post encourages you to embrace the beauty that is a wood oven.
Much love,
Emma
xx
A simple meal of pork sausages and mash. Always a hearty winner on a cold winters night.
Like most things, learning to cook with a wood oven is a skill that can be mastered with a little patience. I listened to people from older generations and their stories about their mothers cooking on wood ovens, I chatted to friends who had wood ovens and I listened and read what I could. Then I simply got cooking. I learn best by trial and error and it helps not to overthink these things. I quickly learnt that a wood oven, unlike a conventional oven dictates the rhythm of the home. It requires patience and organisation.
Wood
Firstly there is wood to cut and kindling to collect. But unlike a slow combustion fireplace, the type and size of the wood are essential for the kind of even temperature control which is required for cooking. For instance, if I want a hot cooktop I'll let the coals build up and then put in a medium-size piece of redwood with smaller pieces of timber around it. This allows airflow and encourages roaring flames. If I want to simmer something I'll put a couple of larger pieces of wood on and then close the air vent a little so there are good hot coals, but the cooktop isn't so hot the bottom of the pot catches. If I want to bake I need to ensure the oven is evenly heated, so I'll load it up two hours in advance to ensure a completely even temperature.
Types of timber
Any timber used needs to be well seasoned to ensure a good clean flame. If you are felling your own trees, you will need to fell it and let it dry for a minimum of 12-18months. Redgum and bluegum burn beautifully and using some softer timbers can help create hot flames.
There are various woods in different areas that are not recommended for burning, and you will need to do your own local research. Pine is very soft, doesn't create a lot of heat and certain kinds can leave residue in the chimney so it is not ideal. Turpentine is dreadful to burn and avoid it at all costs. It leaves a thick tarry residue inside the chimney and internal ventilation system and creates a lot of smoke. Blocked chimneys are a serious potential fire risk so you want good, clean-burning timbers. Never burn treated timbers.
Wood oven maintenance
You will need:
- Metal dustpan and broom
- Metal bucket
- Shovel to clean out the ash
- Some kind of implement to clean the internal ventilation shafts. (we use a heavy old peg)
- Wire brush
- Natural bi-carb paste
- Soft cloths
Some of the tools we use with our oven. Nothing fancy but they do the job. We also have a wide hook for lifting the centre hotplate which hangs off the silver front rail on the Aga.
The ash compartment should be checked every couple of days and emptied as needed. I usually empty mine a couple of times a week as it has a ventilation shaft which opens from the ash section, so if it's full the oven won't draw properly.
The oven should be cleaned when cool as you don't want to risk shocking the metal into cracking with cold liquids and also you need to be able to open it right up. It's quite a messy job.
The outside enamel can be cleaned by making a simple paste of bi-carb, water and a squirt of dish liquid then gently rubbing on with a soft damp cloth and wiping off with a clean damp cloth.
A wire brush can be helpful on the top to loosen up any stubborn baked-on mess before sweeping off and wiping over with a damp cloth.
The chimney should be inspected and cleaned every single season or a couple of times a year if your living in a cooler climate and use your oven year-round. There are people who can do this for you but Grant does ours. He simply pulls the entire thing apart and gives it a good clean before putting it back together.
Our oven is well used and in winter has been lit 24/7 and here it is showing the evidence of that! Smoke stains, splatter marks and the lot.
Here she is after a good clean. My oven has staining of the enamel just above the ash door, it was there when we bought it and as of yet, I have been unable to lift it.
Wood ovens are pretty simple pieces of equipment and as long as your oven is in good working order troubleshooting any issues should be relatively easy.
Very smoky oven
- is your timber well seasoned? Green wood, or wood that has been freshly felled won't burn well instead it smoulders as well as creating a build-up that can potentially block the flue.
- Are you burning the right kinds of wood?
- Is there a blockage in the oven or the flue that is stopping your oven from drawing properly?
- Is the flue high enough? A flue which is too short will allow smoke to be pushed back into the house.
Baking not rising properly.
A wood oven requires patience, and a good quality cast oven takes time to heat up properly. Just because you have a good fire burning in the wood box, doesn't mean the oven is hot. This is where organisation comes in. Make sure the oven is burning well a couple of hours prior to baking, you want lots of red coals before you start.
Pots burning
Temperature control is pretty basic on a wood oven. There will be a lever which controls the ventilation to the fire, more airflow equals a hotter fire. If you need a lot of heat, open it all the way up. If your oven is too hot simply shut it down a little. With practice, you will get to know your oven. I can open the ash door on my oven which is helpful when lighting the oven.
If your contemplating getting a wood oven, or have one in your home that you are unsure how to use I hope this post encourages you to embrace the beauty that is a wood oven.
Much love,
Emma
xx
