Monday, January 2, 2012

Pork Roast on the Wood Stove

We've been using the wood stove for a while now, mostly to take the chill out of the night.  But it seems that winter may be here in earnest now. That means, after the kids are on the bus and I feed all the animals, I go directly to the stove and do not pass Go.  Once she comes up to temp, I can put something in the oven.

Wood stove + fire = hot, sleepy cats

The stove has a flat griddle on the top, and I use this for cooking as often as I can.  It's perfect for heating up a saucepan of veggies for supper or simmering chili all day.  But I also have a small tin box oven, approximately 14 inches square, that I can sit directly on top.


It has two removable grates inside (similar to a conventional oven), an open floor and an oh-so-accurate temp gauge in the front door, reading  "Low Medium High."  A 9inch square or two loaf pans fit perfectly.  So tonight I decided to put in a pork roast.  Typically I allow an extra 30-60 minutes cook time when using this oven.


As long as I keep the fire stoked and get the temp gauge up the "D" in "Medium," it does a great job! 

Here's my Cranberry Pork Roast recipe:

2 1/2 - 3 lb pork loin roast
salt & pepper
1 can (16 ozs) whole cranberry sauce
1/4 c honey
1 T orange peel
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t nutmeg

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper to taste.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour over roast.  Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until meat thermometer reads 160degress.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 


Interesting little side note about the wood stove...we put it in our dining room, and it heats the whole house.  We were able to pipe it directly into the original brick chimney.  In renovating the dining room, we tore off the ceiling and found a grate directly above the stove.  This grate is open to the master bedroom above and is the only source of heat for that room.  Mister put a small exhaust fan in that opening to blow the warm air from below into the bedroom.  Cool air from the second floor of the house then sinks down the stairs and is warmed.  It's a perfect set up!  Of course the back bedroom doesn't factor into this loop very well, but that's part of the old farmhouse charm!

8 comments:

  1. Pork roast sounds great, I will have to try it. I can just imagine warming my toes by the fire and smelling dinner...yum!

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  2. Oh Wow! I just had the greatest idea EV.ER!
    Our house isn't 2 story...so any vent in the ceiling would just warm the attic.
    However! If I were to place a vent fan into the wall just behind the stove...oh my word. I'm speachless.
    This is way cheaper and way easier than taking out the wall between the kitchen and livingroom. Which is what I suggested before--but it would change the whole look of my country house! I don't want a modern country house.
    Oh MY! I'm beside myself!

    I loved this post.
    I already cook on my wood burner. But I've not ever seen an oven box like that.

    So glad to see the vent and you mentioning the cool air going down stairs.

    Little things ...they bring me such joy~

    Pat

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  3. We have the same pot but mine is orange :) This is one delicious recipe...I think I'll make it this week. Thanks for sharing :)

    Maria

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  4. I'll be trying that recipe and looking for a box oven. Great idea!

    When I was a teenager we lived in a house heated only by the wood stove in the basement. My bedroom was on the second floor and I froze my tookie off all winter, let me tell you. Anyway, one of my favorite memories of that house is when my mom, in a nearly unheard of fit of homecooking, would put a big ham covered in water into a kettle on the woodstove. It would cook for hours, filling the house with the most wonderful aroma. Then she would make dumplings right in the broth and we would feast. Oh, nothing was ever better than that!

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  5. My parent's farm house has grates in the floor to heat the upstairs where my sister and I slept growing up. The cats always slept on them till my parents installed a wood burning stove.

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  6. That sounds delicious, and now I'm going to go search for an oven to put on our wood stove. I had no idea there was such a thing. Genius!

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  7. Where did you buy the box oven and what is the "brand" ? I'd like to get one. Thank you kindly!

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    Replies
    1. The box oven is an antique, dating back to the 1920s maybe. No brand name. Looks like you'll have to haunt the rummage sales!

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