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!