How To Cook on a Woodburner – Tips, Recipes & Stove-Friendly Meals

In a world where modern conveniences often take centre stage, the timeless charm of cooking with a woodburning stove is making a remarkable comeback.

September 7, 2023
By Reece Toscani
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Guides & Knowledge

Choosing the Right Stove for Cooking

Learning to cook on a woodburner isn’t just about making dinner — it’s about creating an experience. The slow, even heat makes it ideal for hearty stews, roasts, and breads, while the crackle of logs adds atmosphere you won’t get from gas or electric. In the UK, it’s a popular choice for off-grid living, energy independence, and embracing a slower, more mindful way of cooking. While UK stoves often prioritise heating efficiency over cooking features, many European and North American models integrate ovens, hotplates, or even pizza-baking capabilities.

Why Cook on a Woodburner?

Boiling & Frying: Best done when the fire is roaring and the stovetop is at its hottest.
Simmering: Move pots to a cooler section of the top plate or use a trivet to raise them slightly.
Baking: In stoves with ovens, preheat thoroughly before adding food. Without an oven, you can improvise using a Dutch oven with hot embers on the lid for all-round heat.
Slow Cooking: Use retained heat after the main burn to gently cook overnight soups or stews.

Tip: In colder climates, overnight slow cooking can also help maintain background warmth.

Cooking Techniques on a Woodburning Stove

Not all woodburning stoves are created equal when it comes to cooking:

Multi-functional models like the Esse Ironheart or Charnwood Haven feature built-in ovens and hobs.
Flat-top stoves like the Austroflamm Lucy Cook are versatile for boiling, frying, and simmering with the right cookware.
Soapstone or heat-storing stoves can be ideal for slow cooking as they hold heat for hours.

If you’re buying with cooking in mind, check the manufacturer’s guidance — some stoves are designed for heating only, and cooking on them can damage finishes or void warranties.

The Right Cookware for the Job

Heavy-duty cookware is essential. Cast iron is the gold standard — it retains heat beautifully and works perfectly with the slower, more radiant heat of a stove. Enamelled cast iron (e.g., Le Creuset) is great for casseroles, while bare cast iron excels at frying and baking. Stainless steel is also a good choice for lighter dishes.

Tip: Always lift cookware rather than sliding it across enamelled stove tops to avoid scratches.

Ready to cook with fire?
Discover our range of woodburning cooking stoves and bring wood-fired flavour to your home or garden.

Safety & Practical Considerations

Cooking on a stove changes how you use it — lids will be lifted, pots shifted, and heat levels fluctuating.
Keep flammable materials well away from the cooking area.
Use heat-resistant gloves when handling cookware.
Ensure adequate ventilation — especially in smaller spaces like boats, cabins, or shepherd’s huts.
Never overfill the firebox — good airflow is key to both heating and cooking performance.

Wood Fired Cooking - Alfresco

For those who love the idea of taking wood-fired cooking outdoors, the RB73 Quercus is the perfect centrepiece for alfresco dining. Built from weather-resistant corten steel, it combines the warmth of a closed-chamber outdoor stove with the versatility of an integrated oven. Because the food is cooked inside the chamber — not directly over the flames — you get a cleaner, more controlled cooking environment, free from excessive smoke or ash. Whether you’re baking fresh bread, roasting vegetables, or slow-cooking a joint of meat, the Quercus makes it easy to entertain guests in the garden while staying cosy around the fire well into the evening.

Inspiration: What to Cook

Here are some stove-friendly meals to try:

One-Pot Wonders: Beef stew, lamb hotpot, vegetable curry.
Breads: Soda bread, focaccia, or a crusty sourdough in a Dutch oven.
Breakfast Favourites: Full English, porridge, pancakes.
Sweet Treats: Baked apples, flapjacks, bread pudding.

Cooking on your woodburner is as much about experimenting as it is about following recipes. Start simple, learn your stove’s “heat map,” and before long, you’ll be creating feasts while keeping your home warm.

See related stories to this one:

Cooking Stoves, Hygge, Stove Buyers Guide, Stove Owners Guide

Reece Toscani

Reece has over two decades in the fireplace and stove world — testing, reviewing, and occasionally getting covered in soot, all in the name of wood-fired home heating. He cuts through the nonsense, busts the myths, and shares straight-talking advice to help you enjoy your stove without the confusion. From Fireplace Products to Redefining Woodburners, if it burns wood, he’s probably tested it, fixed it, or argued about it. Now, through Woodburner Insights, he shares that experience with the world — both here and on YouTube.