Two questions, advice requested

[RoseGarden]

Question one---I have a very pretty cast iron wood stove that I heat the house with. It is decorative, and I don't want to mess it up, but I am wondering if it would be ok to use the top of it for a cooking surface to set a cast iron dutch oven or a cast iron footed pot on?

The stove has a catalyst in it, which is located just underneath the top surface of the stove and has a little recessed thermometer in it that extends down into the catalyst. Sometimes the thermometer reads as high as 1200F, which is the temp of the catalyst. I'm assuming the actual surface of the stove above the catalyst is cooler than that, although I have no way of measuring what the surface temp might be. What dangers would there be, if any, in placing a cast iron dutch oven or cast iron footed pot on this surface? The stove's top is designed in such a way that there is no place to really set a pot except for this area above the catalyst, which measures about 10"x12". Would it be better to find some kind of cast iron grating to set on the stove top and then set the pots on that?

Question 2---well, now I've forgotten what it was, so never mind.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by RoseGarden

Question one---I have a very pretty cast iron wood stove that I heat the house with. It is decorative, and I don't want to mess it up, but I am wondering if it would be ok to use the top of it for a cooking surface to set a cast iron dutch oven or a cast iron footed pot on?

The stove has a catalyst in it, which is located just underneath the top surface of the stove and has a little recessed thermometer in it that extends down into the catalyst. Sometimes the thermometer reads as high as 1200F, which is the temp of the catalyst. I'm assuming the actual surface of the stove above the catalyst is cooler than that, although I have no way of measuring what the surface temp might be. What dangers would there be, if any, in placing a cast iron dutch oven or cast iron footed pot on this surface? The stove's top is designed in such a way that there is no place to really set a pot except for this area above the catalyst, which measures about 10"x12". Would it be better to find some kind of cast iron grating to set on the stove top and then set the pots on that?

Question 2---well, now I've forgotten what it was, so never mind.

Set a cheap oven thermometer on the stove to read the surface temps

[Freeholder]

Shouldn't be any reason why you can't use the top of your stove for cooking or heating water, if need be. As to whether you need to use a grille or something under the cooking pot, experiment. Put something on to cook, staying close by and watching it carefully. If it's too hot then you might need to put something under the pot (a cast iron trivet, perhaps). I like real wood cookstoves, because with the larger tops, you can usually find a spot on the top that is the right temperature for whatever you are cooking. With the small flat surface your stove has, you will have to either adjust the fire (not always possible to do quickly) or raise and lower the pot above the surface to regulate the temperature.

Kathleen

[RosewoodfarmVA]

One thing to consider: When you are cooking with liquids (boiling water, cooking soup, etc) make sure that it doesn't overflow or spill onto the stove. My grandma accidentally spilled a glass of water on a woodstove and "pow" it cracked right open! A hot stove cannot tolerate cooler liquids suddenly poured on it. I suppose that's why wood cookstoves had the metal plates that sat in the stove under each pot spot, with all those joints and individual pieces the metal could expand and contract better and "move" with the temp changes.