Anyone have a cook stove set up outdoors?

[HilltopDaisy]

I'm thinking about setting up my newly purchased cook stove outside (since I've determined that it's too big for the cabin ). Maybe I'll use it as a summer kitchen for canning and baking bread, etc.

Anyone done this or have any suggestions? I'm really eager to haul it home and cook something. I've been cooking on a hotplate and fire pit for two long years, I wanna bake cookies or something.

[HilltopDaisy]

Thanks WIHH. I hadn't thought about pouring a slab, but I could easily do that. I had planned on constructing a small "lean to" type shelter but I can see why leaving the sides completely open wouldn't be the best idea, because of the chickens. I could even tack up some woven wire fence that I already have here.

So, if I pour a pad a bit bigger than the base of the stove I would have plenty of room to work (out of the inevitable mud), and I could set up a small sink, and attach a hose, for washing produce, and water for the canner, and dish washing. Sounds like a workable idea. I guess I'll plan it all out on paper and see where it goes! Thanks again.

[Pelenaka]

If room wasn't an issue I'd get or build a nice shed with rows of windows on 3 sides & a big screen door on the fourth. Add some transom windows in the peak for venting.
I'd have open cupboards along the perimeter, cover the counter area with aluminum flashing. In the center I'd have an island with a few stools for food prep. Paint the interior white hang hooks for both solar powered & oil lanterns. Paint the floor with marine grade paint.
Put a bit of a porch on the front enough for a rocking chair no more no less since the minute I say I need help with food prep for caning people tend to vanish.

FYI never seams to fail that when I am knee deep in caning on my patio it starts to rain.

Sell it then buy one that fits ?

~~ pelenaka ~~
http://thirtyfivebyninety.blogspot.com/

[Capt Quirk]

I was in the process of building an outdoor kitchen, before we decided to winter in Florida. Kinda missed that "window of summer cooking" though. Not my fault the Airstream chose the wrong time to break down all at once.

Anyways, the plans I was going to use, start with a 10'x6' slab, with a 3' round adobe oven in the center. To the left of the adobe oven, would be a sink, with a small fridge under the counter. to the right of the adobe, a gas range and oven... maybe a built in Hibache too. Around the back and sides, I was going to build a 4' high brick wall, with the top, sides, and front screened in, and a good roof over top.

Making the brick, and trying to finish off the outdoor shower house kind of slowed me down on the kitchen. Next summer.

[Pelenaka]

Sounds nice I'd love to see pics of the shower.


~~ pelenaka ~~

[billooo2]

when I was growing up I often heard my grandparents refer to "summer kitchens." Apparently a lot of people used to have them, but I can't tell you much about how they wee designed.

At one point in time, my grandprents had an oven built of brinks that was outside to do baking in the warm months.

When I bought this property there was a "falling down" shed......in one corner there was a fire pit.....surrounded on 2 sides by stone.....and a chimney....and an 'arm' that one could hang a kettle on and swing it over the fire/coals.

[rags57078]

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

Thanks WIHH. I hadn't thought about pouring a slab, but I could easily do that. I had planned on constructing a small "lean to" type shelter but I can see why leaving the sides completely open wouldn't be the best idea, because of the chickens. I could even tack up some woven wire fence that I already have here.

So, if I pour a pad a bit bigger than the base of the stove I would have plenty of room to work (out of the inevitable mud), and I could set up a small sink, and attach a hose, for washing produce, and water for the canner, and dish washing. Sounds like a workable idea. I guess I'll plan it all out on paper and see where it goes! Thanks again.

if you didnt want to pour a pad use padio blocks for the base

[rancher1913]

look under the woodstove thread, can't recall whose it was but they had photos of their cookstove outside and she used it for canning. i think she said they just tarp it when not in use.

[Capt Quirk]

Originally Posted by Pelenaka

Sounds nice I'd love to see pics of the shower.


~~ pelenaka ~~

Wish granted


The bath house is 8'x10', stone with clay/ portland cement mortar. A shower is set up on the right, a tub will go to the left.

Currently, I stalled after setting the stone on the shower side, but that whole half is set. Now, I just need to set the stone for the clawfoot side, and frame it in. I'll set slatted lattice up for walls, and cover that with ivies.

[ejagno]

Well being a Cajun and all it's safe to say that those huge porches surrounding our Acadian homes were there for a reason and one of them was cooking. A fireproof base is a must and if you use stepping stones then please use sand mixed in a mortar for the cracks. Since most canning books tell you to place your sealed jars on a towel away from drafts I would think that walls would be a good idea.

Everyone I know has an "Outdoor kitchen" although it's anything but actually outdoors. I have my main kitchen and then we have our "Chef's" kitchen (DH is an Executive Chef) which houses the propane commercial 6 burner stove and overn, two stand alone commercial deep fryers, commercial stand alone mixer, commercial double door 5' refrigerator/freezer, stainless steel tables, 4 stainless steel tool carts used for utensils, 3 compartment sink, bakery racks, 30 gallon pots, commercial baking pans....the list goes on.

The only thing different is that people around here call it outdoors if it's a separate kitchen from the main house. Some are very nice and others are simply sheds converted into "Man Cave's" which is essentially an outdoor kitchen with a double propane burner, sink, large tv, refrigerator and comfortable seating for the guys to watch the game.

As long as it's protected from the elements there should be no problem.

[Pelenaka]

Capt Quirk, very nice !
Solar water heater ?
If your ever up by Buffalo give a hollar as I have a spare clawfoot tub.


~~ pelenaka ~~

[InvalidID]

MICE!!!! I set up a stove in the yard 2 years ago for summer cooking. In the winter we switched back to the indoor stove. Well, let me tell you about the worst stink you have ever smelled in your ENTIRE life.

Burned mouse urine is, THE WORST, thing I have ever smelled in my life. After sitting idle for the winter it would seem the mice had gotten into the insulation and made themselves quite the condo.

We tried to burn the smell off but after 4 hours and the smell getting stronger we gave up. It was so bad you couldn't get within 50 feet of the dang thing. To the scrap pile it went...

[Capt Quirk]

Originally Posted by Pelenaka

Capt Quirk, very nice !
Solar water heater ?
If your ever up by Buffalo give a hollar as I have a spare clawfoot tub.


~~ pelenaka ~~

Thank you. As for the hot water, it is the same lines that will feed the kitchen, a failed attempt at turning a plastic barrel into a solar water tank. Thanks to Murphy's Laws of Thermal Dynamics, I spent about $60 in materials to create a tank that is about 5 degrees cooler than the plain tank for cold water.

As far as going to Buffallo, wrong time of year, you couldn't drag me north We do have a tub though, just need to finish the floor, the pipes are already set. Then a decent cleaning and paint, then the tub will go in, finally walls and roof. After that, back to the outdoor kitchen, and making tons of bricks.

[7thswan]

Originally Posted by rancher1913

look under the woodstove thread, can't recall whose it was but they had photos of their cookstove outside and she used it for canning. i think she said they just tarp it when not in use.

Probably mine. It is up on wood and I cover it. I'd like to sell it before winter. It works great and right now it's cool enough to do my canning inside on another woodstove.I plan on building a bread oven near where it sits, but time gets away from me. I have canned on the back deck on gas burners. I also built a "cookhouse" where we had our 5th wheel set up-enclosed a woodstove and had skylights, shelves. Sorry I never took a picture.

[motdaugrnds]

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

I'm thinking about setting up my newly purchased cook stove outside (since I've determined that it's too big for the cabin ). Maybe I'll use it as a summer kitchen for canning and baking bread, etc.

Anyone done this or have any suggestions? I'm really eager to haul it home and cook something. I've been cooking on a hotplate and fire pit for two long years, I wanna bake cookies or something.

I am in the process of doing just that. I call it our "processing center". I won't be baking as you want to but I am going to be canning in there; and we are also going to use it for processing our goat meat.

It is right next to the garden and is 15' x 10' with ventilation both at the rafters as well as around the bottom of the walls. (I am using utility wire.) It has 3 windows (that do not open) tht are only 4 inches in depth but about 40" wide. It has an open shuttered area on the garden side through which I can set harvested items. I have an old porcelain sink that will go in it and will build a sturdy table for the canner and meat mincer. It is the burner on which to set the canner I'm not clear about. I want it large & sturdy enough for the canner and without flame.

[HermitJohn]

The farm my last living uncle (Mom's brother) owns (I guess he or his children still own it) has been in my mother's family for generations. I remember as a kid once when we visited, Mom showed me the old summer kitchen. In summer when she was growing up, they moved wood range out there to cook so house wasnt any hotter than it needed to be. Just looked like a small older unfinished outbuilding albeit with a chimney. Wasnt that big or anything. Sure when they were using range, that they had all windows and doors open! Be a sauna otherwise.

As to another poster's comment, mouse urine, feces, or corpses would burn off in a wood range, there is no insulation. Now if they mess in insulation of modern electric or gas range, I can see there being a problem, though suspect that would eventually go away too if one did any significant amount baking.

[Cindy in KY]

We have a white Warm Morning wood cook stove outside, the long one with the oven. I use it to make apple sauce and stuff. It is an older one, smokes a lot out of the gaskets, but heats up great. We used it to melt ice for water during the ice storm. We got it for $100 about 16 years ago.