Q&A Seasoning a new cast iron stove

Question:

I just bought a 602 and was told that there was a special technique to follow when building a fire in a cast iron stove. It was something about not building a fire to hot too fast or else the cast iron will crack. Also something was mentioned about having a bed of ashes on the bottom of the stove as well. As this is a brand new stove and I've always had steel stoves with firebrick liners I am asking you for advice



Answer:

With any stove- especially a cast iron stove- you want to build the first few fires small- and let them die down immediately after the stove has heated up. Don't get it too hot on the first fire- just hot enough so you can barely touch it...then you can do another 3 or 4 "seasoning" fires. This allows all the parts to heat and cool and fit together properly.