Stove recipes

[Danno77]

In the past I've only been "ok" at firewood id. I could ID a nice living tree, but when it was seasoned to grey and lost it's bark I used to struggle. Not anymore, I'm getting better at it, so it allows me to now make stove loading recipes.

Best fire of the season so far was a nice blend that consisted of loading onto hot oak coals a load of four splits. there was a soft maple, a silver maple, a nicely seasoned oak, and a poorly seasoned hickory. It was amazing that the soft maple I got from a neighbor's tree could be so ready to burn, the silver (I might be off, it could be norway) seasoned pretty quickly as well, although it's probably not great for burning this year. The oak is old and seasoned to perfection, the hickory I got cut and split just a month ago. The oak and soft maple really got the stove to temp in a matter of minutes, and the harder maple kept the burn going hot for a length of time. the Hickory sat upon the oak which coaled nicely and continued to burn hot and coaled nicely until I reloaded the stove 8 hours later.

I was able to run the stove wide open for the first 10 minutes, and then close it down until raking the coals forward about 2 hours before I reloaded. When I rake the coals forward, I like to open it up all the way until the stove temps start to drop low enough to throw some more in.

I wish this was attempted with fully seasoned wood, but it really burned nicely considering.

Does anybody else mix and match on purpose like that? It really is a learning experience to throw multiple species in at once and see how long it takes for some of it to light and how long it burns, etc. Very much like cooking.

 

[bogydave]

I burn spruce in shoulder season, mixed with the "reject" birch (small & weird size stuff)
But my wood choice is limited to spruce & birch.
I'm into full 24/7 burning now.
On the warmer days (30° f & above) I'll mix in some spruce in the morning.
Spruce seems to make more ash, but burns well. (& it's what I got)

 

[Gary_602z]

Dang when it said Stove Recipes I thought we were talking about stew and dumplings or chili!

Gary

 

[Backwoods Savage]

EDIT: double post

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Danno, you no doubt have read in the past that I like to put the longest burning stuff (at present, ash) in the bottom rear (large split or round) and also I like to put a soft maple or maybe 2 of them in the front bottom. The soft maple does indeed season fast. It also will light off fast and burn hot and that is why we use it as we do as it helps when we put in a full load for night burning.

Learning the various wood and how it burns will definitely help all wood burners and this is where experience comes into play a lot.

 

[iskiatomic]

Damn, I was looking for some grub also.

It is funny how you hit the right combo of blending species and end up with some killer heat.

Back to my chair.


KC

 

[Kenster]

Just curious why you'd bother loading green hickory. I love hickory but even after a year it's barely ready to burn. Just wondering.

 

[jeff_t]

I like to start with soft maple. It burns hot and fast, and coals quickly. In fact, after reading Dennis' thread about making kindling last year, that's what I make mine from now. Doesn't take long to make a good coal bed, then I can burn whatever I want. Mostly ash right now. I'll start working in some oak when we get cold weather. After a tornado went thru this spring, almost all the trees that came down were silver maple, so I've got a good supply for a few years.

 

[Danno77]

Just curious why you'd bother loading green hickory. I love hickory but even after a year it's barely ready to burn. Just wondering.

I got a bunch stacked for burning this year. It will be probably around mid january when I get to it, but it's what I have. I have a bunch of less than desireable wood to burn this year, still trying to get ahead, otherwise I'd love to save it for when it's really ready.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

I have been burning in the evenings now, so I have been burning maple as stated above that it starts quick, coals quick. I rake the coals forward and put a big round or split in the back (as Dennis said), I have alot of Locust and Oak that I will be using in the back. In the front I have been burning maple, cherry and sassafrass. I probably have to wait until next year to try my Hickory, Beech and Ash. After this year I should be set in that I now have about 19 cords, I guess I went a little crazy. Now I don't know what to do with my self as it kept me busy for the last year. I have plenty more to cut and gather but I guess I will have to start giving it away or selling it because I probably already have a 5 year supply.