Cookin' With Coal

windyhill4.2 wrote:Pauliewog,awesome story,awesome save,thanks for sharing the story,looking forward to pics. ~~~~~~~~ I am a bit jealous tho,i wish we had the money & the chimney for a coal range,definitely on the top of our dream list.

All good things take time my friend! Fortunately, my mortgage is finally paid off, the kids are finished with college, married and moved out, and I have the ability to do 99% of the work on my projects myself.

If you look close at the pictures of the block wall I put in the basement, you can see the different shades of color in the block. I wanted to build that room 30 years ago, and would pick up block,and materials little by little as I had the extra cash.

Start picking up a chimney block or two,even once a month, and make that dream a reality.And how bout this ....... If I'm still physically able, I'll make the road trip and give you a hand putting it up !

Sunny Boy wrote:Nice, later clean design Paulie. And congrats again. That'll do some wonderful cooking.

What kinda shape is yours in inside ? Have you had a chance to check it out thoroughly yet ? Looking forward to seeing the pix.

Paul

Thanks Paul, It seems to be in pretty good shape,and the nice thing about it is they used it every single day. I know I took some pictures when I took it apart, but finding where I filed them ,is turning into more of a project than removing the stove.

If I don't find them in the next few days, I will crawl in the container when we get a nice day and take a few pics.

Photog200 wrote:And I look forward to photos from that dinner with the original owners!
Randy

Randy, I think that alone is going to move the range up my priority list. Most of my Aunts and Uncles have passed away, and my son in law picks them up every holiday,and brings them to our house.

They have become a big part of our family, and I can't wait to see the gleam in their eyes, upon seeing the range back in use.

Paulie

Paulie.
In the meantime, every chance you get I'd suggest that you start picking their brains about how to best operate that range. Even writing down the slightest details will help once you start using it.

There's much more to getting the temps you want, where and when you want them, than using any other type of coal stove. With their years of experience they can help straighten out a lot of the learning curve that you'll have when it comes time to start using all the dampers and temperature zones that range is capable of.

When you can learn to juggle five or six dampers to heat three different zones, to cook a several course meal, your other coal stoves will seem down-right boring.

Paul

Paulie,that is quite the offer for you to make,to do a road trip like that & help put up a chimney. We will see what happens.

windyhill4.2 wrote:Paulie,that is quite the offer for you to make,to do a road trip like that & help put up a chimney. We will see what happens.

Very generous indeed. Here's hoping you can start a "brick bank", Dave.

Paul

Sunny Boy wrote:

lobsterman wrote:Midnight snack in the Chubby Jr.

Nice video, LM. Is that oysters your frying in that pan ?

Your good being able to cook by putting the pan directly on the coals. I'd never think to try that based on that I seem to have a talent for burning food even when it's further from such direct heat.

Paul

Damn! Great idea. The midnight snack was shamelessly bacon (gasp!). But your idea is great. Tonight's appetizer, oysters gently steamed in their own juices, thrown right on the red coals for just 1-2 minutes.

PS Damn if I can ever get the picture right. It is fine in my view and the process of posting flips it. What is the trick?

I am thinking of frying some bacon right on top of the stove to season it. I used to do this with my Glenwood cookstove. Then I can cook/warm on its surface without a pan. Don't want to get carried away however.

Neat idea, they come with their own pans to cook in.

I drag and drop the pictures to my computer's desk top. Then right click and pick rotate which ever way need. Then I upload from the desk top. That works 100% of the time.

Randy has another way that also works well, but I think it involves using Photo Shop which I don't have.

Here's your pic that I right click saved then moved from my pictures folder to the desk top, then right click and rotated it upright. Then I just uploaded it from the desk top.

Paul

That looks good!

Randy

Edit: you beat me to it Paul!

Sunny Boy wrote:Paulie.
In the meantime, every chance you get I'd suggest that you start picking their brains about how to best operate that range. Even writing down the slightest details will help once you start using it.

Paul,
In the last few weeks I went thru this entire thread no less than 5 times. As a newbe to the cook stoves, I am going to need a lot of help. I write down notes up the kazoo, but like any stove, I'll have to learn her specific needs.

There's much more to getting the temps you want, where and when you want them, than using any other type of coal stove. With their years of experience they can help straighten out a lot of the learning curve that you'll have when it comes time to start using all the dampers and temperature zones that range is capable of.

I'm sure from what Ive been reading so far ,I won't be inviting the neighbors over for a 5 course coal fired gormet meal until I have a little experience behind my belt.


When you can learn to juggle five or six dampers to heat three different zones, to cook a several course meal, your other coal stoves will seem down-right boring.

Paul

Boring? .....................I certainly hope not! Like my kids and grandkids, I try my best to treat them all with the same amount of love.

Paulie

windyhill4.2 wrote:Paulie,that is quite the offer for you to make,to do a road trip like that & help put up a chimney. We will see what happens.

The offer is sincere David. I'm pretty much semi retired, and I enjoy helping out. Heck, your only an hour and a half away from me

Now like Paul said .....Get that "brick bank" started !

Paulie

I scalded the milk for the dough on the Vigilant...does that count?

michaelanthony wrote:I scalded the milk for the dough on the stove...does that count?

image.jpg

yes

Yes. But not scalded fingers ! That only makes it tough to count !

They look great Mike !!!!

Paul

Some more follow up on re-seasoning cast iron, plus staying warm and comfy during below zero weather,

With the cold snap back, I've been running the range at higher temps. Rather than waste that I striped and have been re-seasoning a cast iron frying pan that got messed up on a camping trip. That flax seed oil over oven cleaner stripped cast iron ( I used Easy Off) makes a much more durable surface than anything else I've tried. Including bacon fat, vegetable and olive oils.

Woke up to -26 F today. With the frying pan re-seasoning project done, and it's not getting above zero today, what better way to stay warm and "comfy " than in the kitchen making comfort food while enjoying that coal range heat.

My version of a family recipe - Ham, mac & cheese casserole. Chopped ham, shell macaroni, Swiss cheese, and chopped onion - topped with Italian bread crumbs and butter.

Simple to bake comfort food while staying nice and warm on a bitter cold day. And, no electrons were hurt in the making of this meal !

Enjoy.

Paul