Pros and cons when choosing a wood-burning oven

People who cook with a wood-burning oven insist food cooked on this traditional stove tastes better than anything cooked on a gas or electric range.  Since the early days, wood-burning ovens have added other features. There is little difference in their cooking performance but here are the pros and cons of choosing between old and new.

• Old ovens have a comparatively small firebox
• The air flow to firebox can't be reduced and requires frequent stoking because there are no seals around the doors and hotplate.
• The stovetop hotplate offers a range of cooking temperatures.
• Oven temperatures vary from shelf to shelf
• Indirect heat provides a constant temperature and utilizes all its space.

• Modern slow-combustion stoves have a larger firebox.
• Modern stoves have an air-vent system which can be shut down so the fire will last through the night without stoking.
• Modern stoves also have insulating lids to keep the hotplates at the required temperature while conserving fuel.
• Some models have independently adjustable temperature gauges.
• Most modern ranges double as a domestic hot-water service, and some can even provide a level of central heating.

The image of a traditional cozy country kitchen as a warm refuge on a winter's day, filled with the welcoming aroma of baking, owes much to the wood-burning oven. Choosing the right one by using these pointers will help you give your home that same feel.