Sourdough Bread—It's Easy!

[mema2003]

I started mine on the 6th and today I gave up and had too pour it out. Smelt like whiskey my hubby said but wasn't doing like it should. Guess when I get over my foot surgery I will try again as I really did want too make it.

 

[frugal]

Quote:
That happens sometimes. Don't get discouraged, just try again after you recover.

 

[katiek]

I just made this recipe! THANKS SO MUCH!

Delicious! The first time I've ever been able to make sourdough successfully!

P.S. tell me about your stove!

 

[Parson's Wife]

Just found this thread! WOW! Thank you for sharing!

 

[msrma7670]

WOW

 

[NakPakChick]

Great tutorial! I'll bookmarking it for hubby, he bakes more than I do these days! He's tried Sourdough once before-We'll be having more in a few days I'm sure! The kids are headed to Nana & Papa's this weekend, so I'm sure we'll start some tomorrow.
Thankx again!

 

[frugal]

Thank you everyone for the kind words.
Quote:
Here's my baby...


It's a Heartland Oval wood cookstove that you should be able to find at most any quality stove shop. Here's a pic of when I first installed it.

and with my thermosyphon hot water system it's cookin'!

I've installed a water jacket and a 42 gallon range boiler (storage tank) and my Heartland Oval wood cookstove is now heating all my hot water. In fact it will produce all the hot water I'll ever need as a by product of using the stove to cook my food and heat my home.

The installation is the same basic installation as found in Hot Water From Your Woodstove:

This is the most dependable method of heating hot water with a woodstove, although not necessarily the most efficient. A thermosyphon system relies on the idea that hot water naturally rises. This tendency moves the water from the storage tank to the stove and back. Because cold water is heavier than hot water, it falls to the bottom of the tank then into the waterjacket (where the fire heats it). Once the water is hotter (and therefore lighter), it rises back into the tank. This may also be called a “gravity-flow” or “convection” system.

If properly set up, thermosyphon systems work without any outside assistance from a pump or from the homeowner.

The lower pipe (on the left side of the stove) brings the cold water from the storage tank into the water jacket where it's super-heated and then flows out from the upper pipe (again on the left side of my stove) back into the top of my storage tank. When water is called for a mixing valve adds cold water to the hot and lowers the temperature to 118°.

Pressure and Temperature Relief Valves
I have 3 PTR valves installed in my system. They safely discharge underneath my kitchen if needed.

Water Temperature & Pressure Gauge
The water pressure coming into the house stays at a steady 15psi with the system being pressurized via gravity. In this picture the temperature is at 95° after being left unattended for 8 hours. During the course of a normal heating/cooking day the water temperature runs between 110° - 120°. With the temperature at 95° mid tank there was plenty of hot water for a long hot shower. I figure the temperature at the top of the tank is about 30° higher than mid tank.

Free hot water is very Frugal—I love it!

Did I mention...Free hot water is very Frugal—I love it!

I added a circulator to their standard installation because I have electricity.

You can see the circulator between the heat shield and the wall.
That's my wood cook stove set-up.

​

 

[EweSheep]

Wow, love that stove!!!! Is it cost effective in buying it and running it? It probably would not do for me living in the city because a cord of wood is very expensive and some ordiances would not allow me to use that kind of useage than a fireplace ( I wish for one!) and open fire pit.

Just a beautiful, beautiful and very useful stove! I bet it takes alot of practice to get it just right!

 

[frugal]

Quote:
Thanks, I do love my stove.

It's been very cost effective for me. All my firewood is harvested from my land so I cook, heat hot water and heat my home as a by product of properly caring for my property. It just costs me time and fuel for my saws.

Quote:
Many people and articles I read seemed to say that it was difficult to learn how to cook with a wood cook stove. That has not been my experience, I've found it easy and fun. It could be because I've burned wood most of my life so I already knew how to tend a fire?

 

[Clay In Iowa]

I just saw your wood stove and thermosyphon hot water system....

You are my hero....

I'd LOVE to have a system like that. For now I'll be happy with my Jotul wood stove. I got it installed in Mid February and have been burning it almost constantly. We usually go through 350-500 gallons of propane Feb-mid April. Not so much because of extreme cold but because it windy as all get out. This year, so far, we've burned about 100 gallons. And that's with 2 adults a 4 year old and an 8 month old. So laundry, due to the 8 month old, has picked up a lot. I can't wait till next year to see how much propane we burn or rather don't burn for an entire year.