Pioneer Sourdough: Iron Ovens & A Cookstove🔥

[@mikenicholson2548]

I looked up old cooking notes my grandmother had left my mother and passed on to me. When my grandmother made bread in her wood stove, she used a cast iron bread pan. When the top was somewhat dark brown, she pulled it from the oven. She wrapped the whole pan with two dish clothes to hold the heat to finish cooking the bread. That's what her notes said to do. I'm just passing it on. Really loving your videos

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh wow what a great way to solve the trickiness of these old ovens! 🔥🙌🏻 Smart woman! I love that you looked that up & that your grandmother had made a note of how she mastered bread. Really special 💗 I’d like to try that & talk about it on a future episode

[@gerryhartung736]

Your channel has turned into PIONEER WOMAN! THANK YOU FOR SHARING. We soon forget how easy our lives have become. My dad's memory.....his dad owned a bakery in N. ILL., during prohibition.Small town, only a night watchman to rattle doorknob, he would walk around sniffing the air....someone's cooking whiskey I'll catch them. He never did. Baking bread smelled the same, suspected my grandfather. My Dad would deliver in his Model A Ford. My family bread story. Power would go out in the winter, and we used many candles over the winter. So many memories of my first ten years. Moonlight on the snow, skating on the tiny ball diamond with flooded infield, older brother saying, Gerry hold up this barbed fence while standing in snow...yep, electric, sledding on one sled for six kids. On and on. Just some of the many memories your channel brings to my mind. Eighty years old as of 9.4.44, reliving those years THANKS ❤🎉

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

May God Bless you, Gerry! ❄️❄️❄️ What great memories-my dad turns 80 this year. Birthday 1/23/45 (best birthday ever, right?). You got to glimpse way back into the past through those stories of your father/grandfather. What a time! Thank you for sharing. Felt like I was there smelling the rising bread and sneaking onto that ice. Best to you-I am loving these stories.

[@leayoung3014]

I was born and raised, raised for a time, in New Mexico, US, that is… and the outbacks of NM state are hundreds of miles of open country back in the 50’s and 60’s and your videos remind me of my childhood and how much I loved the open country, the hard work, the cold winters and the freshly backed bread. Thank you for sharing your lovely videos. I feel like I’m back home again. We now live in Colorado SW. 0:02

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh wow that must have been beautiful and wild country! New Mexico gets cold too ❄️ What a way to have grown up… Think how few people experience that in America anymore. Hard but romantic life-you are blessed

[@nmelkhunter1]

Where in New Mexico? I pretty much grew up in Las Cruces but spent every chance I got on my uncle’s ranch near Corona, NM. I really miss living three miles from the nearest neighbor and twelve miles from town.

[@henryfreab960]

I've been making sourdough bread in my dutch for over 30yrs. I never have had to put water in for steam. 20 min with lid then 20 min without in a oven. If you do it outside over coals I only heat bottom for 1st 30 min then add coals on top to brown, just make sure you turn on trivit and lid in opposite direction

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh wow you know your bread! 🙌🏻 Thank you for the tip on steam-it was beautiful to see the water poured in, it did steam quite a bit, but I can understand how maybe the moisture in the dough is enough 🤔 Boy I have respect for you baking a loaf over coals outdoors-that is not a novice thing to do. Very cool 🙌🏻

[@henryfreab960]

@@Montana_Ranch_Rescue I started when doing fur trade re-enactment. I'm sure the extra moisture didn't hurt ( more rise). Stay warm, ❤️from rock springs wyo.❄️🥶

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

@ Oh how cool-I love re-enactments! Good for you preserving history 🙌🏻 Keeps it alive

[@erinhall8294]

Lovely friends , lovely home and a beautiful fire. The bread is beautiful … I haven’t mastered sourdough yet but I just keep practicing 🫠 Love your channel and as a fellow Montanan , you’ve captured the legacy of our state 🤍

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Hoorah! A fellow Montana 🙌🏻 Lots of history in this state just sitting off the roadsides. Glad you found the channel-thanks for coming along on the ride with us 😊

[@galeogle]

Don't forget to clean the ashes from around the oven at least once a month. Then the more you use the oven, the more often you will have to clean around the oven.

[@teripittman]

This is really important!

[@elainefuller3879]

WOW 😮…I’m so glad I came across this video, this bread looks amazing and so delicious 🤤!!! What a beautiful rustic place you have!!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Thank you so much!! I learned a ton about sourdough that day-the little cabin is a gem of a place ❤️ We joke that it’s our little time machine. We love spending time in it! Thank you for watching & finding the channel

[@helbergreen]

I loved the vídeo. Congratulation on decorating the cabin.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! This little house is a Time Machine for sure 😍❄️🔥

[@shereenrahaman299]

That is really beautiful good morning and I love your show. I’ll keep watching it. God bless.❤

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! Appreciate your comment very much. Hi from Montana!

[@MsHomesteader]

I've been cooking and baking with a wood cook stove and it take some learning but once you have it there is truly nothing better than bread or biscuits from a wood cook stove oven! That bread looked amazing, bravo to all of you! Congrats on the elk, that is a blessing indeed. Looking forward to the next video. BTW, we are in South Central MT, about half way between Billings, MT and Cody, WY.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh too cool-fellow Montanans! 🙌🏻 It’s so true: bread & biscuits are the BEST they’ll ever be in a cookstove like this. I’m planning elk & biscuits for dinner tomorrow 🤞🏻 I’m still getting the hang of the old stove but it just takes practice, right? Love your comment 😄

[@paulyoung5327]

Mouth watering bread! I'm sure the aroma in the cabin was heavenly. Thank you

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

It was SO good 🍞 🔥 We had a blast baking it in the old cabin

[@Captain-Max]

I wish there was a way to include a photo in the comments. Artisan bread baking is my favorite winter hobby. Nothing beats a fresh crusty loaf from the cast iron dutch oven, even if mine comes from one of those newfangled electric ovens. I've even gone so far as to repurpose a Yeti cooler into a proofing cabinet by adding an electric heating pad and a thermostically controlled outlet usually made for gardening. Makes for more efficient rising times in cooler weather when you don't have a nice wood cook stove like yours. Thanks for a great video! 😁

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh brilliant! You are a serious maestro of bread making 🙌🏻 Wish I could see it too! Too cool-it seems like using a cast iron Dutch oven or clay Dutch oven is a secret ingredient in top-notch bread 🤔 Does something magical.

[@ronblessey6731]

BTW - love the jazz in the back ground....

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

😉 Cheers, Ron! Thank you 😁 Robbie teases me but I love jazz

[@noiseosoutros]

Very very good thank you my friend love

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@carolynmoody9460]

Words cannot express how much I look forward to this video!! It was sooo heart warming ❤❤❤🕊️ looking so forward to receiving my spoon

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! Your handmade spoon is on its way 😍 I hope you love it 🎄🎄🎄 Love your comment-thank you so much for being with us on this adventure 💗💗💗

[@carolynmoody9460]

Much love from Missouri❤❤​@@Montana_Ranch_Rescue

[@HubertusSchaper]

Hi Jessie ,I havend beeing verry well the last time, So Im trying to catch up wit the latest videos. I did realy like the Gathering with your friend Khaterine & Sisters ChildrenThe Breadbaking is an interesing occpupation to make it well baked afterwards .The smell of the bread & the candelproduktion came to me.verry niceH ,Hope you guys did have an wonderful Thanks giving there in the Cabin.Stay safe & healhty and well fed, And don`t freeze in the wintertime.Bless you all PS thanks for sharing👍🏻🙏🏻.Greetings.from the Old🇳🇱Dutch🇳🇴 Norwegian Hubertus.🙏🏻👍🏻🍀☮🇺🇸

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Hey Hubertus!! Cheers! Sending you warmth from Montana 🔥 🇺🇸 Always appreciate your thoughtful comment

[@nmelkhunter1]

That bread looked awesome. I think a couple of thick slices of that bread with butter and strawberry jam, three scrambled eggs and some elk breakfast sausage would be awesome! Congratulations to your mother in law on the elk!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers!! She’s amazing-I’m hoping to snag a few cuts of elk today. She’s been processing it herself.

[@ronblessey6731]

I, too, lived in Santa Fe for 28 years and loved the wide open spaces out west. Your channel reminds me of those days in northern New Mexico. I can smell and taste that bread!!! Well done!!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh fantastic what a beautiful part of the West! New Mexico is a stunning place. Been through a few times but always wanted to go exploring there

[@katherinevenable1473]

Just happened upon this channel and I love it! Thanks for sharing!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh so glad you found us!! We are in for a long winter with lots of projects & cooking in the cabin 🙌🏻🔥

[@vincentcotnoir1356]

I just did a trip back in time, thank you ;)

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! The Time Machine is fired up 🔥 Love your comment

[@jstoeck784]

Congrats on the successful bread. Even with modern ovens, it can be a pain. Being from TN, when you said you had a trick to staying warm I instantly thought shine or whiskey, maybe bourbon.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Hahaha that’s too funny-maybe our tea was spiked 😉

[@oliver9089]

That bread looked so delicious.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

It was SO special 🙌🏻 I want to learn how Katherine does the dough

[@sarahschlosser1203]

What fun day with the girls and kids

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

It was so fun to be in that space all together ❤️🔥

[@sarahtyster7342]

wow your friends are as crafty as you are! that sourdough looked so perfect - I used to do it and in a dutchoven (but in an electric oven in a London terraced house) but stopped because we didn't eat enough bread. I might start again now... maybe using a rye sourdough mix. I never got such a perfect loaf though. ever. that's next level for sure. still very envious of your chic hat (and the red beret is also chef's kiss) thank you for the video. gonna try making those dried orange swags too. pretty. and subtle.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Thanks, Sarah! I was the same way with sourdough-we just didn’t eat enough bread for me to keep up with it. But I sure am tempted to start now. Katherine is an incredible bread baker. That loaf was pure magic in the old cookstove 🔥

[@LittleCountryCabin]

Love this! Thanks so much for sharing ❤

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! It’s pretty fun cooking in an old cabin on an old stove like this 😄

[@KimKirkham-e5f]

I love your wood stove

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! We were so lucky to find one like this 🙌🏻

[@dianehall5345]

Jessie. I know that you don't have oak or much oak. Do you have any neighbors or mills that might have oak chuncks? Its not that your stove burns through wood fast. Your wood is like burning kindling. I bought a solid wood stove fire box PLATE at our hardware store. It did have a few holes in it. They come in different sizes. I got one that left a border for air flow. Works better than just the coal grates.My coal grates look like two forearms that twist to dump the cinders when you use the coal crank ( lid lifter). Not sure what grate you have. And keep the ash pan fairly full. You are doing great! I had my Grandma Hazel to teach me and a few good novels that talked about their kitchen wood stoves. An excellent novel, set in 1929, was REFUGE by Dot Jackson, set in the Appalachian mountains. It helped me see the many challenges of that era. The pioneer life was beyond difficult!

[@timothychandler1725]

I was shopping in Alderson's one day and saw 👀 they had case iron bread 🍞 pans. I think you might look around for 2 of them. I thought you might put up certains on the windows 🪟 to help the draft 🤔. Can't wait to see the next video. Well done 👏 on the video 📹 👏 👍.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

All great ideas-the old cabin definitely is chillly 🥶 I bet curtains would help 🤔 Cheers!

[@MikeeonYouTube4]

We use what we calla camp oven,a cast iron type bowl with cast lid,we do plain flour mixing with beer i think the small amount of yeast in helps the consistency when cooked is that of a soft cake,I left out one important thing it’s placed on top of hot Cole’s with a scoop of Cole’s on the lid ,when cooked crust is quite thick but the melted butter and honey soon solves that problem ATB from Perth🇦🇺

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh that’s too cool-so Australian! I saw a video once of a guy out in the bush who made a bread like that… he had a name for it… can’t remember now. Simple but I bet so delicious cooked on the coals like that 😋

[@MikeeonYouTube4]

@ Damper

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

@ yes! Thank you 🙌🏻

[@user-qs9fx9pe3f]

Hello i absolutely love your beautiful videos one tip for your family those 14 line kosmos round burners in the oil lamps can be ran with a sans rival chimney it increases the draft and candle power of your oil lamps drastically and is more fuel efficient

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Wow, really?! I’ve never tried that. Cheers 😄 Appreciate your comment very much!

[@nursepam6424]

The dough releases its own steam and the lid holds it in. No added water is needed. Add water to the oven environment when you aren’t using a lidded Dutch oven.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Oh very interesting, thank you! Sourdough & bread in general has such a science to it; lots to learn. Appreciate your comment

[@teripittman]

Also, you should have a damper on the stove and one in the stovepipe. There is also a lever that flips the fire around the oven (rather than just in the firebox). It's sometimes on the stove top at the back.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Yes I really should. I never used the extra damper on my old Cookstove, but I sure could use it on this one

[@colinvoss8484]

Use a cast iron loaf pan it evens the heat out.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Cheers! Smart tip

[@colinvoss8484]

@@Montana_Ranch_Rescue like the video found them the other day.

[@pattymckittrick4288]

A hard wood helps with even baking

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

It does! Hardwoods are pretty hard to get in Montana though. Pine and fir are what we’ve got, so we make do. Appreciate your comment

[@teripittman]

For the record, the longest lasting coals come from holly. It's tricky to use, because it burns like there's kerosene on it. Doesn't really split as there's no grain

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

@ Fascinating… I would never have known 🤔

[@ginakendrick2581]

Suppose you know this I’m coming from a Baker’s perspective Bread needs to cool down for about two hours before you cut it. Otherwise when you go to take a slice of it later on it’s all gummy as steam [ooops heard her say that]needs to continue to do it to work and he will have an incredible loaf with much patience.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

You’re 100% right-we just couldn’t help ourselves 🤪 We were so hungry & cold, and that loaf of bread didn’t make it past the front door 🙌🏻🔥

[@ginakendrick2581]

@ here is another bakers secret. Put your cast iron skillet in the oven with lid. For 30 min before bread has its second rise on top of parchment paper. [the paper will burn a bit. That’s ok. Carefully When the proof is perfect you do your score, take the cast iron pan out with really good mitts and take the top off carefully lower the bread and put the top back on and then put that in the oven for 20 minutes after 20 minutes then take the lid off so you get the bread to be browned and keep it in there for another 10 minutes until your Bread registers 200°. Most breads are baked at 200° we are homesteaders in Southern Vermont just bought a wood cook stove from Homewood Stoves in New Zealand. We haven’t tried it yet as we are almost done with are small house. Been living in a 20 by 16 cabin for 3 years. No electricity no running water.,propane shower and a generator now at night. Doing our best. Enjoy your show.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

@ oh brilliant! Thank you for the tips-I will do that 🙌🏻 I LOVE those New Zealand stoves!! I almost ordered one myself some years ago. Oh I’d love to see how yours works out 😄

[@ginakendrick2581]

@ I’ll keep in touch as we watch your project. It’s awesome to live this way. It’s harder but better. Going to give the candle project a go. I bought the wrong wic size and it tunneled

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

@ Yes, wicks are tricky. Keep us posted 🙌🏻

[@SagebrushRambles]

New sub here and I made my order. I love that tea kettle!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Thank you so much! I’ll be packing up your order today and sending it on its way 🤠Thanks for subscribing! 🙌🏻 Isn’t that kettle BEAUTIFUL?! It was a wedding gifts that I believe came from Townsends, which sells handmade historical reenactment items (but I just love it for its copper beauty ❤️)

[@juliastarkebaum308]

Love to order some candles

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

The link to our small online shop is in the video description 😄 I just added handwoven kitchen towels made by our friend Susan-hope you check out the shop! n9rueq-zj.myshopify.com

Terrific video! The bread looked so good. You seem to be catching on to the cookstove. I've never used an antique cookstove, but I THINK you are over-firing yours for baking. That could result in the loaf in the breadpan being dark on the outside and underdone on the inside. Thank you for your interesting content!

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Yes very possible-this old stove burns through wood so fast (guessing there are a hundred tiny holes and gaps from long years of rust/wiggling bits) that the fire risks going out completely when I’d like to stop adding wood 🤦🏻‍♀️ It’s a tricky ol’ one… Love your comment

[@chrisp9538]

My Mom always burned the bread. Biscuits is much easier. Love your videos and skills. A little coal goes a long way. Nice mix with wood. Use coal during the mid day to keep fire going. Look for black seems in rock. It is very common in sand stone areas or mud stone areas. Coal is a constant heat. Make smaller loafs of bread. Thinner. Baquette style. Bonne Chance.

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Great tips! Thank you 🥂 Coal does work really well in these old cookstoves-I used to burn it on the long subzero nights of deep winter. It was the only way to keep the stove going until morning (or almost morning, I often fed the stove in the night). It is a bit dirty/dusty though. But hey, I’d sacrifice that to be warm 😄 Love your comment!

[@teripittman]

And wrap the top of the axe handle with wire, to prevent damage to it

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

Fascinating

[@johnnyholland8765]

While you did a fantastic job on the cabin may I ask why you didn't try to insulate it in some way? Or didn't those old structures have any type of primitive insulation. Sure would have helped retain the heat. I can smell that bread all the way from Georgia...

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

I hear ya… I almost put wool in the walls but I didn’t out of fear of mice coming back. 🤦🏻‍♀️ It is very cold. 🥶 Makes me feel for people out on the prairie who rarely used insulation back then. Totally get why people used log or dug into the ground. ❄️

[@TheDungeonMinister]

How is bread making me weep?

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

You are the best 🔥❄️🔥❄️ That bread was beyond anything I’ve ever made in a cookstove; special day.

[@teripittman]

Not, it's not hard to do that. But you need hard wood that gives you good coals. Alder and maple are good but you may not have good hardwoods there (we didn't in Spokane)

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

I grew up with oak further west-it was gold. Alas, no such luck here in Montana. Just pine and occasionally fir if we are lucky 🍀

[@adventurebound7952]

Do you have a recipe for that sourdough??

[@Montana_Ranch_Rescue]

It’s my friend Katherine’s recipe-I’ll get it from her & post it n the video description soon 🙌🏻 We may even have some sourdough starter to share in the near future 😄