Applying stove black ever so often will improve the appearance of a wood stove and help retard rust. The most important thing to know about cooking on a wood stove is how to manage the temperature. Knowing the proper way to establish a fire, the type of wood to burn and how to set the draft regulators will depend on the heat you get from your stove. You will want to have a good supply of dry wood near the stove, with a smaller supply of slightly green wood to slow the fire when it starts burning too quickly. Hard woods such as ash produce a long lasting, hot flame and are especially suitable for cooking on a wood stove.
Soft woods work well for kindling and to make a quick hot fire.
The majority of wood stoves will have two draft regulators and dampers. These allow for quick and accurate heat adjustments. Opening the oven damper will allow hot air to flow straight from the firebox into the stove pipe. This is the best way to start your fire, but when the stove warms up, it should be closed to allow the hot air to be redirected around the oven. The flow of air up the stove pipe is controlled by the stove pipe damper.