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To cook in a fireplace using heavy iron pots such as this bake kettle one needed strength as well as skill. A bake kettle was very useful. It could hang over the fire, but was also used to bake bread, pies and cake. The cook raked red-hot coals from the fire onto the brick hearth. The kettle sat on top of the coals and the food, usually in a pottery dish, was placed inside. The heavy iron lid covered the pot. The cook then piled on more hot coals to the lid and the food baked from the heat all around it. The cook took care when removing the heavy coal-covered lid to check on or remove the food. Bake kettles were a quicker way to bake a few things without having to heat a large wall oven.

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