OSRS Ironman Cooking Guide Fastest Methods to 99

Cooking is a vital skill for Ironman accounts in Old School RuneScape (OSRS), providing essential food for Slayer, bossing, and other challenging content. As an Ironman, you’re restricted from trading or using the Grand Exchange, making self-sufficiency key. This guide covers the fastest and most efficient ways to train Cooking from level 1 to 99, tailored for Ironman players, with practical methods, quest strategies, and tips to minimize burn rates. Whether you’re a Standard, Hardcore, or Ultimate Ironman, this guide will help you master Cooking while optimizing your time and resources.

Cooking is often trained alongside Fishing for Ironmen, as it allows you to prepare high-healing foods like sharks and karambwans, crucial for PvM and Slayer. Unlike regular accounts, Ironmen can’t buy raw fish from the Grand Exchange, so you’ll rely on quests, fishing, and other skilling methods to gather supplies. Efficient Cooking training saves time, reduces burnt food, and ensures a steady food supply for your adventures in Gielinor.

Starting with Quests for Early Levels

Quests are the fastest way to kickstart your Cooking journey, offering significant experience without requiring much effort. Completing specific quests can take you from level 1 to 18 in no time.

Recommended Quests for Cooking XP

• Cook’s Assistant: Rewards 300 Cooking XP. Quick and requires no skills.
• Gertrude’s Cat: Grants 1,525 Cooking XP. No requirements, but bring fish for the cat.
• Recipe for Disaster (Mountain Dwarf Subquest): Requires Fishing Contest, rewards 1,000 Cooking XP.
• Recipe for Disaster (Goblin Generals Subquest): Requires Goblin Diplomacy, rewards 1,000 Cooking XP.

These quests provide a total of 3,825 Cooking XP, boosting you to level 18 instantly. Prioritize them before training manually to save time.

Early Game Cooking Training (Levels 1–30)

Once you’ve completed the starter quests, focus on low-level fish to build your Cooking skill. Since Ironmen gather their own resources, combine Fishing and Cooking for efficiency.

Sardines (Levels 1–15)

Buy raw sardines from Gerrant’s Fishy Business in Port Sarim or Lovecraft’s Tackle in Witchaven for 10 coins each. Cook them on a fire or range to gain experience. A fire has a higher burn rate, so use a range whenever possible to conserve resources. Expect around 20,000–30,000 XP per hour depending on your focus.

Trout and Salmon (Levels 15–30)

Fly fish trout and salmon in Barbarian Village or Shilo Village. Shilo Village is ideal due to its nearby bank, but Barbarian Village has an everlasting fire for cooking on the spot. Drop burnt fish to maintain inventory space, or bank in Shilo for later use. This method yields 50,000–70,000 XP per hour and provides food for early combat training.

Mid-Game Cooking Strategies (Levels 30–65)

At this stage, you’ll unlock more efficient methods and better food sources. Focus on reducing burn rates and maximizing XP while gathering useful supplies.

Cooking Gauntlets and Hosidius Kitchen

Complete the Family Crest quest to unlock Cooking Gauntlets, which significantly reduce burn rates for fish like lobsters, swordfish, and sharks. Additionally, gain 45% Hosidius favor and complete the Easy Kourend & Kebos Diary to access the Hosidius Kitchen, which offers a 5% reduced burn chance (10% with Elite Diary). These tools are game-changers for Ironmen, as burnt food means lost resources.

Karambwans (Levels 30–65)

After completing Tai Bwo Wannai Trio, catch karambwans in Tai Bwo Wannai or buy them from Tiadeche’s stall (requires world-hopping for stock). Cook them at the Myths Guild or Mor Ul Rek for proximity to a range and bank. Karambwans offer up to 247,000 XP per hour when cooked efficiently (around 1,300 per hour). They’re also excellent food for PvM, making this a top method for Ironmen. Use 1-tick cooking for maximum XP, though it’s click-intensive.

Sweetcorn (Levels 28–65)

Grow sweetcorn in allotment patches using Farming, then cook it at ranges near Civitas illa Fortis in Varlamore. This method provides up to 70,000 XP per hour at level 60 and is less click-intensive than karambwans. It’s a great alternative if you’re also training Farming.

Late-Game Cooking Push (Levels 65–99)

From level 65, you can access some of the fastest Cooking XP methods in OSRS. These methods are ideal for Ironmen looking to stockpile high-healing food while racing to 99.

Servery Pineapple Pizzas (Level 65)

At 65 Cooking and with 45% Hosidius favor, you can make servery pineapple pizzas in the Hosidius Mess Hall. This method requires no external supplies, making it perfect for Ironmen, especially Ultimate Ironmen with limited inventory space. Expect 160,000–200,000 XP per hour with good focus. The process involves combining ingredients provided in the Mess Hall, so it’s entirely self-contained.

Sharks (Levels 80–99)

Fish sharks via minnows at the Fishing Guild (requires 82 Fishing) and cook them at the Hosidius Kitchen or Myths Guild. Sharks provide up to 273,000 XP per hour and are one of the best healing foods in OSRS, ideal for bossing. Use Cooking Gauntlets to stop burning at level 89 (with Hosidius range). This method is less AFK but highly practical for Ironmen needing food reserves.

Jugs of Wine (Levels 35–99)

Purchase grapes from the Culinaromancer’s Chest after progressing in Recipe for Disaster. Combine grapes with jugs of water (filled at a nearby sink) to make jugs of wine, granting 200 XP each. This method yields 100,000–150,000 XP per hour and is relatively AFK, but it’s less resource-efficient since wines aren’t useful for PvM. Use this if you prioritize speed over food.

Tips and Tricks for Efficient Cooking

Maximize your Cooking efficiency with these Ironman-specific tips to save time and resources.

Best Cooking Locations

Choose locations that minimize banking time and burn rates:

Location	Distance to Bank	Burn Rate	Notes
Myths Guild	0 tiles	Standard (range)	Requires Dragon Slayer II. Best for karambwans and sharks.
Hosidius Kitchen	6 tiles	5% lower (10% with Elite Diary)	Ideal for minimizing burns. Requires 45% favor.
Rogues’ Den	0 tiles	Higher (fire)	Convenient but higher burn rate. Good for early-game.

Pro Tip: Use the Myths Guild for late-game training due to its zero-tile bank proximity and range access.

Reducing Burn Rates

• Use Ranges Over Fires: Ranges reduce burn chances compared to fires. Always prefer a range when banking isn’t an issue.
• Wear Cooking Gauntlets: Essential for mid-to-late game fish to save resources.
• Cook at Hosidius: The 5–10% burn reduction is critical for Ironmen who can’t afford to lose food.
• Check Burn Levels: Stop burning lobsters at 64, swordfish at 76, monkfish at 82, sharks at 89, and anglerfish at 93 with gauntlets and Hosidius range.

Passive Cooking XP

Gain Cooking XP passively through other activities:

• Barbarian Fishing: Cutting fish with a knife yields ~9,000 Cooking XP per 100,000 Fishing XP.
• Tempoross: Cooking harpoonfish provides passive Cooking XP alongside Fishing rewards. Save permits until 81 Fishing for better fish.
• Zulrah/Vorkath Grapes: Use grapes from these bosses to make wines for extra XP.

Ultimate Ironman Considerations

Ultimate Ironmen face stricter inventory limits. Focus on the Hosidius Mess Hall for servery pineapple pizzas, as it requires no supplies. Alternatively, use a Player-Owned House (POH) with an oak larder (level 33 Construction) to bake cakes, providing infinite ingredients for ~100,000 XP per hour. Store items in an Item Retrieval Service to maximize inventory space.

Final Thoughts: Cooking to 99 as an Ironman is a grind, but combining quests, efficient fishing methods, and strategic locations like the Hosidius Kitchen or Myths Guild makes it manageable. Prioritize karambwans and sharks for their XP and utility, and use servery pineapple pizzas for a low-resource option. With Cooking Gauntlets and Hosidius favor, you’ll minimize losses and build a stockpile of food for your Ironman journey. Happy cooking, and stand alone together!