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I made the move back to cast iron cooking
- Thread starter walterjay
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I got the 'Chosen' brand avacodo oil spray at Costco. Best I've found so far. Pans are well seasoned. Some are grandma's pans.
I generally don't scrub them, although I tried that and re-seasoning. Helped nothing. Preheat for a long time, and modest heat works best for me.
I use a cast iron skillet giving to me by my Grandmother in 1982. Also have a couple of Lodge griddles. Just clean them with a little more canola oil and scraping with a plastic spatchula when still on a low heat after using. Then wipe with little more oil after they cool down. Only use these on the gas grill.
We use beef tallow. Never vegetable oil for anything.
I have gone eBay cast iron pans years ago. My crown jewel is a 100+ yrs old waffle iron.
The waffles are perfection and cannot be duplicated using modern day electric waffle makers.
Not to be misogynistic, but women going to work killed the cast iron flat wear market since cast iron care is extremely labor intensive for homemakers.
Today, how many kids get homemade waffles made from scratch from their stay at home mom? What was common is now a rarity.
The details in workmanship is what America Great! It weighs about 20#.
The waffles are perfection and cannot be duplicated using modern day electric waffle makers.
Not to be misogynistic, but women going to work killed the cast iron flat wear market since cast iron care is extremely labor intensive for homemakers.
Today, how many kids get homemade waffles made from scratch from their stay at home mom? What was common is now a rarity.
The details in workmanship is what America Great! It weighs about 20#.
Presently making beef bone broth in a cast iron Dutch oven. I Let it simmer for awhile on the wood stove, tomorrow will finish it on the gas stove simmer burner.
We have one of those, have yet to use it.
This is awesome. Last I heard Griswold is the holy grail of cast iron. I use iron multiple times a day.
Griswold was merged around 1960 as the cast iron market declined precipitously. Women foolishly wanted the teflon coated aluminum and kids were served frozen artificial Eggo waffles. All for the sake of convenience and time compression.
U go back in time and experience what it was like back then. I use an infrared temperature gun to achieve the 400F . This cannot be done with electric coated waffle maker.
As I believe I've mentioned before we have a cast iron frying pan we found on the way to the city dump in Saskatoon in 1979 or 1980. It seems to have escaped from a truck because it wanted a future life. The bottom says Fry Pan GSW No 8 Made in Canada. It has a nice long handle. It's at least 75 years old and it could be 100. Seems these vintage pans are now worth quite a bit.
We also have a number of high quality stainless steel frying pans, all with heavy bottoms.
But my wife's favourite utensil is an enameled le Creuset Dutch oven. I believe the enamel is on cast iron. She browns meat in it before making soup or stew. It's now 30 or 40 years old and has lots of surface marring from contact with metal as well as several tiny chips.
They all work very well on our new induction range. The annoying thing is that not long after buying that stove I ended up with a cardiac pacemaker so I now can't go near the stove while the cook-top is in use.
If you think you might ever get/buy/use an induction cook top, when buying cook-ware, just make sure the bottom is magnetic.
We also have a number of high quality stainless steel frying pans, all with heavy bottoms.
But my wife's favourite utensil is an enameled le Creuset Dutch oven. I believe the enamel is on cast iron. She browns meat in it before making soup or stew. It's now 30 or 40 years old and has lots of surface marring from contact with metal as well as several tiny chips.
They all work very well on our new induction range. The annoying thing is that not long after buying that stove I ended up with a cardiac pacemaker so I now can't go near the stove while the cook-top is in use.
If you think you might ever get/buy/use an induction cook top, when buying cook-ware, just make sure the bottom is magnetic.
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Cast iron pans do not pre-heat evenly, especially on a stove top.
To overcome the hot spots and low spots on a cast iron pan, depending on what I am going to cook in the cast iron pan, I will pre-heat the cast iron pan on the oven for 30 minutes.
To overcome the hot spots and low spots on a cast iron pan, depending on what I am going to cook in the cast iron pan, I will pre-heat the cast iron pan on the oven for 30 minutes.
Interesting. Since I have a gas oven that takes forever to heat up, that's not going to be a regular thing for me. But I'll try it and see.
Cast iron requires a proven method and is finicky. For what ever reason, I love pepper on meats. Using a lot of pepper or salt can help keep the sticking demon away. As it provides a bit of a barrier.
I too found a cast iron pan at the recycling center.
I must do the "derust and oven season" procedure.
Anyone know 'the best' oil for that?
Well Teflon is extremely inert so your safe. Curious to know if you considered carbon steel pans? They're lighter, similar heat retention and season like cast iron
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Avocado oil has essentially the same fat profile as olive oil but it has a really high smoke point and it's relatively tasteless.
I like cast iron because I can use it on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, or directly on camp fire coals.
I have 3 Lodge ones now - I sanded all of them down smooth and re-seasoned. I wish I had smoothed the sides as well.
I have 3 Lodge ones now - I sanded all of them down smooth and re-seasoned. I wish I had smoothed the sides as well.
Do you have one? They have the baby bottom smooth machined insides, makes me jelous. I am trying not to accumulate more stuff
I have read a thinner pan helps with this? Any idea if this is true? See above - the Griswold pans are quite thin. I oogled over one in a cooking store a while back.
Flax oil. It polymerizes quickly into a strong, smooth surface. The smoke point isn't all that high however, so I suggest doing it on a gas grill outside if you can.
I recently paid the big bucks ($120) for a Stargazer 10" cast iron pan. My kid has a similar size Lodge that he loves.
Bought some grape seed oil for seasoning. From what I've read, after cleaning with soap and water, it's best to warm to dry, then dress with oil for storage. That's my plan, anyway.
Bought some grape seed oil for seasoning. From what I've read, after cleaning with soap and water, it's best to warm to dry, then dress with oil for storage. That's my plan, anyway.
