Cast Iron Cooking

Cooking some sirloin steaks

 

Cast iron is also they way god intended corn bread to be made

 

And of course chicken fried deer steak and gravy in the same pan

 

So. I just accidentally “seasoned” my pan for 6 hours instead of 60minutes in the oven. Hate this oven controller

Is my pan ruined probably?

 

we must have all looked it up last night. Amazon’s algorithms raised the price $4 while i slept

 

No

 

No, you more than likely just stripped them.

I keep a Griswold 8 and dutch oven on the stove top. The rest of the set is in my pots and pan drawer. My wife's grandfather was a hoarder with a walking path thru his house. When he passed we were all allowed to go thru and get whatever we wanted. We took the castiron since no one else wanted to deal with it. Most of it is probably 100 years old. He was a fanatic about Griswold and estate sales. Living in rural west Tennessee he had a decent selection.

I put them upside down in the oven and set it on self clean. That strips them down so they can be reseasoned. (Warning house got ao smoky I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.) Reseasoned with multiple light (dry) coats of oil in the oven. Use them exclusively now (skillets, dutch oven, cornbread pans, etc).

He also had large kettles. Those I have not found a way to strip and season yet. (11, 12, 15, and 28 gal cast iron; 12 gal cast aluminum) Any pointers on getting these cleaned up?

 

We pretty much exclusively use cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens on our gas stovetop. In my opinion the following is best cooked in cast iron:

Bacon
Fried steak, beef & deer (elk included)
Fried chicken
Texas chili in a cast iron Dutch oven
Home fries
Fried eggs
Anything else that will fit

I have never used soap of any kind on my cast iron. Hot water and a scrub pad is all I've ever needed. I season mine after each use.

 

I use these for handling hot skillets, they work well.

$8 Combo Pack - Silicone Handle Holder Sleeve Plus Silicone Assist Handle (Red)

https://www.amazon.com/Combo-Pack-Silicone-Handle-Holder/dp/B01LDBK158

 

Fried rice

 

I have a skillet, griddle, and a dutch oven for truck camping and a skillet for the house for steak. I love mine. Once when moving one of the camping ones ended up in the garden tools box and got rained on and rusted up pretty good. A wire wheel cleaned it up really well and I reseasoned it and it still works great.

 

This thread has made me hungry!

 

Great thread! I love my cast iron and have recently re-discovered cooking with them thanks to Kent Rawlins. Who knew this mustached buckaroo from OK has >1M followers; he has great information on the care and feeding of cast iron as well as great meal prep videos. Check him out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClrMJRlvoyoWsVlB-7c61PQ

 

I scour flea markets, yard sales, and antique stores for cast iron pans. Pretty much only Griswold. I have an electrolysis bath setup that I use to strip them of rust and some old seasoning. I then season them in my grill. I used to use only Flaxseed oil, but I've switched to a product call the "Larbee puck". I used it for my initial seasoning and all my touch ups.

Finding good cast iron can be tough, no cracks, no wobbles, no pitting and not too expensive since I'm going to try to bring it back to life. Wagner made great pans too, but I'm just partial to Griswold.

 

Yup, cast iron is better for you than non-stick, T-Fal, Teflon etc. I think some of those finishes are even banned in some countries.

This is also why I don't buy or use cheap overseas made ones, that may not control the amount of lead or other substances in them. Made in USA or Canada for me, nothing from the dollar store or bargain bin store, no name etc.

 

It’s a really solid product. I use it on my cheap SS saucepans if something gets stuck on the bottom too. My son loves cream of wheat in the morning; makes cleaning that up a cinch.. stuff turns into glue

 

Not at all. You'll probably just have to start the seasoning process all over again. Have a look at it and it it appears the seasoning has started to flake or peel, then sand it down and start from the beginning.

Sorry, but I have a bit of a chuckle when people ask if they've ruined a cast iron pan. It's a chunk of iron. You can't hurt it.

 

As you can see, I'm a fan. If you find cast iron too heavy, Carbon Steel (DeBuyer is my vote), is a great alternative for frypans that need seasoning and are much lighter but just as durable.

Here is most of our Cast Iron pots and pans. I have another big DO with legs for throwing in the campfire but it's in the trailer.

All the black, raw cast iron is Lodge, Wagner or vintage Wagner Ware, made in USA (one might be Canada). If you can vintage from your folks, friends or relatives ...grab it and run as fast as you can. It doesn't get any better than cast iron that has been used by Grandma for 60y.

Everyday 12", 10" and 8"

Specialty crepe, corn bread, mini muffin, sauce pans

2 pce DO (Lid can be used as pan)


Enamelled Cast Iron Dutch Ovens. These were a couple hundred each but the stars of our kitchen ware and we'll worth it if you can snag them on sale (still a couple hundred on sale). I was very opposed to her getting the first LaCreuset, but after using it, I bought us a second oblong one, Staub. The Staub can be found at Costco online from time to time limited quantities, just make sure it is NOT stoneware as that is not the same as Cast Iron.





Forgot my Columbian tortilla press

 

Thanks. I've been collecting for 20y, since we first got married. Pick one up here, one up there, folks give me one they find. Nothing matches, but it doesn't bother me

Sometimes they are rust buckets, but I sand them down, season and they are good as new or better.

It's not unusual for me to be making supper and having 3 cast iron pans on the stove.

Love 'em

 

I gotta get a pic of mine when I get it all cleaned up. Nowhere near what @BravoDeltaRomeo has though. LOL

 

No not at all post a pic

 

Lol most are cast iron so i say they match!!! And 9 out of 10 people will not know the diffrence other than nice and shiny!

 

My cholesterol levels are spiking just by seeing some of these pictures.

 

Most of my cast iron cookware pans and skillets are from Lodge (cheap and Made in USA), I have enamel pots from Martha Stewart, Fontignac and Lodge. I clean the pans and skillets with hot water and a brush and season after every use. The season method I use is heat up the pan to a point where you can't touch it bare handed, turn off the heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, wipe the interior and exterior with a cloth.

 

Ah yes I forgot to mention when I bought my Weber Genesis S330, I swapped the stainless grates out for the cast iron ones too. My kamado also has cast iron grates. Use it everywhere I can generally. Though for the RV I did opt for a Blackstone griddle last week and it is steel :/. I will keep the lodge skillet inside the RV though.

 

Your process for cooking makes a huge difference too. Most people don't think about the order and timing of using a pan (this applies to stainless steel too). They'll turn on the burner, throw in some oil or spray Pam, and then add their food - all in a matter or seconds.

Instead, be aware of the timing and heat.

1. Place pan on burner and turn burner to desired heat
2. Wait for pan to get to temp
3. Add oil/Pam/butter
4. Wait for oil to get to temp (oil will begin to ripple)
5. Add food to pan

If you do this, the likelihood of food sticking is reduced tremendously.

 

I made bacon and pancakes for breakfast this morning in my cast iron. Forgot to take a pic. LOL

 

Pretty sure the only thing I ever use mine for is steak. But I too struggled for a long time with getting it seasoned properly. Once it is, cleanup is such a breeze.

Nothing gives you that beautiful sear like a cast iron skillet.

Did a Filet Mignon on it for the first time last week (in conjunction with the oven) and it was the best steak I’ve ever tasted.

 

Here's some more cast iron shots. This is an ERIE marked skillet from around 1906. I love the old pieces, they are usually of a higher quality metal, and much thinner and lighter than newly manufactured ones of the same size.



Another ERIE, with a smaller Wagner "Pie Logo" skillet.


One more for good measure.