Picked up a couple cast iron pans from an auction, and I love them. I looked online and apparently the casting marks on the pan mean it was made in the late 1800's/early 1900's. They just don't make em like they used to. The pan is nice and smooth, the original non-stick. This thing works like a champ for all those greasy foods I shouldn't be eating like bacon, sausage, eggs, and burgers. I'd like to try making some cobbler in the smaller pan. Anybody else have any creative recipes for these pans?
Cast Iron
- Thread starter AcuraTech
- Start date
- Status
BTW I should say I bought a new pan before I got these, Chinese made, rough casting, and it was junk. I threw it in the metal scrap bin. When I heated it up it stunk up the whole house. I figure why not buy one at an auction? Not like they ever wear out, so most that were made 100 years ago are probably still around.
I have developed quite a collection of Cast Iron in the last year, and found what you stated to be true. After my first Lodge purchase, I have acquired about 12 skillets, 3 griddles, 2 dutch oven's and a few cornbread pans, mostly at thrift stores and flea markets. Most of them are "generic" pans and found that the only way I could get them to be good, non-stick pans was to sand the interior down with an 80 grit sanding wheel, and re-season them. They were okay after that, but then I got a couple of old Griswold 1940ish pans, and they were smooth as glass right from the get go. They have become my favorite pans for grilling, and just keep getting better with increased use. I have cooked everything from pizza's to a fantastic apple pancake in them, and they are now my pride an joy as far as cooking utensils go. You can find some great tips and recipies at
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm
Also I have found personally that lard seems to season the best IMO, and after seasoning, cooking up about 3 batches of bacon usually puts them in great working condition.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm
Also I have found personally that lard seems to season the best IMO, and after seasoning, cooking up about 3 batches of bacon usually puts them in great working condition.
Certainly not creative, just very good: Alton Brown's Fried Chicken
Lodge currently makes very good cast iron pans IMHO. They are preseasoned. Old CI pans tend to be much lighter than these made in South Pittsburgh, TN.
Check out Alton's recipes for cornbread and pineapple upside cake/cornbread (Food Network site). Cornbread is a quintessential use for cast iron pans. Properly seasoned, these always cook well and evenly, without sticking.
My mother would only use cast iron frying pans,and I only have cast iron ones too....I hate cooking on anything else.Cast iron cook ware has to be ''run in'' - a layer of carbon and grease to fill the rough surface,the bottom of the pan should be smooth.I once took my frying pan to a friends place for dinner....he gave it back saying he had a ---- of a job getting it clean - I said ''You've ruined it!!''
Lodge is top notch. It is made from reconstituted steel thus the iron is of uniform composition with fewer impurities and fewer hotspots.
With the "black" cast iron pans I own, I just scrape them out if needed with a stiff spatula, and wipe them down with a dry paper towel. Then a little spray of vegetable oil to prevent rust.
However, recently I have stumbled across some old chrome plated Griswold skillets that can be scrubbed with mild soap and water after use without affecting the non stick ability. These have become my favorite pans for obvious reasons. They offer all the benefits of a standard cast iron, but with the cleaning ability of teflon pans. They are a nice compromise between black cast iron, and enameled cast iron which I have never had that much affection for.
When necessary, we clean with normal dish soap and water. Then coat the inside surface with clean cooking oil. That has preserved the no stick quality for us.
Back when trash burning was legal, my mother cleaned the outside grease build up from her skillets once or twice a year by placing the skillet in the trash barrel and igniting the trash, etc.
Ah, for the good old days and particulate pollution in the Ozarks!
TAKING CARE OF CAST IRON
Routine Maintenance
If you buy a preseasoned pan (and you should), you can use the pan with little fuss.
Don't wash the pan with soap or leave it in the sink to soak. Rinse it out under hot running water, scrubbing with a brush to remove traces of food. (This is easiest if done while the pan is still warm.)
Dry the pan thoroughly and put it back on the burner on low heat until all traces of moisture disappear (this keeps rusting at bay). Put a few drops of vegetable oil in the warm, dry pan and wipe the interior with a wad of paper towels until it is lightly covered with oil. Then, using fresh paper towels, rub more firmly to burnish the surface and remove all excess oil. The pan shouldn't look or feel oily to the touch. Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool before putting it away.
Heavy-Duty Cleaning
If you have stuck-on food or you've inherited a pan that is rusty or gummy, scrub it with kosher salt.
Pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 1/4 inch, then place the pan on a stove set to medium-low for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add 1/4 cup kosher salt. Using potholder to grip hot handle, use thick cushion of paper towels to scrub pan. Warm oil will loosen food or rust, and kosher salt will have abrading effect. Rinse pan under hot running water, dry well, and repeat, if necessary.
Reseasoning
If cooking acidic foods or improper cleaning has removed the seasoning from your pan, it will look dull, patchy, and dry instead of a smooth, rich black. You need to restore the seasoning. We have found this stovetop method (rather than the usual oven method) to be the most effective way to season a cast-iron pan.
Heat pan over medium-high heat until drop of water evaporates on contact. Wipe inside with wad of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil (hold towels with tongs to protect yourself). Wipe out excess oil and repeat as needed until pan is slick.
CAST IRON HISTORY
Cast-iron cookware is formed by pouring molten iron into a mold made of sand, which is used only once, making each pan unique. The process originated in China in the 6th century B.C. and has been mostly unchanged for centuries, with the exception of machines that now pour the hot metal into the molds. Cast iron was the material of choice for cookware in America until the early 20th century, when aluminum became affordable. At one time, there were dozens of American companies making cast-iron cookware. Today, there are just two, Lodge and American Culinary (which sells pans under the Wagner label). Most of the pans we tested are made in China.
Routine Maintenance
If you buy a preseasoned pan (and you should), you can use the pan with little fuss.
Don't wash the pan with soap or leave it in the sink to soak. Rinse it out under hot running water, scrubbing with a brush to remove traces of food. (This is easiest if done while the pan is still warm.)
Dry the pan thoroughly and put it back on the burner on low heat until all traces of moisture disappear (this keeps rusting at bay). Put a few drops of vegetable oil in the warm, dry pan and wipe the interior with a wad of paper towels until it is lightly covered with oil. Then, using fresh paper towels, rub more firmly to burnish the surface and remove all excess oil. The pan shouldn't look or feel oily to the touch. Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool before putting it away.
Heavy-Duty Cleaning
If you have stuck-on food or you've inherited a pan that is rusty or gummy, scrub it with kosher salt.
Pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 1/4 inch, then place the pan on a stove set to medium-low for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add 1/4 cup kosher salt. Using potholder to grip hot handle, use thick cushion of paper towels to scrub pan. Warm oil will loosen food or rust, and kosher salt will have abrading effect. Rinse pan under hot running water, dry well, and repeat, if necessary.
Reseasoning
If cooking acidic foods or improper cleaning has removed the seasoning from your pan, it will look dull, patchy, and dry instead of a smooth, rich black. You need to restore the seasoning. We have found this stovetop method (rather than the usual oven method) to be the most effective way to season a cast-iron pan.
Heat pan over medium-high heat until drop of water evaporates on contact. Wipe inside with wad of paper towels dipped in vegetable oil (hold towels with tongs to protect yourself). Wipe out excess oil and repeat as needed until pan is slick.
CAST IRON HISTORY
Cast-iron cookware is formed by pouring molten iron into a mold made of sand, which is used only once, making each pan unique. The process originated in China in the 6th century B.C. and has been mostly unchanged for centuries, with the exception of machines that now pour the hot metal into the molds. Cast iron was the material of choice for cookware in America until the early 20th century, when aluminum became affordable. At one time, there were dozens of American companies making cast-iron cookware. Today, there are just two, Lodge and American Culinary (which sells pans under the Wagner label). Most of the pans we tested are made in China.
I have a 12" Lodge pan and a China made double-sided, double-burner flat/ridged pan I got from Macy's. The Lodge pan is fantastic while the Chinese made pan is a thin piece of junk. I'll never forsake Lodge again.
- Status