The Cast Iron thread

Diablos

Diablos

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Lets get this thread started



seasoning method

[video=youtube;j6Tz3HnnCFs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs[/video]




















this is a closed group, but they have a ton of great info if you are on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...iron%20cooking








identification of older pans

http://www.castironcollector.com/





setting up and e-tank, no need for the special tank in the video, any plastic container will work

[video=youtube;2hKaKC7LH_4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hKaKC7LH_4[/video]


























crisbee sticks, these work well for seasoning (i just use lard or crisco but many swear by these)

http://www.crisbee.org/
 
I had no idea it was that easy to clean those super rusty pans. Thanks for that!
 
here is another cleaning method, this will only removing old seasoning, not rust.

BE CAREFUL WHEN USING LYE! WEAR SAFETY GEAR AND ADD THE LYE TO THE WATER!!! "Add water to lye and you may die!”



[video=youtube;GxhwuI3L4EQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhwuI3L4EQ[/video]
 
and stripping with oven cleaner

[video=youtube;2Pvf0m9jTeE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pvf0m9jTeE[/video]
 
Is easy off the best way to resurrect a slightly rusting cast iron grill grate? I've let mine get a little rough due to storing it out in the grill table. Need to clean it up and change that habit.
 
Is the easy off method the best way to resurrect a slight rusting cast iron grill grate? I've let mine get a little rough storing it out in the grill table lately. Need to change that habit.

New site double post!!! That was weird.
 
CZfool68 said:
Is the easy off method the best way to resurrect a slight rusting cast iron grill grate? I've let mine get a little rough storing it out in the grill table lately. Need to change that habit.

New site double post!!! That was weird.
Click to expand...
Easy off and lye won't remove rust, you'll need to use either an e-tank or diluted vinegar
 
I love my cast iron cookware! I've got a bunch of Griswolds and some older Lodge. Ive got four Lodge Dutch ovens that get used quite a bit.
 
Diablos ,

I should probably be embarrassed because while the insides of my cast irons are well taken care of, the bottoms of some look like hell. Just never much cared.
 
Deuce40s;n13231 said:
I've got a cast iron skillet I never use because it smokes up the house so bad. I must be doing something wrong.
Click to expand...

Take a pic of it, maybe it's a bunch of old seasoning burning off.
 
Oldguy;n14805 said:
Diablos ,

I should probably be embarrassed because while the insides of my cast irons are well taken care of, the bottoms of some look like hell. Just never much cared.
Click to expand...

You don't cook on the bottom anyway. Carry on.
 
Oldguy;n14805 said:
Diablos ,

I should probably be embarrassed because while the insides of my cast irons are well taken care of, the bottoms of some look like hell. Just never much cared.
Click to expand...

I need to season the bottoms of mine, the gas stove out here is a little rougher on it than an electric, but the cooking surface is what counts.
 
Diablos;n14970 said:
I need to season the bottoms of mine, the gas stove out here is a little rougher on it than an electric, but the cooking surface is what counts.
Click to expand...


Yep. Since the old woman chose the glass top range, mine are mainly relegated to the campfire or grill. Hot fire, white hot cast skillet with a couple thick steaks dropped in to sear. Then finish to medium rare over the wood! I'm hungry.

Come to think of it, do you guys clean it a special way? I just scape or use a little steel wool to clean, wipe it out, smear butter and cover the buttered interior with some type of saran wrap?
 
We use our cast iron on the glass stove top. If the bottom is flat it works fine, just don't slide it on the glass. I have seen some that have a rib around the bottom and holds the bottom off of the glass top.

I have some fresh stone ground cornmeal and need to make some cornbread in my little cast iron pan.
 
Mom told be Grandma was getting rid of some stuff and if I wanted anything I should ask before she gives it away. I went to see her and asked about a skillet and she told me to look under the cabinet and pick one out. As to my surprise I found a 12 inch Griswold, Erie PA, under about fifty eleven other pots n pans. When I pulled it out to show her she said, "here you need this one, I cooked in it since me and your Grandpa got married, it's my favorite." I flipped it over and it had what looked like Taiwan on it! I think she may be a little confused? Are there any vintage Taiwanese cast iron? Regardless, I ended up with 2 of Grandma's skillets and will season them both sometime over Christmas vacation.

I tried to post a couple pics but it's not cooperating at the moment. Need to watch the tutorial again...
 
beamernc said:
We use our cast iron on the glass stove top. If the bottom is flat it works fine, just don't slide it on the glass. I have seen some that have a rib around the bottom and holds the bottom off of the glass top.

I have some fresh stone ground cornmeal and need to make some cornbread in my little cast iron pan.
Click to expand...
The ribbed ones work too. We have one that we use all the time on ours.
 
Deuce40s said:
I've got a cast iron skillet I never use because it smokes up the house so bad. I must be doing something wrong.
Click to expand...
Seasoning it wrong? Seasoned with the wrong oil? Heat too high? Cast iron produces more heat into the pan than most other pans. We use it to get potatoes good and brown. Stainless steel never seems to get it hot enough.
 
Oldguy;n15471 said:
Yep. Since the old woman chose the glass top range, mine are mainly relegated to the campfire or grill. Hot fire, white hot cast skillet with a couple thick steaks dropped in to sear. Then finish to medium rare over the wood! I'm hungry.

Come to think of it, do you guys clean it a special way? I just scape or use a little steel wool to clean, wipe it out, smear butter and cover the buttered interior with some type of saran wrap?
Click to expand...

STEEL WOOL!!?? Never! I'll use a plastic scour pad or even some coarse salt to scrub if I need to. Most of the time I don't need to.
 
I take some 1" chops and season them up the night before I am going to cook them.

The next evening, I set the oven to 400 and then put the iron skillet on a medium burner with some EVOO and some crushed garlic. Once the oil shimmers I sear the chops for 4 minutes per side and do the edges a little too. Then, pop it in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes. Once out, I melt some butter in the pan and spoon it over the chops for a couple of minutes while the meat rests.

I promise you, once you do this you will never want another grilled porkchop again.
 
LizardKing;n15598 said:
Mom told be Grandma was getting rid of some stuff and if I wanted anything I should ask before she gives it away. I went to see her and asked about a skillet and she told me to look under the cabinet and pick one out. As to my surprise I found a 12 inch Griswold, Erie PA, under about fifty eleven other pots n pans. When I pulled it out to show her she said, "here you need this one, I cooked in it since me and your Grandpa got married, it's my favorite." I flipped it over and it had what looked like Taiwan on it! I think she may be a little confused? Are there any vintage Taiwanese cast iron? Regardless, I ended up with 2 of Grandma's skillets and will season them both sometime over Christmas vacation.

I tried to post a couple pics but it's not cooperating at the moment. Need to watch the tutorial again...
Click to expand...

No, but they are good pans.
 
beamernc;n15552 said:
We use our cast iron on the glass stove top. If the bottom is flat it works fine, just don't slide it on the glass. I have seen some that have a rib around the bottom and holds the bottom off of the glass top.

I have some fresh stone ground cornmeal and need to make some cornbread in my little cast iron pan.
Click to expand...

Those are heat rings and are made to fit into the hole of wood cook stoves.
 
Oldguy;n15471 said:
Yep. Since the old woman chose the glass top range, mine are mainly relegated to the campfire or grill. Hot fire, white hot cast skillet with a couple thick steaks dropped in to sear. Then finish to medium rare over the wood! I'm hungry.

Come to think of it, do you guys clean it a special way? I just scape or use a little steel wool to clean, wipe it out, smear butter and cover the buttered interior with some type of saran wrap?
Click to expand...

I use a nylon bristle brush, but you can you some course salt and a tater, balled up tin foil, heck they even make chain mail scrubbers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Geezer;n14966 said:
You don't cook on the bottom anyway. Carry on.
Click to expand...

One of my earliest memories of my Grand pa was him building a roaring oak fire to put the HEAVILY encrusted Iron cook ware that Grand ma used everyday. He burned the crap off the bottom and reseasoned them in the same fire after it cooled a bit and he had all the crusty stuff gone. .
 
Diablos;n20446 said:
...heck they even make chain mail scrubbers.
Click to expand...

I've considered getting one of those. Anyone ever used one?
 
Bumping this. Got a Lodge pan for Christmas. Did chicken in it last night and cornbread today... first attempt and while it's not "burn grandma's recipe" good, it's a solid center-mass hit.
 
WeepingAngel;n34675 said:
Bumping this. Got a Lodge pan for Christmas. Did chicken in it last night and cornbread today... first attempt and while it's not "burn grandma's recipe" good, it's a solid center-mass hit.
Click to expand...


I got a 12" lodge for Christmas too! When momma passed. I told everyone all I wanted were her couple of cast iron skillets. Naturally they somehow vanished...

granny remembered and and got me one of my own:cool: love that woman
 
beamernc said:
We use our cast iron on the glass stove top. If the bottom is flat it works fine, just don't slide it on the glass. I have seen some that have a rib around the bottom and holds the bottom off of the glass top.

I have some fresh stone ground cornmeal and need to make some cornbread in my little cast iron pan.
Click to expand...
I have a skillet that's ribbed on one side and flat on the other. I've used it many, many times on our glass cooktop flat side up for pancakes with no issues. Well...except my gut, but that's another thread.
 
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