Let's Talk BBQ
Other Cooking Equipment => Cast Iron & Campfire Cooking => Topic started by: SmokinKat on September 12, 2014, 04:23:27 PM
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Y'all have piqued my curiosity with the cast iron cooking (I have a Lodge dutch oven, but it's the ceramic coated kind), so I decided to test the waters with a set of small cast iron pans I found on Amazon for $30, and a couple small jars of coconut oil just to get started.
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/coconutoil_zps02ac788a.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/coconutoil_zps02ac788a.jpg.html)
The pans say they're pre-seasoned, but I'm going to go ahead and do the seasoning process anyway for good measure. There is a 6 1/2", 8 1/2" and 10 1/2" (basically xx small, xsmall and small) so I'm going to try them out with some things and get a little practice before going for a "real" skillet. I figure at $10 each, if all else fails I can hang them on the wall, and James will be able to judge how pissed off I am by which size I grab to whollop him with. ???
I also cracked open the coconut oil and put some on as lotion... Only problem is my dang pups won't quit licking my feet and elbows long enough for any to soak in!! Sure does smell good, though, and I'm excited to try it for cooking. Thinking I'll use the tiny tiny skillet to cook an egg in coconut oil for breakfast this weekend.
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Very good Kat! ;)
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Nice grab Kat! We love to take our cast iron camping. There's nothing like a good hearty breakfast out of them in the bush!
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Besides,cant be a homesteader without it. :)
Its rule #7 IIRC.
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You will love the CI.
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Nice Kat!!! I think you will like the cast iron. That's about all I use anymore, seasoned good they are as easy to clean or more so than non stick stuff. Don
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Never seen that brand before,
Cast Iron is the best, very addictive cookware.
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Kat you are going to love cooking with cast iron. When properly seasoned cast iron is just as non stick as any teflon coated pan and does not release PFCs when heated to high heat. A regular teflon pan releases PFCs when heated. It will kill pet birds in your home! That is why people who own pet birds do not use teflon coated cookware in their homes.
You can go right from the stove top to your oven with cast iron. Try that with regular cookware ;)
No need to worry about using special utensils or being easy on cast iron. Get rough! They can take it. Durable and scratch proof!
And as you cook with them there is small amounts of iron added to your food. This is good for your health. There are many Americans with iron deficiencies.
Just never wash them with soap and water. They will provide you with centuries of use!
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I use them every day, literally. I fry two eggs every morning for breakfast. No butter, no oil, no spray, just the pan and heat. I wash mine using a dish brush and hot water. No SOAP ever.
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Once you get the hang of cooking with CI you'll be addicted to it and there is no 12 step recovery program for CI addiction either so be careful. :P
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I've got a large cast iron pan, but with my carpel tunnel syndrome it sure hurts to carry it in from the BBQ. I seasoned it about 8 times, so now it is like glass. Can't live without it.
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I use them every day, literally. I fry two eggs every morning for breakfast. No butter, no oil, no spray, just the pan and heat. I wash mine using a dish brush and hot water. No SOAP ever.
YUP!! 8)
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Bare CI is reactive so don't use it to make anything that is acidic (tomato soup or sauces). I use enameled CI for those types of dishes.
When I make gumbo I'll make the roux in bare CI and after the seasoning blend has been added to the roux I transfer to enameled CI for the rest of the cook.
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Great pointers, everyone!! I'm actually going to return that particular set-- pz checked out the brand, and alerted me to the fact they're made in China, and have had some very negative reviews on a few sites! I only did a cursory glance through when I bought them on Amazon, and hadn't noticed any comments on where they were manufactured-- but sure enough, it does say on the label that they're made in China. Might drop Amazon a note that they might include that in the item description just for clarity.
Figure I'll use the $30 to get one medium sized one domestically made and not risk it. No sense in cooking all sorts of farm raised foods in it if there's a chance it'll be leaching something other than just iron into the foods.
So a little delay on the inaugural cook-- but we've been enjoying the coconut oil already! James fried up some plain green tomatoes in the coconut oil last night and was just over the moon in love with them. :)
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Cast iron is my favorite cooking utensil. I have a rather large collection, Lodge is my favorite brand, made in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Most of my collection has been handed down in the family. I have some that came from my Great Grandmother that are over 100 yr.'s old and still cooking. The skillets are like a portable griddle especially over gas or wood stove. You will definitely enjoy the results cooking with cast Iron. I look forward to seeing some of your cooks. Glad you dumped the ones from China, smart move.
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SmokinKat....Check out the flea markets and antique stores for an older cast iron. Look for American made on the bottom. Then look up how to strip and season them.
Fred
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Once you get the hang of cooking with CI you'll be addicted to it and there is no 12 step recovery program for CI addiction either so be careful. :P
Yes there is a 12 step recovery program.....Get 12 more cast Iron pans. Works every time.
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SmokinKat....Check out the flea markets and antique stores for an older cast iron. Look for American made on the bottom. Then look up how to strip and season them.
Fred
Great advice,just set them on a flat surface to make sure they arent warped.Cant go wrong with new Lodge either,hope they havent gone Chinese.
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Saw some Lodge CI pans at Cracker Barrel a few days ago. Didn't look to see where they were made.
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Great pointers, everyone!! I'm actually going to return that particular set-- pz checked out the brand, and alerted me to the fact they're made in China, and have had some very negative reviews on a few sites! I only did a cursory glance through when I bought them on Amazon, and hadn't noticed any comments on where they were manufactured-- but sure enough, it does say on the label that they're made in China. Might drop Amazon a note that they might include that in the item description just for clarity.
Figure I'll use the $30 to get one medium sized one domestically made and not risk it. No sense in cooking all sorts of farm raised foods in it if there's a chance it'll be leaching something other than just iron into the foods.
So a little delay on the inaugural cook-- but we've been enjoying the coconut oil already! James fried up some plain green tomatoes in the coconut oil last night and was just over the moon in love with them. :)
Look into Lodge, made in the USA
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I agree with the Lodge advice, a little more $$ but well worth it. ;)
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Bare Lodge cast iron is still made in South Pittsburg, Tennessee.
However, their enameled cookware is made in China.
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From the Lodge FAQ website about their <a href="http://www.lodgemfg.com/FAQRetrieve.aspx?ID=63665&Q=">Lodge Enameled Cast Iron</a>
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Kat..save the enameled for your tomato based cookings. Too many tomatoes in regular cast iron taste bad, specially if it sits for just a lil while. Don't wash with soap, hot water and a brush and you're good to go for the rest of your life. Good luck. And use the coconut oil on the pan, I do it all the times. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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I have been to the Lodge outlet at the factory. Drove 110 miles round trip out of the way. Tremendous selection of all kinds of things. Don't expect outlet prices though. They are either retail or close. If you have an Academy Sports close by, they have a good selection of CI. Dee
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Sweet! Ditched the China made stuff (actually going to keep them to use as decor in the barn!), and James bought me a 10 1/2" Lodge skillet. (He is a huge enabler when it comes to cooking related items, so I might be hitting him up for a larger pan too before too long!!) :) Everyone knows that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach... but turns out it happens to be the way into his wallet as well! ;)
Did a coconut oil seasoning a couple of days ago, and today made up my first cast iron meal!
Used some bacon grease to saute the onions for a bit, then put in a patty seasoned with WOW and a sprinkle of Slap Ya Mama. (The greenish areas are just WOW. ) :)
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/firstcookCI_zps6f902384.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/firstcookCI_zps6f902384.jpg.html)
Boy oh boy was that a tasty burger!
(http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae138/katrinarounds/firstcookCI2_zpsfd04ea98.jpg) (http://s965.photobucket.com/user/katrinarounds/media/firstcookCI2_zpsfd04ea98.jpg.html)
I didn't have much time left after lunch, so I just left the burger grease in the pan to cool and I'll wipe it all down tonight after work. Can't wait to try more in this-- on the stove top and the grill!
Thanks for all the tips and help, everyone! :)
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Great advice has been given, here's a little something I've found useful for some of my oldest, and most abused iron;
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
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Kat.....That looks great, you cook like a seasoned veteran in that new CI, nicely done. And I like the bottle of Tabasco in the background. ;)
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You did good there Kat, nice burger!!! I think the more you use cast iron the more you will like it. Don
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Great pointers, everyone!! I'm actually going to return that particular set-- pz checked out the brand, and alerted me to the fact they're made in China, and have had some very negative reviews on a few sites! I only did a cursory glance through when I bought them on Amazon, and hadn't noticed any comments on where they were manufactured-- but sure enough, it does say on the label that they're made in China. Might drop Amazon a note that they might include that in the item description just for clarity.
Figure I'll use the $30 to get one medium sized one domestically made and not risk it. No sense in cooking all sorts of farm raised foods in it if there's a chance it'll be leaching something other than just iron into the foods.
So a little delay on the inaugural cook-- but we've been enjoying the coconut oil already! James fried up some plain green tomatoes in the coconut oil last night and was just over the moon in love with them. :)
Look into Lodge, made in the USA
Just to add a note, when you are looking at cast iron at flea markets or yard sales, the iron marked "USA" on the bottom is almost always Lodge. They did not start putting the Lodge name on the cast iron until the '90s. Most of the old Lodge will also be finer cast than the newer iron.
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That's a great little tip, TwoPockets!
I had no idea there were so many cast iron connoisseurs! :) I've learned a TON this week!
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Its like potato chips,cant stop at just one.
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Its like potato chips,cant stop at just one.
I can see it now: Lay's Cast Iron Cookware. :P
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To season the cast iron should I use Cirsco, veg oil, or can I use bacon dripping. I was reading a lot about flax-seed oil, but it has high contents of estrogen and I am not buying an expensive bottle of oil just to season cast iron and let the rest go to waste.
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I started seasoning my cast iron by frying bacon, and then used everything from olive oil to grape seed oil. My personal experience is that the oil itself doesn't matter that much, but that the oil bonding with the metal provides that smooth, slick surface.
When bargain shopping at garage sales or flea markets, Griswold is another old USA brand that is quite excellent in many of their runs. However, it is best to do a Google search to be sure you are collecting the best versions.
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I started seasoning my cast iron by frying bacon, and then used everything from olive oil to grape seed oil. My personal experience is that the oil itself doesn't matter that much, but that the oil bonding with the metal provides that smooth, slick surface.
When bargain shopping at garage sales or flea markets, Griswold is another old USA brand that is quite excellent in many of their runs. However, it is best to do a Google search to be sure you are collecting the best versions.
Thanks, I have a couple lodges due to arrive today and tomorrow, and a good amount of bacon fat. I figured I would season it with the fat then just good high fatty meat (burgers, bacon, sausage) the first couple go arounds before using it for anything else.