Cast Iron Cookware

[gsganzer]

I use a chain mail product called The Ringer that I got from Amazon for about $12 or $13 .I does a great job of cleaning cast iron or pyrex or anything that gets food stuck to it in cleaning. If you have something really stuck to the cast iron you can throw a little kosher salt in and scrub with that and it will clean right up. No worries about losing your seasoning.

I was just about to mention the chain mail scrubber. That and flaxseed oil to season. If your pan starts to loose the shine, heat it to 200F, wipe it with flaxseed oil and then bake it at 400F for 2 hours.

 

[aczlan]

I use cast iron frying pans and a Dutch oven on our ceramic top routinely for years. I think the main thing is not to slide. Or of course drop. No scratches yet.

We have been cooking with cast iron on a ceramic top stove since 2011 and haven't put any scratches or had any issues with it (other than the fact that it's not as good as cooking over gas).
On the other hand the wife much prefers the oven in the electric stove over the previous one in the gas stove.

Aaron Z

 

[goeduck]

That and flaxseed oil to season. If your pan starts to loose the shine, heat it to 200F, wipe it with flaxseed oil and then bake it at 400F for 2 hours.

AGREE, flaxseed oil is the best to put the base seasoning coat on cast iron. Two coats in my opinion, then use it as normal. Wipe as much of it as you can OFF before you bake it on. You only want a THIN coating.

 

[RobertN]

Don't use a pine cone to clean stuck on stuff. Had a Scout leader tell some kids that once, when they had a gunky Dutch oven during a campout. Took all the seasoning clean off it. Had to re-season the DO...

FWIW, I use plastic and wood spatulas and spoons around CI. Most times to clean, just need a little scrape and rinse. Then I'll heat the pan, and put a little oil on when it is hot.

One of my favorite things DO cooking in camp. I've done all kinds of meals and deserts in a DO.

I just picked up on a nice early 1950's Wagner 10" skillet at a flea market for $5. Took it home, cleaned it up(coat with oven cleaner, put in plastic bag for a couple days). It cleaned up beautiful. Seasoned it up; it cooks like a charm. Did the same for a similar age 4" Griswold.

I much prefer to cook in older cast iron... When the casting methods changed, the pans got heavier and have not had the nice smooth finishes like the old stuff.

 

[goeduck]

I much prefer to cook in older cast iron... When the casting methods changed, the pans got heavier and have not had the nice smooth finishes like the old stuff.

Totally agree with this. I own some Lodge enameled cookware but I do not like any of their new bare cast iron. I have seen a few specialty cast pieces that were trying to get the surface finish quality there but they looked expensive

 

[Sawyer Rob]

IF you want an HONEST opinion on some of the new CI, watch this,

Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review - YouTube

SR

 

[goeduck]

IF you want an HONEST opinion on some of the new CI, watch this,

Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review - YouTube

SR

I think that is the company that I saw. Theirs looks a whole lot better than most. They modeled after Griswold and Wagner it seems. If I didn’t have so much Griswold and Wagner, I’d give one a go.

 

[gsganzer]

I agree the Lodge start out really rough. But over time they start to smooth out. I've always wondered if the Wagner and Griswolds started out that rough and the only reason the ones you find today are so smooth is because they've seen so much use. It seems like the cast iron actually needs some of that roughness so the seasoning adheres. Anybody know?

 

[mapper]

I will beat anyone about the head and shoulders if they get any where near my cast iron with any sort of soap or detergent:grumpy:
I will put good cast iron that has been seasoned and well maintained up against any modern nonstick cookware. I have a caphalon frypan that stuff sticks to way more than my cast iron!

 

[goeduck]

I agree the Lodge start out really rough. But over time they start to smooth out. I've always wondered if the Wagner and Griswolds started out that rough and the only reason the ones you find today are so smooth is because they've seen so much use. It seems like the cast iron actually needs some of that roughness so the seasoning adheres. Anybody know?

The old Griswold and Wagner pieces were machined smooth. On a few of my less used ones you can actually see the honing marks. The walls, particularly on the Griswold and some of my Wagner, is much thinner than Lodge. Not saying that Lodge is bad, it is good stuff, just heavy.

I differentiate between seasoning and buildup. My pans are down to the metal with a base seasoning. Any buildup I get rid of with electrolysis and base season with flaxseed oil.

 

[goeduck]

I will beat anyone about the head and shoulders if they get any where near my cast iron with any sort of soap or detergent:grumpy:
I will put good cast iron that has been seasoned and well maintained up against any modern nonstick cookware. I have a caphalon frypan that stuff sticks to way more than my cast iron!

Same here. Nothing sticks which is part the seasoning and part temperature/oil. I preheat my pans to 475 degrees before adding meat and to 400 before adding eggs. I measure the temp with a kitchen infrared thermometer. Oil is very important. I like avocado oil since it has a smoke point of 500 degrees. It has nearly the same makeup as olive oil as far as fats go but a much higher smoke point. I do like extra virgin olive oil for my dry fried chicken however which I lower the heat on after searing. Pork often leaves almost no brown bits when you seat onto a hot pan.

 

[Sigarms]

Bar Keepers Friend.

 

[mcfarmall]

I'm going to grind my big Lodge skillet (14") this spring and see what happens.

 

[dmccarty]

I use cast iron frying pans and a Dutch oven on our ceramic top routinely for years. I think the main thing is not to slide. Or of course drop. No scratches yet.

I use my cast iron on the ceramic stove top without any problems. I do have one big, ancient frying pan I got from my wife's grandmother that has a ring on the bottom of the pan. It still works but takes longer to heat up. I do make sure I don't have any moisture under the pan. I saw a show once here the wife put a pot lid face done on the ceramic top. The lid was full of steam and as the lid cooled it formed a vacuum and broke the ceramic cook top. WHY the woman put the top down like that amazed me since it just created a mess and that was before the top broke. :confused3:

Thought about grinding off the ring but figured I would just leave it.

Later,
Dan

 

[JRobyn]

Years ago, I had good luck with an old very rusty Wagner by "refinishing" it with a stiff wire brush in an angle grinder. Smoothed out the surface a lot, almost polished, and left it ready for fresh seasoning.

 

[sseelhoff]

I agree the Lodge start out really rough. But over time they start to smooth out. I've always wondered if the Wagner and Griswolds started out that rough and the only reason the ones you find today are so smooth is because they've seen so much use. It seems like the cast iron actually needs some of that roughness so the seasoning adheres. Anybody know?

I read some time agothat they use a different/cheaper manufacturing process now, which explains the difference

 

[RobertN]

Part of that was the switch in sand casting ~1960ish. They have used a different sand since. The green sand was finer. Or so I have read on the internet

I read some time agothat they use a different/cheaper manufacturing process now, which explains the difference

 

[dougtrr2]

I just bought a lid for my wife's dutch oven. She didn't like me taking her glass lid into the woods. After I bought it at a local hardware store I went online and checked prices (local price was reasonable) and reviews. I had to laugh at one review where the user complained that "the metal handle on top got hot (duh) and every time she put it in the DISHWASHER it came out with an orange residue."

We have had no problem seasoning pans, how to you season a lid?

Doug in SW IA

 

[CADplans]

After cooking with the cast pan, we use this and Dawn,,,

Immediately after the rinse, the cast is returned to the stove burner,,,
until warm enough to evaporate the water.

While it is that temp, a piece of crumpled wax paper is used to apply a small amount of lard.
The cast pan will now stay perfect until the next use,,, a day, a month, or a year.:thumbsup:

We have been using that exact technique for 20+ years,,,
I have no idea where the process came from,,,
actually, I would bet my wife developed it by trial and error,,,

I doubt we are the first to use lard,, the pans look incredible,
a simple paper towel wipe, and the perfect non-stick surface is ready for its next use,,,

 

[RobS]

Related question for all of the experts: I have a wok in addition to several cast iron items. The wok is steel, not CI. It has developed a nice, seasoned finish up higher but I can't seem to get any seasoning built up in the bottom. Any suggestions?