Cooking with all cast iron pans

We have a deep fryer, a couple of skillets, a griddle pan, a ridged pan (for frying), a griddle, and a dutch oven. Much (but not all) is done with the cast iron.

Yesterday, I fried bacon in a cast iron pan, then fried mush using the bacon fat and some veggie oil (somewhat healthy) and made sourdough pancakes on the griddle pan.

Try re-fried beans in a dutch oven!
 
Lodge & Le Creusuet for us. Holds temperature consistently and evenly. May take a few minutes to get there, but once "at temp" cast iron is a joy to cook with.
 
I'm finding that a lot of the "old fashion" equipment, procedures, methods & tools are still better than the space age miracle inventions they come up with. Not that I am against TRUE improvements, but most of the new stuff I've tried lately just does not work better than the tried & true does. Not just talking about pots and pans either.

Next time you post a photo of your cast iron pan, please make sure there's something yummie in it!

:)

Chief38
 
Here is a simple recipe that I use often.
10 inch Cast Iron skillet.
1-2 tablespoons oil, Olive oil is best.
1-2 yellow onion coarsely chopped or quartered
¼ head green cabbage cut into 1 inch pieces
Or 2-4 potatoes (any kind) cut in ⅛" to ¼" rounds depending on size of potatoes
1-2 cloves garlic thinly sliced

Directions:
Oven set at 400°F.
Place all ingredients in skillet then drizzle oil over the mixture. Stir or toss to coat all pieces with oil. Bake in the oven on the top ⅓ rack for 40-45 minutes. Place broiler on for about 2-3 minutes to brown if desired. Add any salt or seasonings after you cook them.
Serves 2-4 people.

Try making an apple pie in a skillet instead of a pie pan.
 
Ah the secret recipes.

Deep dish pizza in the old skillet.

I purchase the dough in a bag so it is fairly easy to put together.
 
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chief38 said:
I'm finding that a lot of the "old fashion" equipment, procedures, methods & tools are still better than the space age miracle inventions they come up with. Not that I am against TRUE improvements, but most of the new stuff I've tried lately just does not work better than the tried & true does. Not just talking about pots and pans either.

Next time you post a photo of your cast iron pan, please make sure there's something yummie in it!

:)

Chief38
Click to expand...

Reminds me of a animal capture class I took at Ft Collins. Lots of APS (Animal Protection Service-trappers) guys there.
They did not believe anything of value was invented after 1875==except for Gore-tex and Vibram.

FYI: After taking Crew Chief Safety training, I still wear only cotton and wool when flying=even commercial flights.
 
We have some cast iron pans that are probably close to 100 years old that we still use. My favorite is a griddle that will cook pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches better than any other pans we have. I bet that thing is at least 50 years old.
 
Simple food is simply amazing. I recently started cleaning house for the couple that runs an organic, hormone and antibiotic free dairy, beef, goat, lamb and chicken where i've been purchasing our fresh meat and dairy. We barter. I get most of our fresh food this way...which is the majority of what we eat.

I use my cast iron a LOT more since going to pastured meats...
The muscle mass is different--pastured beef only has about 1/4 the fat of "conventionally" raised beef (which is bred to be a sick, dependent animal) so it has to be cooked differently as far as cook times, etc.

For example, last night I used a simple salt and pepper rub on steaks that had come to room temp, seared 2 minutes on each side in fresh churned butter and fresh pressed garlic; then the cast iron goes straight into a 200 degree oven for 10-20 minutes depending on thickness and degree of rarity desired--these were a little over an inch thick, and I left them in for 15 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes.

Anyway, the cooking methods on pastured meat...from stovetop searing straight into the oven...well, the cast iron is perfect for it, and I have less mess to clean up when I'm done.

AND...I love beating Mr. Wrench with his mom's old skillets.

I love my cast iron.

Right now...I have a chuck roast I got from the farm this morning in a cast iron skillet with some red peppers, garlic, and potatoes. Slow roasting.

And cornbread just isn't cornbread unless it's baked in a cast iron skillet.
 
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Nothing cleans like HOT water or steam. For the real hard clean ups , I simply add 1/4in of water , cover , let boil on high for 5min. Turn off and let soak while I eat.
 
captorquewrench said:
Simple food is simply amazing. I recently started cleaning house for the couple that runs an organic, hormone and antibiotic free dairy, beef, goat, lamb and chicken where i've been purchasing our fresh meat and dairy. We barter. I get most of our fresh food this way...which is the majority of what we eat.

I use my cast iron a LOT more since going to pastured meats...
The muscle mass is different--pastured beef only has about 1/4 the fat of "conventionally" raised beef (which is bred to be a sick, dependent animal) so it has to be cooked differently as far as cook times, etc.

For example, last night I used a simple salt and pepper rub on steaks that had come to room temp, seared 2 minutes on each side in fresh churned butter and fresh pressed garlic; then the cast iron goes straight into a 200 degree oven for 10-20 minutes depending on thickness and degree of rarity desired--these were a little over an inch thick, and I left them in for 15 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes.

Anyway, the cooking methods on pastured meat...from stovetop searing straight into the oven...well, the cast iron is perfect for it, and I have less mess to clean up when I'm done.

AND...I love beating Mr. Wrench with his mom's old skillets.

I love my cast iron.

Right now...I have a chuck roast I got from the farm this morning in a cast iron skillet with some red peppers, garlic, and potatoes. Slow roasting.

And cornbread just isn't cornbread unless it's baked in a cast iron skillet.
Click to expand...

Do you have a sister ;-) lol
 
I have two cast iron skillets that I use regularly. One small, one medium. Mom has a 14" skillet that she can't even lift anymore, but she still uses it to make gravy when the whole family comes over. One of us has to lift it (full) off the stove for her and tilt it into the gravy boat. Two or three family dinners ago, I made a comment to my sister that when Mom died, that skillet was mine. Mom said, "I'm not dead yet!" Of course I had to reply, "Oh, but you will be." She didn't think it was funny, but my wife and a couple of others caught the reference and we all got in trouble together. ;) Trouble isn't as bad a place when you can take some friends with ya. :D

I got a couple of anodized aluminum skillets for Christmas that have replaced the Teflon ones, but they're simply non-stick. They don't give the flavor that a good, old cast iron skillet will.
 
Here is a recipe I have been making for years. I call it "V8 Chicken." Saute several chicken pieces in an IRON SKILLET with olive oil. I season the chicken with Mrs. Dash, garlic salt, and pepper. When the chicken is browned on both sides and mostly done, I add sliced onions, peppers, mushrooms, sliced green olives, chopped garlic, AND a large can of V8 juice. When ready, serve with rice, egg noodles, or potatoes. Make any substitutions you like. It will still be good! I also make this with thin sliced pork chops in place of chicken. Enjoy! Skip48 :D
 
Many, many years ago my wife told me she beaned a former spouse on the head with a skillet when he was in an alcohol induced rage (him 6' 2", her 5' 6"), she swears by cast iron too.

And yes, I do mind my P's & Q's around her or at least I remember not turn my back to her :rolleyes: if I'm giving her a hard time while in close proximity of one those headache makers. :D

Dang... all of these recipies are making me hungry!!
 
Several tablespoons of salt in a hot, hot iron skillet, pushed around with a thickly folded over paper towel (about 2" by 3") with a fork. That will clean your pan and improve its non-stick properties.
The only cooking I'm allowed to do is breakfast. I have had the same little egg pan for decades.
Two eggs basted, rye toast, coffee, real cream, real butter, real sugar, I'm ready to take on the world (until I get to the door, that is).
 
I have quite a few including a couple my Mom used for 50 years. It took a while to convert my wife. But now she is a believer. I make some biscuits and gravy in cast. Sometimes I do the redeye gravy and brown the flour in the skillet. I cook the sausage and or bacon under a bacon press and cook eggs in the grease. Dang, like Gunhacker just said now I'm getting hungreeee, pass the biscuits........
 
TheHobbyist said:
Well, after cooking with fancy teflon pans, "chef-sponsored pans", ceramic, and others (i.e., stainless), I am now cooking solely with cast iron (also, "Dutch ovens").

In fact, I have recently made a transition to more "traditional cookware" in general.

I travel a lot for work, which necessitates that I go out to dinner a lot; often times, these are nice places, in nice areas.

As I continue to learn and grow, I am convinced that there is nothing better than simple cooking. That is, simple ingredients (where you know where the food came from), cooked in simple ways.

When you can cook regular food, and make it taste exceptional, I think that's the point where you can call yourself an amateur cook.

My latest indulgence has been cornbread made with half/half, with real butter and honey...:):rolleyes:

I look forward and welcome your thoughts on "simple cooking", cast iron cookware, or some favorite recipes, as well as "lessons learned".

Kind regards--
Click to expand...

Put a can of creamed corn in the cornbread mix and adjust liquids accordingly. Mrs. Nixon does it that way and it's "slap yo momma" good. We have a Lodge 14" that lives on the stovetop, a matching dutch oven that gets used outdoors in the summer and our daughter found a muffin pan a couple of months ago at a thrift shop. A wire cup brush and some lard and heat and it's putting out muffins that would make the previous owner (whomever that may be) proud. My wife was skeptical at first when I brought the Lodge pan home but it's a kitchen fixture now.

Russ
 
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