cast iron cooking

[dave holl]

Since food related threads are popular around here, thought I'd volunteer this Australian website. It's a good one.

CAMPOVEN COOKING AND CAMPINGIN AUSTRALIA CHAT FORUMS - Index

You'll find recipes, cast iron cooking tips, pictures of Australia, songs, and interesting banter.

Like most forums you can browse nameless, but if you want to be a member be prepared to answer a question about Australia........ie, "What is the capital of this territory or that?" I had to do some research.

Dave

 

[the ringo kid]

Good, I can use all the help and advice I can get. So far all ive done is basic cooking--bacon,eggs, spam--nothing fancy. I need a flat pan and will get one next month--soIcan start making mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwiches.

 

[DeathGrip]

I just pulled a number 8 Griswold out of an electrolysis bath.

It took a three hour bath yesterday and another two this AM.

I got a little scraping to do then its off to the oven for seasoning.

This one is a block letter made between 1920 and 1940.

The old timer that had it said it was his aunts and he couldn't get it clean anymore. (I think it was to heavy for him plus the kids had the kitchen remodeled and probably don't want it anywheres near that new sink) It was pretty crusty but no rust or pitting. Smoooooth.

 

[Rustyt1953]

My mom has owned two skillets for over 50 years. She has never washed them. Just wipes them out. Everything cooked in them tastes wonderful. Heck, I'd bet if she whipped up a mess of fried hooves and lungs they would taste good.

 

[Salty RI]

Were still using the pan that was my grandmothers she died in 1956, I don't know how she ever picked it up, she was a skinny little thing, I need two hands.

 

[finesse_r]

Using cast iron is certainly the best way to cook. also those things are made like tanks and will last for generations.

 

[Boxhead]

We are fans as well even going so far as to cook on cast iron with them.

 

[DeathGrip]

We are fans as well even going so far as to cook on cast iron with them.

That's beautiful.

Tell us about it. Please.

 

[snubbyfan]

My mom has owned two skillets for over 50 years. She has never washed them. Just wipes them out. Everything cooked in them tastes wonderful. Heck, I'd bet if she whipped up a mess of fried hooves and lungs they would taste good.

That's pretty much the way I do it. Wipe out the chunks and leave it greasy.

 

[USAF385]

Prepare to have your minds blown...

.... You actually CAN wash cast iron. Whaaaaaaat?!

 

[DeathGrip]

Prepare to have your minds blown...

.... You actually CAN wash cast iron. Whaaaaaaat?!

Yes you can if needed. This pan I'm seasoning now was pretty bad. The years of build up were flaking. There's no way I was gonna use that to cook my food. I'll season it proper and it will last way longer than me.

I wish I could load some pics of my progress but my cell and computer don't get along. I lost my hard drive on my old laptop along with a lot of memories. I'm using my late wife's PC now. She's got this thing all mucked up. I guess I need to get a newer model. Computer.

 

[Boxhead]

That's beautiful.

Tell us about it. Please.

It sits in my place in far north Idaho and came with the purchase of the house. This is all I know.

Malleable Iron Range Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I also noted that it is in the John Wayne movie (his best IMO) "The Shootist". It works like a champ whether using the cooktop or the oven.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My bride and I were married in 1978 at the wedding shower was a wicker laundry basket full of older kitchen and household items. In the basket was my father's mom's 10 1/2" cast iron skillet, along with my mom's mom's 8" skillet. My wife said her sorority sisters and home town friends all rolled their eyes, while her grandmother, mom, and aunts along with older family friends went wild over the frying pans and 1920's and 30's kitchen equipment.

By the time we had our 4th kid, the 8" pan was living in storage under the stove. So when our daughter had her wedding shower My wife got out the 8" pan and cleaned it up, then she cleaned up the 10 1/2" pan as kissed it farewell and along with several items my daughter learned to cook with.


The 10" frying pan and a 14" 4" deep roasting pans we use are one that we acquired over the years and proved they were worthy of our kitchen. Some were bought a flea markets some were abandoned went tenants moved. Over the years I brought home dozens of pan, pots, and dutch ovens, but only the items that proved they cooked well were kept.

Only the second son was interested in better cooking, so when we downsized to a condo he was outfitted with our surplus. We only kept one 10" (surprisingly made in Taiwan about 50 years ago), and the 14" Griswold 4" deep monster and 2 Lodge Camping Dutch ovens (10 & 14 inch). One trick: where she stores the iron pans she keeps a cleaning tool, 1/2 of a fire brick that if I make a serious mess and would have to WASH a cast iron pan, she warms the pan and "dresses" the bottom and sides, wipes it out and seasons it. None of our pans have been washed since the were cleaned when they first arrived! She would if something burst into flames; but not even I'm that bad!

Ivan

 

[model70hunter]

It sits in my place in far north Idaho and came with the purchase of the house. This is all I know.

Malleable Iron Range Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I also noted that it is in the John Wayne movie (his best IMO) "The Shootist". It works like a champ whether using the cooktop or the oven.

Both of my Grandmothers cooked on similar stoves. Some of the best food ever came out of their kitchens. Pies, cakes, breads, buns, Cinnamon rolls to die for.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Been using cast iron for 10-15 years now. You can wash it, just don't use detergent. To clean it wipe the oil out with a paper towel and scrub it using a copper pad and water. I even cook with it on my gas grill. Not real sure why it ever went out of vogue. Cooking with wood....well I'll pass on that one.

 

[Boxhead]

Both of my Grandmothers cooked on similar stoves. Some of the best food ever came out of their kitchens. Pies, cakes, breads, buns, Cinnamon rolls to die for.

And they heat the place during the cooler winter months.

 

[the ringo kid]

Were still using the pan that was my grandmothers she died in 1956, I don't know how she ever picked it up, she was a skinny little thing, I need two hands.

Same thing here. I picked up the biggest version that Wm had on sale at the time-which I think is a fourteen or sixteen inch pan? and that thing weighs a ton.

 

[the ringo kid]

Using cast iron is certainly the best way to cook. also those things are made like tanks and will last for generations.

I picked up my current one about six months ago--and I have it well seasoned by now. I still need to start using the smaller one I have--which I bought for the purpose of making two eggs in or--grilled cheese sandwiches. Only used twice.

 

[the ringo kid]

That's pretty much the way I do it. Wipe out the chunks and leave it greasy.

After the first two uses of my new pan,I had to scrape a little off the bottom because it was excess slag, and when cooking eggs-the eggs stuck to that slag. Yuk. Now its ok--since ive used it many times sinse. Anyway,thats allive had to do lately--is just wipe the stuff out with a rag.

 

[the ringo kid]

One of my grandmothers had a full-sized cast iron stove.I dont know whatever became of it? Another grandmother had one too-but it was only a several inch tall and long--toy,