Cooking with all cast iron pans

[TheHobbyist]

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...

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

Kind regards--

 

[gizamo]

We cook on cast. Some early stuff from the early 1700's and later

Cook outside, on spits... Mostly inside on the cookstove.

Food just tastes better on cast.

 

[jdh]

My Antique cast iron fry pan was one of the few things that survived the fire. It was buried deep in the ash pile and took some wire brushing and a re-seasoning but the 1824 vintage cooking utensil is ready to overcook eggs again. And the wife was going to throw it out with the rest of the scrap metal.

Yes, you can still find good old fashioned LARD in the grocery store.

 

[labworm]

Nothing, and I mean nothing on the planet earth is better than the old cast iron for cooking.

 

[Airpark]

Cooking with cast iron is GREAT!

Simple cleaning solution...put in your self cleaning oven for about an hour or so and it will come out with only ashes in it. All the old grease and residue are cremated. Wipe it, re-season and it is ready to go again.

 

[labworm]

Cooking with cast iron is GREAT!

Simple cleaning solution...put in your self cleaning oven for about an hour or so and it will come out with only ashes in it. All the old grease and residue are cremated. Wipe it, re-season and it is ready to go again.

A little tip, a small 2 inch square of Scotch Brite used lightly and warm water, no soap, and your good to go.

No don't put it in the oven unless you want to re season it, you want to let that surface build up, sort of like a fine glaze

 

[Andy Griffith]

Cast iron is the only way to go.

Contrary to popular belief, there is really no way to hurt cast iron, with exception of dowsing a red hot pan with very cold water and cracking it. Even if someone who is uneducated with the use and care of it and slaps it in the dishwasher...it is easily cured.

Cast iron is healthy, lasts forever, cooks evenly, and if vintage or if it's an odd piece- can be very valuable. You can start off with new stuff, or find some very nasty looking pieces cheap and clean them up, as they may cook as good if not better than new. The other thing is, cast iron collectors can be just as fanatical as firearm collectors...I'm more fanatical about stuff cooking in cast iron myself.

The only cooking that should not be done in cast iron is anything tomato based, as the acid seems to take the seasoning out and will stick to the pan.

Why even ice cream can be made with just two dutch ovens of different sizes.

The cast iron skillet is as American as...a cast iron skillet.

 

[ACP230]

We use two cast iron skillets a lot.
One was a wedding present and the other we bought many years later.

Venison sirloin meddalions and onions stirfried in a cast iron skillet with
a splash of red wine, or brandy, is hard to beat.
Home-made bread on the side doesn't hurt either.

 

[19max99]

Lodge still makes great cast iron cookware right here in the USA. Be careful of the porcelain coated items. They carry the Lodge brand name but are made in China. The porcelain is prone to chipping too.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Lodge still makes great cast iron cookware right here in the USA. Be careful of the porcelain coated items. They carry the Lodge brand name but are made in China. The porcelain is prone to chipping too.

The porcelain coated stuff is good for cooking tomato and other acidic sauces- just use wooden implements.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Le Crueset
The sides are rough but the bottom of the pan where the food gets cooked is smooth and silky:

 

[Smith357]

It's good to see so many still use cast iron cookware. It so easy to use and maintain. I use my grandmothers hand me down cast iron pans, the only time I use one of the Teflon pans is when I'm sauteing more than 3 things on the stove.

 

[loveher]

The wife and I have used a set of cast iron for over 30 years. Of the full set we bought, we still mainly use the middle size one. I use it for just about everything.

Nothing better to fry an egg in.

 

[Oldiron]

Got to have it for cornbread. About a half pone and some "sweetmilk" and I have a meal.
Larry

 

[Gunhacker]

I too am using some "hand me downs", they now go 4 generations back... something humbling about using frying pans and a griddle that saw use on the Iowa plains by my Great, Great Grandmother. I also have some newer stuff my Mom gave me that she bought in the '40's .

Nothing beats them for frying up slab bacon, steaks, buttermilk pancakes and of course, cornbread for the chili.

My Grandmother taught us to never use soap... scrape off the cooked on crud with a spatula and wipe it out with a paper towel.

It's a challenge to use it sometimes... but certainly worth it, I'm in an all electric kitchen with a glass cooktop

 

[peyton]

My grandmother passed away 20 years ago. All of her stuff went into boxes and then into my dad's garage. A month ago my dad decides it is time to sort out the "trash from treasure" She was a single parent and raised three kids alone. Among the boxes we found all of her cast iron cookware.
I took it all home after my dad said he would never use it. She took good care of them and the years in storage had put a fine coat of rust on them.
My wife cleaned, reseasoned them and cooked a meal using them to honor my grandma. My son came to visit just before I left for Afganistan and my wife gave him the set with instructions never to get rid of them, after all they were going to go to his 4 year old daughter when she grew up

 

[HAWKEYE10]

Skillet fried corn bread anyone??? Don

 

[labworm]

Purchased mine about 40 years ago, used in a thrift store for about $1.00 each.

Manufactured by Griswald, Wagner Ware, Wagners, they sure didn't lie when they said: "Lifetime Guarantee"

My 14 X 14 skillet, nothing matches it come breakfast or sandwich time.

I'm beginning to see a connection to my S&W firearms.

 

[joeintexas]

I have to agree, nothing cooks like cast iron. We cook everything in them, from fried potatoes to cornbread and an old dutch oven with a tin plate inside makes the best bisquits you ever tasted. Some bacon and eggs sounds pretty good right now!

 

[mg357]

My Grandma may she RIP cooked using iron skillets and my mom cooks using iron skillets and to be honest the food is very good.