cast iron cooking

[Big Bird 928]

Dave, the link you posted is great, and I do fully agree with the spatula selection being critical to keeping the pan in good shape. Never use plastic, always stainless. Alot of spatula's in this day are rounded on the end, and the ones that are flat are normally very sharp on the corners, once you find one that is the right shape, the pans just about season themselves to a very slick finish in short order.

I have an ok mix of CI, 2 newer lodge pans that are good enough for most things, a 2 burner griddle and a dutch oven. Only the dutch oven was in good enough shape when I got it to not need stripping and re-seasoning, but what can one expect when you get each for under 5 dollars.

[Mambo Dave]

That's awesome that you liked it.

I earned my third cast iron pan from the cleaning out of a house... this thing was so rusted that when I told someone they should take it, they thought I was crazy. Better for the trash they said.

So... I went about scrubbing it and cleaning it. Despite some pits in the cooking surface that I'm not sure can even be seen anymore, it's as good as any I have (except it has a heat ring - which I don't like on electric burners, so I use it for oven use).

Way back when I was first introduced to cast iron via Pail Wheaton and Permies things, and he came out with that page (though I may have heard of using a good spatula on some other you tube video prior to it) is when I ordered my two spatulas:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i00
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s00_i01

Being a single guy, the Dexter-Russel 4" x 2.5" sees the most use in the not-so-large CI skillets I have. The larger one reminds me of a size we'd use in restaurant kitchens.

[Big Bird 928]

One of my favorite things to make in cast iron is Lefse, for those who are un-initiated click the link below.
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-norw...-kitchn-175433

I have not made this since my grandma passed away however, though I probably will soon.

My wife has taken to my cast irons really well, since we got married last year, considering she can be a clenliness freak when it comes to the kitchen, and reaches for them before our other pans. When we were talking about care of them all I had to do was tell her about an old roomate of mine that broke my 14" pan, and she is very carefull and attentive when using them now. (something about me testing the ring of the pan on his head, yes I have mellowed considerably)

[univibe88]

How in hell did your roommate break a cast iron pan?

[Big Bird 928]

Originally Posted by univibe88

How in hell did your roommate break a cast iron pan?

I'm not sure if it was putting cold water in a hot pan, or over heating the pan, but I tell you I had a hell of a time trying to find out where the bacon grease was coming from on the stove top one morning...

[Xeraux]

Originally Posted by Mambo Dave

Sorry pal, but no, boiling water in my cast iron after each use is not how I go about using mine. They get a wipe-out when hot, and some oil, but that's about it. An occasional boil with water, yes, but that's rare.



I've seen that video a while ago, and I posted the link (http://www.richsoil.com/cast-iron.jsp) to the page it comes from on page three of this thread... thanks, but you aren't showing me anything I don't already understand. (The whole reason I got into cast iron was from the permaculture forums, that video, and the videos Paul made)

As long as you're assuring us that they actually don't need water boiled in them after each use, that's all that really needed to be said. I think we all understand the rapid seasoning vs. the seasoning built up over time. I don't understand the instruction to boil water after each use, but ... as you say, the people making those pans must not know what they're selling.

Holy shit. "Sorry pal"?

No one said "boil after each use". That's just a method for cleaning up any larger bits in the bottom it that doesn't involve scraping or an abrasive pad and it helps prevent transfer of flavors. In the video, they were cooking several things in a row, you don't want the egg tasting like salmon. Many people in this thread have said they deglaze their cast-iron this way.

Yeah. I'm sure a French cookware maker who's been around since the 1800s "must not know what they're selling." , indeed.

God. This is worse than an oil thread.

[Nytelyte]

Originally Posted by Xeraux

God. This is worse than an oil thread.

I remember a few pages back where people were talking about the best oil to use...

So it kinda is an oil thread.
[runs off to buy bobisthecastironoilguy.com]

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by Nytelyte

I remember a few pages back where people were talking about the best oil to use...

So it kinda is an oil thread.
[runs off to buy bobisthecastironoilguy.com]

We haven't posted a good discussion about that in a few pages now - I wonder wht oil NASA uses for their cast iron?

[Dismount]

Originally Posted by Mambo Dave

We haven't posted a good discussion about that in a few pages now - I wonder wht oil NASA uses for their cast iron?

10wbacon.

[Xeraux]

http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/02...-iron-cooking/

[TheOtherBart]

Originally Posted by Xeraux

http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/02...-iron-cooking/

I guess that debunks the "pure carbon" theory of why seasoning makes cast iron non-stick. And I have to admit I always believed that cast iron would heat more evenly, but the science behind what they're saying makes perfect sense.

[HalcyonDaze]

So I've been charged with preparing a big cast iron soap pot of a thing for cooking large quantities of food for the Rick's Rendezvous which starts tomorrow.

Modified the burner basket to carry much more weight than designed for. Check that box.

Now for the pot. No doubt Chinese made from our melted cars and such. Who cares, that's not the point. What concerns me is the finish on the pot. At first I thought it was black paint, doubtless made from lead based paint laced with arsenic. But on closer inspection it seemed to be made of wax- probably lead based and laced with same arsenic. Gotta luv them Chinese safety regs and all.

So here's what I did: Built a fire and set the pot in it. As each section that was directly in contact became flat black and quit smoking on the inside, I would turn it a little and heat that section. Much gasoline was used to keep it good and hot. POOF!!!

Once satisfied that all the suspicious finish was converted to carbon powder, I removed it from the fire and used a side grinder with wire cup to clean it both inside and out. Did that while it was still hot.

Once it cooled some, I poured hot soapy water in and used a charcoal grill scrubber to clean it both inside and out. It's down to bare clean metal but it's rough as a cob.

Now seeking advice:

1. Do you think more should be done to clean it?
2. Would you use a flap sanding wheel on the grinder to smooth it before seasoning it?

Many beers were consumed during the process and it's now dark outside. Some things won't be clearly seen until morning.

[Dysco]

Originally Posted by HalcyonDaze

So I've been charged with preparing a big cast iron soap pot of a thing for cooking large quantities of food for the Rick's Rendezvous which starts tomorrow.

Modified the burner basket to carry much more weight than designed for. Check that box.

Now for the pot. No doubt Chinese made from our melted cars and such. Who cares, that's not the point. What concerns me is the finish on the pot. At first I thought it was black paint, doubtless made from lead based paint laced with arsenic. But on closer inspection it seemed to be made of wax- probably lead based and laced with same arsenic. Gotta luv them Chinese safety regs and all.

So here's what I did: Built a fire and set the pot in it. As each section that was directly in contact became flat black and quit smoking on the inside, I would turn it a little and heat that section. Much gasoline was used to keep it good and hot. POOF!!!

Once satisfied that all the suspicious finish was converted to carbon powder, I removed it from the fire and used a side grinder with wire cup to clean it both inside and out. Did that while it was still hot.

Once it cooled some, I poured hot soapy water in and used a charcoal grill scrubber to clean it both inside and out. It's down to bare clean metal but it's rough as a cob.

Now seeking advice:

1. Do you think more should be done to clean it?
2. Would you use a flap sanding wheel on the grinder to smooth it before seasoning it?

Many beers were consumed during the process and it's now dark outside. Some things won't be clearly seen until morning.

Gasoline?


Sand it with a medium grit before seasoning.

[HalcyonDaze]

Originally Posted by Dysco

Gasoline?
Sand it with a medium grit before seasoning.

It was an old jug with funky green stuff in it, useless for anything but starting brush fires. The firewood was wet hemlock, didn't want to stay hot so I doused it repeatedly with small amounts of the gas.

Had a feeling I'd need to sand it some, will do in the morning.

[Dismount]

I keep meaning to pick up a couple of flap wheels. Hand sanding cast iron down is moderately awful.