Posted on 02/23/2019 5:24:24 AM PST by PJ-Comix
I can’t lift a cast iron pan with one hand. I also have a glass topped stove.
I use cast iron, but I own a tool and die business so a few years ago I resurfaced a couple of new Lodge pans to my liking.
Years and years ago cast iron was poured in steel molds and not sand cast. The molds were polished and the finished surface was far smoother than what you get now.
I was bored and work was slow so I machined the pans with a diamond tool to about a good a finish as you can ever get on cheap cast. No, it will never be as slick as teflon, hell it took Dupont years just to figure out how to get that stuff to stick to the pans itself, but certainly better than stainless steel or copper cookware.
Another hint, if your surface starts to flake, or if some idiot family member leaves it in the sink too long and ruins the finish, it’s easy t get it to the base material like new and start seasoning it again.
If you have an electric self cleaning oven, just pop it in there and hit clean. Few hours later your cast iron cookware is completely bare of any seasoning and ready to oil and start new. Yes, on some cheap ones it can cause it to bow, or so I’ve heard, but it worked great on mine when I had to do it with no problems.
Gimmee those ceramics any day !
But what about the orange rolls?
I’m sorry! I couldn’t resist! :-D
Not really. First, never use soap. Simply use a bristle brush to scrub it out with hot water. Dry it with a towel and set it back on the still-hot (off) burner to quickly dry the rest of the way. Wipe with a little vegetable oil and put away.
That’s it.
My wife got a porcelain coated, pre-seasoned interior. About the size of a paella pan at.....Aldi. $20!!
I’ve used it a few times.
Use cast iron for steaks . Sear flip sear, oven.
Yes, they were very good! Dense and rich. :-)
Broward County recently had a whole bunch of Wawas opening here. In fact, there are now TWO Wawas near me. Both within just 2 miles of me.
How about sanding it down? That’s what I saw on a couple of videos.
Wayward is also in Maryland. He could be a Marylander.
Great stop for lunch. They can churn out sandwiches like nobody else. (at least up here)
BFL
I almost prefer my steaks int he cast iron now over my grill to be honest.
I burn a fair amount of butter until a dark brown and smoking, sear both sides very well. I then pour the butter/sear out into a pan with my onions and mushrooms, put the steaks on a cake cooling rack that fits perfectly inside my hot pan and pop it int he oven at 375 until medium rare. Takes about 6-12 minutes depending on sear, thickness, and temperature of the steaks to start, but the heavy caramelization is the key to the flavor.
Them are some good eats right there.
Actually I was born in Maryland or, more accurately, DelMarVa. Salisbury.
We use a 12-inch Griswold cast iron skillet that has been passed down in the family for years. From the barely readable serial number in the bottom of the handle. I discovered that it was made in 1863 in Erie Pennsylvania. It might be iron, but noting sticks to it.
I use a very old cast iron skillet. The provenance is the 1870s South Carolina. Love it. Wonder how many meals have ben cooked on that?
After use it I wipe it out the best I can with a paper towel, then put it back on the stove on high. When the crap on the pan starts to change color and smoke a little take a chore girl to it- then just wipe with paper towel.
I’ve been using one my great-grandmother and my grandmother used. They are much better than the new ones because the inside surfaces are smooth. One pan will last generations. Many times you can find the smooth older ones at antique stores.
1) Cook, using olive oil or canola oil. Not too much.
2)Eat, and let the skillet cool.
3) (This is the important part) Wash using hot water and a plastic scouring pad, and maybe just a small dab of ivory soap but only if you really really need it. Beware that ANY soap will begin to pull your seasoning back out of the cast iron, especially an oil-based soap like Dawn. I had, for the longest time, used a copper scouring pad and Dawn soap to clean my cast iron, and wondered what all that stuff was that was coming off the the skillet when I dried it. Duh... It was the skillet's seasoning.
Lately, I just use a wooden or plastic spatula to scrape any big pieces of stuff out, get some good hot water running on it, and about half the time a fast squirt of Ivory to cut any standing grease/fats left over from cooking. A little dab'll do ya, and in time you'll get over the notion that there's a law about using soap every time. Just wash it well with a plastic scourer.
The copper scourer still has its place under my sink but it's seldom used, only if something really nasty is stuck, which isn't all that often.
4) Dry with a lint-free towel OR sit it on a hot burner and let the heat cook the moisture off. While it's still hot, a small application of olive oil, (or olive oil PAM is very convenient), and then wipe it down to a thin coat on all the cooking surface.
Pick the skillet up by the handle and use that same towel that now carries some residual olive oil, and wipe down the outside also. (Some say to use a less expensive oil on the outside, I choose not to fuss over it, especially if I'm standing there with a towel in my hand that has some perfectly good olive oil on it. That's enough for the outside and the handle.)
Store it in a dry place. If you have a lid that you put on the skillet while it's stored, leave a paper towel hanging out of the edge of the skillet to wick moisture out of the skillet and, optionally, if you are in a humid locale put some rice in there, in the skillet that has the lid on it, to act as a desiccant.
Many good sources of information out on them internets, some not as good as others. The best authority IMO is "Cowboy Kent Rollins" from Hollis, OK.
Check out his youtube channel for expert information on cast iron, and for instruction in 21st-Century Cowboy cuisine. He's a pretty sharp guy especially considering he's... well... you know... an OSU aggie. :)
(Disclosure: I don't know the guy, I just suggest his youtube channel for culinary fun.)
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