Posted on 02/23/2019 5:24:24 AM PST by PJ-Comix
You can do that to smooth it out, most people only have that way handy to do it though and it’s easy and effective. I chose to cut it the way I did simply because it tends to close the pores of the material by using a insert that doesn’t make a chip like a normal cutter does. (Of course most people don’t have the toys I do at my disposal either, which is why I went that route)
Cast iron is very porous, I actually burnish the cast material when I cut it, crushing the pores closed and giving the surface a much harder skin than normal. That was the key to the slickness I got I believe.
You should avoid cooking at high temps anyway. High temperatures induce the formation of carcinogenic heterocyclic amines in meats.
Scouring with salt works well too, just rinse it well and do exactly what you said after.
Oh, my goodness. I typed “Wawa” but the autocorrect turned it into “Wayward.” I hate autocorrect.
I love Free Republic.
I hate to admit that I do not know where Salisbury is. I am not a native Marylander, I only live here for work.
Yum! Where can I buy those?
I have several cast iron utensils, including frying pan, dutch oven and a long flat pan with a matching lid which can be used separately.
I am not very good at using them. My late wife didn’t use them at all and was a good cook.
Mother was born in 1918 and married in 1936. From the time I was able to remember, Mother used her frying pan more than any other utensil. She used grease, a lot of grease in her cooking.
I would not even think of using that much grease but maybe it wasn’t that bad for your health. Mother lived to be 85 and Daddy, 90. I have no idea what ever happened to her frying pan, probably one of my siblings got it.
Of course there are old pieces to be found on EBay or at flea markets, etc.
Maybe the most cost-effective thing for people just now rediscovering cast iron is to buy the commonly-available USA-made brand that's sold at a favorable price point, (that would be Lodge) and take it home and carefully clamp it down and use a power tool to remove the factory seasoning and to polish the cooking surface down smooth instead of bumpy, and then re-season it in the oven. It's easy to do.
After that first seasoning, cook some bacon in it to test the non-stick of the surface. Also I've heard that it's good to cook potatoes in a newly finished skillet because the carbs contribute to the skillet's seasoning, although I have yet to test this theory.
Think twice about buying cast iron NOT made in the USA. Is that pure cast iron you're buying, or are you getting something extra with it too? Are you going to eat out of it?
I can give you the recipe. :-D
I knew what you meant.
I’m fluent in auto correct...
Nothing seasons better than flax oil. Pick it up in the refrigerated case at whole foods. Keep it refrigerated. 6 coats and you are set. Get a chain mail scrubber.
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
After the initial seasoning I switch to a canola spray. My pans are slicker than snot.
I’m a big fan of cast iron,
Have a large Griswold and smaller Wagner Ware collection,
Get a quality #8, #10 skillets plus #9 or 10 Dutch Oven and griddle and your set for life, hand it down to your children and grandchildren,
I want to get it smooth and... as pretty as I can.
Next time I'm at Whole foods I'll pick some up.
Flax oil for initial seasoning, to be clear...
Would you mind?
I use cast iron for steaks and anything else that needs to sear at high heat.
I've also got some copper ceramic pans which the wife loves for eggs and omelettes. They've retained their non-stick property for months now, and at twenty bucks, if one starts to go bad, I'll just replace it.
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