PJ, we’ve been using cast iron for a long time now. Yeah, it takes a little more to care for the stuff, but the even heating with less energy is great.
FWIW, we’ve found that the older stuff seems to work a little better than some of the newer stuff on the shelves these days. We will scour yard sales during the summer and will pick up pieces in the $2-$20 range (as long as they’re not pitted) that look so nasty and neglected that they look like they belong in the dump. With a little elbow grease and some restoration techniques (youtube vids helped us), they came out looking like brand new and work great.
IE: last summer while in Maine, we picked up a 1940-50s era 8” skillet for $2 that will cook cornbread to kill for. At the same time we picked up a nice dutch oven for $10. Yeah, both of em looked terrible but came out of restoration looking brand new.
You are right; the older cast iron pans are better. We had some older ones in the 60’s but back then the cooking surfaces were machined smooth and cooked beautifully. Finding one now is impossible. I’m taking one to a machine shop to see if they can do it.
You are right; the older cast iron pans are better. We had some older ones in the 60’s but back then the cooking surfaces were machined smooth and cooked beautifully. Finding one now is impossible. I’m taking one to a machine shop to see if they can do it.