Cast Iron Cooking

[Bones]

First Merry Christmas. I have 3 or four cast iron skillets and was thinking about starting the new year trying to cook with cast iron. Was wondering how many of you use cast iron for your cooking or just use it for special occasions. If you use it what are some of the things you have learned about using cast iron? The advantages and disadvantages. I know there are people who use cast iron for cooking and would like to hear about their experiences using it.

Thanks Bones

 

[4HAND]

Merry Christmas!
I got a bunch of mama's when she passed away. Like you, I don't use them a lot, but one thing I do use it for is Cornbread.
I hear you're not supposed to wash them, just wipe them out, but I wash mine & then lightly oil them.

 

[GT90]

Definitely cornbread. We also use it for really good cuts of steak. Google "Omaha Steak Cooking Chart". Comes out perfect every time.

 

[GT90]

And we don't wash ours. We wipe out the food, add a good bit of coarse ground salt, use a paper towel to scub, then wipe out the salt and lightly oil. If you do use water to clean make sure you heat the skillet up to evaporate any remaining water.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have a 12” skillet and a 10” griddle. The griddle is used for everything you would use a griddle for. Pancakes and grilled cheese, etc.

I use the skillet for cornbread, searing steaks, etc. I will always use it for things that need to be made in a skillet before then putting it into the oven as opposed to swapping dishes the way some cookbooks tell you to.

I use a medium stiff brush with kosher salt to wash and then oil with crisco and heat soon after.

I like waffles too. I found an old Griswold waffle iron in Asheville a few years back and it is the best waffle iron I have ever had. Oddly, there have been no electrical problems with it.

 

[Jimmypop]

Hot, even heat. Google skillet seared steak. Here's one of the tenderloins from my last deer that I had a few day's ago.You won't be going outside in bad weather any more.

 

[JustUs4All]

I keep eight pieces of cast iron on my stove for use all the time and a really big skillet hanging on the wall next to it for bacon. I collect the stuff and have lots of Mom's and some from both of my Grandmothers.

Iron must be seasoned and kept seasoned or it will not be stick resistant and it will rust. There are dozens of websites that will teach you how to do that. The Griswold collectors site is a good one. Cooking greasy stuff adds to the seasoning while cooking non greasy stuff, watery stuff, or acidic stuff acts to remove the seasoning.

If food sticks to iron after cooking it can be cleaned off easily while the pan is hot by deglazing the pan. A very little water or wine in the hot pan and scrape away with a stiff spatula. This results in a clean pan and a product that is great for making sauces or just pouring over the cooked food. After deglazing usually all that is needed is a rinse with water at the sink then a wipe out with a paper towel and a light re-oiling with bacon grease or whatever you choose to use. After the pan is cool wipe out all the oil you can with a paper towel and store the pan dry.

If there is staining or residue that you can not get out of the pan by deglazing, it will not hurt to leave it. If you want pristine looking pans, add some course salt to the pan after the deglazing process and use it with a paper towel as a scouring agent. Rinse, re-oil, wipe out all the oil you can before storing.

I have never washed any of my iron but if you MUST do it, do not use detergent. Detergent will cut the seasoning. Use only soap. Ivory Soap works I am told.

 

[twtabb]

One just for corn bread. I have another big skillet for blackening fish. It gets really hot so the seasoning will not stay on it. I just clean it good and rub a little oil on it before storing.
I have one I found in an old country store. Cleaned it up and call it my rabbit pot. I am waiting on a rabbit to cook in it.

 

[TomC]

Took me way too many years to realize cast iron is the way to roll. Its about all I use now! Collected a bunch of pieces and like the old stuff best. Wash with just hot water, back on stove top to heat up, once hot wipe down with a few drops of grapeseed oil using a bandana and let cool off.

 

[ditchdoc24]

My mother-in-law and I collect vintage cast iron and it gets used pretty much daily between our two houses. My mother-in-law lives directly across the street and we eat supper with her almost every evening. We take turns cooking supper and cast iron is used for almost every meal.

 

[B. White]

I don't know if I bought my main pan or got it from my mama, but when I make cornbread I don't put oil in the mix. I put the pan in the oven covered good with crisco wiped with a paper towel and when we pour the batter in it fries on contact. Every time we cook cornbread it seasons better and after 38 yrs with this pan I don't think you could do anything to mess it up. Usually just need to wash it out with hot water and dry it. I use it for onions and squash, cabbage, fried corn, etc. I have some stuff that is not cast iron and use it for some stuff. I'm not a purist. They are all tools.

 

[MOTS]

I got plenty, this is just seasoned and used the most. I can't resist grabbing it up at flea markets and such and put it in the barn. Older the better.

 

[GA1dad]

I know it's not exactly what you were thinking, but this was dinner tonight.

 

[4HAND]

Mama always told me Wagner & Griswold were good brands.

 

[sportsman94]

We make biscuits in ours at least several times a month. I’ll fry in them and also use them for searing steaks/porkchops etc. I only have two pans and they are both new age. Would love to get some older stuff

 

[kayaksteve]

I use them often. Usually wipe them out and oil while still hot or if needed clean with a soft bristle brush and water before drying and oiling. cornbread or biscuits are the best way to maintain a good clean season on them I think. If it ever gets a bit rough looking one pan of biscuits or cornbread has it looking smooth and perfect again.

 

[sbroadwell]

Almost everything I cook is in cast iron. My “new”pans are Lodge that I got for a wedding present when I got married in 1977. My old ones I inherited from my mother in law. A couple are Wagner, others are no name pans.
Also got a couple of Dutch ovens and two sizes, different depths, of the oblong fish cookers. I use the deep one mostly to render lard and make cracklings.
I usually deglaze them with water if something does get stuck, but I also have one of those stainless steel chain mail things. That’s the best thing I’ve ever bought for cleaning pans.

 

[Duff]

It’s the only pans we have at our house

 

[ditchdoc24]

Mama always told me Wagner & Griswold were good brands.

They are but the problem is everyone knows that so the prices for them are usually sky high. I was at an antique sale a couple of weeks ago and one guy wanted $275 for a large Griswold skillet. I got a slightly larger unmarked skillet for $40 from a different seller. BSR is a brand that a lot of people don't know about. It's usually heavier than the Wagner or Griswold skillets but very smooth inside and pretty easy to find at a good price. Almost all of my skillets and chicken fryers are BSR but I've got a couple of Lodge skillets and dutch ovens as well. My wife has her own small skillet she got as a teenager that she uses for cornbread and eggs. I'm always looking for good cast iron at good prices when I'm out and about. Sometimes I'll clean it, re-season it and give it as a gift to some young folks.

 

[trad bow]

What I’ve got is mostly lodge brand. I have a couple of pieces of Wagner and Griswold. In all about twenty pieces. I bought my Wagner and Griswold at flea markets anywhere from fifteen to thirty dollars a piece.