[mrb]

I really love my cast iron skillets. The only cookware I enjoy cleaning. Kinda like not allowing anyone to clean your gun....except you. Remember my grandmother cooking with this all purpose tool. Wish I had the ones she used. Lodge is about the best brand we have around here. Sad to think some people would add these time tested works of art.......to their pile of junk headed to the scrap yard....for a few dollars.

 

[joe4vol]

I wish I could use them more. I wasn't thinking about that when I bought a glass top stove. I have my grandmothers skillet that she used for cornbread. That is all that it is used for.

 

[Scorpio]

After wasting so much money in the 90's on non-stick pans that never seemed to last, I went back to my 60 year old, made in the USA, Griswold cast iron pans. For some reason, cast iron frying pans are essential to making good meatballs.

 

[trooplewis]

For some reason, cast iron frying pans are essential to making good meatballs.

And Aebleskivers

 

[phonejack]

My wife uses nothing but ! I think she has 12 cast skillets and Dutch ovens

 

[cuberbob]

I cook with 2. A 9" and. 12". Great for holding heat... found a video that advocates clean I ng with a dry rub of salt. Cleans them right up and doesn't kill my seasoning!

 

[Tug]

For some reason, cast iron frying pans are essential to making good meatballs.

And fried chicken or pork chops or..........

 

[Scorpio]

And fried chicken or pork chops or..........

Yep, that too. My grandmother cooked countless pounds of southern fried chicken in the very same iron pans I have.

What I meant by meatballs come out better in cast iron is this. I tried for years to replicate my fathers Sunday gravy (aka spaghetti sauce for non-Italians) recipe. It turns out that teflon, aluminum and stainless steel wont cook the meatballs the same way. I can't explain how or why, but I can tell you with 100% certainty, cast iron is essential to replicating the same flavor. For years I was very close to making it the same way my grandmother and father did but something was just a little off. Then I inherited the cast iron pans and it all came together.

 

[bigbill]

It's the iron flavoring from the cast iron pan.

 

[Bud0505]

I wish I could use them more. I wasn't thinking about that when I bought a glass top stove. I have my grandmothers skillet that she used for cornbread. That is all that it is used for.

I've been using cast iron on my glass top for the last 16 years (when I bought the stove) with no problems. You need to remember to lift the pans and not slide them.

 

[HAWKEN]

I admit to being curious about the new copper/ceramic skillets they are advertising on TV, but I have and use several sizes of cast iron. ........robin

 

[osprey]

I use cast iron almost all the time. Have quite a collection of small skillets I use for individual fajita servings when I do a family get together, along with individual cornbread in a pan, or apple crisp, or any other thing I want to keep warm and cook in the same pan.

The only things I cook in a non stick are eggs, mainly scrambled eggs or omelets, or acidic ingredients like tomatoes.

There is just something about foods cooked in cast iron that makes them taste better.

 

[Maddmax]

Yep, that too. My grandmother cooked countless pounds of southern fried chicken in the very same iron pans I have.

What I meant by meatballs come out better in cast iron is this. I tried for years to replicate my fathers Sunday gravy (aka spaghetti sauce for non-Italians) recipe. It turns out that teflon, aluminum and stainless steel wont cook the meatballs the same way. I can't explain how or why, but I can tell you with 100% certainty, cast iron is essential to replicating the same flavor. For years I was very close to making it the same way my grandmother and father did but something was just a little off. Then I inherited the cast iron pans and it all came together.

Old Granny told me a loooong time ago, cast iron distributes the heat better.

I remember camping at a young age and her taking a Dutch Oven and completely covering it in the coals of the camp fire letting it sit most of the day. Some of the best meals I ever ate. Same can be done using charcoal.

 

[mrb]

I have one 10'' square skilled that I bought last year. It's the only one that has a problem with sticking sometimes when I cook baked cornbread. It came pre seasoned......but it seems to have coarse cooking surface. So I put some cooking oil in it....stuck it in the oven on 500....for about an hour. After it cooled off I poured the oil out. Had two corners about 2'' long.....oblong shaped....that were smooth as glass. Rest of it still a little coarse. Hard to find anyone that knows the trick to seasoning ........to the point of a slick black finish. It is truly an art.

 

[bwinters]

Nice cooking items.

 

[Maddmax]

I have one 10'' square skilled that I bought last year. It's the only one that has a problem with sticking sometimes when I cook baked cornbread. It came pre seasoned......but it seems to have coarse cooking surface. So I put some cooking oil in it....stuck it in the oven on 500....for about an hour. After it cooled off I poured the oil out. Had two corners about 2'' long.....oblong shaped....that were smooth as glass. Rest of it still a little coarse. Hard to find anyone that knows the trick to seasoning ........to the point of a slick black finish. It is truly an art.

Wash it out real good with soapy hot water, rinse all that out with hot water. Then give it (the entire inside), a good heavy coat of Crisco Lard and back in the oven for the same heat treatment. When/while it's hot (BE VERY CAREFUL), take some oven mittens, hold the pan and roll the grease around the inside of the pan re-coating the sides every so often to keep a light coat on everything. After that hour plus, one last roll around, set it back in the oven, shut off the oven and let it slowly cool inside. Once cool, wipe out with paper towels and your done. Myself, each time after I use mine, I give it a very light coat of Crisco/Lard and it beats any Teflon pan for non-stick cooking.

Another trick I learned when cooking with gas. I adjust the flame up to where the tips of the flames just start to arch away from the bottom of the pan. It helps to distribute the heat more even under the pan and doesn't "waist" heat getting the pan too hot. That's for an even cooking. Searing is a whole different thing.

 

[bigbill]

The misses just made fresh cornbread from scratch in a cast iron skillet, yummy.

 

[rammerjammer]

I almost exclusively cook on cast iron. The original non-stick cookware.

 

[Sundown Thursday]

I have one 10'' square skilled that I bought last year. It's the only one that has a problem with sticking sometimes when I cook baked cornbread. It came pre seasoned......but it seems to have coarse cooking surface. So I put some cooking oil in it....stuck it in the oven on 500....for about an hour. After it cooled off I poured the oil out. Had two corners about 2'' long.....oblong shaped....that were smooth as glass. Rest of it still a little coarse. Hard to find anyone that knows the trick to seasoning ........to the point of a slick black finish. It is truly an art.

Try light coatings of oil then when the oven reaches 300° put your pan in and turn the heat off. Wait until the oven is cold before you take the pan out. A couple of these treatments and you'll notice a HUGE difference in your pans.

 

[mrb]

Try light coatings of oil then when the oven reaches 300° put your pan in and turn the heat off. Wait until the oven is cold before you take the pan out. A couple of these treatments and you'll notice a HUGE difference in your pans.

I may have had too much oil in the pan to start with. About a quarter inch. Seemed like the oil tried to gel up a little. I scraped it out,and washed it good. Gonna try just a light coat this time. Pan report will follow.