One can never have too many.
Cast Iron
- Thread starter fmueller
- Start date
I use my enamel Dutch oven for soups, chilis, stews. The uncoated is used for everything else. Bread comes out amazing:
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After some testing, I can't understand why anyone would make cornbread in anything other than a cast-iron pan.
I rather like that smell. I don't care for all the smoke, but I love the aroma of seasoning black iron.
If you can only get one, then get the enameled one. It's more versatile, but it takes more care when handling (to avoid chipping or cracking). Of course, it doesn't need any care at all with regard to seasoning.
I think I may eventually get one of each, but the first will be enamel.
Like with all pots and pans, thermal shock is enemy #1.
While it's true that thermal shock most certainly is a concern, chipping and cracking really is the greatest enemy of enameled cast iron. You can drop just about any pot or pan without concern, but not enameled cast iron.
My newest. Got it from my dads wife after he passed. It was sitting in the garage for years and had a ton of old burnt carbon on it. Had it in the lye for a couple of weeks with little coming off.
Went and set up my etank to get it done, along with a few more pieces.
I do believe this to be the same skillet my mom used back when I was a kid, in the 60’s. It cooked a lot of food for the family. It’s not perfect but it was good enough for me. This one will never be sold.
Dates back to 1925 to 1935 so I’m sure they bought it second hand or someone gave it to them.
Went and set up my etank to get it done, along with a few more pieces.
I do believe this to be the same skillet my mom used back when I was a kid, in the 60’s. It cooked a lot of food for the family. It’s not perfect but it was good enough for me. This one will never be sold.
Dates back to 1925 to 1935 so I’m sure they bought it second hand or someone gave it to them.
We have the same China Matt lol. I did have some fresh farm eggs in a old unmarked #5
I found a big camp oven at a yard sale for the equivelent of about $7US, so it had to come home with me. I've just put the second layer of oven seasoning on it and that will have to do because I am getting a bolloxing for smoking up the house.
Now I'll have to think about what to cook in it to continue the process. I fried an egg, and it was still a little sticky.
Now I'll have to think about what to cook in it to continue the process. I fried an egg, and it was still a little sticky.
For that I’d go with anything that would need to be deep fried. Fish and chips would be good
I think I am going to pan fry some potato chunks tomorrow, just because I have a bunch of spuds handy that need to get used. Won't do much for the walls, but it will help the bottom.
I can't remember the last time I deep fried anything.
Maybe cook up some belly bacon with the potatoes. Agreed that just a small amount of oil/ fat is good for the bottom but won’t do much for the sides. That’s why I was thinking about doing the deep frying of something
I doubt deep frying would help in any way with seasoning. As far as I know, seasoning cast iron/carbon steel works through fat polymerization.
Deep frying temperature would not be high enough for that process, as it has to stay at around 350°F.
I could be wrong as I have been wrong before.
Deep frying temperature would not be high enough for that process, as it has to stay at around 350°F.
I could be wrong as I have been wrong before.
Seasoning cast iron is also about the oil getting into the structure of the iron. Ideally, seasoning is a two-step process: first heat the iron with oil and let it take up what it will, then raise the heat and polymerize the oils.
Classic advice for a new pot is to cook up something fat (bacon, fried chicken) or else deep-fry something. As my mother used to say, "Do that until you're tired of eating bacon and fried chicken." Then she'd chuckle.
O.H.
I’m far from an expert on cast iron, but the best seasoning results I’ve had were taking the pan outside, heating it up, coat with grapeseed oil and heat until it stops smoking, then repeat several times. I’ve done that with all my cast iron and the eggs just float on top now and never stick. For maintenance I just wipe the pan clean, heat it a little and wipe down with a super thin coat of grapeseed oil. It has worked well for me.
We love our cast iron pans at our house. The vintage ones are great because they were casted and the bottoms were very smooth so they become like non stick once they are seasoned well. I did buy a few new lodge ones and the castings are so rough that I polished them smooth before seasoning them and now they are just great. The key seems to be smooth bottoms and well seasoned.
I especially like how scrambled eggs are getting so much fluffier in the cast iron pan than in anything else. I am not sure why that is, but I like it.
I especially like how scrambled eggs are getting so much fluffier in the cast iron pan than in anything else. I am not sure why that is, but I like it.
That’s my understanding as well.
I think Lodge recommends this as a good way to season your cast iron. It’s a slower process than when using high heat methods but it still works. That’s the way I’ve seasoned my 10.25” cast iron skillets from them
