Calling All Old Cast Iron Lovers.......

[Mary Of Exeter]

Old stuff is the best stuff

We have a lot of cast iron skillets and whatnot in the kitchen. And the wood stove outside. Put the two together and you look old fashioned for sure!

 

[momofthree]

i LOVE cast iron and that is all i cook with 90% of the time! I have about 7 skillets in stacking sizes

they just live on my stove

I would LOVE to find a deal like yours on the old griddle! i have one of the flip ones, but only use the griddle size. it lives on my stove also

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I gave up my cast iron when we moved.

You aren't suppose to use it on these new fangled elect. flattop stoves.

My fry pan was perfectly seasoned! It was one of the first things I bought when I moved into my own apt. while in college. Made the best fried 'taters. You know with that nice brown crust. Eggs would slide out with no problem at all.

I will never own one of these fancy stoves again!

 

[momofthree]

i know people who use them on their flattops with no problems.....manu's say not to, but they have, just be careful when moving, so it doesn't scratch.

 

[chicknerd]

Quote:
I saw a few of them when I was in the store! They also had those large pots with handles, I guess you use those over a fire? But I want one of those now.

I'll have to wait til next month.

I'm not sure of cleaning them though - I usually just scrape off the gunk and run hot water over them and scrub with a brush. Then give them a little olive oil let them dry and put them away. Is this the way to do it? *ahem* Katy....hint hint.

Thats all I do

right or not

I have been told not to use olive oil because of something about the nature of it. Cant remember right now. I use canola for after cleaning.

I use mine on the stove, in the oven and over the grill. Work great in all three places. Really dont use anything else.

 

[darkmatter]

Cast Iron cookware rules! I have a range of skillet sizes, griddles, and various dutch ovens. I use the three legged dutch oven on the wood stove in the wintertime and the flatbottom one on the electric stove. I found a odd dutch oven in a flea market that is tapered to a small flat bottom that just fits on a small electric burner---I use it like a crock pot set on simmer---makes the best chili and/or beans. And, you can't make real corn bread without a cast iron mold. Some of my cast iron is inherited, some found in flea markets and sold by fools in garage sales. I did buy a cast iron wok----it's a bit strange, but it really makes good popcorn. On my gas burner, I put a stainless steel steamer basket in the dutch oven and use that for steaming vegetables. When the Missus is out on a quilt boondoggle, I'll use the deep dutch oven and deep fry stuff. (what she doesn't know won't kill me)

 

[Moabite]

I can't cook on teflon and I won't. Plastic turners (I call 'em spatulas) are not allowed in my kitchen. I do use olive oil on my cast iron, but only after it has been well seasoned with bacon grease or vegetable lard. Whenever I have a little bacon grease left over, I rub down all my cast iron, top, bottom and handles. I always oil (whatever oil is on hand) my pans after using them and I never have a problem with things sticking like eggs. I also like to clean the pans out while they are still warm. If there is any left overs, I let the dogs clean them, then I sterilize them on the stove and oil them before putting them away. The worst thing I've ever done to cast iron, was putting my 7 quart pot on the wood stove as a steamer. How do you keep a steamer from rusting?

I have a flipper griddle, it has a crack in it, but works great, it is too small for most of the cooking I do. I wish I had a couple of ol'tyme griddles like in the first posting! I've been using an old cast aluminum griddle salvage off an early gas stove. It works well, and I treat it like cast iron.

 

[chicknerd]

OK went back to research why olive oil is not the best oil to use. It is slightly acid and can affect the seasoning of the pan. Occasional use is fine. But something other than olive should be used for the first seasoning.

If I dont have anything else after cleaning the pan I will use it. Just in moderation.

 

[Moabite]

Thanks Chicknerd. Good to know. How about using salt as a cleaning grit?

 

[oldchickenlady]

I have cast iron skillets that belonged to my grandmother. One of them I only use for cornbread. Woe unto him who uses my cornbread skillet for anything else!

I love my hand me down cookware! I also have a Jadite batter bowl that belonged to my grandmother and that is what I always make my cornbread batter in. I always feel connected to her when I use the things she used!