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

[greathorse]

Quote:
Both great brands I envy your collection. I have some of those in skillets but really struggled to find the old dutch ovens, so have several Lodge ovens that work great but will only be perfect after about fifty years of constant use. The old stuff is great when you can find it.

 

[rchucks]

The only way to cook eggs!!! Or anything else for that matter. I have a 14" skillet and a 14" dutch that I use all the time. The 14" dutch is great for frying taco shells so they don't splatter all over the cooktop, plus the oil keeps the dutch nice and oiled all the time.

 

[Xodrana]

Wow Great horse thats quite a cauldren. Nasty neighbors, don't bury the bodies just cook them into soup. LOL

 

[eastbaychicks]

Wait... I've been using only olive oil on my cast iron grill... for the grill. It get so HOT and puts those perfect marks on my veggies, I had no idea I was ruining it. I guess it's too late huh, I've been doing it for about 5 years now. There's a nice coat on it, and every once in a while I'll toss some water on it and sterilize it and then re-oil again. What will the olive oil do to it over time? Will it start to rust, or what's the deal?


I even read that you can take rust off cast iron.... have any of you done that? I love this stuff. I still love my stainless pans, and of course my Le Cruset will always have my heart... but so will my cast iron... I heart it!

 

[Opa]

The best and easiest method I have ever found for cleaning cast iron is to place it in the oven in the self clean cycle.

 

[Princess Lay-a]

Quote:
I usually do that, but this last time my newer oven failed me...big time!
The new oven racks are so flippin' thin that they buckled under the heat and weight of my dutch oven I was cleaning. It all dropped and shattered the interior glass door and cost me around $90 w/shipping! I have never had trouble before, but it seems you don't get what you pay for anymore. The hubby had a fit think I was being silly cleaning cast iron pot in this way. Of course I gave him the stink eye and a lecture on cast iron. What can I expect? His mom "helped" me by washing dishes once and told be she scrubbed my frying pan really good because it had all this black stuff on it. She scrubbed the seasoning right off!!

She's cooked with these pans before and it was probably for spite.

My pan has never been the same!

Grrr!

I LOVE my cast iron and I have a fair collection of pieces, bakeware, pans, dutch ovens and odd pieces of trivets and art . This lovely addiction is kinds tactile for me. The weight, the feel. Love my cast iron!

Now, I am off to find some REAL oven racks!

 

[momofthree]

oh man! that stinks!

When i need to remove years of gunked on stuff on my peices i acquire (just got an old chicken fryer skillet and it has gunk 1/2 inch thick on the outside!) i just toss the entire pan into the fire when we burn our burn piles. works like a charm. just wipe off the soot and grime and re-season a few times. you will be good to go.

 

[eastbaychicks]

I am SOO happy you posted your story about the oven rack. I can't even imagine that happening. I think I'll stick to the in the fire method.

Will either method remove rust?

 

[Princess Lay-a]

Quote:
I too will give that a shot!

It doesn't "remove" the rust, but seems to make it easier to get off. Clean/wash it well with a stiff brush afterwards, oil thoroughly and wipe excess off.
Check these pages out:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastIronPans.htm
You may see my cast iron Halloween muffin pan in there that needed cleaning!

Peace!

 

[Princess Lay-a]

Quote:
Here it is!

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/SelfCleanOven.htm