Cast iron skillets

[CATRAY44]

All I use is cast iron. I never use soap, just salt to clean them. I dry them on the top of the stove (with burner on) and then coat them with oil and put them away. When you first get them you can cover them with lard, olive oil, etc. and bake it in the oven. Someone may have already said this, as I didn't read everyone's answers. Mine shine like a mirror and are smooth as satin- no sticking. Some of my pans were my grandma's.

 

[seismic wonder2]

OK, For that really old pan that was used for dog food.
1. Get a drill with a wire brush and have at it until all the big time rust and crud is gone, inside and out. it should be a dark grey or at least close to it.
2. Fire up the BBQ grill outside on HI for about 15min to pre heat.
3. Slather your shiny (old) pan with a good hand full of lard, bacon grease, or dare I say, vegitable shortning (if you have nothing else) throw it in the hot grill close the lid and leave it to smoke for about 50 min.
4. Take it out and let it cool on its own until you can safely handle it. slather it again pop it back in the hot grill and let her smoke again.
5. This time when you take it out, (after its cool) wash it with as hot a water as you can stand and a nylon type scrubby thing (NOT STEEL WOOL). NO SOAP!
6. Repeat the grease and hot grill thing and wash again.
After about 4 times in the grill you'll be granted to a super non stick cast iron pan.
7. wash it with only water and the scrubby thing, DRY IMMEDIATELY, apply a thin coating of oil or grease and store it away.

***Always pre lube the pan before pre-heating.
***Always pre-heat your pan on LOW heat for about 5 min BEFORE cranking up the heat to sear or fry stuff.
***You don't need a lot of heat to cook in cast iron. I almost NEVER get my stove above MEDIUM when frying (just don't overload or crowd the pan)
***NEVER put cold liquid into a super hot cast iron skillet! (unless you want a new kitchen)
***Never try to cook in a cold pan.
***After cooking, wash the pan in hot water with a scrubby thing BEFORE you sit down to eat. set it on the warm stove to dry while you eat. When you wash the dinner plates, lube the pan and put it away.
It will last another 100 years.

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:

Um yeah...or go to Wally World and drop $14 for a new, preseasoned one

 

[Badhbh]

I love mine. It's taken a LONG time to get it really nice though

I made some mistakes.
I smear it up with Crisco, and put it in a cold oven. Turn on the heat, and set it to 500*. Let it get up to 500*, then turn it off. Don't take the skillet out. Let it cool in the oven. Once it's cool, take it out, smear it up again, and repeat the process. Once all that is done, I try to cook greasy and fatty stuff in it. Wash with hot water, and put on the burner to dry.

 

[Steve]

Laskaland, now how much fun would that be?

 

[Wildsky]

I found a tiny little cast iron frying pan, probably big enough to fry up a couple of eggs. The thing has rusty marks on it - its very old. Anyway I can get those rust marks etc.. off? Could be its food stains or something, I haven't looked very close.

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:
I know..I know... LOL... I just happen to be lazy when it comes to cleaning

But I do LOVE my cast iron skillet- WOOP WOOP!
Hugs
Christina

 

[eggzettera]

I use old cotton rags to wipe the grease on after cleaning then I use the same rag as a "barrier" when I stack them on top of each other as in:

Small Frying pan
Rag
Medium Frying pan
Rag
Large Frying pan

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:
Did you guys and gals catch that? Prissy admitted her age!!!! Now I'm really feeling bad that she is so skilled and only a couple years older than me

Here with all her "wise-ness" I thought I had decades to catch up <sighs>

back to the pans... I still have been greasing mine before adding food. But not like I did in stainless steel.

Hugs

Angie

Christina

 

[Mrs MIA]

I recently turned up anemic, and my doctor suggested using the cast-iron pans to increase iron intake a bit. I'm not sure how much that actually helps, but it can't hurt.

I love mine, though.