Cast-iron waffle maker secrets?

[redoak]

My wife recently bought a cast-iron waffle maker. We've tried it a few times with no success. The batter recipe that came with the waffle maker comes out like glue and burns on the outside and is still uncooked in the middle. We have a propane range and we've tried using a stovetop heat diffuser. The waffle maker we've seasoned with crisco. If anyone has any tips/suggestions/ waffle batter recipes I'd appreciate it, thanks.

 

[spook]

I use a brush with veggie oil or the spray "pam" or one of those. You are going to need to cure it with oil and heat.

I use a recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens cook book:

Everyday waffles

1 3/4 cup flour 3 tsp Baking Powder
2 beaten egg yolks 1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup salad oil 3 tbls sugar
1 tsp vanilla or Lemon 2 egg beaten egg whites
soft peaks

Mix ingredients, fold in egg whites. Spray preheated waffle iron with oil and pour in approx 3/4 cup of batter, use care not to over dip, keep those egg whites fluffy!
It takes my waffle Iron 10 mins. Do not peek until you are ready to lift. If you begin to lift and there is a bit of resistance, DO NOT LIFT, if they are steaming, then they are not done.
This recipe is great for 2 people, I always doubled with 3 kids! (try least amount first! LOL) If it leaks out side the waffle iron, use less batter. I always use a measure cup.
Good luck to you and whomever gets my secret recipe

 

[suburban farm girl]

I've never used a cast iron waffle maker before, but from what you're describing it sounds like it is too hot when you cook the waffles (burnt on the outside, goopy on the inside).

All I can suggest is to keep experimenting until you come up with the heat combination that works for you. (I don't envy you the task on a propane stove with a heat diffuser. I am truly spoiled with my electric waffle iron.) To make it all worth the effort, I'll share my favorite waffle recipe with you - make that my ONLY waffle recipe - it's so good there is no reason to have another

They are light and fluffy and sooo delicious with butter and hot syrup. (This is the one my mom made for us as kids.)

Waffles

3 cups flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar

4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
Separate the eggs. Beat Whites stiff. In a large mixing bowl beat yolks until lemon colored. Beat milk into yolks. Add dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Mix in oil. Fold in egg whites.

Makes appx. 20 waffles (and they freeze really well!)

 

[MissPrissy]

Do you have a photo of the model? Cast iron has to be well seasoned to be non-stick.

Once it is hot, oil lightly (or spray cooking spray) before cooking the waffles.


This is my waffle recipe

2 cups sifted flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
5 tablespoons melted shortening

Mix and sift dry ingredients.

Combine beaten egg yolks, milk and shortening. Add the wet to the dry ingredients, beating until smooth.

Stiffly beaten egg whites. Gently fold into the batter.

Pour batter into each section of a hot waffle iron. Cook waffles until crispy and browned.

I serve wIth fruits and whipped cream or simple butter and syrup.

 

[redoak]

Thanks for the advice/recipes everyone. The waffle iron is a Rome Cookware Waffle Iron since 1964. We might have enough courage to try making waffles again in the morning.

 

[BettyR]

You might try seasoning it again. My mom always seasons her cast iron by coating it with Crisco and throwing in the trash pile when she's burning trash. Her cast iron is as slick as Teflon.

 

[Davaroo]

It needs to be spittin hot, so a bit of water will dance.
And you need to hose it down, er sorry - "liberally lubricate it" with sausage grease before you put in the batter.

 

[Davaroo]

I mean what are waffles without sausage?

 

[aug251945]

I have the same cast iron waffle maker and have used the recipe that comes with it. The recipe IS the problem. You have to add a LOT more liquid to the recipe. I just used water. Add enough till the batter becomes pourable. Its kind of hard to incorporate the extra water, since the batter is so gummy, but just keep stirring and adding water until it becomes a pourable consistancy. I also add a bit more sugar and some vanilla, because its a pretty bland recipe.

Get your waffle maker nice and hot, I take a stick of butter and just rub it over the inside of each waffle iron and then pour in my batter, close up the lids and turn the heat down low so that the outside doesnt burn, flip it a couple times so that one side isnt cooked or burned more then the other.

Hope this helps anyone who might be searching the internet for this info. I see that this is an older post...

 

[SallyF]

Thanks for reviving the thread and posting the hints. I've been toying with the idea of getting one of those low-tech cast iron waffle makers and you may have just pushed me over the edge into doing that!