Are cast iron skillets really safe?!

[voultsi]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I didnt believe that my post would start that big of a conversetion and obviously my fears of getting a cast iron are completely gone

 

[Addie]

Glad we were able to ally your fears. Remember, Cookie had only cast iron in his chuck wagon to use when he was feeding the cowboys out on the range. And they all survived to live long enough to get those critters to market. Today, a lot of those cast iron vessels are still in use today. I only wish I had just one of them. They have quite a history. In some families, that cast iron pan of Grandma's is sought after, that they are often mentioned in wills as to who will get it. A lot of them are now in the possession of a third generation.

So go get yours, and treat it well. It will serve you for many years and you can pass it down to a family member. Happy Cooking!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I didnt believe that my post would start that big of a conversetion and obviously my fears of getting a cast iron are completely gone

You don't even know. We've had threads with subjects such as the proper way to peel a hard boiled egg, go for six or seven pages.

Sometimes, we've so off topic from the Op's subject that it's hard to remember what the original topic was. I think we're all a little ADD around here, except maybe for Uncle Bob.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Addie]

You don't even know. We've had threads with subjects such as the proper way to peel a hard boiled egg, go for six or seven pages.

Sometimes, we've so off topic from the Op's subject that it's hard to remember what the original topic was. I think we're all a little ADD around here, except maybe for Uncle Bob.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Yup! And I am one of the biggest offenders of that.

 

[callmaker60]

perfectly safe.

 

[CWS4322]

Glad we were able to ally your fears. Remember, Cookie had only cast iron in his chuck wagon to use when he was feeding the cowboys out on the range. And they all survived to live long enough to get those critters to market. Today, a lot of those cast iron vessels are still in use today. I only wish I had just one of them. They have quite a history. In some families, that cast iron pan of Grandma's is sought after, that they are often mentioned in wills as to who will get it. A lot of them are now in the possession of a third generation.

So go get yours, and treat it well. It will serve you for many years and you can pass it down to a family member. Happy Cooking!

My LeCreuset and CI pans are in my will!

 

[FrankZ]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I didnt believe that my post would start that big of a conversetion and obviously my fears of getting a cast iron are completely gone

Of course we haven't done a scientific study of these things...

 

[Caslon]

My LeCreuset and CI pans are in my will!

Is there something about really old CI pans that makes them any more desirable than todays CI pans?

Different cast iron metal used? 100 years of carbon build up?

 

[Addie]

Is there something about really old CI pans that makes them any more desirable than todays CI pans?

Different cast iron metal used? 100 years of carbon build up?

Their history and they have years of seasoning on them.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Is there something about really old CI pans that makes them any more desirable than todays CI pans?

Different cast iron metal used? 100 years of carbon build up?

The old CI pans that I have were honed very smooth, almost silky smooth, when they were made. My 6 inch CI "egg pan" is so smooth that fried eggs will slide out of the pan with just a quick shake. The newer cast iron pans have more of a pebbled surface that I do not care for. Last year I got a deal on two large almost new CI griddles and after one use I went back to my trusty old pans. The griddles were good but not great, one was made by Lodge and the other was Emeril Lagassi's Emerilware, maybe in 100 years I will change my mind about them!

The old pans that I have were also very, very inexpensive or in one case free, your Aunt Bea loves free!

 

[Hoot]

I reckon I am late to the party on this topic.
Being old enough to know that I ain't got to say how old I am, I have used (or eaten food cooked in) cast iron all my life. No ill effects whatsoever. Matter of fact, I am on no medications for any type of malady (much to my doctor's surprise). Is it the result of using cast iron? Probably not.
Cast iron is, and has been, my preferred cookware. Properly cared for, it can last for several lifetimes.

 

[Andy M.]

...so smooth that fried eggs will slide out of the pan with just a quick shake. The newer cast iron pans have more of a pebbled surface that I do not care for...

True. New CI does not have as smooth a surface as the older stuff.

That said, I can cook eggs in my new CI and have them slide onto a plate with just a shake. While the appearance of the newer pans may be off putting, their performance isn't necessarily inferior.

 

[Mad Cook]

They are safe as long as you don't drop them on your toe.

And very dangerous if you throw them at your spouse when s/he is telling you how dangerous your skillet is to cook in.

 

[Hoot]

Down to the Rendezvous, we have a term for a wife using a frying pan to adjust her husband's attitude....It goes something like "Yeah, he came home drunk the other night and she Griswolded him."

 

[CWS4322]

Is there something about really old CI pans that makes them any more desirable than todays CI pans?

Different cast iron metal used? 100 years of carbon build up?

Other than the fact my grandma cooked in them, I don't think so. The ones that were at The Lake (Lake of the Woods) were washed in the lake using sand to rub any "gunk" out. My grandma always dried them on the woodstove (which is what we used to cook on) and flipped them over, put a dollop of Crisco in them. Drained the Crisco off into a canning jar and wiped the pan with a paper towel. That's how I take care of my pans--I even have bags of LOW sand handy.

 

[Freki]

Honestly, none of that has been a concern for me, most of the cast iron we have has been passed down through at least 3 generations, and none of us have had issues with it. I use cast iron for almost everything and have for almost 3 years with no negative side effects.

The only danger (as stated by Sparrowgrass) is dropping it on your toe!

 

[Freki]

And very dangerous if you throw them at your spouse when s/he is telling you how dangerous your skillet is to cook in.

Or being told "You didn't need another pan!"

Of course I need more corn stick pans!

 

[Petek]

I've been cooking with cast iron for more than 40 years. Over that time, most of my hair has fallen out. What remains has turned gray. I've put on weight. I now have aches and pains where none previously existed. So, yes, cooking with cast iron over a long period is dangerous - it causes aging.