Cast Iron Skillet

[corazon]

do you own a cast iron skillet? I've never had one but it seems some people swear by them. I'm thinking of investing in one. What brand is yours? What are your likes & dislikes about it? I want all the dirty details! Thanks!

 

[GB]

Get one Cora. The investment is small. There are probably the least expensive cookware out there. Lodge is the most popular name in the US. You can get a 10" skillet for about $15-$20. Or if you look at yard sales you can often find old cast iron for a buck or two.

The drawbacks are:
They are very heavy. This is also one of the reasons they are so great, but if you have arthritis or trouble lifting heavy things then cast iron is not for you.

The require a little bit of care. They need to be seasoned and kept dry. These are easy things to do, but if you are the type of person who likes to leave pans lying around and not really take care of them then again cast iron is not for you.

Other than those two possible downsides, cast iron is a great material for cooking. It holds onto the heat and distributes it evenly. I would highly recommend adding a piece to your cooking arsenal!

 

[SizzlininIN]

Get one Cora. The investment is small. There are probably the least expensive cookware out there. Lodge is the most popular name in the US. You can get a 10" skillet for about $15-$20. Or if you look at yard sales you can often find old cast iron for a buck or two.

The drawbacks are:
They are very heavy. This is also one of the reasons they are so great, but if you have arthritis or trouble lifting heavy things then cast iron is not for you.

The require a little bit of care. They need to be seasoned and kept dry. These are easy things to do, but if you are the type of person who likes to leave pans lying around and not really take care of them then again cast iron is not for you.

Other than those two possible downsides, cast iron is a great material for cooking. It holds onto the heat and distributes it evenly. I would highly recommend adding a piece to your cooking arsenal!

I agree with GB! My mom always said the best cast iron skillets were the old ones "Griswold or Griswald". She grew up using them and I've inhereted hers and dads and love using them. They make the best fried chicken.

Be sure if you get one not to leave it soaking in water because it will develop rust. I'm pretty sure there is another discussion on this subject on the forum somewhere and it tells how to season the pans and what to do if you happen to get rust on them.

By the way you can pick up the Griswold at fleamarkets, antique stores and sometimes at estate sales.

 

[jennyema]

A good cast iron skillet is one of the best cooking vessels in the world.

Get one. Like GB says, they are cheap. And last forever.

These days, I'd recommend a Lodge brand.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Definitely get one, or two, or three - lol!! There's little to nothing one can't cook in cast iron.

And I agree that Lodge is the best. Here's a link to their website which shows everything in their current line: http://www.lodgemfg.com/ Their online prices seem high, as well as the shipping (because of the weight), but I picked up both my Lodge pans at Wal-Mart for between $20-$25 each.

I started out with their grill skillet, which has ridges in it that make lovely "grill marks" on meat, fish, etc. Had so much fun with that, that I then picked up a large plain skillet which, helpfully, has a small handle opposite the regular one to help carry it (again, due to weight).

Lodge now puts out a "pre-seasoned" line (for more $$, of course), but seasoning the pans yourself is SO simple, I'd go for the regular line & just do it yourself. While you do have to be a bit careful with cast iron (it does break if dropped), it last's forever & can & has been literally passed down through generations of families.

 

[bethzaring]

I just went down to the kitchen to see how many pieces I have......6.....ranging from an 8 inch skillet to a 5 quart dutch oven. I have 2 Wagners, 2 Lodges and 2 that are not marked with a makers name. Personally, I do not feel the maker makes any difference, cast iron is cast iron, whatcha all think about the makers?? I looked to see which ones I use the most and it is the Wagners. I usually keep two cast iron skillets on the stove top at all times. Too heavy to move to the cabinet, and I use them almost every day. If they need cleaned with soap and water, dry them with a bit of heat on the stove top to make sure they are dry.
I would not be without them, highly recommend them.

 

[Quizzie]

CORAZON, I could not even put a price tag on mine. My husband and I were both fortunate to inherit ours from our Grandmothers. We were both close to them. In our restraunt all of our skills and training came from days of hanging on there skirts.. to learn all there was about down home cooking. I have a comal that is 46 years old. (older than me) As well, as a dutch oven--makes the best upsidedown cakes in the world.
I emplore you to purchase one and explore the new tastes you will aquire using this item. We have ours on display at home (above the stove), and on each burner at the grill. Good Luck. Mine, no longer have the markings of a name brand. Only the engravings of the years of use. They last longer than us, and get better with age....

 

[corazon]

Thanks everybody! Twist my arm!
What kinds of things do you find your cast iron exceptional at doing? What meals do you make using it? Or is it basically an everything pan? Does the seasoning make like a homemade nonstick?

 

[Quizzie]

I make all my meals in mine. I do own a set of Wolfgang Puck ( exceptional set) main uses for Wolfie are the steaming of foods. and boiling my jars for canning.. Big deep pot. Hey, I just thought of something.. If it is put in jars.. why do we call it canning?

 

[BreezyCooking]

Actually, I do think the manufacturer does make a difference. Perhaps not between major well-known brands (although I don't know of any others besides Lodge), but there's definitely a difference between well-made cast-iron & cheaply-made cast iron.

For instance, while shopping at CostCo I came across a complete set of cast-iron skillets for a very reasonable price. Upon picking them up, however, I was absolutely flabbergasted at how lightweight they were. I don't remember the brand name, but "Made in China" was stamped on the bottom of each piece. Sorry, but I could tell right off that they wouldn't hold a candle to my Lodge pieces.

Unless you're buying an old well-used antique piece that's well-weighted but doesn't have a hallmark, do stick with the tried & true American brands. There are definitely cheapies out there that are probably giving cast iron a bad name.

 

[GB]

Yes the seasoning makes it non stick. It will take a while to build the seasoning up so don't expect it to be non stick right from the start, but the more you use it the more the seasoning will build and the better the pan will be.

Cast iron is amazing at browning meats. They are also great for things that will cook at a low temp for a long time. But really they are great all around pans. The only thing I would not use it for is cooking acidic food for a long time, so no long cooking tomato sauces. Other than that though they are great for just about anything.

 

[Run_Out]

I have a lodge 3.5 qt deep fryer, a 12" cast iron skillet, and a 10"LeCruset enamel coatd cast iron skillet.

I don't use the cast iron for acid based foods as they tend to have a metalic taste.

I think they are all great but they are heavy....
later

 

[BreezyCooking]

Well, actually "Le Creuset" falls into an entirely different category from basic cast iron. Totally different leagues.

I haven't yet cooked any acid-based foods in my cast iron, but I just might experiment after reading an article on cast iron in the New York Times a while ago, where a chef pooh-poohed the no-acid-cooking thing & said that he makes wonderful acid-based sauces in his cast-iron all the time without any change in flavor. He claimed that once the piece is very well-seasoned, there is no metallic taste no matter what you cook in it.

 

[GB]

Well that is the key breezy, it has to be very well seasoned. If it is then the seasoning is almost like a force field protecting the metal underneith. If the seasoning is not strong enough though then you will taste the metal.

 

[corazon]

You also get extra iron added to your food, right?

 

[GB]

If you can taste it in your food then yes you do get extra iron. If you don't taste it then you probably are not getting extra (or at least not much).

 

[spdrdr]

Funny isn't it? All these years (I'm 57) & I've never looked for a brand on my cast iron. I have four pieces: The skillet I use most was given to me as a wedding gift by a co-worker of my mom's. That was in 1967. The bottom of it says: 10 1/2 INCH SKILLET. The small one has NO. 5 8 1/2 INCH in two lines on the bottom. I also use my skillet with 8 wedges - the bottom of it has CORN BREAD SKILLET in a half circle at the top & PAT. PENDING in a half circle at the bottom. The last piece is a cornstick pan that makes 7 sticks. I can't find any markings on it. It's approx 5" x10". Can't remember ever buying one - all handed down thank goodness.
I have experienced the metallic taste - I will never put spaghetti sauce in it again!
My new (to me) house has a ceramic smooth-top stove & the book says DO NOT use cast iron skillets. However, I have been told that it will not hurt anything unless you scoot it around too much & scratch the surface. I'm still afraid to try - maybe after the new wears off - I just plug up my single hot plate if I want to top-of-the-stove something in them. Does anybody out there know for sure?
Oh yeah - back to the subject - Corazon you are getting the real scoop from these great people - I don't think cornbread or fried chicken would taste as good in anything else - go for it! Glenda

 

[BreezyCooking]

You know, that's exactly why I did NOT buy a smooth-top range when we bought a new one 9 years ago.

They had the instruction booklets for each range attached to them so buyer's could check them out more thoroughly. Every single smooth-top clearly stated that neither cast-iron nor woks were to be used on them.

Sorry - both my cast-iron pans & my wok are integral parts of my cooking enjoyment that I value far more highly than easy range-top cleaning.

 

[jennyema]

I use my cast iron skillets on my ceramic top stove all the time, like nearly daily. I also use my steel wok on my ceramic stove. The stove came with the house I bought and I'd sooner cut off my arm than not use my cast iron.

No problems whatsoever. Works perfectly. I have done so for 8 years, now. I have one very small scratch on the surface, but don't even remember how that happened. I have had way more trouble with burned on sugar.

It suspect it has nothing to do with performance and everything to do with scratching and breaking of the ceramic surface. Some mfrs warranty for breakage.

My cast iron is very well seasoned and I can't distinguish any taste when I cook with wine, but when I cook with tomatoes or vinegar I can taste the iron. Also, it has colored the food.

 

[buckytom]

Well that is the key breezy, it has to be very well seasoned. If it is then the seasoning is almost like a force field protecting the metal underneith. If the seasoning is not strong enough though then you will taste the metal.

'lol, do i have to say "sheilds up" when i start cooking with my pan?

cora, i have a lodge cast iron "grill" pan, and a very old cast iron pan my mom passed down to me. i use them for things that require searing, then finishing in the oven like thicks steaks and such.

i did a little research on my lunch hour, and found out that there are newer production techniques that allow for the creation of a lighter weight cast iron.here is a little info: http://www.productionmachining.com/articles/030302.htmli

also, i wouldn't put it past the chinese to have shaved a few millimeters off the pan's thickness, again reducing weight.

since heat transfers through dense metals more evenly, i would think the heavier cast iron pans would be better for cooking. but the trade off is weight and mobility.