Cast Iron cookware

[LisaBradley]

Hi-
I recently won a pair of cast iron dishes. They look fabulous. In bright orange and yellow. I just wanted to know what the pros and cons are of cast iron cooking. I do know one benefit. You get some iron into your system if you are not taking a supplement. I am anemic and have used this method to perk up my blood iron. But any comments on the speed of cooking?
Lis

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Congrats on your win! But why are the dishes colored? Some are JUST for decoration. Are you 110% possitive they are meant for eatting off of?
Outside of that... I have cooked with cast iron about 13 years ago. I hated it. You couldnt wash it. It was VERY heavy. And I burned myself on that darn handle a few times. Plus you have to season them. And then it takes months and months of use to where someone would say that they are now broken in. Plus after you cook with them you cant really wash them to a sanitary condition. Bottom line.... they are a unneccesary pain.

And about iron. If you are 50 or older and not anemic, iron is bad for ya. Infact vitamins for middle aged and over, do not have iron in them. Just my 2 cents.

 

[LisaBradley]

Thanks Deadly sushi.
I can see how a hot cast iron could be hard to even touch the handle. Its all one hunkin' peice of iron! Yes, its very heavy as well. The colors are just paint, on the outside. I had no idea that they take so long to be 'broken into'. The last time I used a cast iron skillet, I had borrowed it from a nurse at the clinic. She must have had it for a few years before I used it.

Well, I guess my prize will be more for show and less for use. I love my non stick stuff.
Lis

 

[ironchef]

Lisa, is the brand of it Le Creuset? If it is, then you won some really good stuff.

 

[LisaBradley]

Yes iron chef! It is the Saucier pan in flame and red. I can't say that word....but I can say 'Le' in French . I had no idea it was such a big deal. I was at our local Kitchen store-we get a punch for every $100, we spend and I crossed the 1000 mark (Yeah I'm the kind that buys two new shirts a year so I can splurge on my kitchen), so they asked me to choose two gift wrapped boxes from a big pile in the window and I picked the heaviest.
Thanks for that info. I do love the colors though. They go with my magma dishes which are shades of red, orange and yellow.
Lis

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Hey guys..... Le Creuset cast iron IS great!!! I just went on their website!!! Here is some info on them:

Cast Iron allows for low heat cooking and provides unsurpassed heat retention. By enameling the cast iron, Le Creuset products do not require seasoning and will not react with foods (such as acidic tomato sauces).

In total, each piece is touched by 14 pairs of hands before it earns the Le Creuset name.

Well..... this is MUCH better than the regular stuff. I learned something new. Here is a link to their website: http://www.lecreuset.com/new/productcare.php?material=nonstick#4

I am hubbled once again.

 

[lindatooo]

I have a couple of pieces of cast iron for reasons I can no longer rememb er....they are terribly heavy, they do require seasoning and if there is any dampness around at all they rust! (You just try to avoid damp in Oregon!)

But one of my more interesting memories as a teenager was the morning after an overnight at a girlfriend's house...we were going to fix breakfast and I first had to clean up her mom's cast iron frying pan....I scoured that sucker with everything I could find! No cast iron pans lived in my mother's kitchen so I was convinced that thing was filthy! No - her mom never gave me what I deserved for that "favor".....but I bet she was ready to scream!

 

[LMJ]

Very cool. I'm jealous.

Though you won't get the benefits of dietary iron with the enamel coating.

C'mon Sushi, cast iron is relatively easy to clean when you don't have a dishwasher. Just wipe it, rub in the salt, wipe out the salt, and break up the chunkies with a few passes of a steel wool pad, and you're done.

Plain ol' cast iron's got a bad rap... Treat it good, and it'll treat you good.

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

(Deadly Sushi washing his teflon non-stick pot)

Lindatoo.... LOL!!! awwwwwwwwww

 

[scott123]

Is the interior of the pan enameled or is it just iron? Or is it non stick? I've seen Le Crueset frying pans with all three interiors.

 

[JESS]

I find iron cookwere too heavy ,empty let alone when full . You will need muscle like RAMBO to lift them.

 

[DampCharcoal]

Maybe it's because my parents and grandparents cooked with them but I LOVE cooking with cast iron. True, they are heavy. One of my pans is four inches deep and is perfect for cooking up a large batch of sausage gravy and feels like it weighs 40 pounds when full! That's okay, I can use the excersize anyway! They are not, however, great for cooking on the fly cuz they take a long time to heat up and a long time to cool down. Some of my pans were "broken in" about a hundred years ago so I haven't had to worry about that. By now, I'm sure you all think I'm a raving lunatic (you'd be right) but I thought I would offer my unqualified opinion!

 

[JESS]

By now, I'm sure you all think I'm a raving lunatic (you'd be right) but I thought I would offer my unqualified opinion! [/quote]

you said it (no coment )

 

[Clouds]

Hi Lisa,

I just read your post. Here is a useful site which explains how to care for your cast iron pans:

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

 

[kitchenelf]

Lisa, I think you understand by now you won some wonderful cookware. Cast iron cookware is kind of like "baking" - there are a few rules but once you know them the care and storage of them is a breeze.

If your Le Crueset is totally covered with enamel there is no seasoning involved. If you really, really, really hate them I'll pay for shipping and you can send them to me

(oh, that's my happy dance)

 

[Clouds]

oh that happy dance is just gorgeous!!!! i want one!!!