Cast Iron Skillets for Everyday Use and Beyond.

[Merovech]

I know I love my cast iron pans. I have a friend who works at salvation army so when they get pans that are "to bad to sell" they give them to me for cheap and I use them as iron targets for my .22's. Great targets on the cheap.

BURN THE HERETIC!

[ZombieGranny]

To be honest, pans that have had the handles chewed off by porcupines* really have little resale value.


*Yes, they do that.

[Merovech]

To be honest, pans that have had the handles chewed off by porcupines* really have little resale value.


*Yes, they do that.

I was kidding... but damn Granny, thats just weird.

[ZombieGranny]

I know.

I remember the first time we had that happen. Gnawed it clean off. (My understanding is they go after handles because the salt from human hands gets ground into them.)
We'd just moved to the woods when I was 4 and still had things scattered around the property.

Believe me, DON'T get body parts anywhere near a porcupine's teeth.

[Purple_Mutant]

I know.

I remember the first time we had that happen. Gnawed it clean off. (My understanding is they go after handles because the salt from human hands gets ground into them.)
We'd just moved to the woods when I was 4 and still had things scattered around the property.

Believe me, DON'T get body parts anywhere near a porcupine's teeth.

I was just doing a google image search on porcupine. I came across pictures of dogs that run ins with them. Yikes! Porcupines are no joke. I can only imagine what their teeth can do if they can gnaw off a cast iron pan handle.

[sheddi]

This thread deserves a bump

I've got a single cast iron skillet, an 8" Aaron Sanchez branded one (don't judge, it was a TK Maxx bargain!) that gets occasional use on the stove-top. It's enamelled on the outside so I'm reluctant to take it out of the house and use it on an open fire. However I'm now looking to buy a 6", bare iron, "beater" skillet to use when camping.

A question about enamelled cast iron cookware. I sometimes see this with damaged enamel available for not-very-much. Does anyone know if it's feasible to clean the enamel off (eg. with a wire wheel) and end up with a usable pan? Or is the enamel usually covering a scruffy surface?

If no-one knows I might suck it and see

[Halfapint]

The roomies and I solely cook on cast iron. We've got 3 8", 1 10", 1 12" and an assortment of smaller size and specialty pans. I bought a 6" cast iron for my pack when I camp and need to cook fish. I really want to get back into making aebleskiver with my cast iron pan, love those little treats. One many a Boy Scout cook off with those.

One of my roommates is Dutch so the running joke is if you need a Dutch oven call him. It's funny listening to him scream "F*CK YOU" when someone needs to borrow one.

[Purple_Mutant]

The roomies and I solely cook on cast iron. We've got 3 8", 1 10", 1 12" and an assortment of smaller size and specialty pans. I bought a 6" cast iron for my pack when I camp and need to cook fish. I really want to get back into making aebleskiver with my cast iron pan, love those little treats. One many a Boy Scout cook off with those.

One of my roommates is Dutch so the running joke is if you need a Dutch oven call him. It's funny listening to him scream "F*CK YOU" when someone needs to borrow one.

With the exception of pots I only use cast iron. I have been making waffles quite a bit lately. One of these days I want an old school cast iron waffle iron. More specifically a griswold number 8. Unfortunately they can get a bit expensive. But given how rock solid cast iron is; I would only have to pay once. Are there any benefits to a cast iron dutch oven over other pots in a kitchen setting? They seem like a neat deal over a fire. But I am not sure about use in a kitchen over a gas stove. In the past I have been tempted to get an aebleskiver pan. I became intrigued after seeing a video on how to make Takoyaki. Those pans look like a nice alternative to an oven for making muffin like items. You could have some baked beans cooking in a Dutch oven and some cornbread in the aebleskiver. Yummy!

[Halfapint]

Standard Dutch ovens are dfferent than kitchen use ones. Standard have a lip on the lid to keep the charcoal on, and legs at the bottom. Those are AWESOME for camping. Between me, mom, and the roomies I count count how many true Dutch ovens we have. I think I personally have 3 sets (maybe ill foster one set to the 005 crew for out BO location).

We have 2 of the cast iron with ceramic coating Dutch ovens (kitchen use). I use them over a slow cooker because, well. I dunno I like it better? One thing I really like about them is that they aren't subject to heat fluctuations. It's not a big deal if you're cooking beans, but if you're cooking a cake or something it really Evens out the cooking.

I make my lunches for the week ahead of time and one of my favorites is a slow cooked (in a Dutch oven) pulled chicken with a hatch chilli base. 275 degrees for about 4-5 hours and it comes out perfectly moist and packed full of flavor.

[Asymetryczna]

In the canoe, for longer trips, I nearly always pack an old cast iron skillet. Add a zip lock bag of corn meal and some cayenne, and the All-Vegetable Crisco baking stick. Pure goodness will follow once we hit a stopping point for the night. Sometimes, a good sized catfish will produce a few crawfish or other edible items in its belly. Add it to the corn meal!

[Merovech]

This thread deserves a bump

I've got a single cast iron skillet, an 8" Aaron Sanchez branded one (don't judge, it was a TK Maxx bargain!) that gets occasional use on the stove-top. It's enamelled on the outside so I'm reluctant to take it out of the house and use it on an open fire. However I'm now looking to buy a 6", bare iron, "beater" skillet to use when camping.

A question about enamelled cast iron cookware. I sometimes see this with damaged enamel available for not-very-much. Does anyone know if it's feasible to clean the enamel off (eg. with a wire wheel) and end up with a usable pan? Or is the enamel usually covering a scruffy surface?

If no-one knows I might suck it and see

Thanks for the Necro bump. I love this thread

I wouldn't bother trying to 'save' a CI pan from enamel. It really isn't worth the effort it would take to do it. I would just buy a new/used CI pan and leave the enamel one alone as is.

If you are going to use a beater skillet for camping, buy a Lodge, the iron is a bit thicker (Although not as fine), and you wont be out more than $20 when it warps from the camp fire to the point of unusability.

[Asymetryczna]

I am not certain about the UK equivalent of Goodwill (Salvation Army, Oxfam perhaps?) but used skillets can often be found in 2d hand stores. For altruistic and tax reasons, people in the U.S. tend to put a lot of stuff back into use by donating it.

In fact, I think it is time to make a visit to check out their book stack. I'll watch for a 6 inch skillet.

[gundogs]

Be careful buying old used Dutch ovens--- they may have been used to melt lead

[sheddi]

If you are going to use a beater skillet for camping, buy a Lodge, the iron is a bit thicker (Although not as fine), and you wont be out more than $20 when it warps from the camp fire to the point of unusability.

I went for a budget generic 6" skillet. Since I was paying for postage anyway (about the same as the sticker price of the skillet!) I also bought a rectangular tray thing:


The skillet is noticeably paler than the tray, and has a distinctly rougher surface. The dark pattern on the skillet looks to be a casting artifact.

They arrived this morning and have been washed in hot soapy water (they were waxed at manufacture and this needed cleaning off), dried and oiled, and are in the oven seasoning at the moment. I'm hoping to cook bacon for lunch later

I am not certain about the UK equivalent of Goodwill (Salvation Army, Oxfam perhaps?) but used skillets can often be found in 2d hand stores. For altruistic and tax reasons, people in the U.S. tend to put a lot of stuff back into use by donating it.

There's not the same tax breaks in the UK, and (around here at least) most charity shops seem to mosly sell used clothes and books. I'll keep an eye open all the same, I might get lucky!

[sheddi]

After seasoning. The skillet has noticeably changed colour, the tray not so much.



The only thing I could possibly do next is cook some bacon

[Halfapint]

After seasoning. The skillet has noticeably changed colour, the tray not so much.



The only thing I could possibly do next is cook some bacon

Mm mm English bacon, miss that stuff. Where'd you buy the skillet and grill?

[sheddi]

The bacon tasted as good as it looked

The cast iron came from these people:
http://www.warriorstoves.co.uk/

The company is based in Cornwall, not far from where I grew up, and started as a hardware store (http://warriorwarehouses.co.uk/). My Dad would take me there with him when I was a youngster!

I can't embed a Google map but I can share a link:
http://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Chap ... 08ff?hl=en

[CG]

Necro thread, 'cause y'all are a bad influence. I started reading, and now instead of packing to leave tonight or studying for my test in 15 minutes, I have 3 skillets in the oven...

[Halfapint]

Still cooking on the cast iron everyday! Teaching the GF to cook and how to care for cast iorn!