skillet ?

Roger Hicks · Oct 8, 2006

Just keep it a VERY LONG TIME. Our oldest cast iron pan is 100+ years old, probably bought by Frances's grandparents just after they were married: her mother (born 1911, middle child of 3, older brother born c. 1905)) hated having to clean it when she was a little girl, because it was so heavy. The finish on it is however equalled by a pan I bought a mere 25-30 years ago. Even our newest frying pan, under a decade old, isn't too bad. Initial seasoning was 2x heating with salt, 2x with oil.

We wash all of them without compunction, but after washing, we always re-season with olive oil heated to smoking point.

Cheers,

R. (www.rogerandfrances.com)

BrianShaw · Oct 8, 2006

mark said:
Now that you have done the Crisco thing. Run a slab of bacon in it and leave the grease to cool in the pan. Heat it up, and pour the the excess off. Wipe the rest out, and let it cool again. You will be very happy.

Why not do two things at once: when the cooled bacon grease has been re-heated, throw in some potatoes and onions. After they are crispy and cooked, THEN wipe out the pan. You might just be even happier!

mark · Oct 8, 2006

mmmmmmmmmm.......cholesterol=comfort food.

copake_ham · Oct 9, 2006

In part by long-term "planning" (i.e. I needed to finally move out the package of "fancy" strip bacon) and also because of this thread - I fried up some of the good bacon stuff in the big cast iron this AM.

This "big" one is actually the "baby". We've only been seasoning it for about 15 years now.

The bacon was thick sliced and quite high off the hog (i.e. a bit too lean) - and given the wide width of the pan - cooked a bit quicker than I like. But still got a nice "fry", a good bacon grease "puddle" and a very "clean" wipe.

This one is about to graduate to "trustworthy" - that is - when you can confidently do a "dry fry".

We do this with chicken breasts, pork loin slices and tuna steaks - wherein we just sprinkle on a layer of course salt (e.g. Kosher-style) - then get the pan to a super high heat and then do 3 minutes per side with the meat.

Then, remove from direct heat - cover and let finish for 5 minutes.

MMMMM.

Dave Wooten · Oct 9, 2006

copake_ham said:
In part by long-term "planning" (i.e. I needed to finally move out the package of "fancy" strip bacon) and also because of this thread - I fried up some of the good bacon stuff in the big cast iron this AM.

.......The bacon was thick sliced and quite high off the hog (i.e. a bit too lean) - and given the wide width of the pan - cooked a bit quicker than I like. But still got a nice "fry", a good bacon grease "puddle" and a very "clean" wipe.

Thanks George,

Indeed the most inspirational and lovely prose I have read all morning!

Allen Friday · Oct 9, 2006

This is from the "Splendid Table" Website:

"When you get the pan home, scrub it with a steel wool pad to get rid of all the sticky surface coating designed to protect the pan prior to purchase. Set the pan over very low heat until it's thoroughly dry, coat it generously with a flavorless vegetable oil, then place the pan in the oven set at 300 degrees and leave it for several hours. Turn off the heat and leave the pan in the oven overnight. Lightly rinse the pan with hot water, wipe out the moisture, dry over very low heat, rub it with oil, and again place it in the oven to "bake" for several hours. After that, every time you use the pan clean it with hot water only, try not to use soap, wipe it out and dry over very low heat."

bruce terry · Oct 9, 2006

All this talk! Proof positive you cannot kill an analog cast iron skillet. And it can't kill you ... at least not from perfluorooctanoic acid, lurking in about every non-stick out there. Might die from a hit over the head with a castie, of too much iron, but never of too much perfluorooctanoic acid.

Bruce

Gay Larson · Oct 9, 2006

Dave Wooten said:
Wow thanks as always for the global wisdom of Apug!

Also, I am sure many lurkers, ashamed and living with feelings of guilt over the deplorable condition of their family skillets, (often entrusted to them and now encrusted and oxidized), can now right their ways and become proud full curators of their family heirlooms.

Now that you mention it, can an abused skilled (not that I have one) be re-seasoned? What if it has had a little rust? (not that I have one).

Stephanie Brim · Oct 9, 2006

I actually wouldn't try reviving a rusty one. Casties are rather cheap and plentiful these days...getting a new one (and a big one at that) didn't cost me more than $30.

Aggie · Oct 9, 2006

Gay Larson said:
Dave Wooten said:

Wow thanks as always for the global wisdom of Apug!

Also, I am sure many lurkers, ashamed and living with feelings of guilt over the deplorable condition of their family skillets, (often entrusted to them and now encrusted and oxidized), can now right their ways and become proud full curators of their family heirlooms.

Now that you mention it, can an abused skilled (not that I have one) be re-seasoned? What if it has had a little rust? (not that I have one).

Click to expand...

The old fashioned method was to take a bit of sand mixed with oil and a tree branch section to use to scour the pan with. Today they acid dip them and immediately after rinsing the acid off reseason as has been mentioned prviously in this thread. I hate to seel good cast iron pots thrown away.

glbeas · Oct 9, 2006

We have Lodge factory store nearby (we go to the one in South Pittsburgh, Tenn.) that has more cast iron ware than I've ever seen in one place. We even got us a cast iron pizza pan and the stovetop steak grill does a wonderful job on our little steaks. And my deep cup muffin pan makes better muffins than any sheet metal junk can do. Then theres the obligatory 10" skillet for the cornbread. Ooh wee!

Dorothy Blum Cooper · Oct 9, 2006

Just thought I'd share that CIS's are great for baking in. I absolutely love baking my home-made, buttermilk biscuits in mine. The biscuits come out perfect everytime!!! Beats all the baking sheets I've used on occasion.

BrianShaw · Oct 9, 2006

Gay Larson said:
Now that you mention it, can an abused skilled (not that I have one) be re-seasoned? What if it has had a little rust? (not that I have one).

Everything (if not more) tahn you ever wanted to know. Re-viving old cast iron takes time, lots of effort, and comittment. Some don't find it worth the time, while others wouldn't think of using new cast iron.

http://www.gcica.org/clean-iron.html

Check out their main page for the announcement of a $21,000 caast iron bread pan. (I'm not kidding!)

jolefler · Oct 10, 2006

I just have to mention that I'm STILL married to the wonderful woman that owned the CIS that I scrubbed mercilessly with de-greasing soap and steel wool until it shined like new. She never did ask me to straighten out the kitchen after dinner again, though.

Gay Larson · Oct 12, 2006

Just so you all know, I cooked with my cast iron skillet tonight and the food was wonderful. So there, my skillet is not abused! I just had a friend with an abused skillet.

Black Dog · Oct 13, 2006

Wow, this forum really is an absaloute mine of info!

skillet ?

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