I've used cast iron around 40yrs with most pieces coming from estate sales cheap. The stuff never wears out and is simple to care for. If new, get it hot and rub down well with vegetable oil. Cleanup with hot water, a touch of soap if real dirty and scrub up, wipe dry immediately and paper towel with your favorite cooking oil. Cast iron distributes heat very evenly throu out and great for campfire, grill, stove top, or oven (making for great cornbread). Good cookin!
I really need to cook with mine more. well other than camp fire fried spamwiches when fishing on the river!
There, fixed it for you! LOL And all my pieces are Lodge ...
I use silicone mostly, because I'm primarily sauteing vegetables or scrambling eggs, and it works better for those foods (delicate for the leafy greens, moves the eggs around better in the pan). For meats and larger items, I use what I grab out of the drawer but my old school Cutco stainless works better than than plastic or wooden utensils.
you can buy lodge at bass pro...
Bought my 10" and 12" in 1970. I was raised on them at home, and thats what I still cook with today. They last forever, and don't have the chemical coating that the "non stick" pans have.
I don't allow them in my house.
I don't allow them in my house.
Cooking on cast iron almost has a sub-culture following. Among cast iron cooks there is an even more cult like following among dutch oven cooks. There is an art to cooking outdoors with D.O.'s.
I know people who have bought the lower priced "made in China" stuff and are happy with it but I would not recommend that. For the difference in cost I would highly recommend sticking to Lodge brand or finding good quality used/vintage stuff. I just don't know what kind of metal the Chinese use in theirs and I'm feeding my family out of these.
There are several websites that you can learn a lot of stuff about cooking on these but most of the basics have been covered here already. Clean it well, season it well and use the heck out of it. The more you use it PROPERLY the better the non stick qualities will be. After using mine I use very hot water and a plastic scrub brush, then heat it up on the stove and rub some Crisco into it. This works well for me.
SDS
I know people who have bought the lower priced "made in China" stuff and are happy with it but I would not recommend that. For the difference in cost I would highly recommend sticking to Lodge brand or finding good quality used/vintage stuff. I just don't know what kind of metal the Chinese use in theirs and I'm feeding my family out of these.
There are several websites that you can learn a lot of stuff about cooking on these but most of the basics have been covered here already. Clean it well, season it well and use the heck out of it. The more you use it PROPERLY the better the non stick qualities will be. After using mine I use very hot water and a plastic scrub brush, then heat it up on the stove and rub some Crisco into it. This works well for me.
SDS
Cooking cornbread is also a great way to get them seasoned. And Like BB said there ain't no other way once you've eaten that!
I season mine as normal heavily oiled and oven baked hot. Then just keep oiling it and cook a few (2 or 3) loads of cornbread. Done!
Lots of folks try chili right off the bat. Not the best way to get "one up to speed" with the acid in the tomatoes. But once seasoned in good you almost can't screw one up as long as you keep some amount of oil on it.
I season mine as normal heavily oiled and oven baked hot. Then just keep oiling it and cook a few (2 or 3) loads of cornbread. Done!
Lots of folks try chili right off the bat. Not the best way to get "one up to speed" with the acid in the tomatoes. But once seasoned in good you almost can't screw one up as long as you keep some amount of oil on it.
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