School Me on Cast-Iron Cookware

[dennishoddy]

Frying potato's in a cast iron skillet will season one as well........
(my wife doesn't know I'm BS'ing her on this one), but it keeps me in fried spuds.

 

[flatwins]

I'm not much of a cook but have been using some Wolfgang Puck stainless stuff for the past few years. It was a gift and is most likely Chinese stuff. I bought a cast 16" for melting range lead a few weeks ago and noticed it was American made. Due to this thread I will be buying more of the cast iron stuff. It makes me feel good to get a quality, American-made product.

 

[SoonerP226]

I don't know how much the Chinese stuff costs, but the prices I've seen on Lodge pans have not been all that much. In fact, on the last one I bought (a "grill" pan, the kind with the raised ribs in the bottom), the choice was between the Lodge pan and a USA-made non-stick pan. The Lodge cast iron cost about a buck more ($19.99 vs $18.something), but it was a far more substantial pan.

 

[Danny Tanner]

Lodge is the last remaining American cast iron cookware company so it's them or Chinese cast iron and that is so wrong. On the plus side Lodge cast iron is excellent stuff.

Yep!

I love my Lodge cast iron skillets. Fortunately, my mom is still alive, so I haven't had a chance to receive iron cookware from a previous generation, so I had to buy my own. Lodge is available locally (including Academy) and at Amazon. They come pre-seasoned, but pfft, half the fun of iron cookware is the seasoning process. I scrubbed mine with hot water and soap and re-seasoned them myself, just to make sure, using lard.

I have an expensive stainless steel cookware set, which is great and I love each piece of that set, but my favorite is iron hands down.

 

[okdkranch]

CAUTION. All glass top electric ranges I know of tell you not to use cast iron on them. Of course you can still use CI in the oven (I hear corn bread calling), on the BBQ grill or side burner, wood stove, campfire or fire place, etc but be sure before using your glass top range.

Also, seasoning CI in a kitchen oven can create issues with a less than understanding spouse, particularly in the winter with the windows closed. Use your outdoor grill instead and run it on high with the lid closed for an hour or so. Most good gas grills will exceed 500 degrees easily.

Finally, when buying used CI, be sure to check carefully for cracks that are not easily seen cold.

 

[Cinaet]

Here is a site that I have no idea how I came across since I had no interest in cast iron before I saw it. It tells you how to season cast iron and care for it. There is some good information in the comments as well along with the author refining her technique. We need some new skillets since the non stick coating is becoming not so non stick and I'm thinking of picking one up at Wal-Mart to see how it goes.

Great site n2sooners. My wife sends you a virtual kiss on the cheek.

 

[freewookie]

For you Dutch oven I'd recommend by an enameled one. That way you can cook tomato based recipes and boil water. For skillets I don't think it matters so much.

Buying cast iron cookware is an investment so avoid the cheap Chinese crap.

 

[Cinaet]

For you Dutch oven I'd recommend by an enameled one. That way you can cook tomato based recipes and boil water. For skillets I don't think it matters so much.

Buying cast iron cookware is an investment so avoid the cheap Chinese crap.

I didn't think of that. You're right. Quite a bit more expensive though.

 

[inactive]

Some Le Creuset would be nice, but it's waaaaay out of my price range. I make due in the oven with the CorningWare we got as a wedding gift.

 

[A5Sooner]

Westland Ace also has Lodge.


I like doing fajitas(w/lots of butter) over the fire with mine. They taste great!