Cast iron Cookware??

[Zep]

I know, no soap, maybe. But some informative videos. All free.

Below is link to Lodge. Interesting to see how they suggest cleaning cast iron. I am getting ready to order a pancake skillet from them.

http://www.lodgemfg.com/videos

 

[Waknstak]

Head on over to YouTube and check out Cowboy Kent Rollins. He cooks almost exclusively on cast and is very informative and entertaining . His recipes are also top notch.....

 

[Zep]

Yard sales!

I don't do yard sales anymore but a friend of mine was looking for an axe. He comes back to the car asking me to look at axe heads for him. As I walk over I pass a piece of Le Creuset. $300 braiser for $10. Plenty of wear but will still work. Very happy..

 

[Mike 338]

I found a few cast iron pans in the dumpster. I'll wash and season them and they'll work great.

 

[jpfrog]

I have a handful of Lodge cast-iron pieces that I've used for the last 9-10 years or so, and at least one piece gets used each week. Typically, it's one of the two 10" skillets, as the large double burner griddle and the grill pan don't get used too often.

This thread reminded me of an older piece of cast iron that I have- was my dad's, and his mom's, and her mom's, and I think maybe her mom's also. So, my great great grandmother? Anyway- he gave it to me after he moved out of his house way way back, and it's been sitting in my garage for about the last 15 years. I went out, unwrapped it (it was wrapped in a thick plastic trashbag and tucked away next to some really old camping gear). It was a mess- looks like the last person to use it didn't clean it when they were done. Looks like it had chili, or beans or both in it the last time it was used.

I took some elbow grease to it, and it's still a mess. Any thoughts on what to do? It's in my oven at the moment- I figure a good bake will kill off anything that is still lingering after the cleaning I gave it. I did NOT use soap. Just hot water. I then set it on the stove to heat up and steam off all of the remaining water. Pics below before and after I applied some spray on canola oil to it, then it went into the oven.

Any thoughts on what to do next to bring it back are greatly appreciated- I'm not sure what it is either, as the only markings I've found are "Made in the USA" and "14" because it's a 14" pan.

 

[Zep]

I have cleaned really bad cast iron in my self cleaning oven. I think I ran it for 3 hours. If you have an old oven rack use it. The self cleaning cycle will make the oven rack look dingy. Some people using this method complain of pot catching fire in oven if too much crud.

Some people spray the pans with oven cleaner and put in a plastic bag for a few days and then get rid of what crud they can.

Run a Google - "cast iron in self cleaning oven"

I like your collection..

 

[jpfrog]

Thanks- turns out a little time on Google can be very helpful. This pan is not as old as my dad remembered it to be. It may have once belonged to my great great grandmother, but she would have bought it in the early 1960's, which is possible because she was still alive at that time. My Google-foo leads me to believe this is a 1960's era Birmingham Stove and Range #14. I hear these are pretty good pieces, so I'm pretty happy about remembering it was out in the garage and I can't wait to get it in cooking condition again- the surface is smooth as glass!

 

[lancetkenyon]

Lodge. Almost all I cook on except sauces and boiled foods. My wife hates it. Because I cook, she cleans!

 

[ksfarmer]

Some do lids can be used as skillets.

 

[2Rope]

I have some newer Lodge and they were rough until I got after them with a flapper disc on a 4" angle grinder. I NEVER put soap in cast iron, boil water in it and wipe down with oil, heat and let cool. Even my peach/cherry cobbler doesn't stick if seasoned well. The old cast iron is best but a new one will work with a little help. Dutch oven cooking is addictive...!

 

[Orange Dust]

I have a handful of Lodge cast-iron pieces that I've used for the last 9-10 years or so, and at least one piece gets used each week. Typically, it's one of the two 10" skillets, as the large double burner griddle and the grill pan don't get used too often.

This thread reminded me of an older piece of cast iron that I have- was my dad's, and his mom's, and her mom's, and I think maybe her mom's also. So, my great great grandmother? Anyway- he gave it to me after he moved out of his house way way back, and it's been sitting in my garage for about the last 15 years. I went out, unwrapped it (it was wrapped in a thick plastic trashbag and tucked away next to some really old camping gear). It was a mess- looks like the last person to use it didn't clean it when they were done. Looks like it had chili, or beans or both in it the last time it was used.

I took some elbow grease to it, and it's still a mess. Any thoughts on what to do? It's in my oven at the moment- I figure a good bake will kill off anything that is still lingering after the cleaning I gave it. I did NOT use soap. Just hot water. I then set it on the stove to heat up and steam off all of the remaining water. Pics below before and after I applied some spray on canola oil to it, then it went into the oven.

Any thoughts on what to do next to bring it back are greatly appreciated- I'm not sure what it is either, as the only markings I've found are "Made in the USA" and "14" because it's a 14" pan.

Nothing wrong with that pan. Fire up your grill tonight. When charcoal is ready to cook, give the pan a thick coat of bacon grease or lard inside and out. Put it on the grill and shut the lid. Forget about it till tomorrow. Clean with an oiled paper towel and you are ready to go. All you need to do.

 

[mistrykanesage]

My wife cooks on cast iron everyday in our oven, we buy them from Cabelas, TJ MAXX, and as long as you take care of them properly they should all work well. Best cooking pots in the world for flavor.

 

[hunter67wa]

Its all we could on for the last 10 years. The only way to go

 

[rosanky harley man]

check out this website http://dutchovennet.com/Temp_Control.html