Cast Iron..

[santaman2000]

In my experience, that pitted look (the orange peel finish) actually helps to create a sort of non-stick effect. completely smoothing the surface is a mistake.

I've heard and read others with widely varied opinions on that subject. One thing is undeniable though; the current rougher finish is indeed because it's cheaper to produce; the product is gravel washed by machine rather than hand finished as the old ones were back in the day. Hence my recommendation for the Wagners and Griswolds brands of an earlier era.

My own experience with the smooth finished ones is limited to back in my teen years while still living at home and using my grandparents' CI (all smooth finished) Yes, it was much better but I have no idea if it was because of that smooth finish or simply decades of seasoning?

 

[Janne]

I have 2 Swedish Skeppshult pans, one I have used fir over 40 years and one I have used for about 15. The older one has a wonderful, thick no stick carbon layer. The newer one is not completely finished yet. For some reason I have a oroblem building up the nice thick layer on it, it keeps flaking off.

I would never buy Chinese as I do not know from where that iron originates. China buys huge amounts of iron scrap, including parts of decommissioned nuclear plants.

 

[Stew]

Cast iron pans are great for making dutch pancakes. Just saying!

Might need to make myself one for lunch now......

 

[John Lee]

I have 2 Swedish Skeppshult pans, one I have used fir over 40 years and one I have used for about 15. The older one has a wonderful, thick no stick carbon layer. The newer one is not completely finished yet. For some reason I have a oroblem building up the nice thick layer on it, it keeps flaking off.

I would never buy Chinese as I do not know from where that iron originates. China buys huge amounts of iron scrap, including parts of decommissioned nuclear plants.

Avoid pans that glow green in the dark. I have several Lodge skillets and a pot. The lids with the nipples on the underside help keep fried chicken moist by dripping. As for seasoning a new skillet, I've found that frying a pound of bacon, eating it and repeating as needed works for me.

 

[Robson Valley]

Buy American Lodge pans. Same family, quality as usual.

I bought a half dozen cheap, small ones, chinese, I suppose, to use as wood dishes in my smoker BBQ rigs (3).
The damn things were _painted_ black! The first one was such a stinker, I thought I'd ruined the meat but
almost all gone in the preheat. Burned out the others with no food, all a lovely iron grey now.

 

[Janne]

all a lovely iron grey now.

The question is - is it Chernobyl or Fukushima?

 

[Robson Valley]

Well, I never cook any food in them. I have run all of the smoker BBQs after dark and the pans don't glow green. Red sometimes!
Come to think of it, pre-Chernobyl. . . . . but that doesn't mean much. Man! But did that painted finish stink as it burned off.

The apple wood chunks in the pan sit on the burner with all the foods racked up on the unheated side.

 

[Janne]

Good idea to use cast iron. I have a similar way to yours, but have been using cheap (chinese made) S/s food containers. They burn through in about 10 times.
I will follow your lead and get a really cheap cast iron skillet.

For wood I use Mango.

 

[Robson Valley]

I don't know if the cast iron is any better than any other kind of metal smoke-wood dish.
Hell = any kind of bent sheet metal dish thing works for me.

If the wood catches fire, the BBQ temp can jump from 275F to 500+F in a couple of minutes.
I can hose that down with a water spray but I keep expecting the temp change to crack the cast iron.
So far (50 burns?) not a problem.

All you can do is buy a cheap one and give it a try.

You see the fat dish. Usually an inch of water in it. Just to the upper right of the top two racks
of ribs, you might see a little knob of lighter grey= the sensor for the added bolt-through thermometer.
Most BBQ grills that have any thermometer put it in the middle = double useless.

 

[santaman2000]

Avoid pans that glow green in the dark. I have several Lodge skillets and a pot. The lids with the nipples on the underside help keep fried chicken moist by dripping. .....

Those ripples on the underside of the l;id are indeed for basting when roasting in them. However keeping fried chicken "moist" seems contrary to getting the coating properly crisp? Maybe irrelevant anyway if you're deep frying (the chicken would be submerged in the hot oil anyway)

 

[Robson Valley]

After learning the simplicity of BBQ chicken (3 hrs with rub @ 275 and apple wood smoke) I cannot imagine deep frying chicken. I just can't.
I get a crispy dry-skinned but moist bird, all the flavors I need. I never ate chicken skin as a kid. Revolting greasy mess.
Now, it's paper-thin, seasoned and crispy.
1. 5 minutes with bolt cutters to chop the rock rack in half and the BBQ is built.
2. Endless searching and swapping recipes to find dry rubs that every one likes. Start with the serious BBQ books only.
That's it.
3. I've got a couple of baked bean recipes = make in advance and stuff into the BBQ for 3 hrs with the apple wood smoke to finish.
Must get to that. Means I need to buy some Lodge cast iron pots. What a chore!

 

[santaman2000]

After learning the simplicity of BBQ chicken (3 hrs with rub @ 275 and apple wood smoke) I cannot imagine deep frying chicken. I just can't.
I get a crispy dry-skinned but moist bird, all the flavors I need. I never ate chicken skin as a kid. Revolting greasy mess.
Now, it's paper-thin, seasoned and crispy......

I dearly love BBQed chicken. Although I'd prefer mesquite or hickory smoke (I really just can't taste anything at all with applewood)

Still, nothing will ever beat proper fried chicken (real, home made fried chicken)

 

[Robson Valley]

Same rub but do the ribs in the oven. Then you get a clear idea of the contribution that apple wood smoke makes for pork. Floats my boat.
Mesquite is OK, Dad used it for decades. Hickory is too sour for me. Even Janne is running Mango wood. Any fruit-wood seems good.
I need a charcoal BBQ. -26C/-15F and my gassers don't run right. At least there's no wind again this AM, pre-sun-up.

Think I can score Lodge cast iron in the local hardware store on order. Need a new 12" pan anyway. Lodge claims that they
come preseasoned with veg oil. We shall see. Couple of big hits with bacon should settle it down.

 

[Janne]

I recently had to retire ( used for 30 years +) a Czechoslovakian made cast iron deep casserole dish. The enameling inside was so scratched that I started burning everything. So I bought a French made Staub cast iron deep casserole dish they call Oval Cocotte.
The lid has little nibs on the inside. Very useful feature, almost no steam escapes but drips back into the pan.

( I refuse to buy the fashion statement called Le Creuset)

 

[Robson Valley]

Lodge is an old, American, family run business. I trust those people.
I see that I can order their 12" Frypan for $50.00. . . . which is the Lodge online sale price (plus shipping.)
I'd cook with a lot more cast iron but I have no place to put it.

This one will replace a 12" teflon pan which is no longer nonstick.
Majestic/commercial, now 15+ years old.

 

[Janne]

Teflon? My intestines must be lined with Teflon by now. Until I threw away the last one, after every meal there were new scratches, and the Teflon particles in the food, eaten up..
A scam is what it is.
Wife insisted on Teflon, she could not handle my old trusty cast iron.

 

[Robson Valley]

Actually, I've tried to be reasonable with it, it's lasted me for longer than I can remember. So it's death is no surprise.
I just liked it. Sidewall angle and height, handle length & slope, everything about it.
Not scratched, just abraded to a dull finish and I know it's clean. Have several other 12" pans to use while I ponder the Lodge unit.

I think many women are reluctant to use cast iron because of the weight.
Hard on the wrist if you're not ready for it. Lots of people don't notice the bow handle, anyway.

 

[santaman2000]

......Wife insisted on Teflon, she could not handle my old trusty cast iron.

.......I think many women are reluctant to use cast iron because of the weight.
Hard on the wrist if you're not ready for it. Lots of people don't notice the bow handle, anyway.

They're obviously not Southern women.

 

[santaman2000]

......I'd cook with a lot more cast iron but I have no place to put it.....

I wish I had the kitchen for something like this pot hanging rack

 

[Robson Valley]

I built a 2-shelf rack for big pots/pans/woks. Hangs from the ceiling in the dead air space over the fridge.
The wrought-iron thing is great if you have 2,000sqft for a kitchen. Most of us don't.