Cast Iron from my Dad

[craig87c]

I've been looking into Cast Iron for a while, and my dad gave me his when I went home after graduation. He said the only reason he hadn't used it was because we moved into a new house that had an electric range with a glass stovetop- apparently, my mom threatened to beat him to death if he used it on her new stove .

They had gotten a bit rusty, and had oil that was a decade old on them. I spent HOURS washing them out, scrubbing, cleaning, and finally they came out ok. Seasoned with peanut oil a couple of times, and brought them to my new apartment in NYC. The seasoning wasn't perfect, but I've already made some amazing burgers, great bacon, and pan-fried chicken in them.

Since the seasoning wasn't perfect, these greasy foods helped. But what I think helped the most was that everytime I used them, I would coat them again with oil while hot. Our stove here has two pilot lights, right in between the burners on the left and right sides. I keep the two skillets right on top of these. It keeps the skillets nice and toasty. I'm wondering if this is helping to season these bad boys? I made fried eggs this morning that I nearly burned because my skillet got so non-stick that I couldn't get it all the way onto my spatula! Any ideas why the seasoning got so good so quickly?

 

[Topgumby]

The vintage cast iron stuff is smoother and seasons faster than the current Lodge offerings, IMHO.

Also, unless you scrubbed down to bare metal, there might have been a layer of old seasoning still there.

Whatever the reason, congrats on re-discovering cast iron. It's amazing what you can do with a cast iron skillet. Baked Ziti last night, chicken pot pie the night before, and somewhere in the mix recently we had a chocolate fudge pudding cake and pineapple upside down cake, all in a couple of humble skillets.

 

[Inked Daddy]

A few tips if you do not know them already...

1. Continue oiling after you clean them
2. Just scrub them out with extremely hot water and a stiff brush. Soap is terrible for the seasoning.
3. Cook no tomato sauces or highly acidic foods in them.


Do all this and pretty soon your cast iron will make teflon look like flypaper.

 

[dpm802]

Also, unless you scrubbed down to bare metal, there might have been a layer of old seasoning still there.

This is my guess, too. I knew the answer before I even read Topgumby's post.

Since the pan was sitting for so long, you want to remove ALL of the old oil. And no amount of scrubbing is going to get it out.

Here's how I clean cast iron:

Fill it up to about an inch from the top with clean, cold water. Use ONLY water. Put it on the stove and crank up the burner until its screaming hot. The water will boil like mad, and a brown, gunky crud will float on top. This is the old oil that has been melted and risen up from the porous metal. Let the water boil furiously for at least 10~15 minutes to get all the old oil out.

Turn the heat off, and pour the water and brown crud down the sink. BE CAREFUL IT DOESN'T SPLASH BACK ON YOU!

Let the pan cool a bit, and repeat the process at least 2 more times.

The second time, the crud will boil up white.

The third time, the water will boil up clear. This lets you know that you're done, and the pan is as clean as you can get it.

Once the pan is clean of the old oil, let it cool to room temp and begin the reseasoning process. I use Grapeseed, Peanut, and/or Canola Oil(s,) since they have a higher smoke point.

When you use it, its best to clean the pan when its still hot. Just wipe it out with a wet sponge or paper towel. Just use water. No detergents at all.

Depending on your usage, you need to repeat the deep-boil cleaning about once or twice a year.

 

[Topgumby]

Interesting. I've read that you can let your pan sit in an oven that goes through the self cleaning cycle, and you'll be rid of any old seasoning.

 

[DFrancis]

Interesting. I've read that you can let your pan sit in an oven that goes through the self cleaning cycle, and you'll be rid of any old seasoning.

That should work, SWMBO says when she was young they would put theirs in a campfire, let it get super hot and then with come tongs take it out and bash it on a rock and all the years of built-up gunk would come off.

 

[Isaac]

I have a nice Lodge Skillet I bought at cracker barrell. I actually have two issues with it. I still, after 6 months of using and seasoning, cannot get 100% of my eggs ouf of the darn thing. Its black as black can be and soap never touches the thing, but I dont know if its a heat thing or what the deal is. Very frustrating at times.

Number two is that the bottom has a very big cracker barrell logo stamped into it. I would prefer a plain bottom, but ive already put this much work into the pan, that I havent bought another one.

 

[DavyRay]

Have you folks never heard of lard? Come on. There is a reason that this stuff rules. There is nothing better for seasoning a cast iron skillet. Bacon fat is the same thing, though. Seasoning a cast iron skillet can be as simple as cooking real bacon properly. Google "fatback".

 

[Isaac]

Have you folks never heard of lard? Come on. There is a reason that this stuff rules. There is nothing better for seasoning a cast iron skillet. Bacon fat is the same thing, though. Seasoning a cast iron skillet can be as simple as cooking real bacon properly. Google "fatback".

+1111111

I season mine with lots of bacon and lard. Cant beat it

 

[Hawkeye5]

I have a nice Lodge Skillet I bought at cracker barrell. I actually have two issues with it. I still, after 6 months of using and seasoning, cannot get 100% of my eggs ouf of the darn thing. Its black as black can be and soap never touches the thing, but I dont know if its a heat thing or what the deal is. Very frustrating at times.

Number two is that the bottom has a very big cracker barrell logo stamped into it. I would prefer a plain bottom, but ive already put this much work into the pan, that I havent bought another one.

Nothing to be done. It is true that the newer cast iron, either from initial casting or because of lack of prolonged use, is nowhere as smooth as older cast iron. I have both newer Lodge and old Griswold skillets. There is a world of difference.

 

[thebikingengineer]

Just keep using the thing and it'll get smooth. I've had mine for three years now and it's shiny black and nothing even thinks about sticking. Eventually the low spots will get filled in with carbon (that's what you're depositing when you're seasoning BTW) and gets super smooth and slick. Lots of greasy foods help get this built up, but time is really what does it.

 

[BCatl]

Cast iron is great. Lot of good advice above. While it's still being "broken in" and continues to season, keep tomato and other high acid foods out of them.

If you treat them right they will just get better and better over time.

Oh, and I don't cook scrambled eggs in mine, the protein content is so high in the eggs that they will leave the pan a mess. If you want to cook scrambled eggs in them, and not wash it with soap, then try heating the pan and scraping the carbonized egg out (a little oil, just a bit, can help with this). Fried eggs seem to be no problem.

 

[Scotchhound1969]

Nice to see so many others are still using Cast Iron cookware. Love it...along with my Old Hickory knives!

 

[Isaac]

THis guy really knows his stuff....at the end does fried and scrambled eggs with no residual

Its either this video or one of his others that shows the eggs


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiloVeiFSbA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[BCatl]

THis guy really knows his stuff....at the end does fried and scrambled eggs with no residual

Its either this video or one of his others that shows the eggs

Yup, it can be done. Either the pan is really well seasoned, or you just use heat and friction to clean the pan. It's like the "chefs" at the greasy spoon, they just scrape the carbon off the metal slab.

 

[TulsaLhorn]

Granny used to "burn out" her skillets and reseason them once a year. Instead of all the scrub and scouring to remove the seasoning, she burned it off in an open mesquite bonfire. THEN... season with lard.

 

[craig87c]

Thanks for all the responses guys. Not sure the pans are that "vintage," but some are as old as I am (22ish years old if my dad is right).

Topgumby- is there any way I could pry recipes for the baked ziti and chocolate fudge pudding away from you?

dpm- boiling as a way of cleaning is new to me, everyone suggests either oven cleaner or self cleaning cycle.

Davy- I want to get some lard! Bacon fat and liquid crisco are all i have so far though.

Isaac- I like this video of fried eggs being made- the scrambled eggs he make are overcooked to me, though. I had the same problem with it being too nonstick. It is a great problem to have!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3hGxEpuY2U&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ctr]

I can tell you how my grandmother used her skillets for over 60 years. After cooking, she would wipe out the new grease with a paper towl, then wipe the skillet with a damp cloth to get any bits out. The skillet was then placed in the oven to dry from the heat of the pilot light.

When I was really little, my mom thought she would help out and she washed one of the skillets. My grandmother was furious to say the least.

Some mighty fine tasking fare came out of those skillets.

 

[BCatl]

dpm- boiling as a way of cleaning is new to me, everyone suggests either oven cleaner or self cleaning cycle.

I actually use the boiling method I guess you could say. Here's what I do/did: if the pan is dirty, scrape out what you can.

Still dirty: run half inch water in it, and boil. Take to sink and scour, no soap. Pour out.

Back on element to heat up and scrape with metal spatula. Heat till all water evaporates and comes out of the "pores". Lightly oil while still hot (you can use paper towels--but use enough not to get burned).

It's continually being seasoned as oil goes deeper into the "pores", and some carbon builds up as well.

Anway, nothing to get too worried about. If you use your cast iron enough and keep them oiled, they will get seasoned whatever method you use.

 

[Topgumby]

[YOUTUBE]KBaJw8-JPc4[/YOUTUBE]

I'm going to post this on every cast iron seasoning thread!