Modern Cast Iron skillets which do/would you use?
- Thread starter apriliamille
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I maintain my cast iron as follows:
After the pan has cooled sufficiently I scour it clean with an un-soaped scouring pad, such as Chor-Boy, rinse and return the wet pan to low heat for about five minutes. Then, just as the last of the water evaporates from the inside of the pan, I turn off the fire and I mop the interior with a folded-up paper towel, dipped in oil, but a brush could be used. After it has fully cooled, I thoroughly wipe the inside clean of all oil with a paper towel to a dry finish.
Thus, the pans are ready for next time and I've never had to re-season them.
It's important not to leave any oil residue or it will turn tacky and build up.
ps. Once in a great while, I will also oil the outside of the pans in the same manner.
After the pan has cooled sufficiently I scour it clean with an un-soaped scouring pad, such as Chor-Boy, rinse and return the wet pan to low heat for about five minutes. Then, just as the last of the water evaporates from the inside of the pan, I turn off the fire and I mop the interior with a folded-up paper towel, dipped in oil, but a brush could be used. After it has fully cooled, I thoroughly wipe the inside clean of all oil with a paper towel to a dry finish.
Thus, the pans are ready for next time and I've never had to re-season them.
It's important not to leave any oil residue or it will turn tacky and build up.
ps. Once in a great while, I will also oil the outside of the pans in the same manner.
If you want an easy way to maintain pans (if you're worried about it, it's not particularly hard) Crisbee is the way to go. Instant, deep black non-stick surface with only two layers. Great stuff.
Preheat the pan for ten minutes to start with (you can lower the time with some experience). Always add butter. The preheating will matter more, but eggs like a little oil/butter. Fried eggs won't need any, but scrambled is usually a pain because you want the pan temp a bit lower. Plus, butter on eggs is delicious.
Seasoning is the key, thin, very thin layer of pork lard on the inside (very, very lightly applied), in the oven for 3-5 hours at 200-250 face down with some parchment paper underneath for any potential drips works fairly well (and you can repeat this few times before you ever start cooking if you're OCD... repeating won't hurt it - but washing after use with the soap or detergent will).
I can't guarantee anything of course, but our (also glass top) stove is now 12 years old, and I can't say that cast iron is particularly damaging to it. I won't claim it's as good as new, but I don't think there's any more "wear and tear" than you would get anyway - regardless of pots and pans used.
I'm surprised 200-250 is hot enough to polymerize the oil?
I also cook on a glass top and have not noticed any wear either.
I use either olive or grape seed oil, rarely do I cook anything on butter, and have no issues with sticking.
Not saying butter doesn't work (or taste great) just that it may not be neccessary.
As for 200-250 not being hot enough, I'm not sure. Many years ago I researched a bit and read that "lower and slower" is better, so I tried it and it worked really well for us.
I honestly have no scientific data to back it up, but it worked really well for all our pots and pans. Every time we season using this method, and have zero issues. Quick google search produced bunch of instructions stating 375-400F for 1 hour, but few do state "lower and slower" to produce better seasoning - here's one I managed to find quickly).
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No experience with them but I followed a company on FB a while back called Smithey Ironware that I believe offers a smooth interior finish. Maybe check them out
If you want to save some, Field is having a labor day sale on CI sets.
I bought a generic no name not to long ago and I dont like it. The weight is good, heavy and thick. The two handles are good as are the pour spouts on either side. The problem with it is, it has a hot spot the size of a silver dollar or a bit bigger.
I was going to buy a Le Creuset and should have. If I was buying another one, and I just might, thats what I'd buy.
https://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Signature-Handle-Skillet-Marseille/dp/B00B4UOTF2
That pan locally to me is $120CAD. It can pay to shop around.
I was going to buy a Le Creuset and should have. If I was buying another one, and I just might, thats what I'd buy.
https://www.amazon.com/Creuset-Signature-Handle-Skillet-Marseille/dp/B00B4UOTF2
That pan locally to me is $120CAD. It can pay to shop around.
Look up kent rollins on youtube. He has done several reviews on the now several new cadt iron companies, and uses both lodge and griswold in all the comparisons. Oh yes, lodge has a new line but only available on their website, when you find it.
My input is "what is your budget and what are you going to use it for?"
The lodge blacklock is a homage to antique cast iron, and is their attempt to respond to the new lines of cast iron coming out the last few years. It's split handle design is designed to keep the handle cool, and a youtube review i saw showed that it stays right around 100F when cooked on the stove top. it does have a "smoothed" surface, as lodge runs stones over all of their pans to "smooth" the insides. Notice "smooth" is in quotes because...well there's no velcro but i wouldn't call it smooth by any stretch of the imagination. $80 for a 12" pan that isn't smooth seems ridiculous to me though, but the rounded edges in this chef pan seem interesting.
The next up in price is the Stargazer (who does offer military discount and often has additional sales) 12" which sells for $130, or the 10.5 for $95. It also has rounded edges (great for flipping food around) and not generally found in cast iron. Stargazer is purported to have the smoothest finished cooking surface of any of the modern Cast iron, and also has split handle design for "keep cool" while on stovetop. One downside to this pan is that it's no skinny-minny and will weigh in at a higher weight.
Field skillet is one that intrigued me because it is advertised as "taking the best of old vintage pans and making something modern. I believe this was created several years back now on kickstarted by two brothers who shared a passion for Cast iron, and may have been millennials as well Their number 10 (11 5/8") is comparable to the other two in size and sells for $160, though if you want to buy more they're having a sale on sets. I own the number 8 that i got from a seconds sale and love it. it's smooth, clearly machined, not so smooth as it resists seasoning. It's also light.
The Finex skillet is a mammoth in the cast iron world. I purchased an unused, but second hand pair of 12" pans and lids. These were in an entirely different Tax bracket, but someone did not appreciate their wedding presents, so i received a massive discount. New the 12" finex skillet and lid cost $275, though it's the only Modern pan i know of that has a matching lid. Without lid a 12" is $195. When all other companies think less is more, finex says more is everything. I recommend everyone hold one before they buy them. I can move these around one handed, though there are times I'm thankful that they have a helper handle. They have stainless "wrapped" around the handle to keep it cool, though the copper/brass cap on the end conducts heat like crazy so it's still fairly necessary to use a hot pad. They also sell griddles, dutch ovens, sauce pans, and various other cast iron cookware.
Closing thoughts...Blacklock by lodge is the only pan listed here that doesn't have a machined cooking surface, though i would like to note that finex ONLY has a machined cooking surface, which does not wrap up the inside walls. There are other skillets like the smithy and a couple other lines that have never been a realistic price point, so i know less about them, though thoroughly enjoy the two modern brands that i own so far.
The lodge blacklock is a homage to antique cast iron, and is their attempt to respond to the new lines of cast iron coming out the last few years. It's split handle design is designed to keep the handle cool, and a youtube review i saw showed that it stays right around 100F when cooked on the stove top. it does have a "smoothed" surface, as lodge runs stones over all of their pans to "smooth" the insides. Notice "smooth" is in quotes because...well there's no velcro but i wouldn't call it smooth by any stretch of the imagination. $80 for a 12" pan that isn't smooth seems ridiculous to me though, but the rounded edges in this chef pan seem interesting.
The next up in price is the Stargazer (who does offer military discount and often has additional sales) 12" which sells for $130, or the 10.5 for $95. It also has rounded edges (great for flipping food around) and not generally found in cast iron. Stargazer is purported to have the smoothest finished cooking surface of any of the modern Cast iron, and also has split handle design for "keep cool" while on stovetop. One downside to this pan is that it's no skinny-minny and will weigh in at a higher weight.
Field skillet is one that intrigued me because it is advertised as "taking the best of old vintage pans and making something modern. I believe this was created several years back now on kickstarted by two brothers who shared a passion for Cast iron, and may have been millennials as well
Their number 10 (11 5/8") is comparable to the other two in size and sells for $160, though if you want to buy more they're having a sale on sets. I own the number 8 that i got from a seconds sale and love it. it's smooth, clearly machined, not so smooth as it resists seasoning. It's also light.The Finex skillet is a mammoth in the cast iron world. I purchased an unused, but second hand pair of 12" pans and lids. These were in an entirely different Tax bracket, but someone did not appreciate their wedding presents, so i received a massive discount. New the 12" finex skillet and lid cost $275, though it's the only Modern pan i know of that has a matching lid. Without lid a 12" is $195. When all other companies think less is more, finex says more is everything. I recommend everyone hold one before they buy them. I can move these around one handed, though there are times I'm thankful that they have a helper handle. They have stainless "wrapped" around the handle to keep it cool, though the copper/brass cap on the end conducts heat like crazy so it's still fairly necessary to use a hot pad. They also sell griddles, dutch ovens, sauce pans, and various other cast iron cookware.
Closing thoughts...Blacklock by lodge is the only pan listed here that doesn't have a machined cooking surface, though i would like to note that finex ONLY has a machined cooking surface, which does not wrap up the inside walls. There are other skillets like the smithy and a couple other lines that have never been a realistic price point, so i know less about them, though thoroughly enjoy the two modern brands that i own so far.
- Thread starter
- #31
wow i appreciate all the comments. well i kind of got a CIAD. the little lodge that i grinded now has 4x1 hour sessions of seasoning. I tried cooking a toasted cheese sandwich yesterday (first try since the grinding) it worked.
Tried to cook an over easy egg. I say tried as it was a very interesting experience. I could not get the spatula under the egg!! Every time my spatula touched the egg, it slid across the pan. I then was able to pick up the pan and move it and watch the egg slide around the pan under its own power.
This is both great and a curse. The pan looks like yuck due to me holding it in my lap on the front porch while running the grinder on it. All kinds of visual yuck. smooth though.
The curse... I'm intrigued. field 4 ordered. (the lodge is a 6 that i grinded) smithy iron 8 chef ordered, stargazer 12 ordered.
Tried to cook an over easy egg. I say tried as it was a very interesting experience. I could not get the spatula under the egg!! Every time my spatula touched the egg, it slid across the pan. I then was able to pick up the pan and move it and watch the egg slide around the pan under its own power.
This is both great and a curse. The pan looks like yuck due to me holding it in my lap on the front porch while running the grinder on it. All kinds of visual yuck. smooth though.
The curse... I'm intrigued. field 4 ordered. (the lodge is a 6 that i grinded) smithy iron 8 chef ordered, stargazer 12 ordered.
I visited the Smithey facility just this summer and my mother-in-law bought one of their pans. They are indeed machined - partly. They machine just the interior of the pan. They were very smooth. Then they season them.
They also have a hand-forged line that is more expensive. However, these are thinner and lighter. Those have a longer rougher looking hand-forged handle look.
ironware Archives | Smithey Ironware
I have one that I got when I moved into my first apartment. It has a smooth bottom. It may be a Wagner, but the identifying marks are obscured at this point. Some decades after that I saw a lid that I thought would fit so I bought it. Of course it didn't so I had to go back and get the matching pan. That one's a Lodge. They both work pretty well and live on top of the stove since they are quite useful. The lid is a bit crusty at this point so I may have to strip it back.
After I got the second pan I went nuts and bought a bigger Lodge pan, a square skillet, and a wok. The wok doesn't get hot enough on an electric stove so it doesn't get used much. The big one is a pain to get out. The square one makes a good pizza pan, but I've had to go back to an aluminum non-stick skillet because the iron one doesn't heat evenly.
After I got the second pan I went nuts and bought a bigger Lodge pan, a square skillet, and a wok. The wok doesn't get hot enough on an electric stove so it doesn't get used much. The big one is a pain to get out. The square one makes a good pizza pan, but I've had to go back to an aluminum non-stick skillet because the iron one doesn't heat evenly.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
That's the one I couldn't remember, I was hoping someone would post it. Looks like very nice pans
I actually visited the foundry that casts the butter pat pans. Pretty cool to stumble on personal interests while on business travel.
To tack onto @Ufgoodies above, a couple more nice options:
https://www.amazon.com/GreaterGoods...7534&s=gateway&sprefix=aus+ion,aps,235&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.com/SOLIDTEKNICS...7583&s=gateway&sprefix=aus+ion,aps,236&sr=8-7
To tack onto @Ufgoodies above, a couple more nice options:
https://www.amazon.com/GreaterGoods...7534&s=gateway&sprefix=aus+ion,aps,235&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.com/SOLIDTEKNICS...7583&s=gateway&sprefix=aus+ion,aps,236&sr=8-7
- Thread starter
- #36
i wonder where they get their names
Butter Pat and Stargazer for a cast iron skillet
i am going to have to do some research on some spare time to see what i can learn about them.
Butter Pat and Stargazer for a cast iron skillet
i am going to have to do some research on some spare time to see what i can learn about them.
Best of show still goes to my Grandmother's 10" Griswold. Well over 100 years old.
My Lodge pans although not as "classic" do a good job.
My Lodge pans although not as "classic" do a good job.
My mom wanted a small cast iron skillet to make cornbread in. I was gonna just get her a Lodge but we came across a old 10" Griswold for a song. The thing was beautiful. The inside looked like a perfect matte black paint job. I came close to keeping it for myself and not telling her about it.
We have 3 sizes of Lodge pans. I use the biggest one the most because it can accommodate dinner for three. I think it’s 12”. I think the other two are 10” and 8”. I like how they cook. And afterwards I clean them without soap using a green scrubby. Once it’s clean I do like others do and pour some olive oil in the pan and spread it around using a paper towel. I then remove any excess oil and put them away.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts are awesome. Great for carmelized chicken. Burgers are awesome when you want a change of pace from the grill. Cooks sausage up perfectly. Dang it. Now I’m hungry.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts are awesome. Great for carmelized chicken. Burgers are awesome when you want a change of pace from the grill. Cooks sausage up perfectly. Dang it. Now I’m hungry.
TheShaun
Bejeweled
This could be sacrilege but does anyone have any experience with the Amazon Basics one? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...3db-48081e145e35&pf_rd_r=J60EC8NQ76VX2JTE6RPN
I'm dipping my toe in to this world with one of these. I plan to do my own seasoning before use. When seasoning do you season the full pan inside and out and handle or just the inside cooking surfaces?
I'm dipping my toe in to this world with one of these. I plan to do my own seasoning before use. When seasoning do you season the full pan inside and out and handle or just the inside cooking surfaces?
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