Cast iron skillett

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Sam
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Cast iron skillett

Post by Sam »

Well when I divorced I did not take much with me. In 18 months I have gotten a Foreman grill and a small glass casserole dish with cover. Saw a cooking show where they swear the cast iron skillet is the first pan you need.

The Foreman can leave the meat a bit charred and dry. It is fast. Im thinking cast iron, I could sear meat, especially beef and chicken, on each side and finish in the oven

We have Macy's and Bed Bath and Beyond and I can go online. They have a Lodge store in Nashville. I eat out way too often. Suggestions?
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by brothers »

Sam, what kinds of meals will you be preparing in your skillet? This is a fascinating concept. We have a cast iron skillet but we don't use it exclusively. We're pretty good cooks, and give very little thought to cast iron vs. everything else.
Gary

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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Squire »

Sam, cast iron cookware is excellent stuff, will last for generations and would be my first choice for cookware. I suggest The Lodge Store to start because you'll want to handle the individual pieces to see how well they balance for you.
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by ShadowsDad »

Cast iron is really good stuff! I wouldn't be without mine*. A good CI skillet comes far before a PTFE coated pan. It's less expensive and treated right is non stick. A Teflon coated pan will wear out in time requiring replacement. If the no stick qualities of the CI pans poops itself, just re-season it and you're good.

* A "new" non stick steel pan has come to my attention, and it's said to be every bit as non stick as CI and at 1/2 the weight. Google "de Buyers steel pans". They get treated similarly to CI pans and like CI they are pans that get handed down from generation to generation. Buy it once, have it forever. I'm considering getting a set from 8" - 14" and replacing the CI for the weight factor alone. Neither the wife or I are getting younger and I know that the weight of CI affects her. It'll only get worse. FWIW Lodge also makes steel pans, but I have no data regarding them.

With either CI or steel there are some no-nos...

Detergent and CI don't mix. DO NOT wash with detergent. A stainless steel sponge, available in any supermarket and water is all that's required to clean the CI and retain the seasoning. Same goes for steel pans. It's not uncommon for me to put some water into a hot CI pan to deglaze it when I'm done with it. That will lift most stickies. Many times I finish with only a paper towel as a scrubber under running water. Most times no water at all, just the paper towel.

No long term simmering/cooking of any liquid in the pan. That will lift the seasoning too.

Too, be aware that no CI or steel pan is non stick out of the packaging. The seasoning of it will take a bit of time and will get better with use. My griddle that is used so frequently that it almost never gets put away does "stick" with cured meats containing sugar. But once it's off of the surface it scrapes clean with a metal spatula and the eggs that follow don't stick. It's not rocket science. Go to youtube and search for "seasoning pans"; you should find all sorts of care videos.
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by CMur12 »

The Lodge cast iron, and some other brands, come pre-seasoned. This will make getting started easier, though seasoning a pan isn't that hard to do.

- Murray
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by ShadowsDad »

Murray, I've never gotten a preseasoned pan that I actually considered seasoned. Have you?

I didn't want to create a vision in Sams mind that was unrealistic.
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Kyle76
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Kyle76 »

Brian, I also mainly just use a paper towel to clean my cast iron. We have a couple of traditional pans with sides, a pan with just a small lip around the edge and one with a grated bottom for grill-like cooking. The pan with the small lip is great for pancakes and grilled sandwices since you can get a spatula underneath whatever you're cooking very easily. After wiping out, I put a slight oil coating on the pan surface before putting the pan away. Buying new, Lodge is all you need to know. Made in USA, your grandchildren will be using it after you're gone.
Jim
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Sam
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Sam »

brothers wrote:Sam, what kinds of meals will you be preparing in your skillet? This is a fascinating concept. We have a cast iron skillet but we don't use it exclusively. We're pretty good cooks, and give very little thought to cast iron vs. everything else.
Don't know really. Chicken a lot. I eat a lot of red meat.
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by CMur12 »

ShadowsDad wrote:Murray, I've never gotten a preseasoned pan that I actually considered seasoned. Have you?

I didn't want to create a vision in Sams mind that was unrealistic.
Brian, I never actually purchased or tried a pre-seasoned pan, so I can't truly vouch for them. They don't really look seasoned, but I figured there had to be some truth in advertising. I wonder if the pre-seasoning provides any advantage if you go ahead and season a pan at home, as well.

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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by ShadowsDad »

I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but I was wondering if the current seasoned pans actually were, what I would call, seasoned.
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by brothers »

Sam, as you can see, the cast iron cooking school of thought is complex and can run into big bucks. What kind of skillet are you currently using?
Gary

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Re: Cast iron skillett

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ShadowsDad wrote:I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but I was wondering if the current seasoned pans actually were, what I would call, seasoned.
I would have to say no, the manufacturers idea of preseasoning is more like rust proofing, still, it does no harm. My seasoning process for a new CI pan is start by cooking bacon.
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Sam
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Sam »

I have a nine or ten inch Teflon pan. Part of a cheaper Set from Macys. Red if that helps. Lol. Got a small sauce pan and the larger pan to cook pasta and then that casserole dish
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Squire »

Then I suggest you head out this morning and buy a double handle 12" cast iron saute pan. Of course pick up some steaks while you're out.
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Sam
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Sam »

Double handle? What's that. Lodge. ?
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by ShadowsDad »

Sam, I don't know the Lodge product line, but the bigger the CI pan, the more it weighs. It's heavy material to begin with. Then put the far edge of the pan "way out there" and it gets out of control pretty quick. Hence the double handle. Lodge has a pretty decent site. Look it over. A google search turns it up with no trouble.

It's also an argument for the steel pans, which also have a double handle in the larger sizes (14" that I know of) despite the weight reduction.
Brian

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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Squire »

Sam I should've said double handed and a visit to the Lodge web site will describe them better than I can. Dual handles are a common feature on heavy grade professional cookware.
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Thalay Sagar »

Sam, a cast iron pan should do you wonders for what you want to cook as long as you aren't using acidic sauces. It's generally the pan I reach for. The only real knock is that they are heavy, but that just helps burn off the calories. A double handle definitely helps lifting a 12 inch pan.
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Chris

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Sam
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by Sam »

Online the 12 inch at Macys was 35 and $10 to ship and 15% off of the 35.00. Went in the store and it was 16.09 and with shipping came to 28.59. Not bad. I'll read up on seasoning it. Wonder if I just oil it down as it comes or wash it first

Ill cook bacon
Ill get.an enamel Dutch oven to simmer liquids and braise
Any recipes for.easy chicken.dishes using the.CI and better any for.one.pot.cooking.with veggies?
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Re: Cast iron skillett

Post by brothers »

Looks like you're in business Sam. Bacon sounds great right about now.
Gary

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