Question: Cooking with cast iron

[Black Dog]

Buy it once and take care of them with proper curing and maintenance they will last forever. As a matter of fact some of the cookware is over 50 years old and still working great.
Have fun!

My dad has an old pot with lid that belonged to his grandma, and she had it since she was a teenager. We're not sure where she got it or how old it was then, but nonetheless it is probably at least 90 years old by now and with a little bit of TLC it is absolutely perfect mint condition. We use it as a sort of sauce pan\saucier type of thing. Its got three legs and has a very rounded bottom, about 10-12 inches tall and 6-8 inches wide at top, and the lid we're not sure if it is the original lid but it works, it has no lip around the edge (to hold coals on top) and a knob like handle-lifter thing and the little nubbies inside to let condensation drip off. Its been in our family for a real long time and hopefully it will stay that way.

 

[DaveInDenver]

its also good to remember dont go looking for 3 brands specifically cause there were half a dozen good brands in the day that arent around anymore.

Good point! Attached a PDF I have that lists many of the cast iron makers through the years and where they were located. There are hundreds besides Wagner, Griswold, O'Brien, Lodge and Filley. A few old manufacturers are still around but not making cookware anymore, largely converted to stoves and what-not.

 

[Sirocco]

http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/downloads/cooking_dutchoven_001.pdf

full of good info and stacks of recipes if your stuck for something

G

 

[DesertBoater]

So I've been cooking on/in cast iron for a couple of years, and have used them for almost anything...Now that y'all mention not cooking tomato sauces in them due to the acidity, I'm starting to wonder. I've cooked tomato sauces in them quite a bit without much issue or taste difference...would the cast iron give a different flavor to acidic foods versus other cookware? or does the added iron in the food act as a benefit?

Cheers,
West

 

[stonehenge]

Lodge. you can purchase it from Bass Pro. follow the directions for seasoning and youre good to go. everything tastes better cooked in a skillet!

 

[bobDog]

Been cooking tomato stuff in cast for my whole life (except for the 1st two years:sombrero....never had a problem.:coffeedrink:

 

[Black Dog]

I've cooked acidic foods tons of times in my cast iron and never had any problems. The key to cast iron is the seasoning. I think people that have problems with acidic food may not have properly seasoned cast iron. If you keep it seasoned, and after you clean it you give it a rub down with oil while it is still warm, you shouldn't have any problems.

http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/

I like this site for recipes. The guy who publishes this site also swears by Maca brand dutch ovens. I've never used them, but they seem pretty good to me. They have a lot of HUGE dutch ovens and some super extra deep models, and you can even special order ovens with customized lids and stuff.

 

[john101477]

What an awesome thread. We used to use cast iron a lot but through the years it has decreased a lot. I remember as a kid how easy it was to clean a well seasoned pan or dutch oven (the kids always did the dishes in camp). My dad used to use a dutch oven to make the best biscuits. the one he used had a lip around the lid that allowed him to put coals on top and it really helped to evenly "bake" the biscuits. I have 2 lodge cast iron woks that have never been used but after reading this thread i may have to dig them out and start the season process.

 

[gabepari]

Cast iron is finicky in that you cant cook acidic foods (tomato sauces) in them, and require special cleaning techniques (no steel wools, little soaps)..

I've heard the same, but I've also heard that cooking tomato based dishes in cast iron is recommended by some to increase the intake of dietary iron? Though, most will admit that a "well" seasoned iron will not be phased at all by a simmering skillet full of hearty spaghetti sauce.

I have an 18" skillet that is great for bacon and eggs in the camp fire. Just don't let my dad put 2 lbs of bacon on a roaring morning fire, we had to wait for the inferno to die down before we could retrieve the pan :costumed-smiley-007 The bacon was nowhere to be found...

Gabe

 

[NorCalLC]

We just recently bought a new set of cast iron pans and dutch oven combo from cabelas, seems to be good quality overall but really needs a good seasoning.

I remember my grand parents used nothing but cast iron and they were both amazing cooks. I used to camp with my grand father all over New Mexico in an 18' TeePee, and he brought all his cast iron along. He ran a hell of a base camp for everyone.

He also brewed his own beer but thats another thread...

 

[RTO_Tracker9]

Thanks' again!

Thanks' again, Everyone! Great information, advice, techniques, and stories!

We were unable to find any old cast iron cooking sets so we decided to buy a new cooking set from Lodge. We ended up purchasing a 10" skillet, 5-qt. camp oven with a lid that fits the 10" skillet as well, 12" deep skillet with a lid that reverses to a round griddle; Dutch oven lifting tool and heavy-duty leather cooking gloves. The gloves were included in the set we bought and may actually save us a few memorable lessons!!

We plan on seasoning the set this week and will hopefully cook with them this weekend! The set we bought is shown below. Now, we just need some more recipes and some great stories to go with them!

Thanks' again,
RTO_Tracker9

 

[Corey]

Nice set.
I picked up the Lodge grill/griddle awhile back for my camp stove.
I want to get a skillet too for home to cook eggs in, I am tired of the non stick stuff working at first, then later on not working as advertised.

The grill/griddle I bought from Lodge was preseasoned too.

 

[Albin]

So I've been cooking on/in cast iron for a couple of years, and have used them for almost anything...Now that y'all mention not cooking tomato sauces in them due to the acidity, I'm starting to wonder. I've cooked tomato sauces in them quite a bit without much issue or taste difference...would the cast iron give a different flavor to acidic foods versus other cookware? or does the added iron in the food act as a benefit?

Cheers,
West

I think the recommendation is to not cook acidic foods until the seasoning is well established. I cook spaghetti sauce in my cast iron all the time, no worries.

Cooking in CI adds iron to your diet. For most, that's a good thing. One link on the subject: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/IronCastIron.htm

Good luck.

Al

 

[Black Dog]

I have an 18" skillet that is great for bacon and eggs in the camp fire.

:Wow1: Geez, I bet that thing weighs a metric ton!

I chipped a tooth with a dutch oven lid once back in boy scouts. The dutch oven was up on top of the kitchen box thing and I reached up to pull it down, but the lid wasn't seated totally perfect and slid off and got me on one of my front teeth.

 

[storman113]

Before buying new pans, you might want to check out antique stores. The Griswold and Wagner pans made long ago have a bit more steel in them and the surface is very smooth, easier clean up. Their also lighter than the new pans.

I used the oven cleaning setting on mine, then the seasoning on the barbecue.