Cast iron skillet YaY!!!

[LesBaker]

So I bought a good cast iron skillet and have used it several times to make steak. I'm not kidding when I say it may be the best way to make a steak and I am a HUGE fan of the grill. You have to remove the batteries from your smoke detectors and open windows and doors because it creates a lot of smoke. But it's totally worth it, the skillet puts a char on the beef unlike anything I've ever seen. And it's really tasty.

I used some of RamFan503's steak seasoning, which if you haven't tried you should go to his site and get some right now its delicious, and it created a sort of bark on the steaks almost like you get on perfectly prepared ribs. It was delicious.

So I scrubbed out the pan to properly season it after reading some stuff online and discovering that the best thing is linseed/flax oil. There is actual science behind this believe it or not. This type of oil when applied and cooked on layer after layer creates a sort of natural "plastic" non stick layer over the surface of the pan. The trick is to rub it in then totally and completely wipe it out so it looks like there is no oil in it, the cook it at 500 degrees upside down with a cookie sheet under it. After one hour turn off the oven and let it sit for two hours in the oven. The instructions I got online said to do this at least 6 times. The video showed the guys pan and it was like there was a layer of black glass on the bottom of the pan. I'm going to do it 8 times, maybe 10 over the next couple of days, actually I am halfway to 8 and there is a very noticeable difference in the pan already.

Anyone have any pans like this and if so what do you make in them? I'd like to get some ideas from people that have used iron to make different recipes.

 

[IowaRam]

 

[Selassie I]

I have a bad ass cast iron skillet. I use it for blackening fish. Having a good one is a vital part of any quality kitchen. They do take some special care.

First of all @LesBaker ... I don't use mine inside the house... way too much smoke man. I use a propane burner that is also used for turkey frying to heat my skillet outside. You can also use a side gas burner on a gas grill if you want, but those don't heat up as high as I like. If you don't already do this... make sure you let your skillet heat up for 15 minutes on the burner before putting any meat in it.

After use... proper cleaning is important. Don't use any soap on it. Wipe it out with some paper towels first and then you can rinse it under some water. Dry it off with a towel. Then put a small amount your preferred type of oil on it with a paper towel and put the skillet on the stove inside on a low setting for about 20 minutes... that will get all of the water out of it. Store in a dry place.

Keep care of it like that and it will last forever.


I agree that your steaks will taste great on a skillet. Many of the high end steak places cook their steaks on them (with butter). I can still make a better tasting steak on my green egg though... it does have a cast iron grate that I use for high temp cooking, so it's similar with the heat of the iron.

 

[beej]

My mom used one every day of her life for breakfast. she would fry bacon and eggs with it and just wipe the bacon grease out the pan. (never washed it). I never thought much about it as a youngster, but when I got older I thought, that can't possibly be sanitary. but on the other hand none of us ever got sick so...

my wife likes to make home made pizza in ours. I love a deep pan crust made in that skillet.

 

[RamFan503]

I haven't tried Linseed oil. It seems counterintuitive that an oil with that low of a smoke point would be a good seasoning oil. I would think that the coating would be softened any time you used a hotter oil in the pan. I generally use good ole lard. I also like to use lard as my oil in a cast iron skillet. From my experience, vegetable based oils tend to get sticky at times and don't maintain as slick of a surface. But - like I said, I've never used flaxseed oil for this. It just seems to me that you would want to use a high temperature oil and lard is almost twice that of flaxseed oil.

Either way, the rest holds true. The only time you may want to use soap in a cast iron pan is when it is brand new and there is that layer of waxy crap on it for shipping and storage. Still, I just burn it off. I have 8 cast iron skillets and a cast iron griddle that I use. They have a pretty good cure to them but still, every now and then, I bake on another. Cast iron is the only way to truly blacken something IMO. And that is another reason I would think you would want to use a high temperature oil for a cure. I don't use my smaller ones all that much anymore but I have a 20" skillet that I use all the time for blackening and frying.

I tend to use lighter non-stick pans for most of the stuff I cook in a pan these days.

As to @beej with the sanitary issue - ain't nothing gonna live on good cured cast iron with the heat used in cooking with it and all. Mom knows best on some of these things. I'll bet she even had the bacon grease sitting on the counter ready to either put a spoonful in the dog's food or cook up the next batch of eggs and potatoes in the cast iron.

 

[beej]

I'll bet she even had the bacon grease sitting on the counter ready to either put a spoonful in the dog's food or cook up the next batch of eggs and potatoes in the cast iron.

oh my God, was that you looking in our windows!??!!

 

[RamFan503]

oh my God, was that you looking in our windows!??!!

That was the norm back in the day. Everyone is so paranoid about germs these days. If I actually cooked at home anymore, I'd have that bacon grease container right next to my stove like I always used to and my mom and grandma before me. And my dog's coat would be a wee bit shinier. And my butter would be sitting on the dining room table - soft and ready to use.

 

[LesBaker]

Here is the link for you guys

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

@RamFan503 the oil is wiped out so there is not much to smoke. The reason for that particular oil is it creates a sort of "polymer" when cooked at 500 degrees. Mine is still getting there but it's getting a glassy look to it. Check out the pics in the link. It also creates the hardest surface.

@Selassie I I know they take a little extra effort, and I've looked around to make sure I take good care of it. This time of year it's easy all I have to do is open all the windows and doors..........the nice weather is here!!! FYI a tip for you..........heat up the pan in the oven it's more evenly prepared that way.

@beej you better post that effin' recipe man it would be very cool to make a pizza like that. Finished in the oven I bet.

 

[beej]

@beej you better post that effin' recipe man it would be very cool to make a pizza like that. Finished in the oven I bet.

yes finished in the oven. but it would be hard to post the recipe. I don't think that she uses one. but we make pizza sauce from our own tomatoes and we make our own pork sausage. And it's a home made crust that she uses in lots of different things. but she never pulls out a piece of paper to make it. it's all in her head. I could probably provide recipes for the pizza sauce and pork sausage, though.

 

[RamFan503]

Here is the link for you guys

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

@RamFan503 the oil is wiped out so there is not much to smoke. The reason for that particular oil is it creates a sort of "polymer" when cooked at 500 degrees. Mine is still getting there but it's getting a glassy look to it. Check out the pics in the link. It also creates the hardest surface.

@Selassie I I know they take a little extra effort, and I've looked around to make sure I take good care of it. This time of year it's easy all I have to do is open all the windows and doors..........the nice weather is here!!! FYI a tip for you..........heat up the pan in the oven it's more evenly prepared that way.

@beej you better post that effin' recipe man it would be very cool to make a pizza like that. Finished in the oven I bet.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

 

[LesBaker]

So I have a couple more coats on now, and it's starting to really shape up. Even though it looks "wet" to the touch it isn't and running my fingertips along the surface it's smooth and slick but there is no oil residue on my fingertips afterwards.

I'm going to give it a few more coats.

I have a friend visiting in a couple of weeks that is bringing REAL dry aged beef and of course it's angus. I've had it from this market in Cleveland before and it's the most flavorful beef I have ever had and I have had some great stuff. This is on another level. It's going to be a treat in this pan with some good red wine.

 

[ChrisW]

I'd have that bacon grease container right next to my stove

I used to do this, because my mom did it too. But, I couldn't get my room mates to not wash it out because they thought it was a dirty dish. I even wrote bacon grease on the lid of the glass tupper, and they still washed it out.

It goes in the fridge now, so nobody bothers it.

 

[RamFan503]

So I have a couple more coats on now, and it's starting to really shape up. Even though it looks "wet" to the touch it isn't and running my fingertips along the surface it's smooth and slick but there is no oil residue on my fingertips afterwards.

I'm going to give it a few more coats.

I have a friend visiting in a couple of weeks that is bringing REAL dry aged beef and of course it's angus. I've had it from this market in Cleveland before and it's the most flavorful beef I have ever had and I have had some great stuff. This is on another level. It's going to be a treat in this pan with some good red wine.

Pictures or none of it happened.

 

[LetsGoRams]

We save and use bacon grease all the time... love the stuff. Love our cast iron.

 

[LesBaker]

Pictures or none of it happened.

Not done yet mister!!!

I want to get more coats on it. It's coming along nicely though.

Did you have a chance to peruse the article?

 

[RhodyRams]

we have my mother-in laws cast iron skillet and we use it all the time. I never heard of linseed oil treatment either. Have a can of Crisco in the cupboard and thats all I use it for.

As for the bacon grease, my wife has a recipe for dog cookies that she uses that for. She doesnt eat bacon, so it is a very rare occasion that it gets cooked in this house, but when I do, it's thick slab all the way !!!!

and deep dish pizza in the skillet is the way to go !!!

 

[Yamahopper]

When did this happen? Thought all skillets and pans were cast iron?
Really old school way to prep them is rub a bunch of lard in them,i mean grind it in there, cover whole pan with it . Then toss it in a big fire for a couple hours. let it turn a little orange from the heat. Drag it out and let it cool to ambient. Then enjoy for a couple lifetimes.
I use my Grandmothers cast iron stuff to this day. This is how she cured them before WWI. They will out live me and my kids.

And on a side note. If you're using anything but lard and real butter to cook with you are a idiot 49'r fan, That hydrogenated stuff will kill you.

 

[RamFan503]

and deep dish pizza in the skillet is the way to go !!!

Meh. Pizza crust is just something to keep the sauce, cheese, and toppings from falling through your fingers. If I want bread with my pizza I'll order some bread sticks or garlic knots. :cheers:

 

[RamFan503]

And on a side note. If you're using anything but lard and real butter to cook with you are a idiot 49'r fan, That hydrogenated stuff will kill you.

Aside from my fryers, I use EVOO, butter, or bacon fat to cook with. I am getting reacquainted with lard but it's not all that easy to find anymore. I had to buy a 3 gallon bucket of it. I'm actually thinking of telling the health nuts to go to hell and putting the stuff in my fryers. Nothing fries like lard.

Though I'm tempted to try Les' method here, my cast iron is just fine like it is. Not much point in stripping it and getting away from good ole lard and butter.

 

[LesBaker]

When did this happen? Thought all skillets and pans were cast iron?
Really old school way to prep them is rub a bunch of lard in them,i mean grind it in there, cover whole pan with it . Then toss it in a big fire for a couple hours. let it turn a little orange from the heat. Drag it out and let it cool to ambient. Then enjoy for a couple lifetimes.
I use my Grandmothers cast iron stuff to this day. This is how she cured them before WWI. They will out live me and my kids.

And on a side note. If you're using anything but lard and real butter to cook with you are a idiot 49'r fan, That hydrogenated stuff will kill you.

What you have is probably Griswold pans, made in Erie, PA. They used to be made in metal molds and the surface was smooth. Now they are made in sand type molds which is why the have a pebbled surface.

The article I posted actual was a Griswold pan the woman was restoring, those things are very costly.

But they are the Rolls Royce of cast iron from what I've read.