Cast iron skillet YaY!!!

[RamFan503]

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.

Tellin' yuh man. Go garage saling if you want to find good cast iron. They are out there and dirt cheap at garage sales.

 

[Rabid Ram]

Tellin' yuh man. Go garage saling if you want to find good cast iron. They are out there and dirt cheap at garage sales.

I purchased 7 Griswold cast iron pans of varying sizes this way. People find them in there parent/grandparents stuff see it in not great shape and throw it in the yard sale. Total for all I paid around 10 bucks.

One thing not mentioned here that I love about cast iron is the even/consistent distribution of heat it provides.

 

[RAMSinLA]

We have a cast iron skillet in our motor home. It's great for camping. A friend made me a steak one day. He browned it in a CIS and then he put the skillet and the steak in the oven at 500 degrees. Oh first he brushed butter all over it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Best steak I have ever had. Okay that's it I'm going to the butcher...there goes my weigh in post. :snicker:

 

[RamFan503]

I purchased 7 Griswold cast iron pans of varying sizes this way. People find them in there parent/grandparents stuff see it in not great shape and throw it in the yard sale. Total for all I paid around 10 bucks.

One thing not mentioned here that I love about cast iron is the even/consistent distribution of heat it provides.

That's how I got all of mine I think. Even heat and it doesn't cool down when you throw something like a steak or thick piece of fish on it.

 

[Yamahopper]

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.

I'm not a health nut, but I try to eat healthy.

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.

I'm not a health nut, but I try to eat healthy. Lard is natural unprocessed and has no trans fats. No hydrogenated processing. No chemicals are coloring etc. Same with natural butter. Margarine is a log of chemicals invented to fatten turkeys and live stock, but it ended up killing them instead.
Yes it has a little more fat, but the difference is so small when considered how little is absorbed into the food when cooking. It helps a persons HDL cholesterol, and has more saturated fat which is heart friendly.
Shorting is a bunch of vegetable matter treated with pesticides and cottonseed oil chemically bound together..

I get my lard from a farmer friend. each spring and fall. We all help out since it's messy. All the fat is thrown in a big kettle of water with a fire under it. Think Cannibal sized kettle. lard separates out and floats and we skim it off the top. Natural as could be.

But the best part is standing there and the cracklings ( Pork Rinds) float up with a cold beer in one hand and a pair of channel locks in the other to fish them out and eat them on the spot. Best food ever bar none.

 

[Yamahopper]

I'm not a health nut, but I try to eat healthy.

That went terrible wrong

 

[LesBaker]

I purchased 7 Griswold cast iron pans of varying sizes this way. People find them in there parent/grandparents stuff see it in not great shape and throw it in the yard sale. Total for all I paid around 10 bucks.

One thing not mentioned here that I love about cast iron is the even/consistent distribution of heat it provides.

That's actually a myth, they don't distribute heat evenly, or quickly, which is why you should always pre-heat them before cooking on them. @RamFan503 is correct about retaining the heat though.

You have a small fortune in pans RR.........Google the cost of those things, it's crazy!

 

[RamFan503]

That's actually a myth, they don't distribute heat evenly, or quickly, which is why you should always pre-heat them before cooking on them. @RamFan503 is correct about retaining the heat though.

You have a small fortune in pans RR.........Google the cost of those things, it's crazy!

Not sure anyone said anything about quickly. But they definitely distribute evenly as long as you take the time to actually heat the pan properly. The pans also hold heat so they don't cycle quickly and that is part of even heat. I use mine on a gas stove and I don't have hot or cold spots like I do with an aluminum skillet. Put that all together and you have even heat distribution.

 

[LesBaker]

Not sure anyone said anything about quickly. But they definitely distribute evenly as long as you take the time to actually heat the pan properly. The pans also hold heat so they don't cycle quickly and that is part of even heat. I use mine on a gas stove and I don't have hot or cold spots like I do with an aluminum skillet. Put that all together and you have even heat distribution.

Yes what I meant was essentially the same thing......you have to pre-heat them and supposedly the best way is in the oven so the entire pan is hot. If you don't the area over the flame will be a lot hotter for awhile before it levels out and even then thee can be hot spots I would guess. I've read that you should preheat for 15 minutes at least.

I have an electric stove so the entire bottom gets heated at the same time, I still preheat it though because I like the steak to get that char.

Lovelovelove that!!!

EDIT:

I've been dialing in to the "science" behind how to season and use these things. Here are a couple of articles:

http://famishedfamily.com/2011/11/03/five-myths-about-cast-iron-skillets/

http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/02/16/heavy-metal-the-science-of-cast-iron-cooking/

 

[RhodyRams]

We have a cast iron skillet in our motor home. It's great for camping. A friend made me a steak one day. He browned it in a CIS and then he put the skillet and the steak in the oven at 500 degrees. Oh first he brushed butter all over it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Best steak I have ever had. Okay that's it I'm going to the butcher...there goes my weigh in post. :snicker:

My nephew, the butcher, gave me a beautiful porterhouse steak for my birthday. I plan on cooking it up tomorrow after my half marathon and will be doing it this way.

BTW out of curiosity I checked our skillet and it is a Griswold 704 L... Never really looked before this thread.

Ya learn something new every day, if not then the day was just a waste

 

[Rabid Ram]

That's actually a myth, they don't distribute heat evenly, or quickly, which is why you should always pre-heat them before cooking on them. @RamFan503 is correct about retaining the heat though.

You have a small fortune in pans RR.........Google the cost of those things, it's crazy!

I always preheat and I'm aware of the amount they are worth I have more from other yard sales that I am reclaiming as we speak.

 

[LesBaker]

@Rabid Ram I'm envious..........I'll be on the lookout for more.

@RhodyRams find a recipe for "hotel butter" or maitre'd butter" and melt some in the pan and some on top of the steak.

 

[RhodyRams]

@Rabid Ram I'm envious..........I'll be on the lookout for more.

@RhodyRams find a recipe for "hotel butter" or maitre'd butter" and melt some in the pan and some on top of the steak.

my wife buys something similar from a local farm, horseradish butter with parsley that I use often on almost everything beef related. Making hamburgers I toast the rolls and butter them up with the stuff. Magnifico!!