Cast Iron Skillets

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

I have been doing fish and other frying in a large (9 quart) Le Creuset dutch oven and I like it so much I don’t use the old black cast iron anymore. There are a million cheaper versions out there as well which I would think would work just as well.

The La Creuset has all the advantages of cast iron because it is cast iron. The best part is that the enamel coating eliminates all the black cast iron pan issues with rust, seasoning, sticking, cleanup, etc. No need to be sanding, buffing, waxing, oiling, massaging, etc, etc, etc.

I also like the depth because there’s less spatter. Try it if you have one of these enamel dutch ovens.

I’ll be making a chuck roast and veggies in mine tonight. It’s my workhorse for stews, roasts, chili, soup, frying.

tswoboda wrote:

If I were buying right now, there’s a direct-to-consumer brand out of Argentina that looks really good.

Do you know what that’s called?

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

a large (9 quart) Le Creuset dutch oven

We have one of those and it is awesome! Great for soup and roasts too.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

No need to be sanding, buffing, waxing, oiling, massaging, etc, etc, etc.

Some guys like the foreplay…

BigWerm wrote:

Do you know what that’s called?

Perhaps Darto?

https://www.dartointernational.com/

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

The La Creuset has all the advantages of cast iron because it is cast iron. The best part is that the enamel coating eliminates all the black cast iron pan issues with rust, seasoning, sticking, cleanup, etc. No need to be sanding, buffing, waxing, oiling, massaging, etc, etc, etc.

Ya, but how do you get your eggs to taste like fried fish the next morning?

biggill wrote:

Ya, but how do you get your eggs to taste like fried fish the next morning?

LOL, my son still reminds me of the fish-flavored pancakes we had a few years ago in the BWCA.

Yeah Darto is correct – some good looking stuff there.

The enameled cast iron dutch ovens and braisers are great but serve a different purpose.

I’ve been using a cast aluminum pan/pot/dutch oven type thing for backcountry cooking the last few years and really like it.

Now I need another pan.

I’m a big fan of cast iron/carbon steel. The carbon steel pans are fantastic to cook on, and IMO take a seasoning way better than any CI.

Thanks for the reminder! I need another cheapo teflon pan for the cabin. I keep forgetting. Must be from all that teflon I ate off the old one!
No really, I;wm fi ne..

suzuki wrote:

Must be from all that teflon I ate off the old one!
No really, I;wm fi ne..

You mean that wasn’t pepper in the potatoes?
I need to replace some of mine too.

picklerick wrote:

I’ll be making a chuck roast and veggies in mine tonight. It’s my workhorse for stews, roasts, chili, soup, frying.

I don’t think it’s possible to wear a LaCruscet out, but we’re giving it our best shot. I would suppose of the 2 sizes I have, I use one or the other every week of the year at least once. Fantastic cookware.

Ralph Wiggum wrote:

TheFamousGrouse wrote:
No need to be sanding, buffing, waxing, oiling, massaging, etc, etc, etc.

Some guys like the foreplay…

Sanding, Ralph? I mean, I’ve heard some like it rough, but…

biggill wrote:

Ya, but how do you get your eggs to taste like fried fish the next morning?

Yes, there’s just no way to replicate that ol’ fish carryover effect.

Cast iron in tough shape can be sand blasted to bring it back around, and then re-seasoned. I did that to an old, old dutch oven and its been a favorite for doing roasts ever since.

I picked up a cheapo T-Fail this afternoon. Good for cabin use and quick meals. Mostly used for eggs. We have a hodge podge of pans up there including cast iron.

Jimmy Jones wrote:

Cast iron in tough shape can be sand blasted to bring it back around, and then re-seasoned. I did that to an old, old dutch oven and its been a favorite for doing roasts ever since.

Throw it in the oven and put it through a self-clean cycle. Comes out looking like new!

tswoboda wrote:

Throw it in the oven and put it through a self-clean cycle. Comes out looking like new!

Then re-season or it’s good to go?

The self-clean truck works well. Definitely will have to re-season afterwards, but cooking is the best way to season.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tswoboda wrote:</div>
Throw it in the oven and put it through a self-clean cycle. Comes out looking like new!

Then re-season or it’s good to go?

Definitely need to re-season after that. It’s the nuclear option to strip the pan right down to bare metal.

i used to have alot of respect for you guys!!!!! intil you said cooking a steak in a frying pan!!!!!!!!!

glenn57 wrote:

intil you said cooking a steak in a frying pan!!!

Umm unless us, Gordon Ramsey and Alton Brown are wrong… But seriously that is the best way to get a good crust and medium rare (or whatever you like) interior.

We pan fry steaks in the winter when grilling is a pain. Actually we prefer it for chuckeyes. Oops, did I just mention chuckeyes? There’s no such thing as a chuckeye. Forget I said that.

Only time it’s a pain to grill are days in like this or in a blizzard!; It isn’t a lot of fun in rain either but I grill A LOT!!!

WAS just stirrin the pot a bit!

But ya gotta remember Glenn doesn’t like anything with a sear..lol. So what are you guys cooking over? My cast irons are always over charcoal, they take a beating. Can the carbon steel hold up?

Swimjiggin wrote:

But ya gotta remember Glenn doesn’t like anything with a sear..lol. So what are you guys cooking over? My cast irons are always over charcoal, they take a beating. Can the carbon steel hold up?

your right I don’t like burnt meat!;

Swimjiggin wrote:

Can the carbon steel hold up?

They’re both just hunks of metal, so yeah. The good ones with thick steel are fine over fire, and the cheap thin ones will warp.

If anyone is looking, this cast iron pan for $21 (normal price is $50) seems like a good deal.

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/ayesha-curry-pre-seasoned-cast-iron-skillet?ID=13430466

Picked up a MATFER BLACK STEEL FRY PAN, and just seasoned it. Interesting process, I’d guess the potato skins are for the starch?

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Does anyone know why a lot of my cast iron skillets get this black crusty buildup on the bottoms? What is it , how do I prevent it from happening, and more importantly, what is a good way to get rid of it. They all seem to still be cooking fine, they just leave black marks in my sink, and the crusty stuff probably doesn’t help with heat distribution.

If its on the outside and on the bottom of the pan I’d take a wire brush in a drill and remove it. Being on the outside its not going to mess with the seasoning on the inside.