cast iron question

[Mike Magee]

My engine is very well seasoned with oil! I like to get cookin' on the expressway, too.

[honda03842]

I just bought a cast iron griddle, 27 pounds, 16" x 24"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[The Minimalist]

The best way to season a cast iron pot or pan is to fry fish, cracklins, bacon etc. in it several times and clean with salt.

The best way to clean a seasoned cast iron pan or pot is to scrub it clean with salt and very little water, then rinse. Salt removes anything that might have stuck and will kill just about anything Ask the Carthaginians). Cleaning with salt leaves a light coat of oil in the pan to prevent corosion.

The biggest problem with cast iron today is that it is only cast. My old pots and pans, including my griddle Norm, Have milled cooking surfaces. If you are buying new and can't find milled surfaces, look for ceramic coated cast iron, which will compete with most non-stick surfaces and don't require any seasoning at all.

[CharleyWhiskey]

My 14" and 12" Lodge dutch ovens have been used for 25 years , campfire cooking with wood or charcoal. I'm finicky about cleanliness with food handling but have never felt it necessary to wash them out unless food got burnt into them. In camp I'll clean them by heating up water in them, wiping them out and wiping them inside and out with oil. I never scour them;it will invite rust.

[Raz]

Cast iron is high temperature cookware. Unlike boiling at 212*F, oil is typically heated to over 300*F. I suspect that's why wiping is all you need on a well seasoned pan. Raz

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by The Minimalist

The biggest problem with cast iron today is that it is only cast. My old pots and pans, including my griddle Norm, Have milled cooking surfaces. If you are buying new and can't find milled surfaces, look for ceramic coated cast iron, which will compete with most non-stick surfaces and don't require any seasoning at all.

The griddle arrived before your post. It's surface looks flat and smooth though I doubt it was milled. We'll see how it works in the morning.

We purchased two Ceramic frying pans for the trailer. They are wonderful. Nothing ever sticks and they always look brand new.

[Raz]

Originally Posted by honda03842

The griddle arrived before your post. It's surface looks flat and smooth though I doubt it was milled. We'll see how it works in the morning.

We purchased two Ceramic frying pans for the trailer. They are wonderful. Nothing ever sticks and they always look brand new.

About a year ago Maggie purchased a cast iron Dutch oven. After lots of research, she bought the plain cast iron Lodge.. There were lots of complaints about the ceramic version. Apparently Lodge had moved production over seas on their ceramic cookware and the manufacturer hadn't quite figured things out. I recently discovered that a local wood stove manufacturer, Vermont Castings, was subcontracting the plain cast for Lodge while they were renovating there factory. Good chance Maggies pot was made 25 miles from here. Hard to tell where anything's made these days! Raz

[james kent]

Originally Posted by honda03842

The griddle arrived before your post. It's surface looks flat and smooth though I doubt it was milled. We'll see how it works in the morning.



We purchased two Ceramic frying pans for the trailer. They are wonderful. Nothing ever sticks and they always look brand new.

Now that you have the griddle home, is it really 27 pounds? That's more than I would like to lug around.
Jim


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by james kent

Now that you have the griddle home, is it really 27 pounds? That's more than I would like to lug around.
Jim


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

I bought it for the top of our club house gas stove. I wouldn't lug it around but it weighs over 20 pounds.

I cooked two eggs on it and it worked great. I'm buying a second one on Monday.

I was told you want it thick and heavy for even heating.

AS to the earlier question about the surface. It's very smooth and seems to be what one would want. Monday's breakfast will be the real test when the more professional cooks are doing the meal.