Cast Iron Skillet

[GiBo]

You have to pay attention to your order of operations.

For instance, with sausage and peppers, you aren't going to want to put it all in there at the same time.

First you start your pork and it will render out the fat which you probably don't want your peppers and onions swimming in that oily mess.

But, you can get your sausage going, then dump out that pork oil, but not wipe it, and then use the remaining to work with your veg.

Less oily dish, and using the fat you have to your benefit.

Dude, I'm no chef, but I would never throw the veggies into a bunch of pork fat! There was very little fat, actually. Mostly water came off, which was odd. I think maybe that salty, evaporating water deglazed the pan a little?

Checking in to say that, other than my little egg skillet which gets used at least a half dozen times per week, I have been using my 2 lodge carbon steel skillets more than any of my my cast iron lately. They have both matured into outstanding cooking tools and I can't recommend them highly enough. I can't remember the last time I used an old school Teflon (or similar) non stick pan.

I have a small Lodge carbon steel and love it. My daughter just asked for a cast iron skillet for Christmas. In hindsight, I maybe should have gotten her the carbon steel.

[m2711c]

Dude, I'm no chef, but I would never throw the veggies into a bunch of pork fat!

What? Fat = Flavor......


don’t tell me youse is using teh PAM?

[Jong Lafitte]

Dude, I'm no chef, but I would never throw the veggies into a bunch of pork fat!

"throwing them into a bunch of pork fat" was not the suggestion. If you ne'er heard of using animal fat for greasing a pan, well, I'm out. You are beyond help at this point.

IME, I just use the cast iron as if its not "non-stick," using oil or fat druing cooking, and keep it with some oil on it, then I'm not paranoid about losing the seasoning.

[GiBo]

Key word: Bunch of fat.

No, I haven't used PAM since my huffing days.

[Jong Lafitte]

Key word: Bunch of fat...

that's exactly what I'M saying! I just didn't see that the described technique would really lead to there being all that much fat in there.

[GiBo]

"throwing them into a bunch of pork fat" was not the suggestion. If you ne'er heard of using animal fat for greasing a pan, well, I'm out. You are beyond help at this point.

IME, I just use the cast iron as if its not "non-stick," using oil or fat druing cooking, and keep it with some oil on it, then I'm not paranoid about losing the seasoning.

Of course I've heard of using animal fat, Jong L, but I wouldn't float a bunch of bell peppers it. Now floating some french fries in some lard...

[east or bust]

CI jong question, why exactly can’t you cook acidic foods in them? does that degrade the seasoning while cooking?

[KQ]

CI jong question, why exactly can’t you cook acidic foods in them? does that degrade the seasoning while cooking?

5 Myths of Cast Iron Cookware

Myth #2: You should never cook tomatoes and other acidic foods in cast iron.

A well-seasoned pan can handle acidic foods with impunity. Mark does caution, though, against jumping into menu plans with tomatoes while using a newly purchased Lodge product. "If the seasoning is very good, you can prepare dishes with tomatoes and other acidic foods, but it’s best to wait until your piece is well-seasoned." Recipes including very acidic foods, like tomatoes and citrus juices, should not be cooked in seasoned cast iron until the cookware is highly seasoned. The high acidity of these foods will strip the seasoning and result in discoloration and metallic-tasting food.

[John_B]

I cooked a bunch of crushed tomatoes in my newly seasoned cast iron after sanding and seasoning it and as said above it pulled all the seasoning off. Haven't had an issue since but have been a bit more cautious than the first time.

[Jong Lafitte]

Of course I've heard of using animal fat, Jong L, but I wouldn't float a bunch of bell peppers it. Now floating some french fries in some lard...

Hehe, surely, I'm just saying that the technique as I understood it was to basically drain everything except a coating, not a pool. I've used this with success before.

[detrusor]

I’ve resurfaced and reseasoned some new cast iron w the shitty casting.

Sequentially finer sanding then flaxseed oil due to its high temp. Stick free and durable.


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[KQ]

LIES!!! Kidding but man that debuyer has been a source of frustration for me. Can't get it to season right or evenly. Not to mention I can't cook a damn crepe. Even went to a class. Still look/taste like/are fucking pancakes. I like to use it for fajita veggies then heat it up hot and put the meat (just finished in a cast iron on the grill) in so you can serve it "sizzling" like at the messican restaurant.

What is your batter recipe?

I use an all purpose batter for stuffed crepes:

4 eggs
1/4 t salt
2c flour
2 1/4 c milk
1/4 c melted butter

Combine eggs & salt. Gradually add flour alternately with milk, beating with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. Beat in melted butter. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Makes 32 to 36 crepes. I halve it and usually get about 12 good sized crepes.

[RShea]

CI jong question, why exactly can’t you cook acidic foods in them? does that degrade the seasoning while cooking?

You can cook acidic foods in them, but tomato sauce and similar acidic foods will end up pulling the pan's seasoning and patina, drying the pan up in a sense, removing a good portion of the seasoning and making it so you have to treat it with another round of seasoning. There really are no hard fast rules, if the pan looses a bit of the seasoning it is no big deal to some. Others do not want to do the re-seasoning after cooking acidic items, so they avoid using their CI for tomato and similar high acidic cooking....

[highangle]

that's exactly what I'M saying! I just didn't see that the described technique would really lead to there being all that much fat in there.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...ers-and-onions

[neufox47]

I’ve resurfaced and reseasoned some new cast iron w the shitty casting.

Sequentially finer sanding then flaxseed oil due to its high temp. Stick free and durable.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

This. If you get a Lodge, spend some time sanding it smooth. Get nuts and polish it if you want, but it becomes a whole different pan after it is dead flat / smooth. Kills me because it would cost Lodge what, $.25 - $.50 on a modern factory scale to grind the pan flat but they sell it rough as a corn cob. I have a 12” I need to do, it is fine for seating steaks but I wouldn’t try eggs or anything else in it.

One big advantage to CI or CS over other metals is that it will deposit iron to your food. Unless you are iceman and have blood of steel.

[alias_rice]

I got this guy for Christmas this year. I was going to season it last night but realized it has an enamel on the cook surface. I’m guessing there is no need to season it. I’ve never used enameled ci on a skillet before, does it cook similar to my old school stuff?

[GiBo]

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...ers-and-onions

That's what I made. Interesting. Never thought of par boiling the sausage. That would have made a difference in that I would have just browned them in the CI instead of cooking them through in it.

[KQ]

I got this guy for Christmas this year. I was going to season it last night but realized it has an enamel on the cook surface. I’m guessing there is no need to season it. I’ve never used enameled ci on a skillet before, does it cook similar to my old school stuff?

I have a similar Le Creuset. Do yourself a favor and never add oil to the pan. Instead you should rub oil/ season whatever you're going to cook. Cleanup will be much easier.

[Jong Lafitte]

What is your batter recipe?

I use an all purpose batter for stuffed crepes:

4 eggs
1/4 t salt
2c flour
2 1/4 c milk
1/4 c melted butter

Combine eggs & salt. Gradually add flour alternately with milk, beating with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. Beat in melted butter. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Makes 32 to 36 crepes. I halve it and usually get about 12 good sized crepes.

I'll try this. My usual recipe is the KISS "2 eggs:1c flour:1c Milk, then add a bit of salt" I learnt in a cooking class. Chef said nothing of butter!!! damn him. Also, if you're getting 12 crepes from two eggs, I'm using waay to much batter per crepe, so I''ll have to check this out. Thanks!

[alias_rice]

I have a similar Le Creuset. Do yourself a favor and never add oil to the pan. Instead you should rub oil/ season whatever you're going to cook. Cleanup will be much easier.

Good to know. After a little internet sleuthing the enamel is supposed to get rid of the need for seasoning, but will still build up a nice patina over time. We shall see

[billyk]

I got this guy for Christmas this year. I was going to season it last night but realized it has an enamel on the cook surface. I’m guessing there is no need to season it. I’ve never used enameled ci on a skillet before, does it cook similar to my old school stuff?

I got something like that. Doesn’t have ceramic on the cooking surface, though. It’s a real bitch to keep clean, even with that little slotted tool they give you, which your spouse might not understand what it is for and thinks could be recycled.

[oftpiste]

That looks like a nonstick coating?

FWIW, I don't typically use raw cast iron for acidic stuff. I feel like it does degrade the seasoning somewhat, but I have other pans that just work better for certain things.

I got this guy for Christmas this year. I was going to season it last night but realized it has an enamel on the cook surface. I’m guessing there is no need to season it. I’ve never used enameled ci on a skillet before, does it cook similar to my old school stuff?

[KQ]

I'll try this. My usual recipe is the KISS "2 eggs:1c flour:1c Milk, then add a bit of salt" I learnt in a cooking class. Chef said nothing of butter!!! damn him. Also, if you're getting 12 crepes from two eggs, I'm using waay to much batter per crepe, so I''ll have to check this out. Thanks!

That recipe is from my Dad. I think he got it out of some ancient Crepe Cookbook somewhere. Works for everything I do. Make sure you're using whole milk. That's what I use in all my cooking unless a recipe specifically indicates otherwise.

I wish I could tell you how much I use per crepe but I've been doing it so long I just eye it now. My crepes range in size from a large corn tortilla to a small flour. Plenty big enough to stuff and roll up to the size of an enchilada.

[KQ]

Amazon Reveals Its Most-Purchased Kitchen Item This Year

and the winner is:




The Top Kitchen Item on Amazon in 2018

In the cookware category, the top item really surprised us. After all, grandma’s been using one for years to whip up delicious desserts and hearty casseroles. Though it’s by no means the most beautiful piece of cookware on the market, it is one of the most long-lasting, price-conscious and versatile pieces available.

We’re talking, of course, about the humble cast iron skillet. A 10.25-inch, pre-seasoned beauty from Lodge took home this year’s top honors. Other top items were a 5-Quart Saute Pan from T-fal and a set of Calphalon nonstick pans.

[Tamburello Rouge]

After years of her using, wearing out, and replacing teflon coated pans, I finally convinced my wife to start using our cast iron cookware that has been sitting there the entire time. She's up to speed and loving it. Cleaning is a snap and I make sure they stay seasoned. We have the 3 quart saucepan with the 10" skillet that doubles as a lid. I picked her up a 13" skillet for Xmas. No more teflon coated junk!