Cast Iron Skillet

[farmer]

finally got out of the dorm this semester, which means i finally get to cook for myself (which is a more than welcome change after eating deep-fried everything for the last 1.5 years)

Why I didn't buy a cast iron pan, I don't know. I did get a decent t-fal pan for $2 at the goodwill, so maybe that had something to do with it. Back home mom only ever cooked on cast iron, and stone baking pans for bread. It makes way better, more even bacon on cast iron than anything else. hell, you heat it up enough to cook the bacon, and you can turn the heat off and still fry an egg.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

Cool, thanks for the tips. Top Sirloin was on sale so got a couple nice thick ones. IMO, only a ribsteak beats the flavor of a top sirloin.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

So is this some kind of elaborate practical joke cooks play on noobs?

Within 30 sec. my entire little house was filled with smoke...

[advres]

Yeah shoulda mentioned that. You may have wanted to open some windows and turn off your smoke detector.... it smokes like a SOB. But the steak tasted good though right?

[dirtybryan]

So is this some kind of elaborate practical joke cooks play on noobs?

Within 30 sec. my entire little house was filled with smoke...

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiQ0VOJmCbg&feature=related"]YouTube - Good Eats S1E1P2: Steak Your Claim[/nomedia]
This is pretty thorough and a good guide. You probably used EVOO, which is a no go since it has a low smoke point. Try something like canola oil.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

So there was no way I could let it go the entire 4-5 minutes of sear time as I was literally choking on all the smoke (and yeah, I used EVOO, will try peanut oil next time as I have some on hand, or no oil at all) so I fired up my BBQ and after the first two minutes I flipped the steak and set the pan out on the Q. It wasn't heated up enough though and didn't get a good sear on the second side. Because of that I left the steak in the oven for 9 minutes then let rest for 10. Perfectly medium rare all the way through and incredibly tender. I thought about taking a pic of it for the photo contest but couldn't stop eating long enough to go get the camera. That and I'm pretty sure if I'd left it unattended for even a second my dog would have helped himself.

[advres]

This is a different way of cooking it, but start at 7:00 and watch the amount of smoke the guy gets after a couple minutes...

[ame="http://revision3.com/foodmob/perfectsteak"]Succulent Fillet Steak, Super Spicy Wedges and Ice Cold Beer - Food Mob[/ame]

[MakersTeleMark]

Chainsaw:

You get it. Ventilation. For me, door wide open, flaps cranked.

Luvs - Makers.

Memo to meat luverz.

[bagtagley]

Olive Oil will definitely make things worse, but a high-heat sear with a steak is gonna make smoke no matter what oil you use. I can't cook in a kitchen without a vent fan.

[advres]

Cooked 3 eggs on the bitch this morning. Never thought I'd talk about a "pan" so much in my life but this thing is the best.

[Sagamoron]

I think my skillet makes the best burger around. It was passed down to me from my mother who got I believe from hers.
Its an older one clearly so I did some researching based on markings on the and its aGriswold made in Erie, PA cast from the years of 1897 and 1957. I love this beast!

[Caucasian Asian]

So is this some kind of elaborate practical joke cooks play on noobs?

Within 30 sec. my entire little house was filled with smoke...

Step 1- Turn on fan

Step 2- Heat pan up until it's almost smoking.

Step 3- Don't use any oil. Liberaly salt the pan, and season the steak with pepper.


It will stick initially, but as the steak cooks, it will release from the pan. Then flip and place in the oven to finish cooking.

Yes it will smoke. And stick. And maybe burn a little. But it will be well worth it.

[BigDaddy]

Cast Iron Confession:

A really good friend of mine, and I don't have that many (go figure), got married late in life last year to a wonderful woman.

He invited me down for the wedding. I camped out in my truck outside of his earthdome after a huge throw-down. Even woke him and his newlywed in the wee mornings after the jam session died down with a good box of shells through the 12g

So, I leave the next afternoon and get a call on the drive back that my drunken ass had left my prize possession - a big old multi-yeared cast iron skillet that he always makes me bring down for group breakfasts of blue corn pancakes.

I confessed that, no, I didn't forget it, but that the best thing I could actually muster out of my meager possessions was that skillet.

He was floored. And I know he cherishes it to this day.

That's awesome.

I left one (handed down from my mother) in my college apartment one summer for the sub-letters to use. When I got back in the fall, it was gone. I still miss it and that was 20+ years ago. Big f'n mistake.

[Snakeboy]

If you want to use oil, try grapeseed oil, very high smoking temp. But yeah, smoke = flavor. Not much you can do about that. I cooked some really nice swordfish at my Dad's house several years ago and it smoked up the whole house. His fan didn't vent outside. The house smelled like blackened fish for a loooongg time. HAHA. Then he and my girlfriend got into a drinking contest and both got stupid stumbling drunk and she ended up puking all over the place. So, yeah, not sure what the point is...just be careful kemosabe.

[~mikey b]

some of these live in the camper - some go back and forth between home and camp kitchen depending on group size and circumstances

[jfost]

...AMISH PARADISE!!!

nice quiver!

[jfost]

Cast Iron Confession: ...

was this a long time ago? and if not, how do you get on the internet?!?

[iceman]

was this a long time ago? and if not, how do you get on the internet?!?

huh? he's got a fairly modern cordless phone up there on hte counter, it looks like technology hasn't passed him by.

I wish I had a cover like one of those, you could do a lot with that.

[advres]

huh? he's got a fairly modern cordless phone up there on hte counter, it looks like technology hasn't passed him by.

I wish I had a cover like one of those, you could do a lot with that.

oldmanitis setting in? You are talking about two different people.

[BCMtnHound]

After my cast iron skillets, next on the list of my most treasured kitchenware is a reddish-orange 8qt porcelain-enameled cast iron roaster handed down from my grandma. For either stovetop or oven use, it is amazing for slow roasting or low temp stewing.
The procelain enamel is perfect for cooking food with a high acid content (tomatoe sauces and the like) that are harsh on the seasoning of the skillets. Bring the whole thing up to ideal cooking temp, turn heat to very low, and come back in a few hours - perfectly roasted/stewed.

[iceman]

oldmanitis setting in? You are talking about two different people.

makerstelemark, telemike, d'oh.

[hafilax]

After my cast iron skillets, next on the list of my most treasured kitchenware is a reddish-orange 8qt porcelain-enameled cast iron roaster handed down from my grandma. For either stovetop or oven use, it is amazing for slow roasting or low temp stewing.
The procelain enamel is perfect for cooking food with a high acid content (tomatoe sauces and the like) that are harsh on the seasoning of the skillets. Bring the whole thing up to ideal cooking temp, turn heat to very low, and come back in a few hours - perfectly roasted/stewed.

I was just thinking the same thing this morning as I washed our Dutch Oven of pot roast residues.

[Dantheman]

Bring the whole thing up to ideal cooking temp, throw in the oven at 250*, and come back in a few hours - perfectly roasted/stewed.

Fixed it. Those in the know simmer in the oven.

[RShea]

I think my skillet makes the best burger around. It was passed down to me from my mother who got I believe from hers.
Its an older one clearly so I did some researching based on markings on the and its aGriswold made in Erie, PA cast from the years of 1897 and 1957. I love this beast!

Griswold were some of the best in the business.... If you find one get it and hold onto it. Treat it right and you will have that for cooking up stuff all during your life and your kids too.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I gotta move into a better house. There is no vent fan in my kitchen. Best I could do would be open the kitchen window and set a fan in it blowing out to try and suck out the smoke, but that's not very effective. I passed on the grill with the side burner when I bought a new grill last summer too. Dammit, in retrospect that was not a good idea...