Cast iron love

[sloonan]

Before this lockdown, I hadn't really used my cast iron pans very often but that has changed. I recently made a pretty awesome pan pizza in the 10" skillet and last week made a paella in the large 16" skillet.
Do you use cast iron? Any favorite recipes?

[Rainmaker]

We've got a 10" and a 12" that we use pretty much daily. Most often for breakfast foods, but also dinner foods. We actually don't own any skillets that aren't cast iron. I've also got a big rectangle griddle that needs re-seasoned, it's quite rusty from getting wet in our recent move.

And as a follow up to an old thread, I'm really getting the hang of cooking potatoes in the cast iron now, thanks to some awesome tips from you guys!

[sloonan]

Here is a snapshot of the paella that I made. Even the four year old and one year old ate that night. It was a big win.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Wow that looks amazing!

[mustangii]

Can't make a great grilled cheese sandwiches without cast iron.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[Lawn]

Following because I USED to use my cast iron all the time.. but now I haven't touched it in like 8 months.. *SHAME!!!!*

[mustangii]

need to get my Dutch ovens media blasted, and reseasoned.

[Knuckle Dragger]

need to get my Dutch ovens media blasted, and reseasoned.

If they’re rusted you can degrease and soak in an acidic mix like citric acid and water or muriatic acid and water (don’t leave in too long or at all if you don’t want anything etched). If they’re crusty and “nasty” try oven cleaner. I personally use muriatic acid diluted in water for all sorts of steel and iron prep. Just be careful, do it outside and have a bucket with baking soda and water for a neutralizer.

I love my cast iron, there’s no going back to crappy non-stick pans.

[mustangii]

If they’re rusted you can degrease and soak in an acidic mix like citric acid and water or muriatic acid and water (don’t leave in too long or at all if you don’t want anything etched). If they’re crusty and “nasty” try oven cleaner. I personally use muriatic acid diluted in water for all sorts of steel and iron prep. Just be careful, do it outside and have a bucket with baking soda and water for a neutralizer.

I love my cast iron, there’s no going back to crappy non-stick pans.

will probably just use walnut media, won't remove any metal just clean rust,
edm

[flyweightnate]

I've been pleasantly surprised by how well a relatively new Calphalon took seasoning - I've slid eggs off it while camping - but never can seem to find anything older and lighter. Might just need to look harder but a 14" would be great to have, as well as a Dutch oven. Even the wife has come around on using them instead of the nonstick (which never lasts more than a couple years).

[CrowsFeast]

I have a cheap non-stick and a notsocheap that I got for cheap. Both are pretty old but the cheap one is 10+ years old. Some discolouration but no chipping and still works great! I use them for dumplings and anything with sauces (like stir fries). I use the cast iron for stuff like steak, pork chops, etc.

[freedom]

i found 3 pans for next to nothing yesterday.
one's a wagner (gift for someone)...
one's a griswold (score, keeper)...
and the last one had a big letter "E" so i thought it was a Piqua Favorite.
I was wrong, it's an Erie (legendary?)... i'm trying to date it now, could be 1880's.

Pics when I get them cleaned up; it's only been 24 hours in the lye.

first pic: i saw the big "E" and thought it was a Piqua Favorite.

second pic: i saw the ERIE and gasped so loud my wife thought i cut myself.

Griswold reveal

[freedom]

total cost out of pocket: $17

a few days in the lye bath and we're ready to go in the heat...

[Knuckle Dragger]

Sweet score!

[cellophane]

Pics when I get them cleaned up; it's only been 24 hours in the lye.

What's the point of a lye bath?

[freedom]

What's the point of a lye bath?

the lye eats away all the old carbon seasoning. fresh lye can eat through decades of built up carbon.
incidentally, the warmer the water, the faster the lye works; summer is better than winter since my lye bath is outside.

[greystone]

Mmmm, Wagner Ware is good stuff. Have a heirloom dutch and flat griddle.

[lew]

My mom got my brother and I each a 12" Emeril-branded skillet fifteen or so years ago. Best damned cast iron I've used. It lives in the oven, and gets used more than any other piece of cookware. Boil water in it to clean it, wipe it down with olive oil or bacon grease, and huck it back in the oven until next time. My favorite recipe to make in it is probably shakshuka. Easy to prepare, and the sky's the limit with seasonings and additions.