Question about cast iron cookware.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:18 pm

I've never used cast iron cookware before and I see that Bass Pro has a set on sale at their Vaughan store for CAN$47.88.

They're not the "Lodge" brand but their own. Has anyone ever tried the Bass Pro brand?

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... storeID=11

TPM · Post by **TPM** » Wed May 16, 2007 12:42 pm

I've used various brands of cast iron cookware and to be honest once they're properly seasoned and used a few times they all seem to perform about the same to me. We've used cast iron at exclusively at the camp for years and now we've cut back drastically on the teflon cookware at home and started using cast iron most of the time there also. We have a cast iron wok that is awesome for stir-fries.

DrDan · Post by **DrDan** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:07 pm

Did you guys know that if you overheat a teflon frying pan or ovenware it will kill pet birds? Recently I had a client call who had four birds drop dead when they overheated a coolie sheet. Does this tell you anything about what teflon can do? I tossed all mine out and just use copper or cast iron now. Remember they used to send canary down in mines to test the air.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:18 pm

Teflon coated cookware is only recommended up to a certain temperature.

Here's a link to the Canadian Cancer Society. (scary)

http://www.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/stand ... en,00.html

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:44 pm

That's true about teflon, but I think that you have to be really negligent to let it ever get that hot. I believe that I read at cooksillustrated.com a while ago that you'd have to heat a piece up on the highest settings with absolutely nothing in/on it (not even oil) to get it hot enough.

My wife got freaked out after reading something about aluminum being unsafe, so she replaced most of our pots and pans with stainless steel. We replaced our teflon fry pan with a 12" Lodge pre-seasoned skillet. It's my absolute favorite piece of cookware. It's tricky, though, and not very good if you're making a recipe that requires a lot of temperature-changing. It heats relatively slowly, but REALLY hangs on to that heat.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:00 pm

A.W. ...

I don't claim to be an expert on cast-iron cookware ... just an 'ol country boy who grew up among cast-iron cooking people and who has cooked on it all his life too. In fact, I have my maternal grandma's skillets ... all the way down to a #2 ... a "one-egger."

You will be much better off to buy cast iron wear with a polished interior surface ... as opposed to the rough-cast stuff commonly seen in the big-box stores.

You can find excellent used cast iron ware at flea markets and estate sales, too ... well seasoned and smooth as a baby's hind-end ... and much of the old stuff is very well made.

I'd reccomend WagnerWare or Griswold skillets.

Wagner is still in business, and still makes a high-end polished type too, I think.

Much of the Lodge brand stuff you see around is rough as a cob compared to good old cast iron ware. I'd avoid the cheaper stuff, if I were you. Look around for good used, or buy good new. It's lifetime stuff ... multi-generational cookware!

For real old-time flavor, fry stuff in lard or bacon grease.

Can't beat that.

hawg hunter · Post by **hawg hunter** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:50 pm

Cast iron is the only way to cook in my opinion, all of the other aluminium, teflon and combination there of are junk. My wife is a very small women she has trouble handling cast iron but she gets me to handle the heavy pans. season your wears with hog lard or bacon grease and never wash them with detergent, burn off your crud scrape clean and wash with hot water , then set it on the stove at low heat and wipe down with a grease towel. As some of the other men have said flea markets and garage sales are the place to find good seasoned cast iron. The ones my family cook on are the ones my great grand mother cooked on.

ratherbefishin · Post by **ratherbefishin** » Wed May 16, 2007 8:20 pm

you can't hurt cast iron-justwash it WITHOUT detergent,wipe dry, lightly coat with oil and put away to cook another day.The worst that can happen is you have to reseason it-coat with oil and bake all night in a moderate oven.I picked up an old cast iron waffle iron-the kind that sits in a ring and you turn it over to bake the other side ,it was all rusty-so I soaked it in a bucket of Coke[the best rust remover on the market] for a couple of days, used a steel pot scrub,then reseasoned it.It was baking waffles long before I was born and will be baking waffles long after I'm gone.Just right for a Coleman gas stove

hikerman · Post by **hikerman** » Sat May 19, 2007 8:53 pm

If I need a scrubing compound I use salt and steelwool pad. Works realy well. Then wash it out heat it up then season it.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Sun May 20, 2007 10:39 am

A.W.,

I saw those yesterday and almost grabbed a set. Cast iron cookeware is awesome. My parents have some and it makes meat taste superb. They never wash it in soapy water, just boiling hot water to clean it and then a light wipe down of the inside with cooking oil to finish. Keeps it from getting rust spots.

Grizzly Adam · Post by **Grizzly Adam** » Mon May 21, 2007 4:33 am

The best "cook" I've ever known had a title, and it sure wasn't "Chef."

The whole family called her Mom-mom.

She was my mom's mom ... and she'd been cooking evey day for 89 years when she left us at 96.

My cast iron was her cast iron.

I bless her memory.

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:35 pm

I rinse mine with hot water under the sink while scrubbing with a brush that is never allowed to get soap in it. Towel it off, wipe it down with a little oil on a paper towel and put it away with the lid half on it.

Cristina · Post by **Cristina** » Sat Mar 27, 2010 10:21 pm

My Auntie gave me one cast iron. I've never had one before. it's like a frying pan. how do i wash it and do i use it the same way i would any other pan. also it has a little bit of rust i think in the bottom is that bad?

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:01 am

Grizzly Adam wrote: She was my mom's mom ... and she'd been cooking evey day for 89 years when she left us at 96.

That comment got my attention, Grizz. My mom's mom was also 96 when she departed this earthly world and was responsible for most of my care & teaching when I was very young (my mother was a school teacher, and granny took care of me every work day).
I can remember the old flour bin with the sifter, and the refrigerator with a potato bin on the bottom clearly. We made cookies frequently, and they were better than anything you can buy!

Makes you question the wisdom of the medical community when they blame all the dread diseases of the modern world on things like fat, salt, cholesterol. Granny cooked with lard & bacon grease, used plenty of salt & pepper, and wasn't a bit worried about eating fresh eggs every day, and still lived to 96 in her own home without running to the doctor for every ache & pain.
Just my opinion, but could it be the additives & preservatives killing us instead of the good old natural products.

Granny taught me how to cook & sew, and yes - I do use cast iron cookwear (or copper clad pans) in my house! No teflon coated pans to be found here.

edited to add:
bstout, a Weber grill

??????
I use a Lodge cast iron charcoal grill for my outdoor cooking!

roly · Post by **roly** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 9:22 am

Damn I didn't notice that either

I was really enjoying this thread

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