Teresa McCoy wrote:Having read your article, I would offer a few observations:
~ it is possible to take an old cruddy cast iron pan (that bargain you found at a flea market!) and remove the old seasoning that might be rough and flaking: spray the pan well with oven cleaner - do this outside as the fumes can be harmful!; put the sprayed pan in a plastic garbage bag, close and tie the top of the bag and let it sit overnight outside; the next day or the day after that, scrub the pan well and see if more of the same treatment is needed; repeat this process until you have reached the bare (grayish) iron. Wash well with soap and water, scrubbing hard. Dry completely, then start the seasoning process: rub the entire pan inside and out with shortening, such as Crisco brand. Line a baking sheet with foil, lay pan on bottom up, bake in a slow oven (250 to 300 degrees) for several hours, let cool. Repeat the seasoning process several more times until the pores are sealed and the seasoned pan has a nice, smooth, black, glossy look to it. I reconditioned my grandmother's skillet and it is ready for the next 50 years. It was hard work and took several days, but it was worth it!
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easy way to clean a caked cast iron frying pan is put in red hot coals of a fire. pull it out the next day. burns off everything. season with crisco or bacon fat. just like brand-new! my grandfather taught me that and i still have his wagner skillet. he was a cook in the logging camps and he cooked with nothing but cast iron.Teresa McCoy wrote:Having read your article, I would offer a few observations:
~ I have a problem with your use of the term oil/grease throughout the article. Our grandparents used lard, bacon grease, cooking oil, and butter. Today we might use butter for frying eggs and canola/safflower/sunflower/olive oil in place of the lard and bacon grease.
~ a quality cast iron pan can be heated quite hot on a stove top with no problem - i.e. Cajun blackened fish or pan seared steaks can be cooked at high temperatures in cast iron
~ the best way to season a new cast iron pan is not to cook cornbread, but to fry French Fried potatoes in as much oil as the pan can safely hold; by heating the oil to the proper temperature for making fries, you will start the process of sealing the pores in the untreated, raw iron pan
~ another way to clean cast iron after use is to sprinkle some coarse salt in the pan and scrub with dish cloth or brush; the abrasive action of the salt will help to loosen any remaining food particles
~ it is possible to take an old cruddy cast iron pan (that bargain you found at a flea market!) and remove the old seasoning that might be rough and flaking: spray the pan well with oven cleaner - do this outside as the fumes can be harmful!; put the sprayed pan in a plastic garbage bag, close and tie the top of the bag and let it sit overnight outside; the next day or the day after that, scrub the pan well and see if more of the same treatment is needed; repeat this process until you have reached the bare (grayish) iron. Wash well with soap and water, scrubbing hard. Dry completely, then start the seasoning process: rub the entire pan inside and out with shortening, such as Crisco brand. Line a baking sheet with foil, lay pan on bottom up, bake in a slow oven (250 to 300 degrees) for several hours, let cool. Repeat the seasoning process several more times until the pores are sealed and the seasoned pan has a nice, smooth, black, glossy look to it. I reconditioned my grandmother's skillet and it is ready for the next 50 years. It was hard work and took several days, but it was worth it!
Mike Barkley wrote:Cast iron seasoning. Didn't read all 11 pages of previous posts but I did scan for anything about seasoning with flax oil. Didn't see any so here's my 2 cents worth based on my research & experience with it about 5 years ago ...
That particular skillet has been used & often abused almost every day since. Just now getting to the point of needing another treatment. Next time every piece of cast iron I own will be seasoned with flax oil. I'm convinced it's the next best thing to heirloom pigs.
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hi Jolene. I'm up in the st. john valley. i still have my grandfathers cast iron. if that skillet could talk! he was a cook at a logging camp in the allagash for 40 yrs. only man i knew that could make a 3 cousre meal on the tailgate of his truck. he would even make biscuits in a cast iron dutch oven! would cook for us on hunting trips. we'd eat so much no one wanted to go back out in the afternoon!Jolene Jakesy wrote:I learned alot about cast iron this winter in northern maine, I used my woodstove and cast iron for every meal. I seasoned using bacon the first cook, it is what grandma told me to do, lol . I store it in my cabinets and use it on my propane stove now that it is warming up. I love the taste and how easy cleaning is. I have not experienced any problems with pitting, wish I could advise.
Lorin B wrote:What causes pitting in cast iron? Is there a way to remove or smooth out the pitting?
Julie L.
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Rick Deckard wrote:Is it practical/possible to use cast iron with a modern glasstop oven? I know there is the extra risk of handling it and if you drop it, bye to the cooktop, but will just using it possibly damage the surface? Thanks!
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randal cranor wrote:I bake alot with cast iron, pies, cornbread, but my favorite piece...
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