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Cast iron leet

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Re: Cast iron leet

#301

Post by wyclif »

jasonwatkinspdx wrote: post #264
jdougan wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the old days, they finished the pan interiors more than they do now. I've known people who buy a modern cast iron pan and have a machine shop smooth out the cooking surface.

Yup, it's this. Lodge pans are good for the price but part of that price is they skip the polishing, so the surface is basically just what comes out of the sand cast. The old griswald pans are prized by bargain hunters because of their near glass like smoothness. I dated someone that had a huge collection she'd found via craigslist and the like. Cooking with the smaller pans was really fun.

I highly recommend these pans for that reason: https://fieldcompany.com/products/field-cast-iron-skillet

Re: Cast iron leet

#302

Post by weaksauce »

reissbaker wrote: post #276
weaksauce wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What's not to like? It's heavy. The handle gets really hot. my 12" stainless pan is hefty but not heavy. the smaller cast iron 10" or 11" is about twice the weight. I use it to cook just about everything. I think once the coating on my nice 12" non-stick pan goes off I'd probably get a carbon steel one (if it does... you can prevent most of it by not cooking things too hot and i mainly use it for hashbrowns on abou…

Yeah, carbon steel is pretty much end game for me. Lighter than cast iron, better heat distribution, heats up faster. Similarly near-indestructible (more indestructible, even, since it won't shatter if you drop it). Slot a silicone handle cover on it and it's basically perfect. And still cheap! Slightly more expensive than cast iron, but not much; an entirely usable Lodge carbon steel pan is $40 on Amazon. The silico…

Oh yeah i forgot to mention uneven heat distribution too. I don't really mind using a small dishtowel to move the pan so that lodge is probably fine. i'm sure there are some designs that don't get the handle hot either though i haven't researched that much at all since i'm happy with my stainless pan for 99% of my pan cooking.

Re: Cast iron leet

#303

Post by artificialLimbs »

wmock wrote: post #295

I really want to love my cast iron, but I just have such a hard time cleaning it - or rather, maybe I'm not supposed to clean it? I'm just so confused with what to do after cooking with it for a meal.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-Q53k5K1cN5HKCwhCsUV...

Re: Cast iron leet

#304

Post by thayne »

jstx1 wrote: post #31

In general I find that cast iron is very overrated. > Here's a list of myths about cast iron skillets: (...) You can't cook with acidic foods (e.g. tomatoes) because it'll destroy the seasoning You might not destroy the seasoning but you will get metallic tastes in your food. I don't get why anyone would pick cast iron over stainless steel for an acidic sauce that needs to be cooked for a longer period of time. Also…

Cast iron and stainless steel are both good depending on what you are cooking. Use the right tool for the job.

But non-stick is just terrible.

Re: Cast iron leet

#306

Post by ronyeh »

southerntofu wrote: post #170
ronyeh wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses. I have tried them all, including pans with aluminum cores but steel outer layers. Cast iron is great for searing or for fried eggs or buttery scrambles. I love my car on steel Matfer fry pan and try to use it as often as possible. But for acidic or long simmering brown sauces that'll stick and tear off my seasoning, I'll probably teach for stainless steel. Afterward I'l…

Too bad the Rust pan has not been invented yet, with zero-cost abstraction enabling lightweight non-stick cooking on bare metal ;)

I was going to think of a good pan for Rust... But it would be a pan no one I know uses, but one that everyone claims is amazing.

Re: Cast iron leet

#307

Post by sgtnoodle »

When I interviewed at Google, I was asked to bring a picture of something I thought had elegant design. Instead, I brought my cast iron skillet. When the interviewer asked for my picture, I plopped it out onto the table, and we talked about its merits for half an hour. I left it out for subsequent interviews, which made a nice ice breaker. I got the job!

It was fun going through airport security with it, too.

Re: Cast iron leet

#308

Post by hansvm »

amelius wrote: post #290

I was hoping for more details on the seasoning process.

Seasoning is a reaction between the pan and fat. You're trying to create a thin layer of that reaction product (not just a coating of burned hydrocarbons). Any procedure that looks roughly like the following will be fine enough:

- Coat your iron with a heat-tolerant oil (peanut, avocado, ...) in such a way that it won't spill or make much of a mess. This usually includes very thin layers and maybe a drip pan.

- Cook it at 350-480F for 5-120 min. This often involves an oven, but you can do fine just bringing the pan up to high heat with some oil for a minute or two before you cook anything.

- Repeat as necessary.

The seasoning isn't critical for most dishes. Don't overthink it; just get the pan roaring hot once in awhile and start cooking in it. If you do manage to screw it up somehow (you probably won't), half a minute with some steel wool will make it easy to start over and try again.

Re: Cast iron leet

#309

Post by stjohnswarts »

I haven't had any issue with my hexclad that i've had for about 3 years now with teflon coming off. Use the 10" skillet just about every day. If you do want to get an alternative I would say to get some carbon steel pans instead of cast iron. Much easier to season and much lighter with similar advantages.

Re: Cast iron leet

#310

Post by stjohnswarts »

shadycuz wrote: post #133
brudgers wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What works for me. I don't use cast iron for boiling, simmering, and otherwise cooking liquids. It's a frying pan for frying. I use stainless steel sauce pans, pots, etc. for liquids. I clean the cast iron while it is hot. A lot of food comes off without water, only a little water is required to remove the rest, and the cast iron is mostly self drying. Since I usually use electric burners, I can stick it back on its…

When I have really stubborn stuck items to my cast iron. I boil salt in it.

just get a plastic hard plastic scratch (lodge sells them on amazon) never had any burned on thing not come right off.
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