The Cast Iron Skillet

[Scout26]

http://screen.yahoo.com/episode-23-the-cast-iron-skillet-30344412.html

[T.O.M.]

I could cook forever with my cast iron skillet and my cast iron dutch oven.  Last night I made mac and cheese with bacon (of course!) in my dutch oven on my Weber charcoal grill.  The charcoal adds a nice smokyness to the mac and cheese...

[Jamie B]

Color me stoopid!

We have a couple, and I am afraid to cook anything other than meat.

I tried scrambled eggs and ham once, and it stuck miserably.

I seasoned it before using the first time, and use no soap for cleaning.

Clearly, I am an idiot.

[mtnbkr]

Color me stoopid!

We have a couple, and I am afraid to cook anything other than meat.

I tried scrambled eggs and ham once, and it stuck miserably.

I seasoned it before using the first time, and use no soap for cleaning.

Clearly, I am an idiot.

It takes practice and lube (like many things in life).  I never use anything but hot water and a plastic scraper to clean mine (followed by wiping with a paper towel and a couple minutes on a hot burner to ensure it's dry).  If I'm going to cook eggs, I use plenty of bacon grease or some other lubricant, but I find scrambled eggs challenging regardless.  Fried eggs aren't an issue, but I can't quite get an "over easy" egg to release without tearing unless I use a lot of grease/oil.

Chris

[BryanP]

They definitely have their place, but they aren't the be-all end-all.  One of the most accomplished cooks I know just laughs and says "The teflon coated aluminum sauce pan was the best thing that ever happened to cooking."

[mtnbkr]

Yup.  I tend to use teflon-coated aluminum for eggs and pancakes, cast iron or stainless steel for everything else. 

I do want my grandmother's deep cast iron frying pan.  That's the bee's knees for fried chicken and such.

Chris

[Harold Tuttle]

After i found it soaking in soapy water coated with scrambled eggs,
my daughters have been told not to cook with my griswald fryingpan.


Here, this is a non stick frying pan, use this until you gain skills.

[Harold Tuttle]

oh and gas is the only thing to cook indoors upon

[K Frame]

A properly seasoned piece of cast iron LAUGHS at soapy water.

I clean mine all of the time with mild dish soap and a sponge and I've never had an issue with the seasoning washing away.

[Scout26]

use a lot of grease/oil.

This.

And

oh and gas is the only thing to cook indoors upon

This.

And low heat.  If things are sticking, the pan is too hot.

[Tallpine]

It's a frying pan, meant for frying things 

Lots of grease. 

[SADShooter]

The only things I asked for out of my grandmother's estate were a couple of beautifully seasoned skillets and a griddle, full of memories of childhood summer vacations and early morning breakfasts before the long drive home.

They ended up sold in a yard sale by my wastrel uncle, who currently occupies a one-time FEMA trailer, with nary a dented aluminum pot to piss in. 

[K Frame]

"It's a frying pan, meant for frying things"

It's actually a skillet.

It's meant for skilleting things...

[MechAg94]

A properly seasoned piece of cast iron LAUGHS at soapy water.

I clean mine all of the time with mild dish soap and a sponge and I've never had an issue with the seasoning washing away.

I use dish soap all the time mainly just to help scape off any stuck on stuff. 

I'll have to try scrambled eggs in mine.  I can't remember if I ever have.  You may have to keep stiring the eggs as they cook to make sure they don't stick.

[MrsSmith]

Color me stoopid!

We have a couple, and I am afraid to cook anything other than meat.

I tried scrambled eggs and ham once, and it stuck miserably.

I seasoned it before using the first time, and use no soap for cleaning.

Clearly, I am an idiot.

I have to agree with Jamie. Bacon, sausage, steaks, chicken, burgers, all good. I've even done vegetables and I always cook cornbread in it (OMG yes, I said CORNBREAD), but I can't cook eggs in it to save my life. I also don't cook fish in it because the flavor tends to stick around a while and while I love fish, I like it fresh, not several days later.

And I never clean it with soap and water unless something particularly disgusting has been cooked in it, then I wash it with soap and hot water, oil it up good and throw it in the oven. For particularly tough things to get out of it, low heat and plain water, simmer it loose, dump water, re-oil.

[ArfinGreebly]

For stubborn stuff, scouring with straight salt will remove most of the crud.

I've also used baking soda.

No soap, though.

[lupinus]

Love my cast iron. And I'm with Irwin on this one, there's nothing wrong with using a little soap in a well seasoned cast iron pan.

When still breaking in a new pan (or one that's in need of new seasoning for some reason) or for light clean up, I wont use soap. But for a well seasoned pan there's no harm in using it. Soaking, especially in soapy water, is liable to screw it up, but a few drops of soap and a sponge aren't going to hurt anything. Salt will help with crusty crap, but not grease.

As for eggs, I never have a problem. Right heat, little oil or butter, and proper amount of time before trying to flip or move them around.

[AZRedhawk44]

Mmm... cornbread. 

Today is a day for APS memes, it seems.

[Harold Tuttle]

I love cranking the heat for a minute then dropping it to low
A pat of butter and eggies over easy in 2 minutes

[MrsSmith]

I have to get a new set of cast iron skillets. And I dread it. It just takes so long to get them just right. :)

[charby]

I love cranking the heat for a minute then dropping it to low
A pat of butter and eggies over easy in 2 minutes

That is how I cook mine I don't have a sticking problem at all.

[lupinus]

I have to get a new set of cast iron skillets. And I dread it. It just takes so long to get them just right. :)

If you have a TJ Maxish type place near you I've noticed they've had a ton of Lodge recently. Wife keeps dragging me in there nd I noticed them. Got a couple, all looked good.

[Hawkmoon]

I tried scrambled eggs and ham once, and it stuck miserably.

I seasoned it before using the first time, and use no soap for cleaning.

Clearly, I am an idiot.

Clearly.

Nonetheless, season it again and try again. A properly seasoned cast iron skillet is better than Teflon.

I have a bunch of them, inherited from both my mother and her sister. My wife refuses to use them ... I think she believes the iron will get in the food and poison her, so she uses Teflon-coated aluminum, and destroys at least one pan per annum. (I don't have the heart to remind her that she takes a multi-vitamin every day that has iron in it.)

[Bob F.]

OK, Experts, as long as we're on the subject---I inherited Mom's cast iron skillets, Sis doesn't have a clue as to how to use them. I love 'em. However, I have a Dutch Oven I use primarily as a deep fryer; I have done an occassional roast in it. But I found an old camp Dutch Oven, i.e. w/ legs and a lip arouind the lid, in Granny's basement. Looks as though somebody has put motor oil in it. So how do I clean it prior to reseasoning? I wanna make some fresh peach cobbler @ the gun club steak fry!

Thanks,
Bob

[mtnbkr]

Toss it in a hot campfire.  When it burns to ash, dig out the pot, wash it well, then reseason.

Chris