Cast Iron Skillet

[skaredshtles]

You can Tune a Piano

but you can't Tuna fish

[old goat]

Funny this is a raging debate on Facebook.

I have no idea why FB randomly gurges up these strange "group" pages into my feed, but recently there it was.... a cast iron skillet debate.

I caught enough of the debate to decide to sand mine down. Haven't gotten around to it yet, I think I'll probably grab a small rotary hand sander for my compressor before I get into it, but I have a real inexpensive cast iron skillet. If I ruin it, not a huge loss. Honestly, I've never been a huge "no wash" protect the seasoning kinda guy. My sis and her husband leave one on their stove top all the time and barely wipe it out between uses. Makes me throw up a little bit every time I smell it. I consider myself a reasonably proficient if not accomplished home cook and the only thing two things I find extremely useful about cast iron are heat retention and the ability to stick it in the oven. I've never felt like it game some super special kind of sear due to it's seasoning.

Another example of the evils of social media.

[nickwm21]

It’s mostly just people being a bit extra, like you’d find in any hobby

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-truth-about-cast-iron

Kenji laying down facts as always.


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[warthog]

I guess my oldest cast iron is only 12 years old, quite flat, is dimpled, but very non-stick, and seasoned quite well. I use it 3-4 times a week.

I still can't wrap my head around grinders. I also can't wrap my head around fighting rust so extensive that it requires tools. Again, new cast iron pans are like 20$.

I'm not looking to argue. I'm just curious as to what people are "salvaging." I mean, yeah, cast iron pans last forever. And never 100 years ago did people use electrolysis to get their pans back to a cookable surface. Seems slightly insane, but moreso it seems like a hobby. It seems fun. It seems like people are experimenting with old pans for fun.

That should be applauded. And I hope for more pics soon.

But don't drop into this thread and pretend like you use tools to grind your pans flat because "flat matters" in your world of protein. Give me a break.

Watch this-
https://player.vimeo.com/video/68629...0&app_id=58479I think he explains the process pretty well.
While I agree, a new Lodge is pretty cheap, the 1900-1940 ones I find in antique shops are much better. You look for the ring on the bottom. That is the key. I grind the ones that have bad pitting. The ones with bad pitting are cheaper too. For the most part, I really like restoring stuff. These make really memorable gifts, especially if you take before, during, and after photos showing the restoration. No need to be crazy about it though.

[TBS]

Funny this is a raging debate on Facebook.

I have no idea why FB randomly gurges up these strange "group" pages into my feed, but recently there it was.... a cast iron skillet debate.

Not to get off-topic, but you have zero idea how Facebook tracks your searches and keystrokes?

[Meadow Skipper]

Does anyone make old school cast iron? My daughter want CI and I’m not giving up my >50 yo pan.

[skaredshtles]

Does anyone make old school cast iron? My daughter want CI and I’m not giving up my >50 yo pan.

IIRC, there is at least *one* mf'r that is doing the old-skool "smooth" finish... but I can't remember the name.

That's helpful, ain't it?

[dan_pdx]

IIRC, there is at least *one* mf'r that is doing the old-skool "smooth" finish... but I can't remember the name.

That's helpful, ain't it?

Finex is one, but they're expensive. Or you can just get a Lodge and smooth it out with a flap disc and an angle grinder.

[skaredshtles]

Finex is one, but they're expensive. Or you can just get a Lodge and smooth it out with a flap disc and an angle grinder.

That's probably the one... and yeah, they were expensive from my recollection.

TBH - I don't find the "dimpled" ones to be functionally different than my smooth old Lodge.

[billyk]

Just about any manufacturer other than Lodge.

[dan_pdx]

That's probably the one... and yeah, they were expensive from my recollection.

TBH - I don't find the "dimpled" ones to be functionally different than my smooth old Lodge.

I agree. My wife and I had identical lodge skillets when we moved in together. Maybe 5 years ago I sanded one down using a 40 grit and then 80 grit flap disc and an angle grinder. It seemed like it made a difference immediately afterwards: with a little bit of butter on the unseasoned cast iron, I could slide eggs around. Now that there's a good layer of seasoning (and probably some carbon) on both pans, I can't tell the difference at all.

[MakersTeleMark]

Does anyone make old school cast iron? My daughter want CI and I’m not giving up my >50 yo pan.

https://fieldcompany.com/products/fi...t-iron-skillet

https://mathesoncookware.com/products/10-cast-iron-pan

[bagtagley]

https://fieldcompany.com/products/fi...t-iron-skillet

https://mathesoncookware.com/products/10-cast-iron-pan

I have a Field Company I got as a gift. It's a nice pan, smooth cooking surface and relatively lightweight, nice handle. I don't think I'd spend that much on cast iron for myself but would make a great gift.

Wirecutter likes Lodge for price, but they also list some high-end producers that are worth checking out. I'd own a Butter Pat 12" if it was a couple hundred less.

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...-iron-skillet/

[neufox47]

Anyone have recommendations on a carbon steel wok?


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[nickwm21]

Serious Eats points to the Lodge as well. The fancy products seem to provide no benefit over a $25 Lodge…

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cast-iron-skillet


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[skaredshtles]

Anyone have recommendations on a carbon steel wok?


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I got this one and have no complaints to speak of:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Cruiser]

Smithey does modem ones also


edit to add the serious seats modern cast iron testing

https://www.seriouseats.com/best-cast-iron-skillet

[warthog]

Does anyone make old school cast iron? My daughter want CI and I’m not giving up my >50 yo pan.

That video I linked above is from Smithey in Charleston.
https://smithey.com/?utm_source=goog...SAAEgJfEvD_BwE
Their stuff is amazing looking, and they do #12 and #14, which are hard to find in the antique stores.

They apparently do carbon steel Woks too-

[Cruiser]

Zhen San Huan

Anyone have recommendations on a carbon steel wok?


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Zhen San Huan. Heirloom quality goodness. Super nice to cook with.

[bagtagley]

The Lodge Blacklock 12” is two pounds lighter than the Classic. I knew they were lighter but didn’t know it was that significant. Might have to jump on that the next time I see one on sale.

[MakersTeleMark]

Anyone have recommendations on a carbon steel wok?


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https://curatedkitchenware.com/produ...h-flat-bottom?

[MakersTeleMark]

I have a Field Company I got as a gift. It's a nice pan, smooth cooking surface and relatively lightweight, nice handle. I don't think I'd spend that much on cast iron for myself but would make a great gift.

I was one of their first backers in 2016. It lives on my stovetop. Can't say enough about it. I'm not a lodge fan. Too pitted. Go to a thrift store and you're bound to find something much nicer.

[old goat]

I have a nice smooth Le Creuset CI grill/griddle and a cheap pebbly (when it was new) skillet. The skillet is better non stick, probably because I use it a lot more so it's seasoned better.

Re woks--I have the cheap one my mom gave me 50 years ago and it's fine. Woks can be thin because of the way stir frying works--heat retention and distribution aren't important. Because of the size a thick wok would be hard to handle. Non stick isn't that important either--we're not frying eggs or searing a steak, but mine cleans up in an instant. I have a round bottom and a flat bottom. The round bottom works on some stoves and not others but my current stove came with a wok holder. Maybe flat bottom works better on induction--I don't know. No need to spend a lot of money on a wok. Maybe get one from a Chinese market if you have one nearby.

[lowsparkco]

Not to get off-topic, but you have zero idea how Facebook tracks your searches and keystrokes?

That’s the how.

I’m more surprised by the why. Seems they’d be better off to show me more of the content I’ve already elected to see rather than guess at what I might like. When they populate my feed with random shit it’s curtains for me as I figure they’ve run out of stuff I want to see.

[joeshek]

How about the fancy pants ceramic coated cast iron? Inherited the Frenchie orange and white ones but the white inside it's kind of burnt and jacked up.

Boil water, add a healthy amount of baking soda, simmer for 8-10 min. Be mindful that it will splatter and foam a bit.
Let cool, or not, pour the water out and watch the burn Mark’s and crud wipe off with the sponge of your choice.