Stupidly good deal on cast iron pans

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Amazon.com: Lodge Logic 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet: Kitchen & Dining

Lodge preseasoned cast iron 12" skillets for $9.99. Buy four and get the fourth one free. 8" pans are 7.99.

Buy four 12" and four 8" pans, get them no tax, free shipping for about $56.

A little late for xmas gifts, but jeez louise, thats cheap for a bunch of very good cast iron pans...

Oh yes, my USPS guy is gonna hate this one...

 

[calmloki]

Bunny - do yersef a flavour and visit an antique mall and find a Griswold pan - they are lighter, much better casting and grain, smooth interiors... Granny knew what worked in cast iron, and she didn't cotton to no crappy pans... The old Griswold will probably cost twice as much as that on-sale Lodge pan - but it's twice the pan and an investment, that is, it isn't a depreciating asset.

Feel free, however, to continue torturing your Brown Santa.

 

[Martha]

I agree on the Griswolds or for that matter, any of the old smooth interior pans which can be had for far cheaper than the Griswolds.

 

[haha]

I have wondering about that one too. I have an old iron skillet that was my grandmothers, and that goes back a ways since her dad was in the Civil War. Smooth as silk inside, crusted with who knows what on the outside. At first I thought that my newer pans would get this way with use, but that isn’t happening. Modern casting beds must not be as smooth.

I also have an old Dutch Oven that I bought in a second-hand store in Everett, WA, when I first came up here. Also completely smooth and you can't stick anything in them. But I also like the Lodge pans, even if they are pebbly because these dudes are heavy! They work great, and you get a little exercise while cooking.

I use cast iron skillets for almost everything. Often I make stew, chili, etc. in Le Creuset enameled iron pans, and things like steamed veggies in stainless steel. I have a nice carbon steel sauté pan that I have had a long time, and use it mostly for omelettes. It also has become non-stick over time.

Ha

 

[Khan]

I do about 80% of my cooking in a 10" cast iron pan. I got it from my mother about 15 years ago (she could no longer manage it). I have no idea what brand or how old or where she got it.

 

[maddythebeagle]

Yeah, Griswolds have an entire collecting group if you look at the web/ebay...A couple of the local guys have garage sales and have a bunch of them....We have a few, also....

 

[calmloki]

I have wondering about that one too. I have an old iron skillet that was my grandmothers, and that goes back a ways since her dad was in the Civil War. Smooth as silk inside, crusted with who knows what on the outside. At first I thought that my newer pans would get this way with use, but that isn’t happening. Modern casting beds must not be as smooth.
...
Ha

All that exterior crust will brush off if you stick the pan in the oven at O-ma-gawd degrees for smoke + 5 minutes. You will need to reseason, explain to the neighbors about the smoke alarm, repaint, and have a heart-to-heart with any signifigant others who share your living space.... an exterior barbeque also works, but doesn't have as many gotchas.

Casting probably can be done better these days, but isn't. Was told that some of that has to do with the grain of the iron and use of recycled vs. ore type virgin iron. Dunno if that's true, but do know that old castings are usually superior in detail.

 

[W2R]

When I was in early 20's, I had a great big old heavy cast iron skillet that I had obtained at a flea market for nearly nothing. I have great memories of that skillet, and how easy it was to cook with it. It was thoroughly seasoned and had amazing heat capacity. But as you can imagine, it weighed a ton!

Now that I am pushing 60 (next June! gulp!), I just use a cheap, very light skillet with a non-stick surface. I can rinse it out after use easily, or throw it in the dishwasher and hang it up over the stove in no time at all. I really appreciate the light weight, and work around its lesser quality for cooking.

When I was younger, I NEVER thought I'd hear myself say something like that. But right now, anything that makes life a little easier catches my interest.

 

[Moemg]

I still use the Le Creuset pans that I got as a present thirty eight years ago .

 

[haha]

I still use the Le Creuset pans that I got as a present thirty eight years ago .

This may be hard to believe, but I actually used two Creuset pans until the enamel wore off the inside bottom and exposed the iron. Not from abuse, just by years of cooking red beans almost every day. I took them down to the store where I had bought them almost 25 years earlier and they gave me two new ones, right across the counter.

Ha

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

My understanding is that in the old days they actually spent some time finishing the pans, while they do it a bit less these days. All that labor costs money. Years of seasoning and scraping also contributing to smoothing.

Thin light pans are convenient, but they can scorch food and dont retain enough heat to put a nice crust on a steak. Of course, anything with a nonstick interior is questionable in the oven.

Good all around pan. On these you might want to do some additional seasoning. Warming the pan and coating it with vegetable oil, then putting it face down over the bbq grill surface gives a good head start.

I guess if I really want it smoother, I can break out the compressor and grinder and stick it in the vise for a while and work on it.

For $5-8 a pan, who gives a @#%$!! Do note that these run about $20+ normally...

 

[ERD50]

Well seasoned cast-iron is great for a lot of things, but doesn't anything acid eat through the seasoning? It also seems like anything sweet (sugary marinades) kinda carbonizes and sticks.

My preferences are :

Cast Iron, but if acid/sweet I go to -

Stainless steel; but if I don't need high heat, and I think it's gonna stick -

Non-stick.

Is there a better way for acid/sweet stuff?

-ERD50

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Hmm, you've been cooking acid in a pan...?

That explains a lot.

 

[ERD50]

Hmm, you've been cooking acid in a pan...?

That explains a lot.

Is that how you do it? Whew - acid scares me. And some of the people that have experienced that are now big 'organic' freaks - you know, they don't want any nasty chemicals in their food!

No - tomato heavy recipes, lemon or lime juice marinades, sauerkraut.... legal and sane yummy stuff.

- ERD50

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Some things were starting to make sense there. Oh well.

 

[haha]

Cast Iron, but if acid/sweet I go to -

Stainless steel; but if I don't need high heat, and I think it's gonna stick -

Non-stick.

Is there a better way for acid/sweet stuff?

-ERD50

Enameled cast iron works well for this.

Ha

 

[Martha]

I made tomato sauce yesterday in a 50 plus year old Wagner well seasoned pan. I fried some sausage, in the pan, put in a bunch of veggies and the tomato sauce and cooked for a while.

The pan cleaned up in seconds as usual and the seasoning is just fine.

Bunny, our collection of very old iron pans do differ some in weight but all are plenty heavy enough to retain heat and sear meat.

 

[travelover]

..............
Buy four 12" and four 8" pans, get them no tax, free shipping for about $56.
......................Oh yes, my USPS guy is gonna hate this one...

Admit it Bunny, the real attraction is the free shipping on 150# of cast iron and the thought of your favorite postal carrier struggling to the door............

 

[windsurf]

Have had an old 10 inch Wagner Ware iron skillet made in Sydney, Ohio (stamped on the bottom). Got it from a grandparent so it's got to be fifty years old and could be a lot older. Around here, we messed with Calphalon for years; got replacements for some that wore out quickly and now have put them in the attic over the bad press for the coating. Been using the old iron skillet for almost everything for a year now and find that it usually cleans out with just warm water, a dishrag, and some elbow grease for anything that might adhere a bit. We're considering more for a set but can't decide about the enameled ones versus bare iron. Does anyone know for sure how significant the iron leeching issue is? Contrary to popular belief, excess iron is very bad for men and post menopausal women.

 

[TromboneAl]

Despite what Canny Blurred Bunny tell, garage sales are the place to buy cast iron pans.

Do you think that the cooking surface of a heavy cast iron pan gets hotter than that of a thin pan? When I want a really hot surface using our wimpy stove, I pull out the cast iron pan.

----------------To avoid controversy, don't read below this line------------------

I clean my cast iron skillet with soap -- all that stuff about not using soap is baloney. I've been doing this for years, and it is still non-stick.

 

[windsurf]

Here's what I cooked in mine a couple of hours ago for Sunday brunch: I cooked down 6 slices of rubbed bacon (4 for me, limp, and two, very crisp, for the Missus). Set that aside and poured off most of the grease. Sauteed part of a purple onion and then wilted some spinach leaves and tossed in a handfgul of mushrooms. Pooured 6 beaten eggs over it and cooked it on low heat under a lid for a couple of minutes. Spread grated cheddar on top, replaced the lid until it raised and firmed up. Cut it in four pieces which came right out of the ole iron skillet with no sticking. Add salsa and cantelope on the side. All yer basic food groups. Should hold me through a workout, a little shopping and the second half of the Browns-Bengals game.

P.S. Another thing I like about the iron is that I can use a heavy metal spatula to work my veggies a bit and don't have to worry about scoring a coating if I am serving out of the pan (which is nice to keep the waiting portions nice and warm).

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Admit it Bunny, the real attraction is the free shipping on 150# of cast iron and the thought of your favorite postal carrier struggling to the door............

I admit it. I'm weak.

I also changed my amazon order to break it into two lots of four pans each instead of one lot of 8. And they'll deliver on two sequential days that way.

Al, its a simple function...the thin pan isnt any less hot, theres just less of it to hold and release heat to the cold food you put in it.

Some thermodynamics thing involving temperature x mass and including the transfer rate?

Copper and aluminum take up and release their temp*mass heat quickly. Iron has a slow takeup and release rate, allowing it to distribute heat more evenly through the pan.

Drop a steak in a thin aluminum pan and it gives up all its heat in a few seconds, then the heat from the burner passes right through the thinner, faster conducting material to the meat and it sticks and burns. Drop a steak in a hot cast iron pan, and it delivers a slower, even, longer sear while continuing to distribute burner heat across the entire pan bottom.

A really thick, heavy copper or aluminum pot also has nice benefits. Problem being you really need a non-stick coating on them to make them manageable, and non-sticks release some pretty bad toxins when overheated. A study found that almost everyone tested had some level of a chemical compound of teflon in their blood stream which can kill birds and cause flu-like symptoms in people.

EPA Fines Dupont for Poisoning Consumers with Teflon Cookware

 

[ERD50]

I made tomato sauce yesterday in a 50 plus year old Wagner well seasoned pan. I fried some sausage, in the pan, put in a bunch of veggies and the tomato sauce and cooked for a while.

The pan cleaned up in seconds as usual and the seasoning is just fine.

OK, maybe I'll give it another try. Perhaps when I have done it before, the seasoning was not heavy enough?

We've collected a few of these pans over the years, and I've been very careful to just wash them out with a little salt and a paper towel - no water if I can help it. That seems to help keep the coating built up. So, maybe by now they have a good acid-resistant coating.

-ERD50

 

[Khan]

Here's what I cooked in mine a couple of hours ago for Sunday brunch: I cooked down 6 slices of rubbed bacon (4 for me, limp, and two, very crisp, for the Missus). Set that aside and poured off most of the grease. Sauteed part of a purple onion and then wilted some spinach leaves and tossed in a handfgul of mushrooms. Pooured 6 beaten eggs over it and cooked it on low heat under a lid for a couple of minutes. Spread grated cheddar on top, replaced the lid until it raised and firmed up. Cut it in four pieces which came right out of the ole iron skillet with no sticking. Add salsa and cantelope on the side. All yer basic food groups. Should hold me through a workout, a little shopping and the second half of the Browns-Bengals game.

P.S. Another thing I like about the iron is that I can use a heavy metal spatula to work my veggies a bit and don't have to worry about scoring a coating if I am serving out of the pan (which is nice to keep the waiting portions nice and warm).

Yes, that's great.

After it's well seasoned it doesn't have to be washed: just rinse and (maybe) scrape under running water and put it back on the stove to dry

 

[Martha]

I clean my cast iron skillet with soap -- all that stuff about not using soap is baloney. I've been doing this for years, and it is still non-stick.

I do to. The soap isn't a problem. Letting it sit wet is a problem.

This is a Wagner we use camping. Even though it looks scummy as we cook, it cleans up nice and easy. The only PITA is the smoke on the outside.