Cast iron + gas stove = win

[1COBearsfan]

I know there was a cast iron pan related thread before the food and drink subforum but I think we need another. I'll also add a little more to it.

The only skillets I use anymore are my cast iron pan and a steel pan that's the same principle as a cast iron pan, just made from steel and can be regulated easier than cast iron. I also have a long griddle that will fit over two burners that I've re-discovered now that we have a new stove. Which brings me to my next point...

We just bought a house that was recently remodeled. During the remodel the previous owners installed a gas range which was more of a selling point than it probably should have been. Now that we've prepared some meals on it I can comfortably say that I'm never cooking on anything but a gas range. It's so easy to regulate temperatures, even with cast iron. Heat up time is a tiny fraction of a glass top or electric coil range. I can put my griddle across two burners and grill burgers(ran out of gas in the grill the day we moved), can cook all sorts of shit in bigger quantities so we can eat quicker/together instead of in shifts. Eggs are so incredibly easy to cook this way also.

So, in short. I love my cast iron utensils and my gas range

 

[Crystallas]

Gas and induction are my favorites. Nice part about cast iron cookware, is you can also use them on induction stoves.

 

[brett05]

Question on cast iron.

Had one once to use on my grill. Horrible to clean and to dry. I want to try again but don;t want to throw another pan in the trash. Advice?

 

[Ares]

Question on cast iron.

Had one once to use on my grill. Horrible to clean and to dry. I want to try again but don;t want to throw another pan in the trash. Advice?

Were you cleaning it and then leaving it to dry and it was rusting?

As soon as I bought a cast iron skillet I was told every time i clean it I should oil it just a little bit to make sure it dont rust.

 

[Crystallas]

Question on cast iron.

Had one once to use on my grill. Horrible to clean and to dry. I want to try again but don;t want to throw another pan in the trash. Advice?

Cast iron does have its own separate rules of thumb. But they're easy to use and clean once you grasp the concept. Unlike other pots and pans, cast iron cleans best with vegetable oil. And if you burn the surface badly, then you might need to season the pan(basically brush and bake it with oil).

 

[brett05]

So when I get a new one, I put vegetable oil all over it, cook it to season it, then clean it with vegetable oil and then use soap and water to get the stick oil off or just deal with a sticky pan?

 

[nvanprooyen]

So when I get a new one, I put vegetable oil all over it, cook it to season it, then clean it with vegetable oil and then use soap and water to get the stick oil off or just deal with a sticky pan?

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-clean-a-cast-iron-skillet-cleaning-lessons-from-the-kitchn-107747

 

[brett05]

That's quote a bit of work. I think I'll stay away.

 

[Crystallas]

The more you use cast iron, the better it gets. A 20 year old pan(assuming it has been used) works better than a brand new one. Hell, I would say a well seasoned pan works better than any other pan. The seasoning doesn't make the pan stick, like a pyrex pan/dish.


But yeah, it's not for everyone. And not something I would suggest others run out and buy. Cast iron is definitely for advanced users.

 

[nvanprooyen]

My favorite use of my cast iron (when weather doesn't permit me to use the grill):

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pan-seared-rib-eye-recipe.html

 

[Ares]

That's quote a bit of work. I think I'll stay away.

Idk it aint that bad.... basically hand wash it after use like you would for a normal pan.... soap, water, and a sponge. Scrub it clean, dry it with a towel, and then put a bit of oil in the pan and coat the pan with it.... I just use my hand. You need a very small amount of oil for this. Then you leave it lightly oiled until you go to use it again.

Its really like any other pan but leave it oiled after cleaning so it don't rust.... mine is always on my stove top so that is not a big deal to me.

 

[brett05]

My favorite use of my cast iron (when weather doesn't permit me to use the grill):

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pan-seared-rib-eye-recipe.html

curses..
That looks awesome.

Dang it...now I gotta get a cast iron skillet

 

[Jester]

Question on cast iron.

Had one once to use on my grill. Horrible to clean and to dry. I want to try again but don;t want to throw another pan in the trash. Advice?

Washing it? Nooooo, that's your problem lol. You simply wipe it off and that's it, and don't use soap on it. It loses it's seasoning if you use soap. At most use hot water. I just get a papaer towle and wipe it off and thats it.

Use soap on cast iron? Shame on you brett you shouldnt be in the kitchen at all =)

 

[Jester]

Idk it aint that bad.... basically hand wash it after use like you would for a normal pan.... soap, water, and a sponge. Scrub it clean, dry it with a towel, and then put a bit of oil in the pan and coat the pan with it.... I just use my hand. You need a very small amount of oil for this. Then you leave it lightly oiled until you go to use it again.

Its really like any other pan but leave it oiled after cleaning so it don't rust.... mine is always on my stove top so that is not a big deal to me.

Noooooooo.....God noooooooooo. Soap is designed to bind to oils and strip them. Cast iron skillets are very porous and detergents will makes them rust ASAP.

 

[Jester]

Remove any food chunks after cooking. Often times after cooking something with fat I let the oil cool and simply wipe it off with a dry paper towel once the oil solidifies. Basically just get the food chunks off of it. Leaving a little oil in the pan is GOOD.

If you burned some food and need to remove it do NOT USE SOAP.....EVER. Simply warm up some water on the stove and pour it HOT into the pan. Let it boil on the pan for a few minutes until the char starts coming up. Do this a couple of times if you need to but just once or twice. You can scrape your skillet with wood, bambo, plastic spatula as well if needed. Dry it off well with paper towel. Apply veg oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, or lard after it is COMPLETELY DRY. NEVER EVER use spray oil, if you have a can of that in your kitchen you aren't advanced enough to use an iron skillet anyway

Seriously, a cast iron skillet is easier to take care of than traditional IMO.

 

[brett05]

Remove any food chunks after cooking. Often times after cooking something with fat I let the oil cool and simply wipe it off with a dry towel once the oil solidifies. Basically just get the food chunks off of it. Leaving a little oil in the pan is GOOD.

If you burned some food and need to remove it do NOT USE SOAP.....EVER. Simply warm up some water on the stove and pour it HOT into the pan. Let it boil on the pan for a few minutes until the char starts coming up. Do this a couple of times if you need to but just once or twice. You can scrape your skillet with wood, bambo, plastic spatula as well if needed. Dry it off well with paper towel. Apply veg oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, or lard after it is COMPLETELY DRY. NEVER EVER use spray oil, if you have a can of that in your kitchen you aren't advanced enough to use an iron skillet anyway

Seriously, a cast iron skillet is easier to take care of than traditional IMO.

I was with you til that last line. Now I think you're off your rocker.

 

[clonetrooper264]

I was with you til that last line. Now I think you're off your rocker.

Well if all you have to do is wipe it down a little after cooking that does sound easier than washing with soap and all that...:shrug:

 

[Jester]

I was with you til that last line. Now I think you're off your rocker.

I rarely clean my cast iron, it simply wipes up. Don't even have to bend over to put it in the dishwasher. Seriously it is easy to maintain once you season it correctly. You don't believe me because you didn't take care of your first one correctly =)

 

[brett05]

Wiping adding oil warming to get loose food.

Sounds harder then soak scrub rinse to me

 

[Jester]

Wiping adding oil warming to get loose food.

Sounds harder then soak scrub rinse to me

It's a wipe. You only need to add oil at times and you will be able to tell. Many times I am cooking meat that leaves the fat in the pan and don't even need to oil. Anyway, at most you may need to oil it every once in a while. You put a little oil on a paper towle and rub it around. Again I rarely need to do this.

Also, I like using solid oils and rubbing it on. I have used lard and now use coconut oil IF I need to oil it.