What did I cook this weekend.....

[Psylocide]

I've always been too lazy to season and take care of my cast irons. Need to though as you said it's nice for grillin some things.

Yeah, I do a lot of braising on the grill with it. Short ribs for instance, don't have to boil or wrap them or anything. Just braised right on the grill... still get those nice grill flavors, and can pull it off near the end and place on the grate for some nice sear marks. They aren't technically dry ribs at this point, but I don't slather any sauce on them other then the braising liquid that they sit in.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Uh, you's guys talking about cast iron skrillex? I just discovered that I got one as a wedding gift and my mother seasoned it for me (wtf that means) when she visited the new house. Ok then. Can't wait to use it, never have. Thinking about just dropping a few pork chops in it, halved shrooms, chunks of onion and garlic with some cream of mushroom soup and throwing it in oven.

You guys have any good cast iron skricketz recipes/techniques?

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

You'll thank me later.

 

[mattmmille]

Lodge is THE cast iron pan to get, if you can. Others probably okay. For those that don't know, "seasoning" cast iron is basically coating it with vegetable oil and letting it cool into the pan. After that, like a good wok, you never scrub the coating off, never use detergent on it, and never leave it wet. This prevents rust and creates a somewhat nonstick surface...though not like Teflon or whatever is the modern coating. Greta on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, or over a camp fire. Great heat retention and even distribution.

 

[iijakii]

I remember reading years ago how the no-soap rule is antiquated and untrue. A properly seasoned pan the oils bind to the cast iron and soap won't remove it, you need something like lye to wash it off; and that scraping was more detrimental.

No experience with it though personally.

 

[hunter_le five]

I remember reading years ago how the no-soap rule is antiquated and untrue. A properly seasoned pan the oils bind to the cast iron and soap won't remove it, you need something like lye to wash it off; and that scraping was more detrimental.

No experience with it though personally.

Never had a problem using soap on cast iron. Just rinse it off real good, dry it completely first with a towel and then with heat, and then rub it down with a bit of oil back on the heat again.

 

[BrewingTravisty]

Never had a problem using soap on cast iron. Just rinse it off real good, dry it completely first with a towel and then with heat, and then rub it down with a bit of oil back on the heat again.

As long as you dry it off and season it right away there's no reason you can't use soap. Restaurants have to run them through industrial dish washers. If they can do that without hurting the pans then you can use a little dawn lol

 

[Temptd2]

Don't use regular veg oil on it - use coconut oil or lard or something that won't gum up on you. You can get spray coconut oil now which makes it really easy.

A good way to clean stuff that wants to stick - once you've removed your yummy meal and the pan has cooled off, sprinkle it liberally with kosher salt. Let sit at least overnight - 24 hours is even better. Then use one of those plastic scrubbies and scrub that salt all around the pan (dry) - shake excess out into garbage, then fill pan with good hot water, use the same plastic scrubby to remove any stubborn bits, rinse well, dry with paper towels. Put pan on burner and turn it on til all moisture is evaporated. Turn off burner, spray with coconut oil (or a dollop of the stuff from a jar) and carefully wipe with a paper towel to coat the entire inside of the pan with a thin film. Let cool completely, put a fresh paper towel in the pan and store in a dry place. Mine stay in the drawer that's built in beneath the oven.

I've had people give me cast iron pans that were so gummy from bad oils and bad care that they gave up. I put them upside down in my self-cleaning oven and run the clean cycle. Let cool completely, wipe out any remaining ash or residue, then coat liberally with good oil (right side up) and plunk back into the oven - set it at 350*, when it's up to temp, turn off and just leave the pan in there overnight.

I do occasionally use a very small amount of dishwashing soap in mine if I've seared lamb or something in it. As long as you swish it around, rinse thoroughly, then do as suggested above, the soap won't hurt a properly-seasoned pan.

My favorite is a 12" skillet that my DH's Dad gave to DH's Mom when they got married. DH is now 63 years old so you can figure how old that pan is! It is very nearly nonstick. I still don't do eggs in it though - never have had good luck with that. But you cannot beat it for searing meat or a myriad of other cooking adventures.

My fave - panseared marinated lamb (I get these great ones at Costco that have a nice fat cap) which I then finish in the oven. That pan is great going from stovetop into a screaming hot oven to finish meat!

 

[BrewingTravisty]

Don't use regular veg oil on it - use coconut oil or lard or something that won't gum up on you. You can get spray coconut oil now which makes it really easy.

A good way to clean stuff that wants to stick - once you've removed your yummy meal and the pan has cooled off, sprinkle it liberally with kosher salt. Let sit at least overnight - 24 hours is even better. Then use one of those plastic scrubbies and scrub that salt all around the pan (dry) - shake excess out into garbage, then fill pan with good hot water, use the same plastic scrubby to remove any stubborn bits, rinse well, dry with paper towels. Put pan on burner and turn it on til all moisture is evaporated. Turn off burner, spray with coconut oil (or a dollop of the stuff from a jar) and carefully wipe with a paper towel to coat the entire inside of the pan with a thin film. Let cool completely, put a fresh paper towel in the pan and store in a dry place. Mine stay in the drawer that's built in beneath the oven.

I've had people give me cast iron pans that were so gummy from bad oils and bad care that they gave up. I put them upside down in my self-cleaning oven and run the clean cycle. Let cool completely, wipe out any remaining ash or residue, then coat liberally with good oil (right side up) and plunk back into the oven - set it at 350*, when it's up to temp, turn off and just leave the pan in there overnight.

I do occasionally use a very small amount of dishwashing soap in mine if I've seared lamb or something in it. As long as you swish it around, rinse thoroughly, then do as suggested above, the soap won't hurt a properly-seasoned pan.

My favorite is a 12" skillet that my DH's Dad gave to DH's Mom when they got married. DH is now 63 years old so you can figure how old that pan is! It is very nearly nonstick. I still don't do eggs in it though - never have had good luck with that. But you cannot beat it for searing meat or a myriad of other cooking adventures.

My fave - panseared marinated lamb (I get these great ones at Costco that have a nice fat cap) which I then finish in the oven. That pan is great going from stovetop into a screaming hot oven to finish meat!

This should be put in a separate thread and put as a sticky. This is a wonderful and detailed how to on seasoning and taking care of cast iron cookware.

 

[WI_Wino]

I use crisco from a tub since forever to season/maintain my cast iron.

 

[mattmmille]

Used to be lard from pork or beef rendering back in the day. I have skillet and a cornstick pan that are both probably 75 years or more. A stiff brush and hot water are all I've ever needed and I dry them in the oven or on a burner. Good info on reclaiming gunked up pans in the clean cycle. It's a shame to have to start over, but sometimes to just have to.

 

[Homercidal]

I don't have much Cast Iron, but my experience shows a small amount of soap and water doesn't do any harm to a properly seasoned pan. Scrubbing and scraping are pretty bad for them, though. It's about time I get a couple of different pans. I love my non-stick for certain things, but they suck for searing, and even the stainless pans I own are terrible at it. They don't hold heat well enough for it.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

I don't have much Cast Iron, but my experience shows a small amount of soap and water doesn't do any harm to a properly seasoned pan. Scrubbing and scraping are pretty bad for them, though. It's about time I get a couple of different pans. I love my non-stick for certain things, but they suck for searing, and even the stainless pans I own are terrible at it. They don't hold heat well enough for it.

Scraping's fine. I've used plastic scrapers and you'll be amazed at that the stainless steel chain mail scrubber link I sent. Things that were difficult before come of very easily without damaging the seasoning or the pan. Just warm water and scrubbing. It supposedly works on stainless steel too but I'm too scared to try it.

 

[Homercidal]

Scraping's fine. I've used plastic scrapers and you'll be amazed at that the stainless steel chain mail scrubber link I sent. Things that were difficult before come of very easily without damaging the seasoning or the pan. Just warm water and scrubbing. It supposedly works on stainless steel too but I'm too scared to try it.

Oh, yeah, I mean plastic is fine, but some people really get in there with a sharp edge of metal to scrape the gunk out, and end up scraping right to the bare metal.

 

[TheDudeLebowski]

There's a whole bunch of youtubes out there where some people sandblast it, electrolysis or use oven cleaner to start from zero. Most people believe that most pans are recoverable. It's the amount of work to bring them back I think Lodge's website recommends using food grade flaxseed oil to season.

 

[Kharnynb]

Finnish style stew "karelian paisti"
Half beef, half pork neck, beef on the bottom, pork on top(fattier), very salty water and about 20 peppercorns and 20 allspice
In the oven for 30 mins at high (200 degrees Celcius) and 4 hours on low(125 celcius).

 

[slym2none]

Cornbread in a cast iron skillet is wonderful. Chunk up some bacon into lardons, render the fat, then leave everything in the pan and pour your cornbread batter on top. Of course, fried chicken is better when made in a cast iron pan. Because.

That could be considered Southern heaven, those two combined.

Also, this: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/01/foolproof-pan-pizza-recipe.html

...or even this: http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/10/cast-iron-skillet-tortilla-pizza-bar-pie-food-lab.html

 

[iijakii]

I need that in my life.

I think it's about time I nuke my cast iron pan and reseason it. My method of choice for seasoning is just cook nothing but bacon in it for awhile...

 

[unionrdr]

I thought about using my cast iron pan to make deep dish pizza like in Chicago. Oh yeah...

 

[Remmy]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458774882.217959.jpg

 

[mcspanner]

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Wrong thread @Remmy. That belongs in the epic picture thread.

 

[ChefRex]

Can anyone suggest a decent cast iron pan brand? I've only got one and the thing is just done for. Unless it doesn't matter... I'm thinking it doesn't matter.

It's useless, I'll trade for Busch, Pound for pound or are you sucking up to that tread?
Griswold is top of the line, Wagner and Lodge.
Find one buried in the dirt, bead blast it and reseason it and you are good to go, you can not destroy them and you'll never taste the Teflon.
I love mine and they will long out live me

 

[LakesideBrewing]

I have the honor to get to cook with my wife's Great-Great-Grandmother's cast iron pan. It's an Erie and dates back to the late 1800s! I use it for everything, seriously everything! I couldn't imagine searing a steak, or burger, on anything but cast iron. Above pic is said pan steaming open some clams in my wood fired pizza oven.

-Mike

 

[Homercidal]

I have the honor to get to cook with my wife's Great-Great-Grandmother's cast iron pan. It's an Erie and dates back to the late 1800s! I use it for everything, seriously everything! I couldn't imagine searing a steak, or burger, on anything but cast iron. Above pic is said pan steaming open some clams in my wood fired pizza oven.

-Mike

You bastard! You just forced me to hate my life!

 

[Homercidal]

OK. I'm officially shopping for some cast iron cookware. Preferably cheap.

I'd love a brick oven too, but I know my limitations.

 

[mcbaumannerb]

With my son home on break, I decided to try a steak and ale pie (my staple from our trip to England 4 years ago). Got a small cut labeled as "half-sirloin" (guessing it was bottom in reality) and dry rubbed with a mix of coffee, garlic, salt & pepper.
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Let that sit a couple of hours in the fridge before braising it in beef stock, stout, a few shots of hot sauce and some herbs.
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After it braised for about six hours, took it out to cool in the fridge overnight; then strained the liquid as well.

Today I sautéed some onion & mushrooms
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Did a roux to make a gravy out of the braising liquid.
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Then combined everything to bring the meat back up to temp.
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I used pre-made pie crust (I know, I know - just didn't have time to make my own) and filled them to bake.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458836747.011475.jpg
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Turned out awesome - only issue was a tad too much salt. Now I need a nap.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458836786.382262.jpg
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[kev211]

With my son home on break, I decided to try a steak and ale pie (my staple from our trip to England 4 years ago). Got a small cut labeled as "half-sirloin" (guessing it was bottom in reality) and dry rubbed with a mix of coffee, garlic, salt & pepper.
View attachment 346534

Well now Im gonna have to try my hand at making this...

Did you sear it in a pan with the dry rub before braising it? How much did the beef weigh and what temp did you braise it?

 

[mcbaumannerb]

Well now Im gonna have to try my hand at making this...

Did you sear it in a pan with the dry rub before braising it? How much did the beef weigh and what temp did you braise it?

No, I didn't sear it - just washed the meat, dried it a bit (so it was still a little damp for the rub) and put the rub on. After two hours, it went right in the braising liquid and in the oven at 170 for six hours.

 

[hunter_le five]

Made a pretty bad-ass spinach salad last night with spiced chicken, fresh jalapenos, bell pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, black olive slices, sunflower seeds, crumbled blue cheese, capers, and vinaigrette dressing. So good I had the leftovers for lunch.

Unfortunately I forgot to snap a photo, but luckily I'm well acquainted with a very talented local police sketch artist who was able to create a photo-realistic rendering of the dish:

 

[kev211]

No, I didn't sear it - just washed the meat, dried it a bit (so it was still a little damp for the rub) and put the rub on. After two hours, it went right in the braising liquid and in the oven at 170 for six hours.

170!? Didnt even know ovens could go that low haha. Seems more like a sous vide than a braise. Either way... Im making that tonight/tomorrow