Cast Iron anyone?

[brewmaster15]

Just finished testing out my cast iron frying pan with some pork loin. I cleaned it up and re-seasoned it earlier today. Sometime this weekend I will probably do my cast Iron dutch oven.. Got to get ready for campfire cooking season. :) That one is a real old one. I paid $5 at neighbor hood tag sale. It looked really bad.. rusty. I spent a good hour working on it with steel wool.. seasoned it and it looked brand new. I really enjoy cooking in that dutch oven.

Any other cast iron lovers?

[LizStreithorst]

Me! But I cheat a lot now and use carbon steel when I can for a pan, and I really cheat and use Stainless steel when I cook a stew or roast.

[jeep]

Cast iron is great! If seasoned correctly it's just as non-stick as the others...

[LizStreithorst]

Carbon steel is also non-stick when seasoned correctly. I switched because I love my carbon steel wok so much I went looking for a fry pan, too. It has many of the qualities of cast iron but it is not nearly as heavy.

[Vanman]

I have one or three.

[brewmaster15]

So whats your seasoning process?
I use crisco.. heat the pan up enough to melt the crisco... then wipe the cook surface with it and put it in the oven upside down over a piece of aluminum foil.. bake for 2 hours at 400F.

[LizStreithorst]

I do the same, but I use vegetable oil. Seasoning carbon steel is the same.

[brewmaster15]

Cast Iron sirloin...Mmmmm

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[AquaticNerd]

I'm with Liz on this one, I love all of my carbon steel pans and they work out great, and much lighter than cast iron. I've got a cast iron dutch oven on my wishlist though, since I'll be using it mostly for baking sourdough boules and deep frying.

[brewmaster15]

Afraid I am clueless on carbon steel pans.. sounds like I need to read up.

[dagray]

I love my cast iron. season with rendered bacon grease. But carbon steel is a game changer... use it the same as cast iron, it is lighter, and heats up faster.
I have a 17 inch cast iron I can't use on the electric stove as it doesn't get enough heat from the biggest burner, but I can use it on my fire pit and my smoker.

cooked veggies in that pan seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and nutmeg using olive oil is the bomb... I use this pan on the fire pit.

[brewmaster15]

So which carbon steel brand pans do you guys use?

[dagray]

I use Lodge brand carbon steel

[brewmaster15]

I didnt realize Lodge made carbon steel pans... most of my cast Iron is lodge.

[jwcarlson]

I'm interested about the carbon steel as well. I use mostly cast iron, but man it's heavy. Especially my cast iron wok!

[LizStreithorst]

I've been in love with this one from the get-go. Even my larger carbon steel wok, made for large families, was too heavy for me. It is already well seasoned, but I seasoned it myself in the oven when it first arrived. Nothing has ever gotten stuck to it and it holds its seasoning well. I love that it has a lid. The removable wooden handle is handy when it has to go in the oven. They even throw in a set of cheap, but sometimes handy, wok tools.

I'll look around and see if I can find what kind of skillet I bought.
https://www.amazon.com/Souped-Up-Recipes-Induction-Seasoning/dp/B07RJ39JVL/ref=sr_1_5?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rX2MdmS1BsIXH_HI0V2KKu snxHwx2YbbWt2uEtPzFjBkOJ9DVv3_l5V-S5W9YVDyp8QzgBsm6YYi4g9XgkvBKXcPt-HOlbMh8kOR5jkuYb_6J1cHcMYhAxhJ3Ix6188bz3V3g0FhoSBi cX_ioHAJVMwCraOpFLSQN0TBhLjgC4lRObTJLTnd2X6JCjFe4t 0oo7TjSxMLFLAYUhA2cEDed3G9elnTVO1ayEWgwp2i0KaygvAS I2iJxAPYNDAzi79BTllDUvS_BkyjNj3wArt7HQauNYpv22yupI dnMXByWSs.1Ch6zZzMmZnjVGRWdy0LthzGqQfeETuJ9EmfpI_v kLM&dib_tag=se&keywords=carbon+steel+wok&qid=1712606183&sr=8-5

[LizStreithorst]

This is my pan. As you can see by the way the handle is attached it is well made. It serves a good purpose for me, but if I still had a healthy spine, I'd be using cast iron. The wok, on the other hand, is something everyone should have.
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Obsidian-Pre-Seasoned-Removable-Induction/dp/B09LLYLYX6/ref=sr_1_8?crid=35FHGI6YGC99N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dEGNPujy_5wR1R7xiA6f51SJfW5A0Qqe9 a5HXrilRg2C50bO0cRzkbQ1do6i3q8_s170yEV4uHmqkpDPU9a Cl5QrOmn-0qWkVT7kiotaYw3tRiD7NyafrphIxe1fMKGOgf7l9BEgdlq-9Qs7x139lgQVCxlnkJsHWHb6fMlQg0CgTql_VW0ndwdMqDh0R8 mpkc1DsRkm5hxMIumruep3Z5w0Hdrh0GiUAjLbwVDsoxk9xfuG d7mslrjygjLJbkQtCpBuLGXLXeilhQz4OzkhPp6O2cqt7ZGpXY r7-EuZKJA.pX7u9vhNodH4qDLSMqsphfbgReJAQLlaIVEKAPyA_Gs&dib_tag=se&keywords=carbon+steel+skillet&qid=1712606825&sprefix=carbon+steel+skillet%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-8

[brewmaster15]

Was a nice night here so cooked some steaks on the fire. Wanted to make fire baked potatoes but not use aluminum foil..its a pain.. its messy and foil isn't cheap. Decided to use the cast iron dutch oven crockpot.. a little crisco.. a stick of butter and onion. Cover and toss it on the fire. Rotate potatoes once and done. Tasted exactly like fire baked.

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[Vanman]

Potatoes, butter, and onion, how could it not be good?

[dagray]

I'm interested about the carbon steel as well. I use mostly cast iron, but man it's heavy. Especially my cast iron wok!

Carbon steel are a fraction of the weight, heat evenly, and are non-stick if you season them.... season like cast iron, treat them like cast iron.

They are great for cooking on a stovetop or over an open fire.

I have a 12 and a 15 inch Lodge carbon steel fry pans. Also due to the way they are made they are easier to use for eggs and pancakes as there are no corners from the wall of the pan to the cooking surface.

[brewmaster15]

I guess I have a problem with them heating even. I have used stainless camping and its terrible. Im going to have to give the carbon steel a shot though... seems like a bunch of you swear by them.Thats good enough for me.
Al

[AquaticNerd]

I've also got a couple of lodge carbon steel skillets and they're great. I had a little bit of sticker shock when it came to purchasing them (they were $50-ish each when I got them a few years ago) because I habitually bought the cheapest set I could get my hands on. In hindsight, it was well worth the money.

The only issue I have with them is that my wife likes to use them when she cooks (I do most of the cooking in the house) and then loves to throw them in the dishwasher. I've never had a good experience with cast iron or carbon steel in dishwashers and always hand wash them. I've had to rescue the pans more than once after they were left in the dishwasher with lots of moisture. :D

[brewmaster15]

How are eggs on carbon steel?

[LizStreithorst]

excellent. They do not stick.

[AquaticNerd]

Agreed - if you've seasoned the pan well, preheat the pan, and add in a small amount of fat right before frying (I use a little bit of pan spray), I have no issues with eggs sticking. Somehow, my wife is able to get eggs to stick, so I keep a non-stick pan around for her to use when she fries eggs. :D

[jwcarlson]

I think I might snag a carbon steel one when I next see one. I've never seen one, though, so that might be an issue. :D

[LizStreithorst]

Amazon, Jacob.

I think the trick to having things not stick to carbon steel is to preheat the pan to the point of smoking before you add the oil or butter, then add the food you want to cook.

[Disgirl]

Reading this thread makes me want to get a good steak and cook it in one of my cast iron pieces, I have several, even a dutch oven to bake homemade sourdough bread in. When I had a glass top stove I never considered using cast iron, but with gas now, I use it alot!
Barb

[brewmaster15]

Reading this thread makes me want to get a good steak and cook it in one of my cast iron pieces, I have several, even a dutch oven to bake homemade sourdough bread in. When I had a glass top stove I never considered using cast iron, but with gas now, I use it alot!
Barb



Here you Barb... some more incentive for you.

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:)

[brady]

I use both, cast iron and non-stick. Are carbon steel pans non -stick or do they have some other
positive feature for cooking?
Jay

[LizStreithorst]

They're non stick. They are light weight. They heat op faster than cast iron and cool down faster.

[brady]

Has anybody had a non-stick pan lose it's non-stick properties over time? My pan
is steel with a non-stick coating[not teflon] embedded in too the surface and is losing it
gradually.
Jay

[brewmaster15]

Has anybody had a non-stick pan lose it's non-stick properties over time? My pan
is steel with a non-stick coating[not teflon] embedded in too the surface and is losing it
gradually.
Jay


I have Jay. I'm fairly gently with them and over time they do . it really only takes 1 scorching or burnt oil and it starts it all. I also think alot has to to do with the oil used and it's burn point... My kids used to use non-stick cooking spray on the pancake griddle.. Over time that junk builds up and you can't wash it off

Sugar also it a no no here.. Honey baked ham is not good to fry with eggs on a non-stick pan.