Cast Iron Cookware

[Ol' Brian]

If I’m not doin dogs on the grill. Always cast iron. Only 3 pans we use. 10” lodge I’ve had for 10 years, my wife’s grandmothers 14” unmarked but made in USA and a nice stainless Allclad works good mindful of the heat and some good oil or butterView attachment 879377View attachment 879378

Same here. I always use pig butter if I have some. I think they are better than the grill when done on cast iron.

 

[cookies]

Vaporust will clean cast iron or rust off of any surface but it is very slow, I like using it on iron/steel esp metal gas tanks after i run it through a electrolysis bath to give it that black oxide finish that helps stop rusting.
Anyone else use a chainmail washcloth on their cast iron? started using them last year and they work a treat without removing the seasoning and they help smooth the pan over time

 

[pbilly]

i started collecting and restoring cast iron a few years ago. I love them nothing cooks better than cast iron. I strip them if they are rusted in an electrolsis tank then clean and re season.. i use flax oil and the oven 450 for an hour let cool and do it again 6 or 7 times and they come out really nice.

 

[pbilly]

before

 

[pbilly]

during restoration

 

[pbilly]

after seasoning
this pan is about 100 years old

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

Vaporust will clean cast iron or rust off of any surface but it is very slow, I like using it on iron/steel esp metal gas tanks after i run it through a electrolysis bath to give it that black oxide finish that helps stop rusting.
Anyone else use a chainmail washcloth on their cast iron? started using them last year and they work a treat without removing the seasoning and they help smooth the pan over time

Never really needed to.

I so rarely have anything that sticks to the point where I can't wipe it out with a paper towel.

If I do, normally hot water and a scrub with the sink brush takes it out.

I can't remember a time when I needed anything more than that.

 

[pbilly]

thats how i clean my pans too after i have restored them. crisco works really good for seasoning too

 

[Dcsco]

I have 2 to restore. The first is this griddle.

The second is a Wagner 9” frying pan.

Any advise on these?

Are pans measured across the top or bottom? This is 9” across top.

Thanks,

Dave

 

[pbilly]

pans are measured across the top. there are many ways to clean them. it just depends on how much time you want to spend on them. I use electrolsys which strips everything off of them the rust and the crud all at the same time it takes them down to bare raw cast iron. then you have to do some scrubbing and wire brushing or emery cloth. they rust really fast when they are raw. the last thing is to wash them with bar keepers powder and a scotch bright pad. then the seasoning

 

[djg james]

pans are measured across the top. there are many ways to clean them. it just depends on how much time you want to spend on them. I use electrolsys which strips everything off of them the rust and the crud all at the same time it takes them down to bare raw cast iron. then you have to do some scrubbing and wire brushing or emery cloth. they rust really fast when they are raw. the last thing is to wash them with bar keepers powder and a scotch bright pad. then the seasoning

How did you set up your electrolysis bath? And what is bar keepers powder? Why is that needed? To neutralize from the bath?

 

[pbilly]

i use an old beer keg that has one end cut out fill with 10gal of water and 2 or 3 tablespoons of washing soda per gal to make the electrolite and i have an led light power supply as the power source but an old battery charger that doesnt have the automatic off feature set it on 2 amps hook the negative cable to the pan and the positive cable to the tank suspend the pan in the water making sure it isnt touching the sides and plug it in and wait. make sure that the area is well ventilated as the pro ess creates hydrogen the bubbles coming off are pure hydrogen. when i take it out of the tank i hose it off and see if it needs to go back in. when im satisified with it then i wire rush it until its all cleaned up and then i wash it with warm water and bar keepers friend its like commet but its not as harsh and used in resturants for cleaning stainless. dry it really good make sure all of the water is off by setting the oven to warm and let it sit in there for a few minutes until the pan is warm and dry. then coat it with what you are going to season it with. then wipe as much of the oil or crisco off as you can im mean like im trying to wipe it back off. then put it upside down in the oven turn it up to 450 when its up to temp set timer for an hour when the hour is up turn the oven off and let it cool down completely in the oven and repeat building up the layers of seasoning i usually do it 6 times. then i usually fry some potatoes in for the first cooking. or put some oil in it and bring it up to temp and let it cool. i think the next pan im going to season it with lard and see how that works. because a hundred years ago thats pretty much what they cooked with.

 

[pbilly]

there is a ton of information here
https://www.castironcollector.com/

 

[joe25DA]

I just cook hotdogs in the microwave.

Wrap in a papertowel and 30-45 secs.

Most stove makers say not to use cast iron on glass cooktops.

Never had an issue. My parents bought a new “glass” top magic chef in ‘90 when they remodeled the kitchen. My mom always used cast iron on it and that stove top looked fine 30 years later. Back then magic chef was a good stove not cheap. Our appliances are all kenmore. Came with the house. Nothing special but only a few years old. The wife wants an excuse to replace them

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Never had an issue. My parents bought a new “glass” top magic chef in ‘90 when they remodeled the kitchen. My mom always used cast iron on it and that stove top looked fine 30 years later. Back then magic chef was a good stove not cheap. Our appliances are all kenmore. Came with the house. Nothing special but only a few years old. The wife wants an excuse to replace them

I've only ever had 1 electric stove, was a flat top, and I hated it. Took forever to warm up and then forever to cool down.

 

[joe25DA]

I've only ever had 1 electric stove, was a flat top, and I hated it. Took forever to warm up and then forever to cool down.

I’d rather gas. Next house

 

[cookies]

Our glass flat top is excellent using cast iron and stainless cookware, it must boil water 1/3 faster than the old coil stove we had. Clean up and maintaining the cooking surface is much better since there is nothing to take take apart to clean, the top has a rim to catch boil overs and spills. I would love a gas burner stove for the speed and ability to make really good stir fry.

 

[Stonesforbrains]

Our glass flat top is excellent using cast iron and stainless cookware, it must boil water 1/3 faster than the old coil stove we had. Clean up and maintaining the cooking surface is much better since there is nothing to take take apart to clean, the top has a rim to catch boil overs and spills. I would love a gas burner stove for the speed and ability to make really good stir fry.

Bought the wife a new glass top and we use cast iron and stainless as well with no problems. Wife doesn’t like cleaning it but I think it is easier to clean than the old coil electric with the drip pans. I used to clean them cause she hated to do it. Now she cleans the glass and I don’t have to fool with it at all! We would like gas but then we’d have to convert to propane and I am not doing that. Be easier to convert if we had gas run to the house but we don’t.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The flat top wasn't too bad, though if anything dripped onto the hot area, it was tough to clean that.

Razor scraper, special cleaner and a scrubber, but had to be careful not to scuff up the surface.

With it staying hot forever, that was a pain.
I know my folks have melted a few things by accidentally setting it on the stove, like the plastic spatter cover tor the microwave.

My current stove is black and stainless and it's a pain to clean. Have to use windex and a microfiber.
Simply using a dishcloth ends up with very visable streaks all over.

 

[pbilly]

The flat top wasn't too bad, though if anything dripped onto the hot area, it was tough to clean that.

Razor scraper, special cleaner and a scrubber, but had to be careful not to scuff up the surface.

With it staying hot forever, that was a pain.
I know my folks have melted a few things by accidentally setting it on the stove, like the plastic spatter cover tor the microwave.

My current stove is black and stainless and it's a pain to clean. Have to use windex and a microfiber.
Simply using a dishcloth ends up with very visable streaks all over.

have you tried drying your stove after just hot water and a dish towell? drying doesnt leave streaks