I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.

Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?

I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:

--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
....George Bernard Shaw

On Wednesday, February 5, 2014 8:58:05 PM UTC-8, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
>
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
>
> Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
>
> is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
>
>
> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
>
>
> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>
>
>
> --
>
> DreadfulBitch
>
>
>
> There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
>
> ...George Bernard Shaw



I like my cast iron pans just as they are, no enamel..

I have a regular one and also one called a chicken fryer that is deeper (about 3-4, I am bad at this, maybe 5 inches) that comes in handy for things like you plan to make. I also use mine to make candy, never have used it for chicken.

And sure, a lid will make it much more versatile.

Do a search for Sheldon's name and seasoning it. I used his method looooooong ago, and it worked well.

Julie P

On 2/5/2014 11:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?

The question is very subjective. It depends on what you want to use the
cookware for.

I have an 8 inch round cast iron skillet I use exclusively for baking
cornbread.

> Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
> is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
I'm pretty sure you can find some decent cast iron skillets with lids,
or slightly deeper "fry pots" with lids.

No matter what you get, they'll need to be well seasoned before you
start using them.

> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
Depends on your point of view. I have some very old pieces of enameled
cast iron cookware. I couldn't say I'd spend the money to buy it new
these days but I definitely use it often. My mother gave me most of the
pieces years ago. It's Descoware, which (once upon a time) was
LeCreuset.

Cast iron cookware (enameled or not) is heavy.

Jill

Your answer is much more complete than mine.

Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.

Julie P

On 2/5/2014 11:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
> Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
> is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>
I have a number of Lodge pans, and I use them just about every day. I
bought these pre-seasoned, but I have owned non-seasoned pans that I had
to season myself. Seasoning is not hard, but it is a convenience if you
don't have to do it after you first buy the pan.

I have 3 skillets: 12", 10", and 8", as well as a 5 quart Dutch oven.
When I was single I used the 10" the most, but for two people you might
find the 12" to be a better choice. The Dutch oven is about perfect for
a two-person household, I have found.

I have found that lids for the skillets (the Dutch oven came with a lid)
are not usually sold in by stores that sell the skillets. I got the 10"
at Pottery Barn, and they also sold the lid for it, but I had to order
the lids for the other two from Walmart, for about $17 apiece. To be
honest, I don't use the lids a lot, but they come in handy if you want
to simmer something for any length of time.

I can't speak about enameled cast iron, since I haven't owned any, but I
have never noticed any sort of flavor imparted by cast iron. About the
only issue that might be similar is if I don't use a pan for a long
time, the vegetable oil that I use on it can become rancid, with a bad
smell and taste. I just wash it off, and re-oil before use.

One thing to consider is cast iron's weight. Years ago I visited the
Lodge outlet store at their factory in Pittsburgh, just west of
Chattanooga. Everything there is half-price, with very slight flaws, so
I went hog wild. I bought some enormous skillets and pots, among other
items. When I got home and tried to use the big items, though, I found
that they were just too heavy to maneuver around the kitchen, especially
when full of food. I ended up donating them to the local church's soup
kitchen.

Another thing to consider is that the handles on the skillets get hot
when cooking. Lodge and others sell fabric sleeves that slip over the
handles to insulate them from your hands. You can just leave them on
while cooking; they're much more convenient than hot pads.

I really like cast iron cookware, so I think you might enjoy using a
piece or two yourself. It's not too expensive, very durable, sort-of
nonstick, can take extremely high heat, and supposedly it also works as
an iron supplement in your diet.

In article >,
says...
>
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?

At your age, weight. Seriously. I've had to give my kids my larger Le
Cruesets because (when full) they are now too heavy for my wrists.

> Do I want a piece with a lid?

Yes if you're going to use it in the oven, for long slow cooking (one
of the best uses of cast iron). If you get one with a flat lid, you can
usually use the lid for cooking in too... good for tarts, yorkshire
pudding etc.

Janet UK

On Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:58:05 -0600, DreadfulBitch
> wrote:

>I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
>piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
>Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
>is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
>Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
>I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:

Go to an antique store or mall and see what is there. Griswald if it
is available. If it is cruddy but otherwise looks ok buy it, take it
home and put it through a self-cleaning oven once or twice, and rub
the inside with Crisco while it is hot. You may have to season it a
few time to get the almost non-stick finish.

Be sure you pick up several sizes to see how heavy they are.

Cast iron works on induction cooktops and cookers. I use my Griswald
and the LeCruset on my NuWave.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

On Thursday, February 6, 2014 12:32:02 AM UTC-5, wrote:
> Your answer is much more complete than mine.
>
>
>
> Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.
>
>
>
> Julie P

Years ago I had three large dutch oven of different sizes and used them every week. One was large enough for two roast. One beef and one pork roast. I used them like a slow cooker. Cooked the roast for awhile then the veggies added later.
I also bought a Le Creuset large dutch oven in the seventies and just gave it away last summer. I stopped using them after my husband died in the eighties.
I still have a few fry pans and a wok of cast iron and also of the new thinner cast iron that I like. Being old now is much easier to use.

Lucille

wrote:

> Cast iron lasts forever

Yup, and we take absolute crappy care of ours, and it still works great.
We did the whole seasoning thing once, and now we just wash it and let
it air dry, just like we do our other pans, and it's still fine.

Everyone has their preferences - my preferred 12" skillet is an AllClad,
and I like it because it heats up pretty quickly. My wife prefers the
cast iron because she feels it gets hotter and the heat is more even.
Since she tends to put the burner on high and walk away, which seems not
to harm the cast iron but gives me nightmares cleaning my stainless
steel, I'm happy she prefers the cast iron.

Personally, if it was just me in the kitchen, I wouldn't own a cast iron
skillet, but that's just me. I also don't generally do the
stovetop-to-oven thing.

So one question we might ask those who've done it is whether a cast iron
skillet makes a better stuffed pork chop.

-S-

On Thursday, February 6, 2014 6:32:40 AM UTC-6, The Cook wrote:
>
>
> Go to an antique store or mall and see what is there. Griswald if it
>
> is available. If it is cruddy but otherwise looks ok buy it, take it
>
> home and put it through a self-cleaning oven once or twice, and rub
>
> the inside with Crisco while it is hot.
>
But you'll have to hurry. Crisco is being removed from the GRAS list.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...gnized_as_safe
>
> Susan N.
>
--B

On Thursday, February 6, 2014 9:41:00 AM UTC-5, Steve Freides wrote:
>
> Everyone has their preferences - my preferred 12" skillet is an AllClad,
> and I like it because it heats up pretty quickly. My wife prefers the
> cast iron because she feels it gets hotter and the heat is more even.
> Since she tends to put the burner on high and walk away, which seems not
> to harm the cast iron but gives me nightmares cleaning my stainless
> steel, I'm happy she prefers the cast iron.
>
> Personally, if it was just me in the kitchen, I wouldn't own a cast iron
> skillet, but that's just me. I also don't generally do the
> stovetop-to-oven thing.
>
Yes, everyone has their individual preference.
Mine is for the hard anodized finish that is no
longer sold. I can cook at high temperature if
need be and finish off in the oven (great for
duck breast, lamb chops, roasted vegetables,
etc.). It heats very evenly and clean up,
although needing a bit of scrubbing, is not too
bad.

I hate stainless steel skillets. They just
don't work because if you try to brown meat
they are a pig to clean. Also, they cannot be
taken to a high temperature.

Although I don't have any, I suspect cast iron is the best, except for the weight.

http://www.richardfisher.com

My only suggestion is--get one with a helper handle. When those puppies are full of food, they can be murder lift off stove or out of an oven.

I find I use mine more often than I did when I was going thru the Non-stick Love Affair.

I have the 3-4 inch deep fryer.

"DreadfulBitch" wrote in message ...

I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.

Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?

I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:

--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
....George Bernard Shaw



I have a lot of cast iron cookware and I use it all the time. The thing that
I use the most is a round griddle type one burner flat pan. It is common in
Mexican cooking and has a name which I cant remember. Also Sheldon was a
big help in telling me how to de-crust the outside of an old Dutch oven
although he does not like iron cookware , he was very helpful

On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape? Do
> I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory is
> stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>


Start with a plain 10" skillet; I think it's called a #8. You probably
don't need a lid because when you do want to use a lid, you can use one
from a stockpot or something. (they don't have to match)

Using steel spatulas when you cook seems to help smooth the bottom.

LeCreuset (sp?) is nice, for smaller pieces, but pick that up later at a
thrift store. As a bonus, you'll get some dietary iron from the old
fashioned skillet that you won't get from the enamel.

HTH, Bob

On 2/5/14, 11:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
> Do I want a piece with a lid?....

What is your cooktop? Gas, electric, glass, induction? This matters
because cast iron pieces are available both with and without a "smoke
ring" (a rim on the bottom of the pan, which prevents it from sitting
flat on a cooking surface), which is great for gas, but renders the pan
useless for glass or induction. And the new Wagner pieces have a rough
bottom, which is not well-suited to glass or induction.

For general use, I'd recommend an 11 inch round frying pan. Older stock,
preferably a #8 Griswold or Wagner, with a very smooth bottom (unless
you have gas). Look for one on ebay, with no pitting or rust. You can
often find them in brand new condition, even with the original stick-on
labels, for no more than $55. (Griswold went out of business in 1957.)

No cast iron lid needed -- if a specific dish requires a lid, use an
11-12" translucent/transparent silicone lid available anywhere.

> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?

No. They never develop a non-stick quality. But if you want a cast iron
dutch oven, IMO an enameled surface such as Le Creuset is much more
flexible with various liquids. And for a Dutch oven, you'd definitely
want a tight-sealing enameled cast iron lid.

To remove old coatings from raw cast iron in preparation for
re-seasoning, placing the pan in the center of your oven and running it
through a self-cleaning cycle does it beautifully. Allow it to cool
completely, wipe any powdered residue out with damp paper towels, and
re-season.

For seasoning raw cast iron, take the advice of the Wagner & Griswold
Society (http://www.wag-society.org/Electrolysis/seasoning.php):

-----------------------------
"Seasoning Cast Iron

You know we all have our own ways and methods to season, but the method
below has been used by many collectors and cooks alike and it appears to
be the BEST for seasoning.

Take the extra time to actually season in the oven as makes a world of
difference in the end result.

Once a piece is fully cleaned and dried put it in the oven "naked"; no
oil of any kind and heat it to 450°F. Leave it in long enough to just
reach that temperature. Be careful and remove the piece from the oven
and let it cool to where you can just handle it. This step works great
for slightly darkening the piece and giving it a uniform appearance. No
one likes a spotted or zebra stripped piece. Use Crisco shortening only
and use a cotton rag (t-shirt) to apply a thin/very light coat on the
entire piece. If there are tight nooks and crannies to fill in, use a Q-tip.

Once completely and lightly coated (note: we stress a LIGHT coat), put
it back in the oven at 400°F for 30 (use a timer) minutes and at that
point turn off the oven and leave it in the oven till it cools on it's own.

When you remove the piece it will have a nice dark brown uniform patina
that shines brightly.

You can repeat with one or more coats of Crisco, if you like, but you'll
be happy none the less."
-----------------------------

Many people use oils other than Crisco; pretty much any pure oil with a
smoke point over 350 deg. F works, but not olive oil. It's best to
invert the pan during baking so that extra oil will run off (onto a
sheet pan or aluminum foil drip pan), rather than pooling unevenly in
the bottom of the pan.

>>>I have a lot of cast iron cookware and I use it all the time. The
thing that I use the most is a round griddle type one burner flat pan.
It is common in Mexican cooking and has a name which I can’t remember.

Probably a comal.

I have around a dozen Griswolds in various sizes, and a few Wagners.
They cook beautifully and clean up easily. I wouldn't be without them.
I've dumped all my All Clad pans, etc. as a result.

-- Larry

On Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:58:05 -0600, DreadfulBitch
> wrote:

> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
> Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
> is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>
> Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?
>
> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:

I have cast iron pans that are not enameled and I really like them. I
have a variety of sizes of skillets and a dutch oven... that's all I
really need. Yes, I have lids for them. I bought "universal" lids
from the restaurant supply shop. The dutch oven came with one, of
course. My cast iron skillets live on the pot rack for easy reaching.
They have been over shadowed in the last few years by my All-Clad
skillets which seem to get more use these days - but my cast iron pans
are by no means ignored.

I was given a one quart le creuset something or other as a wedding
gift. Never really used it for anything other than as a fondue pot.
I had a two quart le creuset saucepan, which I think was also a
wedding gift that had a lid too - but it lived at the back of a shelf
for years and now lives in the basement. I obviously have no use for
those things.

DD received an enameled cast iron brazier (with lid) for Christmas. I
don't know why, but that thing is really heavy. It's okay, but it
wouldn't be my first choice. I also don't like the white interior.
If I had a pot with a white interior, I'd want it to be stain free and
I don't see how it will continue to be an unblemished white over time
if it gets any use at all.


--

Good Food.
Good Friends.
Good Memories.

On 2/6/2014 11:22 AM, pltrgyst wrote:

> -----------------------------
> "Seasoning Cast Iron
>
> You know we all have our own ways and methods to season, but the method
> below has been used by many collectors and cooks alike and it appears to
> be the BEST for seasoning.
>
> Take the extra time to actually season in the oven as makes a world of
> difference in the end result.
>
> Once a piece is fully cleaned and dried put it in the oven "naked"; no
> oil of any kind and heat it to 450°F. Leave it in long enough to just
> reach that temperature. Be careful and remove the piece from the oven
> and let it cool to where you can just handle it. This step works great
> for slightly darkening the piece and giving it a uniform appearance. No
> one likes a spotted or zebra stripped piece. Use Crisco shortening only
> and use a cotton rag (t-shirt) to apply a thin/very light coat on the
> entire piece. If there are tight nooks and crannies to fill in, use a
> Q-tip.
>
> Once completely and lightly coated (note: we stress a LIGHT coat), put
> it back in the oven at 400°F for 30 (use a timer) minutes and at that
> point turn off the oven and leave it in the oven till it cools on it's own.
>
> When you remove the piece it will have a nice dark brown uniform patina
> that shines brightly.
>
> You can repeat with one or more coats of Crisco, if you like, but you'll
> be happy none the less."
> -----------------------------

Once that is done, fry a pound of bacon and you are on your way.

On 2/6/2014 5:58 AM, Janet wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>>
>> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
>> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
>
> At your age, weight. Seriously. I've had to give my kids my larger Le
> Cruesets because (when full) they are now too heavy for my wrists.

Yes, weight is a major consideration. I'm thinking, though, that what
I'd like to get is a fairly large skillet with a lid - something I don't
think I would fill to the point of being unable to lift/carry.

As her three kids were moving out of her home Mom bought a complete set
of Le Crueset. She loved each piece the first time she used it, but all
the pieces quickly became more of a chore to use than she was willing to
deal with. They quickly went into storage she gave them away.


--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
....George Bernard Shaw

On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:

> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>

Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There are
a few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:

--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
....George Bernard Shaw

"DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
...
> On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
>
>> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>>
>
> Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
> shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There are a
> few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
> through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:

We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all changed
into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used to have


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 2/6/2014 4:02 PM, Ophelia wrote:
>
>
> "DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
>>
>>> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>>>
>>
>> Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>> shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There
>> are a few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to
>> cruise through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:
>
> We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all
> changed into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used
> to have

In so many ways eBay has really put a huge dent in the stuff you can
find very cheaply in pawn/junk/antique stores. My $.02.

--
DreadfulBitch

There is no love more sincere than the love of food.
....George Bernard Shaw

DreadfulBitch wrote:
>DreadfulBitch wrote:
>
>> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star.
>
>Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There are
>a few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
>through them - not that I really needed an excuse.

You don't need cast iron cookware, not unless you're in need of a door
stop or need to build up your arm muscles for more masturbation
stamina... your boy friend will be happy to buy you a twenty pound
chicken fryer, one for each arm. Cast iron cookware is heavy, it
rusts, you will need to constantly be concerned with its being
seasoned, and it's reactive so you can't use it with anything acetic.
But mostly cast iron is the dinosaur of cookware, it's only a baby
step away from the stone age. If you really want non-stick without
plastic coatings, then you will be far, FAR better off with carbon
steel cookware; it's lighter, looks more attractive, and most
importantly it cooks better. You want cast iron, join Gold's Gym.
Even the priciest cast iron cookware is made from recycled bath tubs,
old auto engines, and whatever junk yard salvage can be bought for
cheap... cast iron cookware is the lowest grade cast iron there is...
you wanna pay big bucks for fancy schmancy La Cru-Shit colors you're a
friggin' fool. There is no way cast iron can make you a better cook,
no way, no how. The only cast iron cookware I own is a mold for a
gingerbread house, I bought it some 35 years ago, to date I've never
used it. Many years ago someone gave me a gift of cast iron cookware,
like te3n pieces, I lugged it about for like five years and finally
left it in a rental house in San Diego... I used a piece once for
stew, it sucked. I much prefer stainless steel... and stainless steel
can indeed be seasoned so that nothing will stick. Some folks have no
problem with fried eggs sticking on porcelainized carbon steel,
speckleware looks pretty too, I have a red oval roaster, excellent for
oven braising. I suggest you rethink your cast iron fetish... even
millions of Chinese prefer carbon steel woks.

In article >,
says...
>
> On 2/6/2014 5:58 AM, Janet wrote:
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >>
> >> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
> >> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
> >
> > At your age, weight. Seriously. I've had to give my kids my larger Le
> > Cruesets because (when full) they are now too heavy for my wrists.
>
> Yes, weight is a major consideration. I'm thinking, though, that what
> I'd like to get is a fairly large skillet with a lid - something I don't
> think I would fill to the point of being unable to lift/carry.

Well, try to find one that has a handle on two sides. It's not about
you won't be able to lift it, it's whether or not you'll drop it :-)

I only have one cast iron skillet (all cast iron, no enamel) and it's
quite small, about 9 ".. I use it for making cornbread.

Janet UK

On Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:58:05 -0600, DreadfulBitch
> wrote:

>I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
>piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
>Do I want a piece with a lid?

Depends what you want to cook? I have a large skillet I use almost
every day, and a couple of enamelled (small and large) and one
non-enamelled duct oven for slow cooking in.

>Do enameled pans work/taste as good as 'bare' iron?

Basically, yes. Enamelled won't darken the meat/veggies as much in a
Dutch oven though.

On Wed, 5 Feb 2014 21:32:02 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>Your answer is much more complete than mine.
>
>Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.

Blasphemy.

On Thu, 06 Feb 2014 18:44:44 -0500, Brooklyn1
> wrote:

>DreadfulBitch wrote:
>>DreadfulBitch wrote:
>>
>>> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star.
>>
>>Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>>shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There are
>>a few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
>>through them - not that I really needed an excuse.
>
>You don't need cast iron cookware, not unless you're in need of a door
>stop or need to build up your arm muscles for more masturbation
>stamina... your boy friend will be happy to buy you a twenty pound
>chicken fryer, one for each arm. Cast iron cookware is heavy, it
>rusts, you will need to constantly be concerned with its being
>seasoned, and it's reactive so you can't use it with anything acetic.
>But mostly cast iron is the dinosaur of cookware, it's only a baby
>step away from the stone age. If you really want non-stick without
>plastic coatings, then you will be far, FAR better off with carbon
>steel cookware; it's lighter, looks more attractive, and most
>importantly it cooks better. You want cast iron, join Gold's Gym.
>Even the priciest cast iron cookware is made from recycled bath tubs,
>old auto engines, and whatever junk yard salvage can be bought for
>cheap... cast iron cookware is the lowest grade cast iron there is...
>you wanna pay big bucks for fancy schmancy La Cru-Shit colors you're a
>friggin' fool. There is no way cast iron can make you a better cook,
>no way, no how. The only cast iron cookware I own is a mold for a
>gingerbread house, I bought it some 35 years ago, to date I've never
>used it. Many years ago someone gave me a gift of cast iron cookware,
>like te3n pieces, I lugged it about for like five years and finally
>left it in a rental house in San Diego... I used a piece once for
>stew, it sucked. I much prefer stainless steel... and stainless steel
>can indeed be seasoned so that nothing will stick. Some folks have no
>problem with fried eggs sticking on porcelainized carbon steel,
>speckleware looks pretty too, I have a red oval roaster, excellent for
>oven braising. I suggest you rethink your cast iron fetish... even
>millions of Chinese prefer carbon steel woks.

100% pure rubbish. From beginning to end.

Last big batch of iron I bought cost around 40 bucks and come from Academy Sports. Made by Christian Slave laborers in Red China. Works very good..great assortment of all kinds of stuff. Enameled cast iron La Cuest and it's various clones work very well too. The biggy for bare cast iron is its high reactive to any acidic foods such as tomatoes..vinegar etc. It can make the food taste real funny if a person isnt careful. For frying..or baking cornbread..bean cooking etc..its hard to beat. For them with money anodized aluminum is the cats meow. Aluminum and copper have much better heat transfer properties than does most other materials. Copper slightly better but not enough to matter for the cost difference. Aluminum is highly reactive too. Thats why it needs to be anodized.

On 2/6/2014 8:08 PM, Jeßus wrote:

>>
>> You don't need cast iron cookware, not unless you're in need of a door
>> stop
>> There is no way cast iron can make you a better cook,
>> no way, no how.

>
> 100% pure rubbish. From beginning to end.
>

He does make some good points. We rarely use our cast iron these days.
I do use it for a roasting pan though, especially for meatloaf.

On Thu, 06 Feb 2014 23:31:45 -0500, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

>On 2/6/2014 8:08 PM, Jeßus wrote:
>
>>>
>>> You don't need cast iron cookware, not unless you're in need of a door
>>> stop
>>> There is no way cast iron can make you a better cook,
>>> no way, no how.
>
>>
>> 100% pure rubbish. From beginning to end.
>>
>
>He does make some good points. We rarely use our cast iron these days.
> I do use it for a roasting pan though, especially for meatloaf.

I use my largest cast iron pan in the winter when I want to do
hamburgers or steak. I know I can get the pan smoking hot and get the
job done. I use the dutch ovens for various forms of long-cooking
meat.
Janet US

On Thu, 6 Feb 2014 22:02:49 -0000, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
> "DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
> >
> >> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
> >>
> >
> > Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
> > shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There are a
> > few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
> > through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:
>
> We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all changed
> into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used to have

That's because people can sell things with any value on EBay + we have
something called Craig's List here and there are probably many copy
cats world wide. Why give it away when you can sell it for a few
bucks without going through the Flea Market or garage sale route?


--

Good Food.
Good Friends.
Good Memories.

On Friday, February 7, 2014 9:44:44 AM UTC+10, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> If you really want non-stick without
> plastic coatings, then you will be far, FAR better off with carbon
> steel cookware; it's lighter, looks more attractive, and most
> importantly it cooks better.

Cooks better? Why? Doesn't seem to from the numbers for thermal conductivity.

"Jeßus" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 5 Feb 2014 21:32:02 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>
>>Your answer is much more complete than mine.
>>
>>Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.
>
> Blasphemy.

I have a large Le Crueset pot and a big frying pan. They get used more then
anything else. I do have enamelled and they look pretty but they don't see
the light of day too often


>

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 6 Feb 2014 22:02:49 -0000, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> "DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
>> >
>> >> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>> >>
>> >
>> > Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>> > shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There
>> > are a
>> > few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
>> > through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:
>>
>> We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all
>> changed
>> into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used to have
>
> That's because people can sell things with any value on EBay + we have
> something called Craig's List here and there are probably many copy
> cats world wide. Why give it away when you can sell it for a few
> bucks without going through the Flea Market or garage sale route?

True enough.

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

> wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 07 Feb 2014 12:02:19 +1100, Jeßus > wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 5 Feb 2014 21:32:02 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>>
>>>Your answer is much more complete than mine.
>>>
>>>Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.
>>
>>Blasphemy.
>
> Agreed, I'm old but still using my 164oz (think that's what it was,
> bought early 1970s) huge casserole pot. It's still bright orange
> (popular then as contrast to the sickly green appliances) and even
> though there is only me now, I make a big casserole every so often
> then divide into individual meals and freeze.
>
> That and two cast iron common variety fry pans that can also go in the
> oven are the base of all cooking in my place. Le Creuset rocks.

It does indeed

--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

On 2/6/2014 6:20 AM, wrote:
> On Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:58:05 -0600, DreadfulBitch
> > wrote:
>
>> I've never owned any kind of iron cookware but now I'd like to add a
>> piece or two to my cookware. What do I want to look for? Size, shape?
>> Do I want a piece with a lid? One of my favorite childhood food memory
>> is stuffed pork chops Mom made in the large skillet with lid.
>>
> A great feature is being able to use them on top of the stove then put
> in the oven.
>
You can also use it on a charcoal grill (I don't know a thing about
gas-grills, never owned one). Once during a week-long power outage I
had to cook everything on the grill. The cast iron was great for that.
Bacon & eggs cooked on my cast iron griddle. Beef stew in the covered
dutch oven...

Jill

On Fri, 7 Feb 2014 10:53:52 -0000, "Ophelia"
> wrote:

>
>
>"sf" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Thu, 6 Feb 2014 22:02:49 -0000, "Ophelia"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> > On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> > Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>>> > shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There
>>> > are a
>>> > few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to cruise
>>> > through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:
>>>
>>> We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all
>>> changed
>>> into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used to have
>>
>> That's because people can sell things with any value on EBay + we have
>> something called Craig's List here and there are probably many copy
>> cats world wide. Why give it away when you can sell it for a few
>> bucks without going through the Flea Market or garage sale route?
>
>True enough.

The Yard Sale is the easiest way to dispose of one's discards and it's
fun to meet your neighbors. Then whatever doesn't sell can be moved
out to the curb and by the next day it's good riddance to bad rubbish.
I've done a few yard sales but not for many years now. I no longer
collect useless items and by now I've pretty well weeded out whatever
I no longer use. These days when I have something I no longer use
I'll give it away or put it at the curb with a sign: "FREE". Yesterday
I gave away my crockpot, I used it maybe six times and haven't used it
now in more than five years... just occupied pantry space. Now I'm
reminded to delete all my bookmarked crockpot recipe web sites. The
crockpot has to be the most useless kitchen appliance, a close
runner-up is the toaster oven.

On 2/6/2014 6:44 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> There is no way cast iron can make you a better cook,
> no way, no how.

No one is saying cast iron can make anyone a better cook. No pots and
pans, regardless of brand, material or price can make that happen.

Jill

Timo wrote:
>Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> If you really want non-stick without
>> plastic coatings, then you will be far, FAR better off with carbon
>> steel cookware; it's lighter, looks more attractive, and most
>> importantly it cooks better.
>
>Cooks better? Why? Doesn't seem to from the numbers for thermal conductivity.

Are you that stupid... millions of Chinese kitchens use carbon steel
cookware, WTF do you think a wok is? Many short order cooks use
carbon steel skillets, none use cast iron... no restaurant/commercial
kitchen uses cast iron... today most use non-stick coated aluminum
pans, the least expensive they can find and when they wear they toss
them. French omelet/crepe pans are carbon steel. Cast iron is Cro
Magnon technology... cast iron is useless for modern cookery, it
doesn't allow for quick temperature response.

On Fri, 07 Feb 2014 07:03:59 -0400, wrote:

>On Fri, 07 Feb 2014 12:02:19 +1100, Jeßus > wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 5 Feb 2014 21:32:02 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>>
>>>Your answer is much more complete than mine.
>>>
>>>Agree that the Le Creuset is so heavy. I gave mine away.
>>
>>Blasphemy.
>
>Agreed, I'm old but still using my 164oz (think that's what it was,
>bought early 1970s) huge casserole pot. It's still bright orange
>(popular then as contrast to the sickly green appliances) and even
>though there is only me now, I make a big casserole every so often
>then divide into individual meals and freeze.

How does colorful cookware make you a better cook? Le Creuset
produces at least a dozen colors, all a marketing ploy... the colors
serve no purpose whatsoever except for the pinheads who are into
decorating but can't cook. If you actually knew how to cook and are
into heavy walled cookware for slow cooked casseroles you'd use
earthenware.

"Brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 7 Feb 2014 10:53:52 -0000, "Ophelia"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>"sf" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Thu, 6 Feb 2014 22:02:49 -0000, "Ophelia"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "DreadfulBitch" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>> > On 2/5/2014 10:58 PM, DreadfulBitch wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> >> I want my own piece of iron in case I ever have to slay a star. (-:
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> > Thank you all for your help & info! This gives me an excuse to go
>>>> > shopping on eBay, Amazon and anywhere else I can find online. There
>>>> > are a
>>>> > few "junk"/antique shops around here so I now have an excuse to
>>>> > cruise
>>>> > through them - not that I really needed an excuse. (-:
>>>>
>>>> We don't seem to have any decent ones here any more. They have all
>>>> changed
>>>> into Charity shops and they don't have the good junk they used to
>>>> have
>>>
>>> That's because people can sell things with any value on EBay + we have
>>> something called Craig's List here and there are probably many copy
>>> cats world wide. Why give it away when you can sell it for a few
>>> bucks without going through the Flea Market or garage sale route?
>>
>>True enough.
>
> The Yard Sale is the easiest way to dispose of one's discards and it's
> fun to meet your neighbors. Then whatever doesn't sell can be moved
> out to the curb and by the next day it's good riddance to bad rubbish.
> I've done a few yard sales but not for many years now. I no longer
> collect useless items and by now I've pretty well weeded out whatever
> I no longer use. These days when I have something I no longer use
> I'll give it away or put it at the curb with a sign: "FREE". Yesterday
> I gave away my crockpot, I used it maybe six times and haven't used it
> now in more than five years... just occupied pantry space. Now I'm
> reminded to delete all my bookmarked crockpot recipe web sites. The
> crockpot has to be the most useless kitchen appliance, a close
> runner-up is the toaster oven.

I had a huge clear out when I retired, and have kept only what I use. I
buy very little and even then not without much thought!


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/