# Cast iron



## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

My Mother recently handed down her two ci skillets to me. I remember these two skillets my whole life. They are seasoned so beautifully. I'm using the ten inch to cook breakfast right now. The other is a 8 inch.. I'm so happy.


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## handymama (Aug 22, 2014)

Ah yes, I have great grannys 8 inch. Love it.


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## Twp.Tom (Dec 29, 2010)

I can relate Echo*, It is Amazing, how some of the simple things in Life, can bring You so much happiness***Those skillets, are Heirloom's* Her's mine*:


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I've kept mine through two divorces . During my first, I was meeting with my lawyer, going over the household goods. I wanted none of it. He was going down the list and went through the CI, and I said, "hold on! I want that set of cast iron cookware!" He looked at me funny and said, "you're kidding, right?" I said, "HELL NO! That's my cast iron cookware!" I got it too  It was all I got. Of course, I've added to it over the years. 

I took no chances with the second. They went when I went.


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## lazyBum (Feb 27, 2012)

I have two skillets. A 10 and a 6. They have a lot of history. I dont know what that history is since i got them out of a trashcan. Who throws away good cast iron? I do have my great grandmas dutch oven. It makes the best roasts.

One item i want to add is a dutch oven for camping.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2014)

I have two Great-Grandmothers' and one Grandmother's and my Mom's and her new Hubby's first (deceased) Wife's collections... Plus the two pieces I had bought as a kid! It is some of the most amazing and wonderful stuff! 

My daughter got her first piece this last year, from her brother!


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Unreal the amout I have picked up in the 8 years I have been divorced. I hit garage sales and estate sales. Got 10 skillets one day for a total of $15. I give them to my kids, as wedding gifts, graduation gifts, and one lady that drove me to rehab got a set to replace the ones she lost in a divorce.

Love CI.
Ed


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I have Grandmas 8" skillet and dutch oven. Moms chicken fryer with lid, it used to be Grandmas too....James


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## littlejoe (Jan 17, 2007)

I love my CI as well! Anytime (which isn't often) I get around a second hand store, flea market, or antique shop, I'm always looking for cast. When I was in Pagosa Springs which is a tourist trap anymore, I went down through Main st. There were a couple or more antique stores. I soon found the cast iron...and a Wagner reproduction which was maybe a "8 skillet was marked $85!!!! Sure, they're a nice skillet, but? LOL!

Last good find was a double skillet Martin Stove and Range from Alabama (I believe?) at a local second hand. $15! They also had a one of those doubled chicken fryer slillets, which I didn't get that day. After thinking bout it, I went back as soon as I could, but all the rest were gone.

One of the boys gave me a Lodge camp dutch oven...which I still have yet to try out. Actually, I'm kinda intimidated by it.

Attended a chuckwagon cookoff last year, where 5 cook teams competed for best food. They served over 500 people, so they really put out the groceries! It was all good, and each one had certain little twists they used with the same provisions!


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## sustainabilly (Jun 20, 2012)

I'm looking to get more, too. I have a newer Lodge 12" skillet and use it a lot. And a 4qt. dutch oven that's a BSR, Century series from the '60,s. It works so great for slow cooking a roast! I've used it hanging from the tripod this summer to make stew without heating up the house.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

My first piece was a round bottomed, 2 gallon pot with legs, bale and lid. I got it for Christmas when I was 12  My parents tolerated weird kids pretty well. Lol! Actually, I think I got my Dutch oven the same Christmas.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2014)

I gave Hubster a Lodge CI Hibatchi a couple Father's days ago... From his kids, of course. 

It's a perfect size for two.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

When the house burned, only things that came out useable was the cast iron, just washed it well and reseasoned it and was good to go. One of the first "care packages" to show up had a 10" cast iron skillet in it as well. 

ONe piece is a muffin pan with the muffins shaped like fruits or vegetables. It was my great grandmothers. Grandmother's corn stick pan is here too.

Fried me some eggs this morning, sure is pretty droppin them down in that black skillet and watching em turn white with those high orange yolks starin back at you. Slid right out, major non stick there for sure.

Ed


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I have cast iron right on top of the old cook stove. Add a pat of butter and I can cook eggs, bacon, steak, potatoes and onions right there, OR all at once for hash or an omelette. Then put on the hot cakes. Scrape with the pancake turner and good to go. Every 2 weeks or so I build a hot fire and let 'er smoke....James


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

I've had a 10 in and dutch oven for 45 yrs. Odd thing, I can't remember where I got them. I used a few yrs, then Mom had them fir 30 yrs. When she passed, I got them back.


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## Guest (Nov 5, 2014)

Sandra Spiess said:


> I've had a 10 in and dutch oven for 45 yrs.  Odd thing, I can't remember where I got them. I used a few yrs, then Mom had them fir 30 yrs. When she passed, I got them back.



Does the lid have the little self-basting dots on the inside? Aren't they THE BEST!


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## newcolorado (Jan 31, 2012)

You guys sure had different mama than I did. She said CI was not fit to cook in. She had a pancake griddle. No idea what she did with or family did with it. Dad gt an old duch oven and when he passed on she planed flowers in it. My sister's daughter took it. 

What CI I have I bought but one small fry pan. Got mine at thrifts. Husband had pancake griddle and I have given that to youngest son. Will not work on electric stove. He bought me an old used waffle iron. I knew nothing on brands and picked out one in good shape. Got in 56 for $7.50. Two Belgian cookie irons I paid the most for. First I seen and never saw any again. 

I will be 83 Sunday . There are muffin pans, corn stick, couple fry pans, cookie pans, 
two burner grill, another pan cake griddle. I have to do something about this stuff. I am suppose to do letter of instructions and letter with who gets what. Personal stuff. Never thought about this CI stuff. Not really a lot of it I have not considered it worth anything. Maybe I had better put it on the list and/or give now. ?


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

I have a CI stomach. I love to cook in CI.

Have a Happy Birthday newcolorado.


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

I have a bunch of cast iron pans, what is your best advice to season them??? I can never season just right and always burn stuff.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Use them and then wash them, don't let food set in them too long, or store food in them. Get to wash, I put water in them, bring to a boil, wipe out, coat very lightly with fat. Cook cornbread in them. If they get bad, scour them out with steel wool or fine sandpaper and reseason. Everybody quit gasping  It's cast iron. It will last several generations. If 3 generations of ******** can't mess it up, you should be fine. People get too uptight about it. Ever heard of pioneers cleaning their skillets out with sand? If you wear hole in it just buy a new one.  
When I go to cook, I'll put a small amount of water in the bottom and heat till it starts to boil, dump and wipe, wipe with a little more fat and go to it. Before you know it you'll have it well in hand. Do it that way, and I guarantee you can flip your eggs with wrist action alone.

ETA
I usually say, "three generations of women", but I didn't want to offend FBB's sensibilities.


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## CrackPotBobs (Feb 11, 2016)

Its all we use, love it!


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## RideBarefoot (Jun 29, 2008)

The easiest seasoning method ever (and you get donuts):

Fill your clean CI skillet with Crisco, at least halfway up, melted. Cut holes in the centers of "pop" biscuits- the kind that come in the wrapper that you have to pop open. Watch when you fry your donuts, because you have to flip them over. Don't forget the holes! Use liberal amounts of sugar, since you're already consuming a fried donut. 

I let it solidify and do several rounds of donuts; after 2 or 3 clean out with a paper towel and you've got a good start, then use the Hades out of it.

Cheap and easy and better than Krispy Kreme.


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## ceresone (Oct 7, 2005)

I just run mine thru the dishwasher!1 Season before I put anything in it(same time). I break every rule with cast iron, and I love it. Must have 75--100 pieces.


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## Suncatcher (Aug 11, 2015)

I absolutely love all my CI cookware! I just scrub the heck out of it with copper scrubber, dry it out on the stove, then slick it down with fat.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

vicker said:


> My mom, being in N.C., showed me how to clean CI. She scrubbed it with coarse sand. Here in Michigan, I use coarse salt. Same result.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I thoroughly enjoy my cast iron skillets. They are really no stick. They transfer heat really well. If you use a bit less heat than you are used to, you won't burn anything and the heat is distributed over the whole pan. I have tried Crisco, canola oil, and bacon grease. The bacon grease works best.

The camp dutch oven works really well in camp. I cheat and use charcoal because it's easier to figure out the temp and they last longer than coals from the fire. Really nice to have fresh baked rolls, bread, cake, and brownies on a weeks long camping trip. Great for roasting and casseroles too. There are lots of camping dutch oven recipes on the internet.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

My cast irons are a thing of beauty...seasoned with lots of love and many years (generations) of good Cajun and Creole cooking.

They get mo' and mo' better with every meal. 


.


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## pmondo (Oct 6, 2007)

Echoesechos said:


> My Mother recently handed down her two ci skillets to me. I remember these two skillets my whole life. They are seasoned so beautifully. I'm using the ten inch to cook breakfast right now. The other is a 8 inch.. I'm so happy.


 you are so lucky do you know how hard and time consuming it is to season cast iron pans


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## FarmboyBill (Aug 19, 2005)

I just got around 8 cast iron skillits from my DD> They are rusted BAD. They were out by a BBQ, and have been outside for years. Whats the best way to clean them up


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

FBB, if it is just rust, put a wire brush on an electric drill and use it to remove the rust, wash with a soap pad, there might be some flash rust show up but keep on till clean, then season. I use lard in a 350 degree oven for an hour then turn the oven off and leave the CI inside to cool. May need to do it more than once, and only use a very thin coat of lard, put them upside down and put foil underneath to catch the drips. 
If they been outside right side up for years, they will probably be badly pitted, but you will have to remove the rust to tell.


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