Cooking Cast Iron - Long with many thumbnails

long mill my grand parents had an old wood stove on there back parch when I was a kid when they pass away I had ask for it but they would not let me have it . I found out that it sold for 5,000 dollers But I just what it to have not sell.


Thanks for shareing I have mark this post I will use your way of seasonen my ci.

Missing Link, I remember when my Mom cooked on a wood stove. Many, many years ago. It was one of my chores to bring in the wood for it. Can't tell you how much I'd love to have her stove now. Sadly, when I was that little kid, I didn't know enough to ask her to save it for me.

There's quite a bit of difference between the one she had and the one I've found. Haven't checked the possible value of this one, as I plan to keep it, if I can return it to working order. FWIW, I'll be able to get my money back, if I decide to sell for some reason. Only paid $100 for it, plus $45 to a fellow with a rollback truck to bring it home.

Glad the info on seasoning iron is helpful. IMHO using CI brings another dimension into the world of cooking over fire.

Longmill

yes I do ci take it to hoe new level> I would love get my hand on an old wood stove like your.

GREAT tutorial on how to bring back old CI from the grave longmill!

I have some CI that still needs some attention here as well. haven't used it in ages and it wasn't stored properly so ie needs to be cleaned up and reseasoned. not a HUGE job, but one I am dreading a bit. hope it stays cool for a few days around here so I can

Cast Iron is and always has been my preferred material for cooking. I have a CI dutch oven and 7 CI skillets in different sizes that my Grandfather made back in the 50's when he worked at an iron & pipe shop. My Grandmother started teaching me how to cook when I was old enough to see over the stove and she left me those skillets when she passed away. I've had to re-season a couple of them over the years (I've had them since 1983) but none have ever rusted on me. My son is 8 now and I'm teaching him how to cook with the same skillets I was taught with. They will be his someday and hopefully he will take care of them as I have and teach his children how to cook with them.

The thing that sold me on the CG was the CI grates, until I bought it all my other grills had the regular grates on them.

Great job on restoring those items Longmil, you now have something that will last a lifetime and beyond!

Thanks Dawgbytez

I'm glad to hear that you're passing the tradition on to your son. It's a shame when folks toss out the old ways for today's new and improved. Makes better bargain hunting for me at flea markets, when these folks don't know what they're missing. Glad, though, that your son won't be one of them.

Longmill

Awesome job Longmill!!!!

Last week I got a cast iron cornbread skillet for $1 (For those who might be wondering, a cornbread skillet is a medium size skillet with cast iron ribs running across the pan like pizza slices). I was just thinking of hanging it on my kitchen wall. Do these things work? What I mean is, does a cornbread skillet on the grill or in the oven impart more flavor or better texture that an 8"x8" pan tossed in the oven?

Cornbread Skillet=more contact with CI

More contact with CI=more crust!!=more crunch=more flavor.

Plus the servings are pre-cut!

YardBurner wrote:

Cornbread Skillet=more contact with CI

More contact with CI=more crust!!=more crunch=more flavor.

Plus the servings are pre-cut!

That was FAST! Thanks. I guess I will be seasoning that pan and trying it out this weekend! I gotta get some eggs first.

I have one that I use all the time and wouldn't trade it for the world. I use it in the oven and also out on the grill.

Longmill great how to!!! Thanks for sharing.

While reading this I was wondering if there shouldn't be a sticky thread created for some of the great how to's here. Or perhaps expand the list of links in the "Please Read Before Posting Thread" under a different title. I know a lot of people see a title like please read before posting and that becomes the last place they go. A different thread with a catchy name and an expanded links list would be a great resource.

Jim

Super-super job on all that cast! I really hope you post pics of that stove when it's finished. It looks gorgeous now if your a buff!

RibeyeRayRay wrote:

Awesome job Longmill!!!!

Last week I got a cast iron cornbread skillet for $1 (For those who might be wondering, a cornbread skillet is a medium size skillet with cast iron ribs running across the pan like pizza slices). I was just thinking of hanging it on my kitchen wall. Do these things work? What I mean is, does a cornbread skillet on the grill or in the oven impart more flavor or better texture that an 8"x8" pan tossed in the oven?

Take a look at this one. Cornbread was baked on a gas grill. Believe this is the pan that you found. That was a great bargain, BTW.



Clean that pan up, season it well. Plan to throw your first batch away. The first batch will remove any lingering metallic odor/taste from the cleaning. Your first batch is likely to stick, anyway. Bake that first batch until it's overdone. That'll make it a little easier to remove from the pan, if it does stick.

Just wipe out the pan, use a plastic scrubbie if needed to remove any cornbread residue. Heat the pan, spray or wipe with veggie oil and cook your next batch. This one's for eating.

You may have to cook in it several times before it'll have that non-stick interior. Just be patient. In time yours will look like the one above.

Hope this helps.
Longmill

Edit: PS: I'll post pix of the stove, when I get it restored. It's going to take a while. May not get to it before really cold weather sets in. If that's the case, it may be next spring before I've have it presentable. Finger's crossed that it will indeed be "presentable".

You are good as gold Lady Longmill!

The info is great! I actually went "Homer Simpson" and started drooling at the cornbread photos....oooooooooh cornbreeeaaad!

In your explanation of seasoning a typical skillet with potatoes, I got the idea that this same cornbread skillet could be used for potato cakes too!

Hey, I think you're right! I've never thought about doing potato cakes in one of those, but it sure sounds like a good idea. I'm going to have to give that a try, soon!

More on seasoning CI.

I've been doing some research to set up both a lye bath and an electrolysis system before I tackle the stove and some more recently acquired CI pans. When, I get that done, I'll update this thread with how those turn out, if the folks here would like.

During the course of this research, I did turn up something that applies to the instructions in my original post. When I do this again, using vinegar, I'll add baking soda to the water used for scrubbing the pans after the vinegar cook. The baking soda will neutralize the vinegar. My ratio of water to vinegar isn't nearly as strong as the 50/50 ratio that requires the vinegar be neutralized. So, it may not be needed in my case, but I'll be doing it from now on, just to be safe.

A FWIW. I found a gate-marked griddle the other day that should be perfect to use on the CG side burner. (gate-marked = pre 1880). It's in desperate need of cleaning as the sides and bottom are heavily crusted from use. Fellow, who gave it to me, told me to throw it in a fire to clean it up.

Please folks, if you have a CI pan, don't throw it in a fire. Yes, it will burn off the crud. But you run the risk of cracking the pan and/or further opening a hairline crack that may not be visible before the firing. Plus, overheating can result in a warped pan, especially with the OLD CI. The metal in those is usually much thinner than castings done in the last 50 years. If you receive that advice, do have a second thought before tossing Grandma's skillet in the fire.

Now back to the pan and potatoes. You now have me wondering what else would benefit from cooking in this pan.

Thanks for sharing your idea.
Longmill