Cast Iron Cookware: A Fan Not A Fanatic

Cast iron cookware is the predominant cookware in our kitchen by a long shot.

Do we have and use other types of cookware? Yes. For example this morning I made grits in an aluminum pot and eggs in a Lodge cast iron skillet, sunny side up, to top them off. If you have never tried this, give it a try. You do not have to be from the South to like grits and eggs. I also baked some banana-nut muffins in a cast iron muffin pan.

I can tell you for a fact that the clean-up with the two cast iron pieces was much easier than with the lighter aluminum pan. Just a little warm water for the cast iron cookware, dry them throughouly before putting them away. Never put them in a dishwasher. Use them often and they just get better with use. Cast Iron Cookware is a very old type of cookware. It has made a remarkable resurgence over the recent past. There are reasons for this:

• Cast Iron Cookware is highly regarded for its even heating, versatility and durability. It is relatively inexpensive when you consider it will last for a lifetime. Actually it will last for several lifetimes and you can pass you cast iron pots, skillets, and dutch ovens on to your children and grandchildren.
• Cast Iron Cookware puts you in touch with earlier times in the great American tradition, with close associations with colonial, pioneer, and cowboy cooking. It is timeless cooking.
• Cast Iron Cookware has exceptional heat retention and even cooking  properties; as such it is excellent for stewing, browning, frying and baking. The day is young and already I have done two out of four of these cooking methods.
• Cast Iron Cookware is the truly “non-stick cookware” for me. Again, I am a real fan but not a “fanatic“. However, doesn’t the word “fan” come from the word “fanatic“? Hmmm. After seasoning properly, the surface of the cast iron is totally non- stick meaning you can cook  with little or no oil making it an exceptionally healthy form of cooking.
  

  Lodge Skillet/ Fry Pan

• Cast Iron Cookware is excellent for outdoor use in your fire pit cookouts in your back yard or when out hunting, fishing, camping or hiking.
  

  Lodge Camp Dutch Oven

• Cast Iron Cookware excels with recipes that require cooking at high temperatures such as when searing or frying.

Try cooking with cast iron and you will likely become a “fan“. If you are already cooking with cast iron cookware, add to your selection. You can do so without danger of becoming “fanatical“.

In conclusion, cast iron cookware is not just a thing of the past. It has been a part of our past and is very much a part of our present and future. Cast Iron Cookware is thriving and outperforming all  other more recent cookware that seeks to compete with it.

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

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IT’S EASY BEING GREEN WITH CAST IRON COOKWARE

There are some very special reasons why Cast Iron Cookware is so Green:

Cast iron  Cookware is naturally non-stick cookware. When properly seasoned (see below) nothing will stick to it. Cast iron will eliminate the need for  costly, toxic chemicals used to create the non-stick surfaces in modern cookware.

Cast Iron Cookware is Eco-easy clean up cookware. All cast iron cookware requires for clean up is hot water and a stiff brush, so you avoid any harmful chemicals in detergent or solvents.

Cast Iron Cookware can stay in the kitchen or out doors because it can take the heat. It  withstands much hotter temperatures and evenly distributes and maintains the heat better than traditional cookware. And since it holds heat so well, you will use less energy to cook. Plus it’s perfect for outdoor cooking. Just remember that cast iron gets hot. so use an oven mitt when handling a hot pan.

Cast Iron Cookware provides a great opportunity not to purchase more “stuff“.. Don’t ever worry about buying a cast iron skillet or other cast iron cooking vessel—like a dutch oven—from a resale shop or garage sale. Even if it looks rusty and dirty, it can be cleaned and re-seasoned and continue on cooking, forever.

How To Properly Season Cast Iron Cookware

First, wash your cast iron cookware. This is the only time you will need soap to clean it, but you want to be sure you remove any dust or dirt. If you have a brand new cast iron piece, you will need to do this to remove the wax coating that is on it to keep it from rusting until it’s seasoned.

Coat your piece in some type of oil. Cast iron has a porous surface. The seasoning process will fill and smooth the surface to make it non-stick. Some type of oil is used to facilitate this process. I use Crisco vegetable shortening. Traditionalists would use lard. You can use plain old cooking oil, too, but you will get better results with Crisco. You want to coat the entire cooking surface with the shortening.  Don’t glob it on, but every nook and cranny should have a nice, medium layer of shortening. Use about as much as you would use to coat a cake pan for baking.

Bake it in the oven. Next, you just pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and put your cast iron pan in for an hour or so.  After heating, turn off the oven and let it cool completely while still in the oven. Then it’s ready to go!

Heating the cookware creates the oxidation that prevents rust and makes the surface non-stick. Some cast iron users advocate heating the pan slightly before applying the Crisco to ensure that the pan is completely dry and to open the pores of the pan before seasoning. Not a bad idea, but remember cast iron gets HOT.  Use oven mitts.

Newly seasoned cast iron will take on a dark brown coating. After long use, it will become glossy black. The non-stick properties of the pan will increase with time and use, so use your cast iron often. Remember, seasoning is a process. Even though cast iron can be used immediately after the first seasoning, your cookware will get better and better over time.

How do I re-season a used cast iron piece? If you buy a cast iron piece second hand, the process is still basically the same to re-season it, with one exception. First wash it in hot soapy water, as above. Then I put it in my oven on the highest setting (or on the self-cleaning setting if you have one) and let it bake for a few hours without any oil or shortening. This will remove any rust and the old seasoning. Let it cool, then follow the steps above to re-season.

CAST IRON COOKWARE; TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE

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How to Properly Store Cast Iron Cookware

First a confession. As a Harley rider, I do not really like the idea of storing a bike nor of transporting it on a trailer. Reality suggests that at times both must be done.

Likewise the idea of cast iron cookware being put aside in storage is not my favorite image.  Cast iron is best when it is used every day. Using it properly and cleaning it correctly keeps it in peak condition and allows it to build up the best seasoning and patina. However if it must be stored, here are some things you might want to consider:

• place a layer of paper towels or a cloth if you prefer on the shelf
• turn the cookware upside down to store
• make sure air can circulate around your cast iron cookware
• do not place the lids on the dutch oven or  frying pan. Cast iron needs to have ample circulation of air and the lids will lock in air and will cause the baked in oil to become rancid.
• never store food in your cast iron cookware.


Lodge Cornbread Wedge Pan



Our Cast Iron Cookware

When you are ready to use your cast iron cookware again, and hopefully that will be soon, you will want to:

• rinse your cookware with warm, non-soapy water (never in a dishwasher!) Soap will remove the seasoning from your cookware.
• dry carefully with a clean cloth or paper towels

Cast iron cookware is a joy to use and can make the most modest cook seem like a professional chef. It retains and distributes heat in a remarkable fashion and is a great nonstick cooking surface.

This cast iron cookware would love to live at your house:

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A Rat Terrier and a Cast Iron Fry Pan

What do a rat terrier named “Lucy” and a Lodge cast iron fry pan have in

common? They are both rescues. One sits in my lap. One sits on our electric range. One cost us $1,200 to nurse back to health from abusive treatment. The other cost $8.00, some elbow grease and some cooking oil to re-season. Both are a delight to us.

In both cases you had to look beyond the obvious to see the potential for restoration. It was necessary to look beyond a heavy  coating of oxidation and neglect. With the other you had to see through a veil of neglect and abuse. It is important to see not only what is but what can be.

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop and A Tale of Two Taters

Once upon a time a Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other. They got married, and had a little sweet potato, whom they called ‘Yam.‘

Of course, they wanted the best for Yam so when it the time was right they told her about the facts of life. They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn’t get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like ‘Hot Potato,’ and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots .

Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her and she would certainly not go out with anyone who was an Agi-Tater. But on the other hand she wouldn’t stay home and become a Couch Potato either. She would get plenty of exercise so as not to be skinny like her Shoestring Cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland and the
guys from France called the French Fries. And when she went out to wild west to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn’t get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that’s Potato University ) so that when she graduated she’d really be in theChips.

But in spite of all they did for her, one day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry a news anchor at the local TV station.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset. They told Yam she couldn’t possibly marry a TV newsman because he’s just……. “Well, he’s just a A COMMON-TATER.

One thing you never need to concern yourself with is turning our “common taters” when you use cast iron cookware to prepare them.

Use a cast iron camping dutch oven for camping, tail gating, your “staycation” or just a backyard cookout. Nothing tastes better than home fries from a dutch oven.

One of the most versatile cast iron pans you can own for indoor or outdoor cooking in a cast iron fry pan. Made in the USA, this pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge deep skillet measures 10.25 inches in diameter, 3.50 inches in depth. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making deep fried chicken, onions, cat fish or fries.. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly.

The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. Why bother with expensive wedding registries? The best gift for the new bride is a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven. She’ll hand it down to the her children and remember you for giving the wedding gift that is a must have for every kitchen. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron fryer comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty.

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop Challenges You To Try Your “Skillet” Cooking

Made in the USA, your pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge deep skillet measures 10.25 inches in diameter, 3.50 inches in depth. It is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making deep fried chicken, onions, cat fish or fries.. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. Why bother with expensive wedding registries? The best gift for the new bride is a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven. She’ll hand it down to the her children and remember you for giving the wedding gift that is a must have for every kitchen. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron fryer comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty. With Lodge, it is not difficult to have great “skill-at” cooking.

Made in the USA, your pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge 10.25 inch skillet is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making cornbread. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The two pouring lips allow you to drain fat and the loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron frying pan comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty.

This cast iron camping dutch oven is small enough to pack easily and large enough to feed a family or group. The flanged lid will hold hot coals to facilitate cooking and to keep ashes out of the pot. The cast iron camp lid can be turned upside down for use as a griddle. You get two products for the price of one.The dutch oven legs provide stability and safety for use over your campfire or fireplace. This camp dutch oven is a skillet, saute pan, casserole cooker and fry pan all in one. A cast iron pot is a lifetime investment. In our family cast iron cookware is passed down from one generation to the next. The cast iron dutch oven was originated for outdoor cooking and for centuries has done it’s job.

[caption id="attachment_995" align="aligncenter" width="136" caption="You Can Have Great "Skillet" Cooking"][/caption]

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE WITH CAST IRON SKILLETS

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop Celebrates Cast Iron Skillets

Made in the USA, this pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge 8 inch skillet is perfect. Perfect for a 2-egg omelet in the morning, or veggie saute for dinner. Perfect for one or two servings of potatoes. Perfect for a great grilled cheese sandwich. Perfect for a college student who wants to cook up a quick snack. This cast iron skillet is ideal for it can be lifted easily. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making cornbread. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. Why bother with expensive wedding registries? The best gift for the new bride is a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven. She’ll hand it down to the her children and remember you for giving the wedding gift that is a must have for every kitchen. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The two pouring lips allow you to drain fat and the loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron fry pan comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty.

Made in the USA, the pre-seasoned cast iron skillet is ready to use. Just rinse and cook. This Lodge 12 inch skillet is perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect for kitchen as well as any outdoor cooking, whether for campfire or backyard grill. And perfect for a family get-together or large group.This cast iron skillet has an additional grip handle to aid in safe lifting. There is nothing like Lodge cast iron cookware for making cornbread. It holds heat much better than the thin non-stick pans so the heat distribution is consistent. It heats slowly and evenly. The Lodge Logic skillet is easy to clean. Just use a little hot water and and nylon scrubber. Coat your cast iron frying pan with a little oil when cleaned and dried and it is ready for the next use. The skillet will get better every time you use it. Why bother with expensive wedding registries? The best gift for the new bride is a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet and Dutch Oven. She’ll hand it down to the her children and remember you for giving the wedding gift that is a must have for every kitchen. The pre-seasoned skillet is coated with a vegetable oil formula and ready for immediate use right out of the box. The two pouring lips allow you to drain fat and the loop in the handle allows you to hang your cast iron over your kitchen island. Lodge’s logo is featured on the bottom and the cast iron frying pan comes complete with care instructions and a lifetime warranty.

TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop On Removing Rust from Cast Iron Cookware

“Rust” is not only annoying, it is ugly. The word “rust” should never appear in the same sentence or cabinet with cast iron cookware. It is also painful to see cast iron cookware with rust. What can be done about it?

First of all. I would recommend you forget about all the products on the market for rust removal. They are expensive and unnecessary. You do not need to spend a lot of money to keep your kitchen clean and your cast iron cookware free of rust. Instead of using rust removal products, simply scrub your cookware using a fine grade steel wool. The next step is to wash with a mild soap (using a plastic “scrubbie”).
Rinse well and dry thoroughly. Apply oil (vegetable oil works well) and wipe away any excess. If you prefer, you can spray with a light coating of vegetable oil.
It is an easy process and with proper care you will not be bothered by ugly, annoying rust on your cast iron cookware.

Never put cast iron cookware in a dishwasher and always keep it dry. When in contact with water and oxygen, or other strong oxidants and/or acids, iron will rust. Take care of your cookware and it will take care of you and your family as a loyal friend for generations to come.

The photo of cast iron cookware below was taken on our dining room table. Some of this cookware is new and some is over 50 years old. It has taken good care of us, our children and grandchildren and we have taken good care if it. There is not a fleck of rust on any piece.

The beautiful red enamel Kinetic casserole with grill pan lid gives you two pieces for the price of one. Use the bottom as a casserole and the lid as a grill. It makes a beautiful serving piece that you can take directly from your oven to your table and it keeps the food warm.

CAST IRON COOKWARE ALLOWS YOU TO TASTE THE FOOD NOT THE COOKWARE

The beautiful and functional Lodge Pre-Seasoned Camp Dutch Oven is a must for camping, tail gating or fire pit cookouts in your back yard. Notice the “little feet” that allow you to set the dutch oven directly on a bed of coals. The bail handle permits you to hang your camping dutch oven from a tripod if you prefer.

[caption id="attachment_917" align="aligncenter" width="439" caption="Our "Rust Free" Collection of Cast Iron Cookware"][/caption] Camp Cookware, Care Cast Iron Cookware, cast iron camping dutch ovens, cast iron casserole with grill pan lid, cast iron cookware, tri-pods | Comment (1)

Cast Iron Cookware Shop. What’s In a Name?

What’s in a name? Let us look at the name “Cast Iron Cookware Shop“.

Just what is cast iron? Gray iron was the original “cast iron”. It is an alloy of carbon (C), silicon (Si) and iron (Fe) and contains 1.7 to 4.5% carbon and 1 to 3% silicon.
Cast Iron was first invented in China and poured into molds to make weapons and figurines. Historically, its earliest uses included cannon and shot. The development of the steam engine provided a further market for cast iron, since this was considerably cheaper than the brass of which the engine cylinders were originally made.

Other uses were bridges, columns in buildings, textile mills and of course cast iron cookware. Cast iron is used for cookware because it has excellent heat retention and diffusion and can be produced with a relatively low level of technology. Seasoning is used to protect bare cast iron from rust and to create a non-stick surface. Bare cast-iron vessels have been around for many centuries. Historically, cast iron cookware has been used since about 513 BC in China and since around 1100 AD in England, when each of those regions developed the technology to heat iron to the melting point. Cooking pots were originally made with three small legs so they could sit in the hearth or fireplace. We know this today as a camping dutch oven. Once stoves with tops were made available in the 1700s, the variety in cookware expanded. Types of bare cast iron cookware include dutch ovens, frying pans, deep fryers, woks, grills and griddles.

Cast iron’s ability to withstand and maintain very high cooking temperatures makes it a common choice for searing or frying, and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews or braised dishes. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely “non-stick” surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. Other uses of cast iron pans include making cornbread and pineapple upside-down cake.

To What Does the Word “Cast” Refer?

Cast iron is made by making a mold from sand and pouring molten iron into the mold. When the metal has cooled and solidified, the sand crust is blasted off and you have a pan, skillet, or dutch oven. Rough edges are removed and smoothed. This method has been around since the beginnings of cast iron and today the makers of the finest cast iron pots and pans still use the sand mold method.

Along with bare cast iron cookware there is enameled cast iron cookware. Enameled cast iron is cast iron that has a vitreous enamel glaze
The enamel coating over the cast iron prevents rusting, eliminates the need to season the metal, and allows for more thorough cleaning.

Enameled cookware is handcrafted from molten iron in individual sand molds with enamel applied in several layers and baked onto its cast iron base. This makes a product that is even more chip resistant. Do not use in the microwave. Hand washing is best for preserving the appearance. Never put cast iron cookware in a dishwasher.

¨Cookware¨ is a Big Part of the Name¨

In his book, “The Wealth of Nations,” Adam Smith wrote in 1776 that the “actual wealth of the nation was not its gold but in its manufacture of pots and pans. ¨There´s gold in ¨them ´thar´ kitchen cabinets!¨

Made in the USA. Lodge Manufacturing is America’s oldest cookware manufacturer and foundry. Located in South Pittsburgh, Tennessee for more than 100 years, Lodge has been making cast iron cookware of unsurpassed quality

[caption id="attachment_901" align="alignright" width="154" caption="Cast Iron BBQ Grill Grate"][/caption]

The true value of names like cast iron cookware, Lodge and Cast Iron Cookware Shop is the earned trust of you who use cast iron cookware and know that a name mean everything.

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Cast Iron Cookware Shop Features Rome’s Firepit Cookout Set

Fire pits have been in existence for a very long time and they have remained a popular item because of their versatility. A fire pit can be as simple as a pit dug into the ground to an elaborate gas burning firepit of stone, brick, and metal. The purpose of a fire pit is to contain a fire and prevent it from spreading.

The Rome Cookout Set includes one square cast iron Pie Iron, one round cast iron Pie Iron, one S’more Maker and eight hot dog and marshmallow picnic forks. Enjoy these cast iron cookware accessories with your cast iron camp cooking, tailgating parties, patio fire pit cooking or fireplace cooking.

This Rome Cookout Set includes one square cast iron Pie Iron, one round cast iron Pie Iron, one S’more Maker and eight hot dog and marshmallow picnic forks. Also includes a thirty inch by 10 inch canvas storage bag for your pie irons and forks.

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