comes in powder form. Get a PLASTIC (never metal) rubbermaid or similar container and fill about 3" or so deep with cld water. Add lye powder and mix in, then slip the cast iron in and soak. Zero scrubbing required if you just let it soak a week or so. remove pan , wash with soap and water and if any rust , soak in pickling vinegar for a few hours, then wash again, dry on stovetop and re season .
2 pieces I scored yesterday. Pretty sure they're both lodge. The big pan has an 8 on the underside and 3 notches in the heat ring but pre "made in usa" mark. The skillet has the made in usa mark I ended up doing a 2 hour cycle in the oven on the clean setting as I didn't feel like going to get lye. This is after the first hour in the oven with a layer of Crisco. They're still kind of brown, assuming they'll darken with use
A Lodge I dug up out the yard about 20 years ago. It was maybe 8-10 inches under and had a heavy coat of rust when I pulled it out. Free cast iron, the best kind.
The closest thing to true cast iron we have are some enamelware skillets my inlaws gave us because the crappy pans we bought from Goodwill when we got married weren't holding up after five years. After looking at newer brands like Field my question is this: why should I spend more for a new skillet/Dutch oven/whatever when a new Lodge or a vintage model can be easily found (and the latter in pretty good shape)? I didn't inherit any from my grandparents and my parents don't use cast iron so either way it'll be a first purchase. A little garage project is fine by me. If I remember from my last trip to the antique store here there are tons of cast iron products hanging on the walls and the prices are pretty good (I'll swing by on Wednesday to get a sure idea though). And if they aren't what I remember then a new Lodge or something made in Columbia are easily found at Walmart or HEB for a fraction, sometimes a tenth or better, than what these "boutique" brands sell. Is there any upside to buying from a start-up?
Not really, unless you just like their design. The problem is that old cast iron is going to get more and more sparse, leaving our only real options being Lodge or a few Chinese brands. I'd rather not have any from China. I'm encouraged that there are some new start ups trying to make quality cast iron. That should provide more options for us in the future, when it gets much more difficult to find a decent heirloom piece. If you don't have any cast iron today, go buy yourself a $20 lodge or see if you can find some hand-me-downs in the family. Or, if you like the hunt, go to some flea markets, antique joints, or craigslist and see if you can find some older rough stuff that just needs a vinegar bath and re-seasoning. No point in buying a $80-100 pan if you don't even know if you like it.
I see your point about the hope of American industry in the cast iron business. I'd support them if I could but I feel like a vintage piece would be money better spent right now. My wife would probably hardly use it but I would. I especially like that they're a "use with any heat source" cooking implement. I could use it on the stove (electric coil), campfire, even the fireplace if we loose power. Sadly the enamelware we have, while seemingly good quality, doesn't have that versatility. The walls of the antique store here are practically lined with cast iron so I have no doubt I'll find a good skillet and maybe more. If not then Walmart has Lodge in good stock.
I’m not sure what enamelware you have, but it can be used over campfires and fireplaces as well. I have a set of Le Creuset and they work fine in the fireplace. They are just cast iron like lodge and then a protective coating baked on. Even if you beat the thing to death and knock all the enamel off, the worst you have is just a regular piece of cast iron.
Gonna Re-Ask this question: What is the difference between Camp Chefs conditioner and Camp Chefs cleaner?
Yeah, I forgot about that type of enamelware. That’s obviously not cast iron. I have a few pieces of that style. Mostly mugs and plates. When I was referring to the le crueset enamelware, I was referring to cast iron with the enamel coating. Hope I wasn’t confusing anyone
Had a set just like that in the car trunk back when the kids were little, (bout 25 yrs ) those cups were referred to as "lip searing abomination's" .
I figured that's what you meant. Ours is Cuisinart and they make some of that other stuff but ours is like Le Crueset. The skillets came with a note saying to only use them on conventional stove tops (glass, electric, gas) and not over coals. I'm sure it was more of a "cover our ass" sort of warning but I'm sure my wife would be ticked off too if I took it camping.
got a cast iron brake drum from a Peterbuilt and built a fire and grilled some pork chops and corn.I was good If i say so myself.
When you grill corn like that, how long do you do it for? How do you know when it’s done? Just peel back the husk to look? Or is there some other way?
This! Also keep an eye on Craig'slist ads......esp after Christmas and wedding seasons......lots of people gift cast iron and it ends up on CL for CHEAP.......and new