I'm sure it is just me, but I don't trust the enamel-coated cast iron that has
become so popular lately. I worry that the coating could or will eventually
ware off, and therefore, the large sum of cash it costs to procure one would
eventually prove to be a waste. Perhaps it is just the man in me that is more
at home with the raw metal without anything to pretty it up. In the case of
cast iron, older is usually better, assuming that the piece was well cared for.
The older ones will have a smoother surface because of all the seasonings they
have had over the years. Plus, just using it and having it come in contact
with hot fat while you're cooking it also acts to season the iron. The reason
you want to season it without cooking anything in it is because you must make
sure that the entire surface is seasoned evenly and thoroughly. I use a
ten-inch for making cornbread, two twelve-inch pans for general every day
cooking like all that bacon I made this morning, and a 14-inch skillet for jobs
where I need a bit more space to work. I also have a 5-quart Dutch oven that
makes wonderful stews and pot roast. I am in the market for a larger one, but
it's a bit out of my budget at the moment as the one I found on Amazon was $69.
I can't remember if that included shipping or not, but shipping for something
that heavy is also expensive. Another reason I like it so much is because it
is heavy enough that it's harder to bump out of place while cooking, plus the
nonstick properties aren't as easy to damage as lighter-weight pans coated with
tefflon. Raw cast iron must be seasoned at least once before use, even if the
manufacturer say seasoned it at the factory. I am a Lodge man all the way when
it comes to brand names because it's made here in the United States and I trust
it a great deal. You must never use soap on cast iron, no matter how well it
is seasoned, as most soaps a re too harsh and can damage the seasoning at least
a little, undoing all your work to care for it.
Jon
Jon
----- Original Message -----
From: Christina V.
To: blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 7:23 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: New cookbook
You can buy new ones, as well; they aren't expensive, unless you're going for
expensive brand name, or getting the enamel-coated ones. I have one Lodge
enameled Dutch oven, and one plain cast iron, and the enameled gets more use.
But for skillets, the plain cast iron is great. We have one newer 12-inch
Lodge skillet that we bought about two years ago. My husband uses it often. I
don't have to worry that my pans are being destroyed, anymore! LOL This thing
is just about indestructible, if cleaned correctly and thoroughly dried, after.
Since my mother's holding onto a skillet that my grandmother owned, I found
two of the same brand and size, smaller ones, maybe 7-8 inch, that I bought
from thrift stores. They date from the 40s, and are nice and smooth to the
touch. The newer Lodge is rougher in texture, which took some getting used to.
Christina
Original Message:
From: Penny Golden <pengold2@xxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blindcooks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 3/18/2016 2:10:08 PM
Subject: [blindcooks] Re: New cookbook
Wow, I'm impressed. I have two castiron skillets both very small.
I'm going to get me a larger one. Maybe I can find a used one.
But I'll listen to whatever you have to say on the subject. I can't have my
mother's; it's probably in the home of my sister Julie or my twin brother
Henry; or maybe my younger brother Larry.
So I don't have any old family to beg one off of.
I love using mine. I like to start something really hot and then let it
just finish in the pan with the burner turned off. I've done some nice eggs
and veggies.
Ten days of no school are ahead of me. Maybe some will have something to
report.
Penny
On 3/18/2016 3:17 PM, Jonathan Rawlings wrote:
Hello all:
I just thought I would tout a new cookbook I recently bought for
myself, since our finances seem to be improving a bit lately. It is called
"Cook It In Cast Iron" by "Cooks' Country" magazine, and there are a lot of
recipes I am looking forward to making from this book.
I developed a love of cast iron some years ago because of its ability
to get hot and stay hot, even in the face of relatively-cold food. I like how
it is naturally-nonstick with proper care and use, its durability, how it helps
foods cook more evenly, how it doesn't warp, and how it only improves with
time. One of my cast iron skillets was passed down from my Grandma, who used
it for over 60 years. Yes, cast iron is heavy, but that's exactly what gives
it the heat-retention properties that make it so valuable.
But back to the book. Most of the recipes in this book are
fairly-simple and straightforward, as is the whole idea behind the "Cooks'
Country" magazine. For example, the recipes I look forward to trying from the
chapter titled "Sear it" include Crisp-skin salmon with honey lime sauce,
Blackened chicken with pineapple cucumber salsa, and Thick-cut steaks with blue
cheese and chive butter. From the chapter on one-dish dinners, there's
Pan-seared flank steak with crispy potatoes and chimachuri, and marinated steak
tips with charred peppers and onions. In the sandwiches and burgers chapter,
there's a recipe for a smoked turkey panini that is made with a sun-dried
tomato mayo, and the oil from the jar of tomatoes is brushed on the outside of
the bread before cooking that I can't wait to try. There's also something here
called a Baltimore pit beef sandwich that sounds really good and is served with
a horseradish spread, flank steak tacos with a charred corn salsa, and Italian
sausage and pepper subs. There is even a desserts chapter, and Emily was almost
drueling over the recipe for the easy chocolate pudding cake, and this recipe
for a skillet chocolate chip cookie sounds odd enough that I just might have to
make it soon. I guess you'd cut it into wedges to serve with some vanilla ice
cream? Many fun and tasty dinners are waiting to be made from this book. And
last night, I made the recipe for the buffalo chicken salad, and we actually
went to the trouble to make our own creamy blue cheese dressing. The blue
cheese we had was an unusual smoked variety, which made for an irrestistable
dressing. I will definitely let you know which recipes turn out the best as I
make them.
Jon
