What does one do with a "cast iron skillet"?

[canesisters]

LOL - I remember Mom throwing her 'good pan' in the giant pile of leaves & brush that we'd burn every fall. She said it saved her having to clean it. Once it cooled down, she fish it out, wipe it down and go right back to cooking with it.

 

[canesisters]

For anyone thinking of buying a new cast iron skillet: try to get American made if you can. The Chinese ones have pits in them, and will never get smooth and seasoned very well. You are much better off paying the extra for American made.

Aw man! I JUST ordered one from my work's 'company store'. It's a site where we can 'spend' the safety points that we earn each month for showing up and not killing anyone. Hope it's a good one....

 

[AMKuska]

It says "Lodge" on the underside. Got chicken out and ready to try it out with!

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

We originally got cast iron skillets because they have no deadly chemicals that leach out of the pan when you cook. Cooking with a cast iron skillet will also deposit extra iron into the food when you cook, so it is also a kind of nutritional thing. You can use a cast iron skillet for anything that you would use for a regular skillet, everything from popping popcorn to cooking rice with chicken to - anything!

I've seen this giant cast iron skillet at Cabella's before - this thing had to weigh about 50 lbs and be as big as a large truck tire, you could probably make an ostrich egg omelet using three eggs! I think the brand was "lumberjack." I nearly bought it for Ma for Christmas as a joke but it was $50.00 (she complains about always getting cook wear as gifts for Pa.) Another reason that I didn't buy it was that she wouldn't be able to lift the thing.

 

[Wishin']

Homestyle potatoes. Peel (or not) and slice 1/4" thick. Chop up an onion. Dump a hot skillet with several tablespoons of oil-bacon grease is better. Cut heat to medium low, cover and let cook until potatoes are soft. Take the cover off, turn up the heat and brown, turn over and brown. I usually flip it quite a few times to get that browned look and flavor. Cover with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, cut off the heat and cover. Serve cut into wedges after the cheese melts. I like to sprinkle a little soy sauce on it too.

Since cast iron is such a good conductor, you can use it to that meat too. Lay the frozen meat in the skillet and leave it alone. If in a hurry, remove the meat and heat the skillet under running hot water. Turn the meat over.

One of my favorite ways to have potatoes

 

[Wishin']

My cast Iron is also lodge. hope you have fun with it.

 

[Smart Red]

Nothing I can say that hasn't been said better. I have two cast iron frying pans that I love. I would love a good cast iron Dutch oven to add to my meager collection. When the power goes out cooking in the fireplace requires cast iron.

 

[baymule]

I must 'fess up. The last skillet I bought was made in.....gasp.... China. It is not anywhere on the skillet, but it was on the tiny paper tag hanging on it. It is a deep skillet and has a lid, that when flipped over, makes a shallow skillet of it's own. I found it after Christmas 2012 at Tractor Supply for $20

Last summer, my DSIL was talking about a great skillet a friend of theirs had and described mine to a T. So.....I haunted Tractor Supply this past Christmas until finally two of them showed up and I nabbed one. He was happy with it and knows so little about iron skillets that if it was made in Estonia, it would make little difference to him.

@AMKuska congrats on the fine Lodge skillet. Over time, it will get crusty gunk on the bottom and sides. If you have a fireplace, toss it in and let the fire burn down/out overnight. Get it out the next morning, wipe off the ash, re-season and start cooking again.

 

[AMKuska]

Look what I made!!

 

[thistlebloom]

Yay! Looks like you are a genuine cast iron club member now AMKuska!