Do you have a cast iron skillet?

[BWVDenise]

What do you cook in it?

 

[Poohbear123]

Yes, but I dom't use it.

 

[mrsg00fy]

I use it to fry everything. The cast iron skillet is particularly good for blackening. I like to blacken fish and chicken. THe coating that the food takes on is wonderful.

 

[MAKmom]

I used to have one & it does add Iron to your food. I got rid of it when I got the flat top stove. I was told not to use it but I'm not sure that it is true.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Somebody just gave me a recipe for Irish soda bread with instructions that it will come out good ONLY if I bake it in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

My mother had one, and there's a slight chance it's in my attic, but I recall giving it to one of my brothers. I may need to buy one if I'm going to be making Irish soda bread (yum!).

I've been told that the older a cast iron piece is, the better. Over the years, oil from the foods cooked in it builds up a patina which makes it virtually non-stick.

 

[BWVDenise]

So if I don't fry, blacken, or make bacon, would I need a cast iron skillet?

 

[Poohnatic]

I have one. Fried some crab cakes in it a little while ago. Last week, I made pineapple upside down cake with it.

I grew up using my great grandma's well seasoned cast iron skillets, so I had to have my own. About 5 years ago, I bought one and followed the proper rules for it and now it's well cured. Enough that I can brillo it like I could great grandma's.

A good cast iron skillet can give non stick a run for its money.

Suzanne

 

[FullStride]

Yeah I got one once....right off the side of me head by me wifey. OUCH!!!!! It hurt like heck too!!! But I'm sure I deserved it.

 

[teh fish]

we use it to brown beef. Can extend and use it to make hamburger helper and the like. My dad likes to use it to make hashbrowns or cook sliced potatoes.

 

[FroggyinArk]

i have 7 or 8,,and a couple of cast iron deep dishes, one dutch oven and one chicken frier

i use them for every thing, i have one i fry potaos in, one is meat only, one is for baking cornbread, one is my camping skillett, all are non stick now, and word of advice to those that use them, if after washing you will dry them on the stove then wipe them down with a fine coat of pure veggie oil t hey will stay non stick much better and easier to clean.

 

[minkydog]

I have two--I use them for everything! I never owned a non-stick until 2 yrs ago. One time i let the kids use one for blowing bubbles out in the yard. Totally forgot about it. Three years later we were doin'g yard work and dug up this skillet that had gotten buried in the dirt It was rusty, but I scrubbed it with steel wool, oiled & seasoned it, and it's good as new. I plan to give one to each kid when they move out.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Yeah I got one once....right off the side of me head by me wifey. OUCH!!!!! It hurt like heck too!!! But I'm sure I deserved it.

OT--I used to bust my husband all the time that I'd whack him with my frying pan if he aggravated me. He's been pretty good to me the past few years, so I haven't needed to--yet. LOL!

 

[MomofKatie]

I have 2 skillets, and they can be used for frying just about anything as well as in the oven. I like to make cornbread with mine- yum! And fried chicken tastes best from a cast iron skillet.

They are easy to season- just rub new pans well with solid shortening and bake them in the oven. Then, each time you use them, clean them out with water (NEVER use soap of any kind) and a nylon scrubbie sponge, then dry them on the stovetop and rub them with a light coating of vegetable oil. They will last forever and develop that great patina that makes them nonstick.

Every good Southern cook I know has at least one cast iron skillet. The best ones are handed down from Grannies or Moms.

 

[FroggyinArk]

I have two--I use them for everything! I never owned a non-stick until 2 yrs ago. One time i let the kids use one for blowing bubbles out in the yard. Totally forgot about it. Three years later we were doin'g yard work and dug up this skillet that had gotten buried in the dirt It was rusty, but I scrubbed it with steel wool, oiled & seasoned it, and it's good as new. I plan to give one to each kid when they move out.

my big 12 inch skillett was dug up on a construction job i was working on, i brought it home, aactually used a wire brush head in my grinder to scrape the rust off, the burned it in a hot wood fire till i could get it clean, seasoned it back and use it all the time now.

 

[Poohbear123]

I have 2 skillets, and they can be used for frying just about anything as well as in the oven. I like to make cornbread with mine- yum! And fried chicken tastes best from a cast iron skillet.

They are easy to season- just rub new pans well with solid shortening and bake them in the oven. Then, each time you use them, clean them out with water (NEVER use soap of any kind) and a nylon scrubbie sponge, then dry them on the stovetop and rub them with a light coating of vegetable oil. They will last forever and develop that great patina that makes them nonstick.

Every good Southern cook I know has at least one cast iron skillet. The best ones are handed down from Grannies or Moms.

Been there, done that, but I have unseasoned areas in the pan that burn my steaks! Don't know why, my Mom used a gas stove to cook with her Cast Iron Skillet maybe thats why. Her Fried Chicken was GREAT!

 

[FroggyinArk]

I have 2 skillets, and they can be used for frying just about anything as well as in the oven. I like to make cornbread with mine- yum! And fried chicken tastes best from a cast iron skillet.

They are easy to season- just rub new pans well with solid shortening and bake them in the oven. Then, each time you use them, clean them out with water (NEVER use soap of any kind) and a nylon scrubbie sponge, then dry them on the stovetop and rub them with a light coating of vegetable oil. They will last forever and develop that great patina that makes them nonstick.

Every good Southern cook I know has at least one cast iron skillet. The best ones are handed down from Grannies or Moms.

lol does that make me above average?

and i have one from grandmother on both sides, one from mom and one from great grandmother on moms side my dutch oven/bean pot is from mom, chicken frier,( really deep 10 inch skillet with lid) is graandmothers, tthree of my 10 inch skillets are from mom and grandmoms, 6 i nch bread skillet for a half loaf of cornbread, is from mom, i have one 10 inch shallow and the big 12 incher that i aqquired myself,, the shallow needs burned off and re seaseoned,

 

[reddixie]

Yes and I make cornbread in mine also. I have one I bake cakes in. I used to have one to fry in but I am unsure where it got off to. I know that friends used to borrow them. Mine were new and I seasoned them myself. My family has a yearly bonfire at one of my great uncles house and all the women are welcome to reseaon any that need it. Great fun.

 

[MomofKatie]

lol does that make me above average?

and i have one from grandmother on both sides, one from mom and one from great grandmother on moms side my dutch oven/bean pot is from mom, chicken frier,( really deep 10 inch skillet with lid) is graandmothers, tthree of my 10 inch skillets are from mom and grandmoms, 6 i nch bread skillet for a half loaf of cornbread, is from mom, i have one 10 inch shallow and the big 12 incher that i aqquired myself,, the shallow needs burned off and re seaseoned,

I knew you were raised right, honey child!

 

[Poohnatic]

Poohbear,

I switched to electric from Gas (not by choice), and I haven't had much of a problem with hot spots. That said, if you ARE having a problem, a diffuser under the pan will do a lot for removing them.

I'm about to do a photo essay on my junior chef , so I took pictures of our cooking adventure tonight. Here's my cast iron:

 

[FroggyinArk]

I knew you were raised right, honey child!

when we got together dw had never used an iron skillet and she still will accidently put one into dish washer occasionally or wipe it dry and stick it in cabinet,, i've learned to look for the shine and see whether to rewash and oil before cooking or not..lol