[capozzoli]

Love them, and works ten times better than non stick.  

A lot of people think it takes a long time , perhaps 100 years to build a seasoning like that. Its not true. When you get new pans just keep a clean paint brush around. Then heat the pans up in the oven. Brush them with oil and let them heat up. Store them in the oven and ever time you turn on the oven brush the pans with a coating of oil. After doing this several times it will bake on thick and you will have beautifully seasoned cast iron.

Then like said above never use soap.

[riverrat]

New cast iron pans tend to have a rough texture to them, while really old ones are smooth.  Is this due to cheaper casting process now, lack of seasoning, lack of use, something else?  I have a couple old cast iron pans (skillet dutch oven, etc.) and a couple newer cast iron pans (griddle, wok, etc...). 

My favorite and most used pan by far (including the new set of all-clad pans) is my old cast iron skillet, because of the smooth finish, excellent food it makes, and easy cleanup (small amount of hot water poured in after food is removed while pan is still hot).

[beerocd]

New cast iron pans tend to have a rough texture to them, while really old ones are smooth.  Is this due to cheaper casting process now, lack of seasoning, lack of use, something else? 

The roughness in the old pan has been worn down over the years and filled in with "seasoning".

-OCD

[bluesman]

Now that is cool. Cast Iron is the way to really cook.

[chauncey]

OK – time for my two cents.

All my pans are Calphalon – the hard-anodized ones. I can’t use anything with a non-stick coating because I have birds, and just one slip where you overheat the pan (and who hasn’t), and the birds are dead. It also causes liver damage in humans, but not to the point where you die from it. The government used to publish the dangers of non-stick, but the lobby got it quashed. With some care and the correct temperature, the hard-anodized ones work just as well. My wife likes egg white omelets, and that’s a real test for any pan.

I used to use cast iron, and they work really well when seasoned, but I find that the coating comes off when you cook something with tomatoes in it. Once I discovered Calphalon, I just kept on buying it. Of course I lost a bunch of my cast iron when my lame California surfer roommate put them in the dishwasher because, as he said, “They were really dirty, man.”  I calmly pointed out that it wasn’t “dirt”, but about 10 years of careful seasoning. They were of course solid rust, and I just threw them all in the dumpster.

[bluesman]

Here's the dutch oven I use. Great for Hungarian Goulash.

[beerocd]

Here's the dutch oven I use. Great for Hungarian Goulash.

That's my bread pan!

-OCD

[capozzoli]

Yuo guys ever seen one of these?



This is a "real" Dutch oven. It has a lid with a lip to hold hot coals on top. They usually have legs too.

Here is an image of someone using a Dutch oven in a technique called The Stack.



Using dutch ovens with hot coals works especially well if you have a fire place or a wood burning stove. Works great out by the BBQ also.

Of coarse we all know what a real Dutch Oven is...right?

[beerocd]

Meh, those are for people who get their rocks off by going to the reenactment thingys. Where you camp out and try to be more primitive than the other guy. And then argue about the spoon you're using or the matches you used to light the fire not being period appropriate. 

So, I can be period approriate - or I can actually use it.
I went with the latter; works great in the oven. (Also not period appropriate)

-OCD

[capozzoli]

They have those civil war reenactments right down the street from my house. Man is it loud. They should let those people use real ammo.

I want a Potjie pot.

The stew is called potjie, so is the pot.










.

[bluesman]

Capp...I think you want what's in the pot first.  

I really like that BESTDUTY 10. I think cast iron is the way to go for cooking soups and stews. They're genuine in their tradition too.

[beerocd]

Capp...I think you want what's in the pot first. 

Didn't want to say anything - could be his wife in the pot. Has that digital camera stamp on it so.......

-OCD

[capozzoli]

Not my wife.

But is that the kinda cooks helper we all dream of or what?

[denny]

No, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people who don't dream of that kind of cook's helper.  Please remember that what you think is funny or appropriate may not be for all, and this is intended to be an all inclusive forum.  I'm not gonna tell ya what to do or edit your post, but I'd appreciate it if you'd remove that pic.

[capozzoli]

Gone, and sorry.

I didnt think that that pic was over the top. And maybe you are right, perhaps she would not make the best cooks helper. Especially if she tried that after the stew was cooking in the kettle.

At the request of some other forum members I also removed the black dude. While he was most likely not intoxicated he was topless and perhaps even bottomless.