Cast iron skillet

[NYCgrrl]

I use it sear steaks after cooking them in a sous vide. That's it.

I cook a lot more in my dutch oven, which I have found a trick to cleaning with bleach once a year.

What’s the bleach hack, please?

 

[aprilchem]

le Creuset. We bought a set 20 years ago when we got married, and it's still good as new & will last generations. Plus, no need to season or baby (other than hand-washing).

 

[cabanafrau]

Lodge sells a skillet pair that is an absolute bargain, with one deep skillet and a shallow skillet that can be used on top as a lid, essentially serving the function of a small Dutch oven and perfect for braising.

 

[RamblingMad]

What’s the bleach hack, please?

I’ll post the YouTube video tonight that got my Dutch oven looking like new. But it’s basically filling up the Dutch oven with warm water and a cup of bleach and leaving it sit overnight. This cleans up the enamel really well. The first time I did this I had to do it over two night. Now I just do it once a year.

 

[neverlandsky]

Water clean trick for non-enameled cast iron. After use, put skillet on stove and add water. Heat water until almost boiling and use wooden spoon to easily scrap cooked bits off. Dump out. Dry with paper towel and then rub with your favorite oil and put away.

 

[tasha99]

I'd recommend a Lodge. They're affordable and well made. The new ones have a less polished and more pebbled surface than antiques, but it doesn't actually make much difference.

Care is simple. Once you've done the initial seasoning, wash by hand after using and dry well. I put a drop of oil in mine and spread it around. Don't let it sit in water or with old food in it that could cause rust. The main thing is that the no soap rule is a myth left over from when soaps had lye in them. You can use soap on your skillet--the seasoning is polymerized oil and dish soap won't wash it off.

 

[Diaz]

I'd recommend a Lodge. They're affordable and well made. The new ones have a less polished and more pebbled surface than antiques, but it doesn't actually make much difference.

Care is simple. Once you've done the initial seasoning, wash by hand after using and dry well. I put a drop of oil in mine and spread it around. Don't let it sit in water or with old food in it that could cause rust. The main thing is that the no soap rule is a myth left over from when soaps had lye in them. You can use soap on your skillet--the seasoning is polymerized oil and dish soap won't wash it off.

This. All my skillets are cast iron, really old, I wash them in soapy water after each use, then dry them on a hot burner. Every once in awhile, I will wipe them down with oil. They aren’t rusted and don‘t stick.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Lodge sells a skillet pair that is an absolute bargain, with one deep skillet and a shallow skillet that can be used on top as a lid, essentially serving the function of a small Dutch oven and perfect for braising.

Le Creuset also has sets similar to this for those who like enameled cast iron. These sets can be purchased at the outlets, too.

 

[cabanafrau]

Le Creuset also has sets similar to this.

Sure, but the Lodge is much more economical, and not enameled. The Lodge set I bought was for my daughter who was in college at that time and had put a cast iron skillet on her Christmas list. I wasn't buying Le Creuset for a college apartment.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I bought a 10.5 inch Lodge with a lid. I'll get it next week and can't wait. thanks for all the help!

 

[trivan]

I love my cast iron but for everyday, check out carbon steel. Lots of the same benefits none of the heavy lifting!

 

[JimmyBean42]

As most have said, Lodge is a great brand and affordable. I've had the same set for the longest time. I do only wash mine with water and paper towels unless soap is needed, but I also season a little bit after every use. Just a drop of oil and heated up on the range, then cool down and store put away. There are also cast iron cleaners. It looks like chain mail or a small chain link fence and brings your cast iron pans back to new. Have to re-season after using it though.

 

[MrsPete]

Like others on this thread, I love my Lodge skillets.
If you live near a Lodge store, it's worth a trip -- they have a wealth of "seconds" in the back of the store for very low prices.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The one I bought is about 50 yrs old. The two I inherited are about 80 and 60 yrs old.

 

[EACarlson]

As most have said, Lodge is a great brand and affordable. I've had the same set for the longest time. I do only wash mine with water and paper towels unless soap is needed, but I also season a little bit after every use. Just a drop of oil and heated up on the range, then cool down and store put away. There are also cast iron cleaners. It looks like chain mail or a small chain link fence and brings your cast iron pans back to new. Have to re-season after using it though.

That is not my understanding of the chain mail cleaners. My understanding is that the chain mail does not strip out the seasoning because you are only scrubbing the top layers, not getting into where the oil has polymerized into the iron.

https://fieldcompany.com/pages/cleaning-cast-iron-chain-mail-scrubber

 

[emer95]

I love my cast iron skillet! It’s so nice when you make a dish that needs to start on the stovetop, but finish in the oven. It can also come in handy as a weapon if you’re being burglarized!

 

[RangerPooh]

We have Lodge and use oil and salt for cleaning. It takes some elbow grease.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

After seeing this, I am so tempted to get a Lodge cast iron skillet. I have been kind of curious about them. Right now I use a red copper and a blue diamond skillet. I have been curious about the world of cast iron for a long time.

 

[mrodgers]

Best thing that ever happened to my new Lodge and the crappy rough factory seasoning was I cleaned it and put in on the burner on low to dry it and fell asleep. 20 minutes later, I woke up to find black dust in the pan and a shiny clean smooth surface. Washed it (before I knew what I was doing,) reseasoned it properly and it's the only pan I use. It hasn't been washed since. Just kosher salt and wiped clean. The kosher salt absorbs the oils and scrubs any little bits that may be left.

Eggs, steaks, hamburgers, chops, spaghetti sauce, nothing sticks in it ever.

Rather than regular paper towels, get a roll of blue shop paper towels. They are lint free. Regular paper towels are not.

 

[JimmyBean42]

That is not my understanding of the chain mail cleaners. My understanding is that the chain mail does not strip out the seasoning because you are only scrubbing the top layers, not getting into where the oil has polymerized into the iron.

https://fieldcompany.com/pages/cleaning-cast-iron-chain-mail-scrubber

Depends on how much you use it. I tend to only use paper towels, however when someone else uses my cast irons pan (cough cough.....DW....cough), then there tends to be build up that requires the chain mail cleaner & a little extra elbow grease. So I have to re-season lightly after each use. But I also lightly oil almost after each use anyway.