Cast Iron Skillets

[D_Mac 8,607]

So lately I have had an interest in old cast iron cookware.  Picked up a couple of skillets this weekend. A Birmingham Stove and Range, and a Wagner Ware. I already have an Erie and another BSR. I was wondering if there was anyone else with a collection or interest in these. If so..... what ya got ?

[WHX?? 48,814]

@Achto is an aficionado. 

[D_Mac 8,607]

11 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

@Achto is an aficionado. 

Is that so ? Love to hear what you have and what's your favorite. 

[Achto 27,565]

No pictures, but I'm into Griswold iron cook ware. I have a quite a few sizes that we use on a daily basis. Once cured properly they are much better than Teflon coated pans, & just as stick free. No problems flipping an omelet over with a flick of the wrist in my cast iron pans. 

 

I also have a Griswold and a newer Lodge cast dutch ovens that I use on occasion. Need to put more time in with them though to learn all of their potential. Do wish that I had a concaved cover for one of them so that I could keep charcoal on top of it for baking.

 

Always keep my eyes open at flee markets for Griswold products.

 

I'll try to get some pic's for you when I get home from work.

 

 

 

 

 

[WHX?? 48,814]

He's supposed to be building gennies right now! 

[D_Mac 8,607]

I forgot I have 2 Dutch ovens as well. One newer Lodge and one old Griswold Iron Mountain #8. I don't use them much so I forget I have them.

[Achto 27,565]

15 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

One newer Lodge

 

The Lodge stuff is OK but I wish that they would polish the inside of their stuff to a smooth surface instead of the textured surface that they have, Most of the older pans like Griswold, Erie, & Wagner have a nice smooth surface inside. Surprisingly though the the Lodge is fairly non stick & easy enough to keep clean.

[ri702bill 8,316]

Gave most of mine away years ago - in the "wrong hands" they hurt like hell...... 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,533]

45 minutes ago, Achto said:

Once cured properly they are much better than Teflon coated pans, & just as stick free.

 

Curious... how does one "cure" a cast iron skillet? What's the process?

[Achto 27,565]

19 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Curious... how does one "cure" a cast iron skillet? What's the process?

 

I'll some times buy a rusty pan if it is not pitted real bad. Here is my process for getting them back in shape.

1 - sandblast the pan to get rid of the rust.

2 - use Scotchbrite on a 4 1/2" grinder to smooth out the inside surface.

3 - heat it up, 350+ degrees for 20min or so this works best in an oven

4 - while it is hot rub it down with cooking oil

5 - turn it upside down & put it back in the oven for 30min.

6 - turn the oven off & let it cool inside the oven.

May have to repeat the heat, oil ,cool process 2 or 3 times to get desired results.

 

Every day cleaning process for me is wash the pan, put it on the stove top on medium heat to extract any water, while still hot give it a light rub down with cooking oil, let it cool & put it away.

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by Achto

[D_Mac 8,607]

Once it seasoned never wash it with soap. I use just water. Dry it well by putting back on stove top then thin coat of canola oil while warm.

[Achto 27,565]

10 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Once it seasoned never wash it with soap. I use just water. Dry it well by putting back on stove top then thin coat of canola oil while warm.

 

Soap will remove your seasoning from the pores in the iron.

[D_Mac 8,607]

When I get a rusty one at a sale I let it soak in vinegar to remove the rust. Stubborn ones I spray with oven cleaner place in garbage bag , let it sit couple days. Then I wash them good with soap and water. Dry them good. Then put them on very hot oven after I apply my canola oil or crisco oil. Repeat the oil and hot oven 3 times. Good as new.

[Achto 27,565]

A good trick for removing heavy cooking grease from a pan. Put some dry salt in the pan and rub it around with a paper towel, scrape the salt out when done The salt will absorb the heavy grease, kind of like floor dry. Then proceed to the normal water wash, heat, buff with cooking oil and put away..

Edited September 25, 2023 by Achto

[CCW 1,293]

1 Lodge, 2 Wagner's, 1 Griswold and 1 no name. The wok is also a no name  Total cost to me $45 dollars.  This makes five fry pans and one wok.  Fry pans range from 8" to 12".

 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by CCW

[D_Mac 8,607]

4 hours ago, CCW said:

1 Lodge, 2 Wagner's, 1 Griswold and 1 no name. The wok is also a no name  Total cost to me $45 dollars.  This makes five fry pans and one wok.  Fry pans range from 8" to 12".

 

 

Have you tried to ID the no name ? Take a pic of bottom of the pan and handle. Maybe we can help.

 

 

[rmaynard 15,434]

When I started collecting cast iron, I was warned to only buy pans that were pre-1952. Reason, I asked? Most pre-1952 have smooth cooking surfaces and they are easier to cure and clean. Some of the new stuff today is so coarse that without power tools it can't be properly cured. My pans run from #3 frying pan to a #12 chicken fryer, plus a couple of Dutch ovens and cornbread pan. I clean the new acquisitions by putting them in the self-cleaning oven, If they have rust they get a vinegar and water bath. I cure them similarly to Achto by heating them to 300 degrees, rubbing with Crisco, wiping out any puddles, turning them upside down and reheating to 300 for another 30 minutes, and repeat the process at least another 3 times, wiping the surfaces with a lint-free paper towel between coatings. After they cool, I wiipe with towel and put away.

After cooking, I remove all residue with a piece of chainmail, rinse with water, wipe dry, and apply a thin coat of vegetable oil or Crisco.  I never use any kind of soap.

[rmaynard 15,434]

I just picked up these 3 at a yard sale for $1.00 for the lot.

 

The two outside pans are Wagner's, center is no-name.

Edited September 26, 2023 by rmaynard

[D_Mac 8,607]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

I just picked up these 3 at a yard sale for $1.00 for the lot.

 

 

The two outside pans are Wagner's, center is no-name.

Willing to bet the center pan is a BSR. Birmingham Stove and Range. If you send a better pic of the bottom of the pan I can make sure of it. BSR pans have that peak on the underside of the handle.

[rmaynard 15,434]

13 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Willing to bet the center pan is a BSR. Birmingham Stove and Range. If you send a better pic of the bottom of the pan I can make sure of it. BSR pans have that peak on the underside of the handle.

 

 

 

[oliver2-44 9,729]

I have a newer Lodge Dutch Oven I use on occasion. Wife has a couple of sizes she uses in the kitchen. Every time I go to the scrap yard I come home with one or two rusty ones. I sandblast or E-Tank them. I pass them on to the kids or my Wife sells some of them on EBay. I have ground the pits and smoothed some of them with a flapper disc. I’ll post a pic later

[midpack 862]

I was told not to use cast iron on a glasstop stove

[oliver2-44 9,729]

12 minutes ago, midpack said:

I was told not to use cast iron on a glasstop stove

My wife uses it on our glass top stove every day. 10 years+ no problems

[D_Mac 8,607]

Hmmmm rmaynard I'm stumped now. No markings and no heat ring. I'll research further when I get home. No made in USA mark so its before 1960. I know that the BSR deep chicken fryer had no heat ring but I think they were all marked with size and number.

Edited September 26, 2023 by D_Mac

[8ntruck 6,998]

Just sitting here drinking my coffee thinking about our cast iron cookware.  By memory, we have:

 

2 large Dutch ovens with rimmed lids and feet

1 small Dutch oven with rimmed lid and feet

1 footless Dutch oven with cast iron lid

1 footless Dutch oven with Pyrex lid

1 enameled Dutch oven

2 rectangilar griddles

8 fry pans of various sizes

1 cornbread mold

3 sandwich sized griddles

1 round griddle

1 quart sized sauce pan

1 chicken frier pan

4 miniature cornbread loaf pans

1 tea kettle

 

They are various ages, from always been there (at least 6 decades) to recent purchases.  Various manufactures.  Some form India and China.  Most of the recent purchases have been Lodge.  

 

@CCW where did you find that cast iron wok?  We are coveting it.

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by 8ntruck