Cast Iron Skillets

[BagCSC]

Ok these have to be one of my FAVORITE things to cook in. They are relatively cheap and last forever. Season them well and season them often and they can be relatively non-stick. I find them best for grilling sandwiches. I havent found anything that grills bread better than a cast iron skillet. How many do you have? I have two 12 inch ones and a mini one that is about 5-6 inches.

How did you season yours? I like to heat them up in the oven and then pour oil in them. Pour out excess oil, use a papertowel to wipe the oil on all areas of the pan (sides). Repeat process several times.

[Mama Mangia]

I've got a 17-inch, two 12-inch, a small one and a cast iron griddle which is great for pancakes, omelets, grilled sandwiches, etc. I even have a cast iron tea kettle and iron! Even a Dutch oven and cornbread molds in different sizes.

I season mine with shortening or oil, heat on the stove top, wipe out and repeat. They last for generations!

[GregGraves]

I have a cast iron griddle that I've had for about 20 years. It's well used and seasoned with olive oil. I'm always amazed at how well it cooks foods like omelets and pancakes without the foods sticking.

I also have a wonderful cast iron frying pan which has "bars" across sorta like a grill. It cooks delicious steaks and burgers that taste like they are grilled outdoors. It's a little hard to clean even though it's seasoned as each bar needs to be scrubbed clean after use.

[Twinmama]

I just have the one; it was my husband's aunt's that he "borrowed" to take to college and conveniently forgot to return to her when he graduated.

Wait, you have to keep seasoning it? I am a total cast-iron skillet newbie.

[Mrs. Chipotle]

I have just one, but i love using it for certain things, like cornbread.

I haven't really used it for grilled sandwiches but i will have to give that a try.

I don't regularly season mine, but it's my understanding that seasoning happens on an ongoing basis if you use oil when cooking in it. That's my logic anyway.

[BagCSC]

That's true....you do sort of season it each time you cook in it, but to keep it seasoned well, do the following:

1: use little or (if possible) NO soap when cleaning it.
2: dont use harsh abrasives such as SOS
3: before first use, clean well, then get super hot and pour oil in it. Wipe down and repeat heating and oiling several times.
4: after each cleaning, heat and oil pan lightly
5: don't let the pan sit in water for extended periods (10+ hours) to prevent possible rusting
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My pans have been rusted in the past (slightly). If this happens, you have to use an abrasive such as SOS, scrub it clean, and treat it like a new pan. You have to reseason it.
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If you season it good the first time and lightly season it after each cleaning, over time, you will have a pan that is mostly non-stick and perfect for many applications.

[Mrs. Chipotle]

I do avoid using soap when cleaning mine. I just rinse and wipe it well with paper towels.

I suppose it would be a good idea to reseason it now and then. Couldn't hurt and will probably help.

It did rust one time, years ago. I scrubbed and reseasoned it and these days it's in good shape. I learned that lesson.

[BagCSC]

My grandmother has some cast iron skillets that were her mothers. They are so awesome. They have been used SOOOOO many years that they are black as night and almost as good as a non-stick pan. My pans are a light black color, hers....pitch black. I want her pans.

[r8rpwr]

Recently I went to a girls' weekend at the vacation home of a friend - the house had been in their family for two generations. There were several iron skillets there. I guess in those days there was no such thing as nonstick - everyone used iron skillets and they were well seasoned.

[TexasRose]

I love my cast iron skillet. Everything tastes better in it somehow. It's a little difficult to use because the handle gets hot, so I have to use a hot pad, but that's a small price to pay.