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Cast iron frypans


ComputerGuy

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1 hour ago, Alpha1 said:

The best oil to season with, according to my research, Grapeseed oil. 

I have never tried grapeseed oil but I will.  I use to pick up old rusty, grease covered skillets and pots at flea markets in Oklahoma for a dollar or two.  I would clean them up and take them to the big flea market at Canton, Texas in the fall.  I would get from $20 to $40 a piece for them.  Mainly from people in Louisiana who still love to cook with the old iron skillets and pots.  The pots were a hot item as they made gumbo in them.  You could not sell them a new iron item.  They new the old was the best.  

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5 hours ago, Alpha1 said:

The best oil to season with, according to my research, Grapeseed oil. 

I have a picture in my mind. The cowpokes have settled down for the night on their cattle drive. Cookie has built a fire beside the chuckwagon and then starts hollering"Awright,who done hid my ^%(*$^&(  grapeseed oil this time,you %#%&*%&  know I can't do nothin' without it !!"

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18 minutes ago, happyjillin said:

I have a picture in my mind. The cowpokes have settled down for the night on their cattle drive. Cookie has built a fire beside the chuckwagon and then starts hollering"Awright,who done hid my ^%(*$^&(  grapeseed oil this time,you %#%&*%&  know I can't do nothin' without it !!"

I think you mean "Wishbone" from Rawhide... assuming you remember that long ago... Dammit I'm getting old... 

images (23).jpeg

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On 8/10/2019 at 11:02 PM, Sea said:

Of course, I defend with my last breath CG's right to despise cast iron and the horse it rode in on.

Well, thanks. But I don't despise them... I just have my preferences. A good steak in a cast iron pan is excellent. But the smoke and the spitting means I usually grille 'em.

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44 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

Well, thanks. But I don't despise them... I just have my preferences. A good steak in a cast iron pan is excellent. But the smoke and the spitting means I usually grille 'em.

LOL! Spoken as someone who lives alone (except on weekends) and has to both cook AND clean up afterwards. Kudos to you CG!

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  • 1 month later...
On 8/11/2019 at 10:51 AM, pappysmarket said:

When on hunting trips in Northeast Oregon the 8 of us had nothing but a cast iron skillet to cook on. The way you fry eggs on cast iron is first you cook a pound or two of bacon. Then...you can fry as many eggs as you want and with all that bacon grease left in the pan a fried egg never tasted so good. "Greasy eggs" we called 'em and I can still taste how good they were. Another memory of those trips was appointing one person to be the cook. Anyone who complained in the slightest about any meal instantly became the cook. You never heard so many "forced" compliments to the cook, LOL.

Pappy were you hunting in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area? I took two elk out of there over the years.

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5 hours ago, mudgirl said:

Ah, the days before cheap crap made in China.

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In 2016, Lodge has broken ground on two new expansions. The first is a new distribution center for increased efficiency and shipping. The second is an entirely new foundry in addition to our current one. Both projects are within 2 miles of our headquarters in Tennessee. We are very excited to be able to grow to new heights with our feet still firmly planted at home.

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13 hours ago, geeser said:

Pappy were you hunting in the Eagle Cap Wilderness area? I took two elk out of there over the years.

Yes...God's Country for sure although I never was fortunate enough to get one but our group did.

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11 hours ago, mudgirl said:

Just saw this post, although it's over a month old. They're Findlays. They used to make the cast iron wood-burning cookstoves, too, as you're likely aware. Ah, the days before cheap crap made in China.

Findlay's are a real Canadian treasure...

 

cam.png Findlay - Carleton Place, ON (1862-1974)

1862: Findlay Foundry established by David Findlay
1876: After primarily making farm implements, Findlay begins manufacturing stoves
1889: Sons David & William buy the business, renaming company Findlay Bros. (later Findlay Bros. Co., Limited)
1890: Founder David Findlay dies
1932: Company renamed Findlays Limited
1934: Company president David Findlay, Jr. dies and is succeeded by brother William
1944: William Findlay dies and is succeeded by D. Douglas Findlay
1956: D. Douglas Findlay dies and is succeeded by D. Hamilton Findlay
1965: Findlays Limited purchased by Corporation D'Expansion Financiere of Montreal, becoming part of the Corpex Group
1974: Foundry is closed after 110 years in operation

Some Findlay pieces are seen with Lisser or Smart's ghost marks.

http://www.castironcollector.com/canadian.php

 

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I have had a cople of pans for 50  years and I still love them and use them on a regular basus, We do not cook with bacon or lard and do not eat fried eggs either,, I cook with peanut oil and olive oil and thepans aredoing just fine.. no warping no cracking and they have tracelled a lot..Only one issue for me, they are getting heavierand heavier.. 

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Surprisingly the new iron skillets are heavier than the old ones.  The older skillets were lighter and the casting and cooking surface is smoother.  The last real Griswold skillets were made in 1957 when the company was sold to Wagner who in turn was owned by the Randall corporation.  Wagner made skillets with the Griswold logo for a few years at their plant but at the bottom of the skillet ERIE, PA  is not on these skillets.  The last good wagner skillets were made prior to 1960 when the company was sold to Textron.  Griswold skillets had several different logos on the back but the most widely found is a small Griswold in a circle and ERIE, PA at the bottom.  The skillet can bring up to $2,000 based on age, logo  and condition.  You can still buy one of the later models for around $50 to $60.  A bad problem is cracking and warping due to mistreatment of the skillet.  If you have to clean a very grungy, grease coated skillet always use lye water.  Let it soak for a day or two and you will be surprised at the results.  When buying a skillet make sure it sets level with no warble.  Some of the larger skillets had heat rings at the bottom which makes them more valuable. I bought my skillets back before they became so pricey.  I recently visited 12 antique shops in Oklahoma and did not find a single griswold or wagner skillet.    

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The continual fuss and accolades  over ancient cast iron fry pans inherited from our dead relatives has always amused me...yes they are good for a few endeavors...not many however..!   in most cases they should  have been buried along with the deceased .  There are many reasons they tend not to be used in professional kitchens...acid  reaction , liquid reaction , sticking factors at medium heat and most importantly slow heat conduction.......Hey but if they make make you happy....who am I to bitch. .?

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11 hours ago, Ian Greenwood said:

The continual fuss and accolades  over ancient cast iron fry pans inherited from our dead relatives has always amused me...yes they are good for a few endeavors...not many however..!   in most cases they should  have been buried along with the deceased .  There are many reasons they tend not to be used in professional kitchens...acid  reaction , liquid reaction , sticking factors at medium heat and most importantly slow heat conduction.......Hey but if they make make you happy....who am I to bitch. .?

Funny how so much snark and so many pointless put downs come from some sources, with no positive input  to balance  it.

BTW, "professional" kitchens have features unavailable to us home cooks.

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I knew there would be a wide-ranging set of responses; it is an interesting topic, especially the history. As someone who used to poke around yard sales and flea-markets from Ontario to Maine during vacations and weekends, I've seen a lot of fascinating oldies-but-goodies ( a set of 36 Zippo lighters from decades ago, mounted in a glass case, was one of the most interesting), and a lot of stupidly-overpriced items, too.

I tried and tried to live with cast iron pans, but in the end, it's just too much effort for such a small return. And I thought it was worthwhile to post my own impressions, nothing more, really. I appreciate everyone who got involved. And yes, I don't think I've ever posted anything on this board that didn't result in a few snarks. Amazing what people have in their minds...

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