"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

Tell me about cast iron cookware.

The wife and I have a nice stainless steel set of pots and pans, but they've never worked as well as I've wanted. We also have one of those non-stick pans, but after only a couple of years the non-stick surface looks to be wearing thin. And I don't even want to think about what chemicals that non-stick surface releases into my food every time I use it.

I've been doing some reading and it seems like cast iron cookware is a good alternative. Highly efficient, and with natural non-stick properties if properly seasoned. I picked up a 10" pan last week and have been seasoning it over the past few days. I think it's almost ready. The metal has darkened nicely and it looks very close to black. The inside of the pan is much smoother to the touch now. A couple more sessions and I think it'll be good to go.

She has been looking at me like I'm crazy during this preparation process. I tell her that it'll be worth it in the end, and that cast iron cookware has been used for a long time because it just flat out works. I don't know if I convinced her, and I have the feeling she thinks me a fool for using such a high maintenance method. Please tell me that everything will be all right. I'd also appreciate it if you can give me some upkeep tips seeing that I'm a newbie. Thanks.

- Christian
 
Cast iron is great for a lot of things. Everything will be more than alright.;) I'm sure you've probably already read this, but don't use soap on it since it can get into the pores and be released when it heats up the next time. Also avoid using abrasive scrubbers or utensils as they can scratch through the patina. Instead you can put some oil in the pan and use salt as a mild abrasive to scrub it out. I also wipe it down with a thin coat of oil after use. This helps to avoid any rust and to keep building the patina.

Here's a thread about cast iron from the Food & Drink Forum if you haven't seen it yet.
 
I love cast iron, the older it gets the better the food tastes if you clean it right...stainless and teflon coated have their place, but for some stuff you cant go past the iron cook wares.
 
Success!

I finished seasoning my cast iron pan last night. Today was the first test, pork chops. Frying them up was a breeze, these pans really are non-stick if prepped properly. I don't know why it took me so long to try one out.

The clean-up process is a bit of a PITA, but I guess I can accept the trade-off if this experience is any indication. Cast iron cookware isn't the easiest to use, but their effectiveness outweighs the small amount of maintenance required. Plus, it's not like I have to choose between cast iron, stainless, or teflon coated cookware.

- Christian
 
Just wait, in a few years of use the flavor that thing will produce will be amazing! my grandma barely cleaned hers out...just basic wipe outs, I figured it would be unhygienic but we never got sick and ate off it every weekend for like 10 years growing up.
 
I'm guessing I can post this here even though it's related to knife sharpening. I was looking at some videos and reading articles about different knife sharpening methods and tools, and it got me thinking. There's a ton of gadgets out now, but what was the most common method of sharpening years ago. Was it the oil stone? Just a pocket stone? A water stone? Just curious since most people talk aboput how sharp their fathers and grandfathers knives were. Although I'm no good at freehand sharpening, I imagine that it must be very rewarding.
 
Seems the most popular older stones I come across were "Arkansas" (novaculite under various brand names..."Lily White", Norton's etc) and various versions of silicon carbide, carborundum, aluminum oxide and the like.

Natural and synthetic water stones (here in the states) are a pretty recent phenomenon...Oil and spit being the preferred methods in the past. ;)

(It should be mentioned that the high quality novaculite stones are very hard to come by and expensive by and large.)
 
mdsmith said:
I'm guessing I can post this here even though it's related to knife sharpening. I was looking at some videos and reading articles about different knife sharpening methods and tools, and it got me thinking. There's a ton of gadgets out now, but what was the most common method of sharpening years ago. Was it the oil stone? Just a pocket stone? A water stone? Just curious since most people talk aboput how sharp their fathers and grandfathers knives were. Although I'm no good at freehand sharpening, I imagine that it must be very rewarding.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, the only sharpening stones I ever saw were the old gray pocket stones that were what the local hardware store carried. They had bigger 8 inch and 10 inch bench stones, but mostly to sharpen knife you just used the gray pocket stone. I guess it was either silicone or aluminum oxide. There were no gizmos, gadgets, or whatchamgigs. If you absolutly couldn't sharpen your knife free hand, you went down to the hardware store and had it shapened, and didn't tell anyone. It was kind of a point of pride.

If you didn't have one of the stones around, you just used whatever would do the job. A coffee cup, brick, smooth stone from the creek.

Nowadays, it seems like some people who manufacture sharpening gizmos make it out to be some kind of science, so you'll buy one of their gadgets.

mdsmith, tell me where to meet you, and I'll show you in 15 minutes how to sharpen your pocket knife. Maybe 20 minutes outside. If You don't get it in that time, then I'll buy the lunch, it you learn, they you buy. I know a great place for BBQ! Howaboutit?:D

Carl.
 
Now there's a "win-win" if I ever heard one. :thumbup:
 
jackknife said:
mdsmith, tell me where to meet you, and I'll show you in 15 minutes how to sharpen your pocket knife. Maybe 20 minutes outside. If You don't get it in that time, then I'll buy the lunch, it you learn, they you buy. I know a great place for BBQ! Howaboutit?:D

Carl.
Click to expand...

Alright, you twisted my arm. :) I'll shoot you a PM .
 
Man, go for it! Best BBQ you ever had, and good company :thumbup:.

I have gotten great results freehand with ceramic sharpeners and diamond stones, on regular old steels. The super steels are something else entirely, I think that Scott Gossman has saved my bacon many a time or two on super steels. He's also shown me several different ways to sharpen, using different implements. The trick is, and it's common sense, which isn't so common, that you should never let a knife get dull.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Man, go for it! Best BBQ you ever had, and good company :thumbup:.

I have gotten great results freehand with ceramic sharpeners and diamond stones, on regular old steels. The super steels are something else entirely, I think that Scott Gossman has saved my bacon many a time or two on super steels. He's also shown me several different ways to sharpen, using different implements. The trick is, and it's common sense, which isn't so common, that you should never let a knife get dull.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me. I don't have any problem sharpening on my Sharp Maker, but it almost feels like cheating. There's something cool about being able to put a good servicable edge on your knife freehand....it's almost like bonding with your knife. Not to mention that it would be nice to be able to sharpen on the go using one of those little pocket stones in the leather slip sheaths. I've only tried a handful of times, but without much luck.
 
mdsmith said:
Makes sense to me. I don't have any problem sharpening on my Sharp Maker, but it almost feels like cheating. There's something cool about being able to put a good servicable edge on your knife freehand....it's almost like bonding with your knife. Not to mention that it would be nice to be able to sharpen on the go using one of those little pocket stones in the leather slip sheaths. I've only tried a handful of times, but without much luck.
Click to expand...

By the time I get done with ya, you'll be able to sharpen on any log in the woods.

Carl.
 
kamagong said:
Success!

I finished seasoning my cast iron pan last night. Today was the first test, pork chops. Frying them up was a breeze, these pans really are non-stick if prepped properly. I don't know why it took me so long to try one out.

The clean-up process is a bit of a PITA, but I guess I can accept the trade-off if this experience is any indication. Cast iron cookware isn't the easiest to use, but their effectiveness outweighs the small amount of maintenance required. Plus, it's not like I have to choose between cast iron, stainless, or teflon coated cookware.

- Christian
Click to expand...

I normally just simmer some water in the pan when I'm done, then wipe it out. That's the way I was taught to do it and it seems to work pretty well for me. Of course, our pans are pretty well seasoned.
It seems to me that I've used a drop or two of soap on occasion, but I don't remember if that is correct. Could just be my memory mixing things up.
 
MMM, Cast Iron pans are the best. Boil them out with a bit of water (as described by popedandy above), and dry thoroughly. ;)
-Bruce
 
Though I've never collected them in the past I've always admired the beautiful artistry of the duck decoy and today I had the privilege to add a couple to the artwork enjoyed by my wife and me in our home.

These two examples of black ducks were carved by our own "duckman1", George Strunk and came to us via a trade that George and I agreed upon earlier this week.

George rightfully enjoys a wonderful reputation as an artist of the first order and I thought I'd take the opportunity to share a couple of images of his pieces.

The decoys now in my possession are the large black duck (~ 16" in length) and the "mini" black duck in the foreground of the second image. (The mini is ~ 7" long.)

I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy sharing them with you...Thanks, George. They will be treasured for years to come.

(Firefox users can view the image full size by right clicking and selecting "view image".)

orig.jpg


orig.jpg
 
Beautiful.

Thank you for the share.

There is amazing talent hidden around here.

I enjoyed meeting you, Gus and others at Blade.

Mike H.
 
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