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Cast Iron Eggs

Rotte

Rotte

Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
3,214
Silenthunter started a thread about cast iron cookware and it seems that we have quite a few heavy metal fans here. I love the cast iron myself, but...

I can't cook eggs in cast iron.


The eggs always stick. I do better with fried eggs, but even these end up sticking often. Do you guys have any tips for cooking eggs in cast iron?

My ironware is seasoned (at least I think so). I never use soap to wash it--usually just boil up some water and wipe clean. Re-heat and re-oil when hot and dry. I use plenty of oil or grease in the pan.

How do you all do it?
 
I use bacon grease :D

Seriously though; my older, well used pans don't really stick too bad. When the seasoning wears off, the food sticks more , thats for sure. Sometimes a little shot of water just before you slide the spatula under the egg helps.
 
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I never have a problem with eggs that are just dropped in the pan and cooked as they are, just a little oil( Fried eggs I guess but hardly any oil needed). If I try and do scrambled eggs that's a whole different ball game however and sticks every time !
To wash my pan after cooking sausage etc I just run the hot water tap till it's hot then give the pan a quick scrub under that, I never use any washing up liquid.
 
heat the pan up on MED for about 10 minutes, THEN add your butter or oil. Evenly coat the pan wait a second or two then add your eggs. As for scrambled eggs, do NOT use milk in the mix, use water (same for ommelttes)
 
I use cast iron a lot and have most of my life and my scrambled eggs still stick a little...mainly on the sides...but I use milk in mine at home so I know that contributes to the sticking.
 
I use my cast iron almost exculsively when cooking in the kitchen or camping, but there are some things you just can't cook in cast iron or are difficult to. But the process I use that has always seemed to work for me is when i'm done cooking whatever, if anything has stuck i scrape it out, then i let the pan heat up whatever is left in it until it is hot hot, not burning but almost them I soak part of a rag with water and "steam clean" out the pan until everything is gone. I pour some oil in it about 2 to 3 tablespoons, spread this all around the skillet then spread it around more evenly with paper towel all the while soaking it up then i let it cool.
 
If I use them for eggs, I like bacon grease. My doctor says eat lots of bacon grease.;);)
 
if you have a newer pan, i recomend sanding the crap out of the inside with wet and dry sandpaper. The goal is to have as SMOOOOOOOTH of a surface as possible. Power tools are your friend.......

get it smooth, clean it well, THEN season it.
 
I use regular canola oil without any problems. At first the pan may have problems with the eggs sticking, but after some use and seasoning, it works really well. Never wash it with soap after it has been seasoned, just wipe it out with a paper towel. Soap ruins the seasoning and you start all over again.
 
Rotte said:
Silenthunter started a thread about cast iron cookware and it seems that we have quite a few heavy metal fans here. I love the cast iron myself, but...

I can't cook eggs in cast iron.


The eggs always stick. I do better with fried eggs, but even these end up sticking often. Do you guys have any tips for cooking eggs in cast iron?

My ironware is seasoned (at least I think so). I never use soap to wash it--usually just boil up some water and wipe clean. Re-heat and re-oil when hot and dry. I use plenty of oil or grease in the pan.

How do you all do it?
Click to expand...

About cooking the eggs, I make scrambled a couple times a week in my cast iron. To keep mine from sticking, I put in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, or bacon grease depending how clogged I want my arteries and I let that heat up just enough until I see a slight hint of smoke and I throw the eggs in all scrambled up and I use a METAL spatula to keep them constantly moving. Since the pan is so hot it cooks them almost instantly. I cook about 6 eggs that way and they are done in about 2 mins. This is all done in a 12" skillet.
 
I have not tried this yet, But I read that taking a piece of raw potato and thorouhly rubbing/coating the iron is supposed to work. Sounds odd, but you never know.
 
Bushman5,

I have one cast iron pan that is polished really smooth but the folks at Lodge told me not to do that. They say that in their test kitchens they have found that the rougher surface holds small amounts of oil in the pores better and sticks less. I'm not sure I can personally tell the difference.

DancesWithKnives
 
and so the debate rages on.....:D:D grandmas cast iron is glass smooth and you can slide an omelet out with zero residue left, and my well seasoned Lodge's still cant slide out an omelette's like grandmas pans....lol

I see Lodges point, yes the rough texture DOES hold more oil......BUT a pan thats well seasoned and well used doesn;t need "micro texture' to hold oil.........
 
I don't know the answer but Lodge said they do a heck of a lot of testing and I thought I'd pass along what they told me. I might be willing to do the polishing work on more of my cast iron if I were sure it would make a significant difference, but their advice to do nothing appealed to the lazy bastid in me!:D

Whatever works for each owner.;)

DancesWithKnives
 
Don't you blokes know anything? NEVER argue with Granma.
My cast Iron ware (My Dutch oven is 22yrs old) is well seasoned and pretty smooth, I must admit I don't regularly do scrambled eggs but will try it in the next couple days.
Carl
 
lambertiana said:
I use regular canola oil without any problems. At first the pan may have problems with the eggs sticking, but after some use and seasoning, it works really well. Never wash it with soap after it has been seasoned, just wipe it out with a paper towel. Soap ruins the seasoning and you start all over again.
Click to expand...

Just a quick comment on the canola oil. Check out the health issues with rapeseed oil. Doesn't seem too good for you. I always use cast iron. I like the old Wagner or Griswold, they are nice and smooth. I spray Pam or use bacon grease in a warmed skillet. Yes the eggs still stick. When I am done cooking I use hot water in the hot skillet and place it back on the stove to simmer. The egg layer gets nice and soft and comes right out after using a brush on it. No soap is ever used. Then back to the stove to heat up and a dob of grease smoothed around with a paper towel. Clean and slick for the next time.
 
It may help if the pan and grease are hot before you add the eggs and yes it should be bacon grease.
 
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