RATS for food prep

I don't even like chili and those pics have me craving it.
 
I just had breakfast, and still would like some of that chili.
I used the Izula for preparing a salad. It cuts great, but it is a bit difficult to cut as fine as I do with my kitchen knife (the spine with of which is just one mm, which makes cutting finer slices easier).

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RAT-Pack #28
 
jnich67 said:
Nice post. I'm surprised the RC 6 wasn't more useful as it's closer to the size of a regular chef's knife. :confused:

Jordan
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yeah it is the length of a kitchen knife, but it's thicker and heavier. I'm not an amazon woman. so that knife is kind of heavy for me to use for fine cutting. got small hands. might work for you but for me personally it's not ideal.

TheGame- hurry we leave for camping tomorrow at 1. if you make it time you'll get this for dinner saturday:

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stuffed peppers.....mmmmmmm
 
In case you never tried it, I always liked making chili with black beans better than kidney beans.

Now them stuffed peppers. . .one of my favorites.
 
My Dear Friends,

Very nicely done! I will probably be using my RATs for a lot of prep this summer while camping - what are your thoughts on trying the Izula for foor prep? I realize that blade length might be an issue, but it might allow really great control during cutting, and the thinner blade would be ideal.

You have inspired me - I need to dredge out the Dutch Oven, as I haven't used it in years. I LOVE cast iron cooking!

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Hannibal
 
I've always heard that you should season the cast iron pots before use. All of the ones I've ever used have been pre seasoned. How do you season them properly?
 
My Dear Friend,

johnspark said:
I've always heard that you should season the cast iron pots before use. All of the ones I've ever used have been pre seasoned. How do you season them properly?
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This one I have a lot of experience with. :D

Short form - wipe all surfaces with food-grade oil and place inverted into a 350 - 400 degree over for about an hour (place a baking sheet under it to catch anything that drips). Turn the oven off and let the cookware cool slowly. When completely cool to the touch remove from oven, wipe off with a clean cloth, and store.

This should be your best source of information:
http://www.lodgemfg.com/use-care-seasoned-cast-iron.asp

Here's Lodge's FAQ - great info here:
http://www.lodgemfg.com/use-care-help.asp

BTW - if you haven't figured this one out do not EVER use soap on cast iron - it removes the seasoning and will allow rust to start. Heat water to boiling in it and that will normally loosen everything up nicely.

One more aside - if your cast iron rusts it is not ruined - quite the contrary (I pick up these rusted relics at flea markets all of the time for a couple of bucks) - use carbonated soda (Coca-Cola is particularly good, especially since I think that it tastes like malted battery acid and is unfit for human consumption) and a green scrubbing pad to remove the surface rust, and then reseason the cookware. Good as new.

One last thing - I have been told that it is a bad idea to cook both spicy and sweet foods (desserts, etc) in the same pan, even after a thorough cleaning - allegedly some of the flavors are retained in the seasoning in the pores of the pan. I have never noticed it, but thought I should try to be complete in providing information.


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Hannibal
 
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Thanks for the info! I printed this out and will work on it this weekend! MMMMM can't wait. :D
 
My Dear Friend,

johnspark said:
Thanks for the info! I printed this out and will work on it this weekend! MMMMM can't wait. :D
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A couple of things that bear mentioning:

Several thin coats applied over a period of time is much healthier for your cookware than one thick coat.

The more you use it the better it will perform.

Aggressive scrubbing will also thin the seasoning layer - the whole point is to build up the carbon/seasoning layer, making the cookware naturally non-stick. Copper scrubbers are my first choice for cleaning, and green 3M pads come in a close second. Avoid things like steel wool. 99%+ of the time boiling water in the pot will be enough to loosen everything up.

Rule of thumb - scrub no harder than necessary and monitor closely to prevent scouring off the protective layer.

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Hannibal
 
I use rock or even kosher salt and a paper towel to scrub my cast iron. Then add a light coat of oil before storing.

jordan
 
My Dear Friend,

jnich67 said:
I use rock or even kosher salt and a paper towel to scrub my cast iron. Then add a light coat of oil before storing.

jordan
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+1 :D

I have used that technique in the past and it admittedly works quite well; I opted not to mention it initially due to my concern that the salt might increase the potential for rusting if not completely and thoroughly rinsed away. I still prefer the boiling water technique - I have always had really good results with it with no rust worries.

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Hannibal
 
Those ribs look really good. (well everything does but I'm a sucker for ribs). Thanks for posting the comparison shots.
 
i use mine a lot. 4/5 nights a week. my mother in law was actually joking yesterday saying ever since i started cooking meals at home in the dutch oven we eat dinner late.

personally i think the food tastes better and it cooks like a crock pot does when the meat is real tender but doesn't take nearly the amount of time a crock pot does.

i make:
Chicken pot pie
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whole chickens
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pot roast
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TTD- i could bring it and cook. not a prob. would be cheaper then going out. let me know so i know what to pack.
 
Carolina River Rat said:
You gotta stop posting food pics, Mrs. Shotgunner. Keep it up and I'll be showing up on your doorstep.
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well lucky for me i'm gonna be going out of town tomorrow! :p

j/k but in all seriousness if anyones ever in the area pm the mr or I and we'll have you for dinner.

Hannibal- the mr just got a new izula yesterday. let me let him have it for a few days before i steal it. i mean borrow it. maybe around camp this weekend i'll use it.
 
Wow, reading a post like this right before lunch is dangerous. I nearly drooled all over my keyboard!
Thanks for all the great pics Mrs. S, my girlfriend (who is also a member of BFC, a fledgling KnifeKnut, AND an Izula driver) just got a new Dutch oven. I see LOTS of good eats in the very near future.

Richard
 
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