Cast Iron Skillets. You dig them?

[Fritz88]

What's the best way to cook a burger at home, on a gas stove?

I heard that Cast Iron Skillets are the way to go.

Would you agree? Have you tried burgers on them?

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Graystoke

Not scary at all. Once you have a good seasoned layer it is pure simplicity.
I use Olive Oil and nothing else to keep it oily.
Only warm water and a wood scraper to get the tough stuff out.
Lodge is the way I go.

The bonus of Cast Iron is cooking in them is FAT FREE!
A little known fact is Cast Iron absorbs all the bad fats from Bacon and Sausage....thats what Dad told me and I am stickin to it

Smart dad!

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

For seasoning, I still haven't done this, but according to Cook's Illustrated, this is the ultimate way to season a cast iron pan. It'll take some time, but you'll be rewarded.

From a recent edition of Cooks Illustrated (please pardon any typos - I had to re-type it from the magazine):

trip out.....my cast irons are seasoned the old fashioned way.....I may have to try this...thanks for posting..

would flax seed have any different flavor or odor than veg oil?

[Johnny Vegas]

can I season with just bacon? cook the bacon wipe and repeat?

[mlyonsd]

For burgers, first sprinkle salt in the skillet, the heat until it is searing hot before adding the meat. Supposed to keep the meat from sticking. That's the way I do it anyway.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vegas

can I season with just bacon? cook the bacon wipe and repeat?

My grandfather always popped popcorn using bacon grease and a black iron skillet. It's actually pretty good.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vegas

can I season with just bacon? cook the bacon wipe and repeat?

yep. pretty much what I have done with mine, and I am satisfied.....although the flaxseed method above supposedly gets you better results (less spotting and rusting apparently, although I dont get much with bacon/veg oil)

[Johnny Vegas]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

My grandfather always popped popcorn using bacon grease and a black iron skillet. It's actually pretty good.

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

yep. pretty much what I have done with mine, and I am satisfied.....although the flaxseed method above supposedly gets you better results (less spotting and rusting apparently, although I dont get much with bacon/veg oil)

awesome!

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

For burgers, first sprinkle salt in the skillet, the heat until it is searing hot before adding the meat. Supposed to keep the meat from sticking. That's the way I do it anyway.

If it's sticking, your pan either isn't seasoned very well, or you're trying to flip it too soon.

[WV]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

If it's sticking, your pan either isn't seasoned very well, or you're trying to flip it too soon.

Important tip....this is key to frying floured Deer loin.

[tooge]

Originally Posted by Fritz88

What brand is it? It looks great.

I'm not even sure of the brand. I bought that at a garage sale prbably 20 years ago. It was my camp skillet, then got moved to the kitchen when my parents gave me a "set" of cast iron stuff. If you season them well, deglaze them after use, scrub with a plastic cleaner, dry, and re oil after each use, yours will look just like mine in a year or so. It is basically non stick now. I think the biggest keys are to deglaze with water after use, and re oiling every time.

[Ultra Peanut]

CAAAAAAST IIIIIIIIIIRON

There is no better feeling than re-seasoning.

[Fritz88]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Not really. Le Creuset are the top of the line, but I've never seen or heard anyone who owns 'em say they were worth the extra money you spend. Most of my cast iron is Lodge.

Personally, I'd skip the griddle and go with a 10- or 12-inch skillet. Everything tastes better in cast iron, and you'll limit what you can do with just a griddle.

So I have the option of grabbing a 10 inch Staub cast iron skillet , griddled or order online a 10 inch Lodge, not griddled .

What do you recommend? I will end up paying the same price for either one, considering shipping costs.

I mainly plan on using it on burgers, searing steaks and grilling Fish. Will I regret my decision if I go with Staub?

Here it is

[blaise]

Not to hijack the thread, but since it's a cooking thread- I got some gift certificates to Williams Sonoma recently and I'm considering a nice quality knife and sharpener. Up to now I've always used just the stuff you get at Target, etc.
Does anyone have an opinion on brand, style, etc? (I was looking at Shun, Wusthof and Global) Are these knives worth it?

[Frosty]

I don't really like using vegetable oil to season the pan as the surface can get gummy after a while. We use tallow to season ours. A saturated fat won't oxidize or go rancid like a polyunsaturated will.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by blaise

Not to hijack the thread, but since it's a cooking thread- I got some gift certificates to Williams Sonoma recently and I'm considering a nice quality knife and sharpener. Up to now I've always used just the stuff you get at Target, etc.
Does anyone have an opinion on brand, style, etc? (I was looking at Shun, Wusthof and Global) Are these knives worth it?

Standby on that. The most recent Cook's Illustrated reviewed knife sets. I'll get it and give you the rundown.