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?

[A8bil]

They're the best, and I think with the trend toward banning gas stoves, cast iron will become more popular. They can be heated on electric and give food that nice browning that you can't get from non-stick or other surface. By stock in Lodge.

[TRR]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I was poor when I said this.

I'm less poor now.

I want this:

https://smitheyironware.com/product/...-iron-skillet/



Sure, it's a $200 skillet but it will outlast my entire family line, I'm betting. Hand ground and polished; looks amazing.

Anyone ever hear anything on these Smithey Ironworks skillets?

I have four different Smithey’s and absolutely love them. You won’t regret the purchase. Took a little vacation to Charleston several months ago and popped into their facility. Truly a work of art…great people!

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by A8bil

They're the best, and I think with the trend toward banning gas stoves, cast iron will become more popular. They can be heated on electric and give food that nice browning that you can't get from non-stick or other surface. By stock in Lodge.

So I think even after gas line hookups disappear for stoves and furnaces, propane tanks will be around for gas grills for a long time.

I've taken to using my cast iron skillet on my gas grill.

A few years ago I was going through burger recipes on the Serious Eats site and got interested in Kenji's "Best Burger" recipe.

Food lab:

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-burg...e-man-or-woman

Recipe:

https://www.seriouseats.com/ultra-crispy-burgers-recipe

But this part concerned me:

Heat vegetable oil in heavy-bottomed 8-inch sauté pan over high heat until smoking. Carefully transfer patty to skillet and cook without moving until dark crust forms, about 2 1/2 minutes (open your window, disarm your fire alarm, and be prepared for splatters).


Which is when I got the idea that maybe I would put the skillet on the gas grill outside and not make a mess of my kitchen. I used a IR thermometer gun to figure out how hot the skillet was.

It was so easy and worked so well, any time that I'm going to cook something that is likely to splatter, I use the outdoor grill with my cast iron skillet.

I didn't use Kenji's recipe directly. I will say that grinding your own meat for a burger, where you mix in something like sirloin, brisket and then something fatty (I used pork belly instead of ox tail) makes for an amazing burger that you aren't going to find in a typical restaurant (I'm sure you can buy a $50 custom ground multi-meat burger somewhere).

There's nothing complicated about it if you have stand mixer but cleaning the stand mixer up afterward is tedious. I make a batch up and vacuum seal freeze some of the patties for later.

[A8bil]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

So I think even after gas line hookups disappear for stoves and furnaces, propane tanks will be around for gas grills for a long time.

I've taken to using my cast iron skillet on my gas grill.

A few years ago I was going through burger recipes on the Serious Eats site and got interested in Kenji's "Best Burger" recipe.

Food lab:

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-burg...e-man-or-woman

Recipe:

https://www.seriouseats.com/ultra-crispy-burgers-recipe

But this part concerned me:

Heat vegetable oil in heavy-bottomed 8-inch sauté pan over high heat until smoking. Carefully transfer patty to skillet and cook without moving until dark crust forms, about 2 1/2 minutes (open your window, disarm your fire alarm, and be prepared for splatters).


Which is when I got the idea that maybe I would put the skillet on the gas grill outside and not make a mess of my kitchen. I used a IR thermometer gun to figure out how hot the skillet was.

It was so easy and worked so well, any time that I'm going to cook something that is likely to splatter, I use the outdoor grill with my cast iron skillet.

I didn't use Kenji's recipe directly. I will say that grinding your own meat for a burger, where you mix in something like sirloin, brisket and then something fatty (I used pork belly instead of ox tail) makes for an amazing burger that you aren't going to find in a typical restaurant (I'm sure you can buy a $50 custom ground multi-meat burger somewhere).

There's nothing complicated about it if you have stand mixer but cleaning the stand mixer up afterward is tedious. I make a batch up and vacuum seal freeze some of the patties for later.

You may be right but in some parts of the country all new homes are built gasless. Lots of kitchens in apartments, condos, townhouses don't have the ability to use a propane grill.

Like you, I cook a lot on the side burner or my grill for the exact same reason as you. On the ground meat front, lately I've been buying Wagyu on occasion, and I trim the extra fat because the meat itself is laced with fat. Then I used the fat trimmings for ground beef or to cook in. Excellent. I like the pork fat in the burger ideal. My SO's meatballs with half beef, half pork are my favorites.

[Stewie]

I love my cast iron. Old Lodge, new Lodge, Ozark Trail. All stellar when treated right.