Makin' Bacon!

[Truckman]

You obviously forego the joys of proper cornbread, which can only be baked in well-seasoned cast iron skillets.

So tell me what "season" means......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

So tell me what "season" means......Ben

It is "old" cast iron that has been cleaned properly (NO soap), dried, oiled and put away after each use. The initial "seasoning" is rather rigorous but can be found easily on the internet. Most purveyors of iron skillets claim they are already seasoned---don't believe it.

A properly cared for iron skillet, for all practical purposes is non-stick. I clean mine with only hot water and a brush, then put them back on the stove to heat and dry off, then, while still hot, lightly oil, rubbing it in with a paper towel.

I am sure all of mine are older than I am

[Phillbo]

I wish my house was plumbed for gas. My electric stove top is not compatible with a cast iron skillet. I have to use mine on my grill.

[Truckman]

Hmmm, all that makes it sound like I'd be better off finding a kitchen helper...And as Bo suggested, my stovetop is ceramic with electric heaters under it, so it sounds like I couldn't use cast iron anyway...I'll probably stay with teflon even against IV's warning since I've used them as long as I've been on my own, and I don't seem to be dead from poisoning yet......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

For anyone following this and considering the use of iron skillets, save yourself some time and find used ones that have been properly cared for. Flea markets are prime sources.

I have two "sets", one at home and the other at the cottage. I admit to being highly partial toward them.

One suggestion: many of the newer skillets have a textured inner surface, it almost appears to be "as cast" in sand molds. It seems that might be a negative---mine are ground smooth as a baby's bottom

One other positive---cast iron distributes the heat over the entire surface of the pan very efficiently--thus reducing the chance of hot spots.

I have a gas stove at home and a conventional electric stove at the cottage.

[Truckman]

For anyone following this and considering the use of iron skillets, save yourself some time and find used ones that have been properly cared for.

There's a thought...I remember some being in my Mom's kitchen...I saw to it that her house was titled in my nephew's name as part of settling her estate...He's a better cook than I ever thought of being, but maybe he can be talked out of a skillet that I can try......Ben

[Dave Grubb]

You will be well rewarded

[wacojoe]

Once you get your cast iron skillet and get it seasoned up properly, give my recipe for Southern cornbread a go. It has been cultivated, massaged and tested for decades by my betters before passing down to me. Tastes will differ and some even put sugar in theirs. Some prefer yellow cornmeal or stone ground, which yield a grittier mouth feel. I prefer white cornmeal, which gives a smoother piece perfect for slathering a generous portion of dried beans or black-eyed peas over it.

My wall of cast iron skillets photo is attached.

Corn Bread

No, no, no. You never put sugar in corn bread and you always bake it in an iron skillet. White corn meal is much better too.

My corn bread recipe —

1 1/2 cup white corn meal (must be fine grind WHITE corn meal - Aunt Jemima is perfect)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 extra-large eggs
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 t. baking soda
1T. baking powder
1t. salt
2 T. bacon fat

Mix the dry ingredients throughly, then mix the wet ingredients in stirring as little as possible, but lightly adding the hot bacon fat from a heated 10” cast iron skillet at the end. Pour the mix in the skillet which has been rewarmed to hot (mixture should sizzle when poured in) and bake ~25 minutes in a 450 degree oven checking for light brown color. Remove upside down onto a plate with paper towels and slice in two to let steam escape.

[Independent Voter]

I use my CI on a glass stovetop all the time. Just don't slide or slam and there is no worry.

[Truckman]

I use my CI on a glass stovetop all the time. Just don't slide or slam and there is no worry.

I sent a text to my nephew...If he can part with one for his poor, disadvantaged uncle, I'll try it out......Ben

[Phillbo]

Hmmm, all that makes it sound like I'd be better off finding a kitchen helper

or two....

[Truckman]

I'm sorry to report that cast iron has resulted in another of my dismal failures...I used the same heat setting on the same burner as my other bacon skillets (which are the same size as the cast iron), and wound up with bacon burned to a crisp in the middle and raw on the ends...I washed it out in cold water and paper toweled it dry...I'm going to return it to my nephew and go back to what I know......Ben

[Truckman]

I'm sorry to report that cast iron has resulted in another of my dismal failures...

It seems the failure may be equipment/compatibility related...My nephew noticed the bottom of the pan is slightly convex, and although it works fine on gas stoves and ordinary electric burners, it won't sit flat on my ceramic cooktop...That causes the center of the pan to get hot, and the edges to stay cooler, resulting in my bacon snafu...So I'll try the cast iron in the oven for cornbread and see what happens...

I learn something new every day......Ben

[Mike]

So tell me what "season" means......Ben

Did you already forget the conversation at the dinner table when we discussed my need to clean and re-season my favorite gumbo pot? It was in the flood and is something I have not gotten around to doing yet. I suggested to those in the conversation that seasoning was best done on the outdoors gas grill to avoid stinking up the house.

How to Season Cast Iron

[Truckman]

Did you already forget the conversation at the dinner table when we discussed my need to clean and re-season my favorite gumbo pot?

I may have been momentarily distracted by something shiny, and missed an important lesson...I'll try to pay better attention next time even though my concentration sometimes wanders in other directions......

But I will read up on your links and try to improve my ejoomication......Ben