TDG: Regarding Lodge's Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron

[tommy]

yeah, i saw frontier house. brilliant stuff.

but i thought you put ice cubes in so that the condensation during slow cooking builds up on the inside of the lid and falls back down, effectively basting the meat/whatever as it cooks. and i think i got that idea from egullet!

[Stone]

Tommy -- that's what the nubbies on the underside of the lid are for. Instead of the condensation running down the inside of the lid to pool up on the side, it drips off the nubbies. (I think you probably know this already, though.)

Nubbies on the underside of the lid to my 5 quart dutch oven:

(Probably should have gotten an angle view.)

Edited March 3, 2003 by Stone (log)

[gknl]

Yeah, I've always wanted one of those big dutch ovens, with the feet for resting in the campfire and the sunken lid for coals.  Then I realized that I live in a city, drive a German car, push a button to turn on my stove, and buy meat in foam trays and plastic wrap.

I thought you said SF wasn't a real city. And since you have a car, you're not far from places where you can have campfires. The weather's starting to get good too.

[Stone]

There are scary animals out there.

[gknl]

So if we do an egullet nature walk picnic thingie, you won't come?

[Jim Dixon]

Stone,

It's okay to use a little detergent on cast iron. I have about a dozen Griswold skillets (and a couple of Dutch ovens) that I use every day. If you have a lot of grease or oil detergent is really the only way to get the pan clean, and it won't strip the seasoning if you don't scrub it too hard (and you have to scrub really hard). Seasoning a cast iron pan is an ongoing process, not a one-shot deal. Some foods are harder on the seasoning, and it's not uncommon to need to apply a little more oil every now and then.

The Dutch ovens with legs and rimmed lids are usually called chuck wagon models. I think Lodge makes a cast aluminum model that's popular with boaters. We baked bread and all kinds of desserts in the bottom of the Grand Canyon with one. You need to keep the fire going so you can rake fresh coals out to replenish the ones that burn out while you're baking. My neighbor recently moved to a retirement community and gave me a Griswold #10 chuck wagon oven that looks like it's never been used. I'm not going to wait for a camping trip, but try it out in the back yard.

I actually went to a meeting of the West Coast Griswold and Cast Iron Cookware Association here in Portland last week. Members are more collectors than cooks, but they had some great cast iron. Here's information about cleaning cast iron. There's also info about dealing with rust on the same page, and the site has various pieces for sale so you can see how much those old skillets are worth.

Jim

[tommy]

yeah, i saw frontier house.  brilliant stuff.

but i thought you put ice cubes in so that the condensation during slow cooking builds up on the inside of the lid and falls back down, effectively basting the meat/whatever as it cooks.  and i think i got that idea from egullet! 

ok, i'm *not* crazy.

in this thread, fat guy says:

...the Doufeu Oven, which has integrated handles and a nice oval shape. It also has an interesting lid design that is meant to accept ice cubes, which purportedly helps develop good pan juices.

did i misread this?

Edited March 11, 2003 by tommy (log)

[mamster]

The only one I'd consider is the Ma Po Doufeu oven.

[Suzanne F]

Hey, Fat Guy is right: you ARE funny!

[Richard Kilgore]

Tommy - The Doufeu is designed to put ice cubes in the top. It is enameled and designed for stove top and oven use. The Lodge camping Dutch Ovens are plain cast iron and designed with lids that will hold coals for heating on top (as well as bottom). The lids are designed so that you can lift the lid without the coals falling into the food. The nobbies allow condensation to drip all over the food instead of down the sides on the Lodges.

I have two 5 qt and one 7 qt stove top/oven Lodges and a 7 qt camping Lodge. All work well within their limitations.

[tommy]

richard, thanks for the clarification. although both of the lids seem similar.

[Stone]

Tommy - The Doufeu is designed to put ice cubes in the top.

Don't they melt like really fast?

[tommy]

Tommy - The Doufeu is designed to put ice cubes in the top.

Don't they melt like really fast?

le creuset say:

Water lid : As soon as cooking begins this should be filled with cold water or ice cubes. 375 ml (3/4 pt), or approximately 24 ice cubes wil last for approximately 4 hours over a low heat. Replenish the lid with warm water if it should become dry.

poke around here.

Edited March 11, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Stone]

This month's Cooks Illustrated has an article about the new Lodge pans. Concludes that the pre-seasoned pans are better than a new self-seasoned one, but neither beat a 60 year old lovingly seasoned veteran.

[Dave the Cook]

This month's Cooks Illustrated has an article about the new Lodge pans.  Concludes that the pre-seasoned pans are better than a new self-seasoned one, but neither beat a 60 year old lovingly seasoned veteran.

See? I knew those guys were smart.

[MatthewB]

Belatedly: Great article, Dave!

(I didn't know it was around until today.)

[fifi]

As to the ice in the lid routine... Go to the previous thread that Tommy linked to in one of his posts. (I don't know how to do that yet.) On the second page of that thread, I reported on a highly scientific, perfectly controlled experiment.

I did it in the oven. I never did see anywhere, here or in the LeCreuset site, if they mean to do this in the oven or on the stovetop. Maybe I missed something.

[Suzanne F]

I'm so glad Stone brought this thread back up, because I have a question.

Last night, I accidentally left my 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet (NOT pre-seasoned, but pretty well seasoned by now) empty on an almost-high flame for about 15 to 20 minutes (I was drying it after using and giving a light rinse, and forgot about it ). It never got to the point of glowing red. I let it cool down on its own.

Now, the interior looks fine; the bottom has a few scratchy-looking crackles. My question: should I be worried about it falling apart the next time I use it? Or should I just consider that the seasoning has been well-fired, like ceramic? Or something else entirely? I probably won't need to use it again for a week or so.

[pjs]

Suzanne, I'm not sure of exactly what you're describing but I'll assume you now have small cracks in the seasoning in the bottom of the pan's interior. I'd attribute this to the pan's metal and the seasoning expanding at dissimilar rates under the extreme heat. At least that's my best half-assed guess. I wouldn't worry about it.

PJ

[Suzanne F]

No, actually I meant the cracks are in the seasoning on the exterior, but your explanation sounds quite reasonable in any case. And I won't worry about it.

[Suvir Saran]

Has anyone used their deep fryers? How are they? They look great. I was going to get one. Actually I will get one, but wanted to hear any feedback from our membership about this item.

Lodge Logic Deep Fry Kit

[Suvir Saran]

I wanted to add that I love Lodge cast iron ware and it amazes me to see that they have kept their stuff so reasonable. The prices are unbelievable. I also love the idea that by buying from them, one is supporting a local company. I have seen some cheaper knock offs made in other countries. They do not have the same quality I am afraid.

[tommy]

I wanted to add that I love Lodge cast iron ware and it amazes me to see that they have kept their stuff so reasonable. The prices are unbelievable.

me too. i've always said that they could charge double what they do and i wouldn't think twice about buying them. i'd imagine a lot of others would feel the same.

[mamster]

It seems like there would be no advantage to the pre-seasoned cast iron for the deep-fryer, so you'd be better off saving a few bucks and getting the regular. It'll season up nicely while you fry. I tend to deep-fry in a wok, though.

[Suvir Saran]

It seems like there would be no advantage to the pre-seasoned cast iron for the deep-fryer, so you'd be better off saving a few bucks and getting the regular. It'll season up nicely while you fry. I tend to deep-fry in a wok, though.

Matthew, in India we only deep fry in Woks. I have no fewer than a dozen woks of all shapes and kinds. Happy to know someone else uses woks for deep frying.

I am buying this one to test for my recipes. I feel it is more familiar to Americans, and Lodge does great stuff, if the fryer works with my recipes, it would be a great alternative to the karahi (Indian wok) for deep frying.

And yes, it hardly matters to get the Lodge Logic, but for a few extra bucks, it is worth getting the Lodge Logic fryer.

I am happy giving the company a few extra bucks. They have great product and at such an affordable price.

Lodge has given me and my friends and family much, much pleasure over the years. The Tarte Tatin's and the Corn Breads I bake using Lodge Cast Iron, get me far too many compliments and the least I feel I can do for Lodge is to spend a couple of extra dollars on their product. As it is, they last so well, that one hardly has to worry about buying them every few years.