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Another entry in the Cast Iron market: Marquette Castings startup

donk79

By donk79
in Kitchen Consumer

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donk79

donk79

Posted
Posted (edited)

Ran across this today.  Since Egullet seems to be my best source on cast iron information, I am curious about your thoughts.  The first thing that I think when I hear someone bragging about thin cast iron is "What's the point of that?"  My understanding is that cast iron conducts heat poorly, and that its primary advantage is its thermal mass. At least that is how I use it.  Is this something that would interest you?  Is there something that I am missing here?

Edited by Smithy
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Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted (edited)

Not much information on the interior surface prior to seasoning. I would be hard pressed to spend my shekels without more, much more information.

Edited by Porthos (log)

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

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Lisa Shock

Lisa Shock

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, donk79 said:

Ran across this today.  Since Egullet seems to be my best source on cast iron information, I am curious about your thoughts.  The first thing that I think when I hear someone bragging about thin cast iron is "What's the point of that?"  My understanding is that cast iron conducts heat poorly, and that its primary advantage is its thermal mass. At least that is how I use it.  Is this something that would interest you?  Is there something that I am missing here?

 

 

Well, some of us recall a time before Teflon. The older style cast iron has a much smoother surface than modern cast iron, and was very non-stick. I have a small pan that is over a hundred years old that I can make eggs beautifully in. Lighter weight means that it's easier to flip food in a saute pan and easier to carry a full dutch oven from the stove to the table. It also means you can store more of it in less space and not stress your shelves as much. I like my old cast iron and would consider new pans, if, like that other crowdfunded cast iron project, they promised a glassy interior surface. I have one Teflon pan left in the house and I'd like to be able to get rid of it.

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btbyrd

btbyrd

Posted
Posted

This pan is overpriced and underwhelming. Making a cast iron pan lighter doesn't do anything for it and actually makes its performance worse (since the main advantage of cast iron is its mass). 

Just buy a carbon steel pan. Lighter than cast iron, smooth interior surface, excellent non-stick properties, and has the gently rounded sloping sides of a saute pan (rather than the almost straight sides of cast iron). Oh, and they're (generally) much cheaper than this lightweight cast iron pan is. 

 

 

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Anna N

Anna N

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@btbyrd

 

thanks for sharing this.  I own a carbon steel crêpe pan and have a carbon steel skillet on my wish list.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted

Or a full set!? ;)

No potentially irritating rivets: DARTO

 

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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, MSRadell said:

They look interesting, you have any experience with them?

 

No, I have de Buyer Mineral "B" pans

 which are great too.

A lot of folks over at the Chefsteps forum have bought the DARTO pans and are very happy with them.

Edited by DiggingDogFarm (log)
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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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boilsover

boilsover

Posted
Posted

Hi, Donk:

 

  Succeeding making a "better" cast iron pan is a tough row to hoe.  It's an understatement to call it a mature technology, and there's scant room for improvement.  When you add to that the fact that new founders are never going to compete with the likes of Lodge, it's either very foolish business-wise, or a Hail Mary that the indie/artisanal angle will work.

 

  I want to address the thick v thin thing. A thin CI skillet is just fine if your hob is even or for roasting.  The boat anchors sold by another artisanal outfit, Finex, are so thick and heavy, IMO they're like a heavy stationary griddle.  Thick or thin, theyre prone to hot spotting, and adjusting heat is like steering a loaded oil tanker.

 

  If you like artisanal and are open to carbon steel, I reccommend you consider Blu Skillets in Seattle.

 

Cheers

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted (edited)
32 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Dang it.  Just ordered myself an 11 inch de Buyer Mineral B pan.  I want to replace my teflon coated pan with the de Buyer.

I looked at that on Amazon.ca and then poured myself two fingers of Famous Grouse. Just saying.

 

oh wait. I was looking at the black steel. Sorry. 

Edited by Anna N (log)
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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted

I was lucky to get a 3 piece set of deBuyer Mineral "B" pans (8", 10" and 12") for $76 and 'free' shipping a couple years ago.

I also ordered a de Buyer crepe pan at the same time. 

I'd love to have at least one of the de Buyer country style pans.

 

Omurice....he makes it look so darn easy (omelette starts at ~1:14)....

 

~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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chefmd

chefmd

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, boilsover said:

Hi, Donk:

 

  Succeeding making a "better" cast iron pan is a tough row to hoe.  It's an understatement to call it a mature technology, and there's scant room for improvement.  When you add to that the fact that new founders are never going to compete with the likes of Lodge, it's either very foolish business-wise, or a Hail Mary that the indie/artisanal angle will work.

 

  I want to address the thick v thin thing. A thin CI skillet is just fine if your hob is even or for roasting.  The boat anchors sold by another artisanal outfit, Finex, are so thick and heavy, IMO they're like a heavy stationary griddle.  Thick or thin, theyre prone to hot spotting, and adjusting heat is like steering a loaded oil tanker.

 

  If you like artisanal and are open to carbon steel, I reccommend you consider Blu Skillets in Seattle.

 

Cheers

Now I really want Blu skillet!

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gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted
On 11/17/2016 at 4:28 PM, btbyrd said:

This pan is overpriced and underwhelming. Making a cast iron pan lighter doesn't do anything for it and actually makes its performance worse (since the main advantage of cast iron is its mass). 

Just buy a carbon steel pan. Lighter than cast iron, smooth interior surface, excellent non-stick properties, and has the gently rounded sloping sides of a saute pan (rather than the almost straight sides of cast iron). Oh, and they're (generally) much cheaper than this lightweight cast iron pan is. 

 

 

 

I have a couple of the steel pans. Not lightweight, but lighter than CI, and slick enough to slide an egg around on. I hardly use my teflon.

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