Cast Iron Revsited

Eureka!  My Lord I found it!  I walked into Goodwill and it was there right in front of my eyes - a 22 year old with a lot of potential.  It was a Wagner Cast Iron 11.75 inch cast iron skillet - rusty, encrusted with goop, and only $10.00.  What makes this relic better than the new Lodge Cast Iron cookware I already own?  Simple, the largest pan I have is only 10 inches - have been lookin' for a 12 inch pan for a while now.  More importantly, the old cast iron had a cooking surface that was machined smooth as a baby's bottom.  The new stuff from China is made with some suspiciously flawed iron - the cooking surface is rough and pitted. The American made Lodge Cast Iron uses a finer metal and is not quite so rough but no where near as polished as the old stuff. While possible to season a new pan so it is non-stick, the smooth slick old pans are better than the best high tech stainless steel pans out there today. Stay with me and I will prove it to you in high definition video splendor... read on.

Worth It?  If you happen to run across an old cast iron skillet carefully check out the details; the brand-mark is found on the bottom of most pans.  If you come across a skillet made by "Gibson," run directly to your computer and do some Google research.  You just may have more than a good pan... you likely have a valuable pan.  If you could care less and don't want it... call me immediately.

Bringing It Back.  This posting very simply proves one thing - with very little effort you can take an old relic and bring it back to life... short, sweet, and to the point.  For less than ten bucks I created a pan that rivals the best All Clad has to offer at $295.00 for a single pan.  If you find some cast iron in Granny's cellar, bring it into the light, dust it off, and follow these steps...

• The beginning is a real mess - rusted and encrusted - don't despair.  Begin the process by taking a stiff brush and dislodge as much of the rust and caked on goobers as possible.

• Next Step... take it to your sink and wash out the pan with regular dish-washing liquid soap - this should be the last time your pan ever comes in contact with soap.  Now the fun begins... get some sandpaper designed for sanding metal, apply some elbow grease, and scour out all of the tough stuff.  This may take some time and, ladies, forget about your nails on this job.  Finish it off with some "Barkeeper's Friend" scouring powder.  Wash, rinse, and dry.

• Now it gets pretty slick (pun intended).  Get some good old veggie oil and, using paper towels, coat the pan really well inside and out.  Wipe it, polish it, and reapply the oil. Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Take it out and oil it again - slip it back in for another 30 minutes.  Be warned... you will smoke up your house so open a window and turn on your kitchen fan. When the hour is up, take out your revived skillet and wipe it clean with dry paper towels; then apply a light coating of butter on the cooking surface and place the skillet back in the warm oven - leave over night.  Wipe it out the next morning and if the spirit moves yah, fry an egg.  You now have a last-a-lifetime non-stick pan... enjoy!

Scoff If You Will... It Really is Non-Stick!

Postscripts.  
Some pans just cannot be returned to splendor without some extra-ordinary work.  If you run into one of these... hit the Internet to take it to the next level.  Some recommend electric drills with wire brushes or an extended soak in a bath of water and Lye... be careful.

Sink damage warning.... if you have an aluminum or ceramic kitchen sink, your pan revitalization project may take a toll.  Use an old dish towel in your sink to provide some protection against scratches and dents/dings.

If Only... this would be my last mention of Cast Iron cookware.
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The "If Only" Blog Tidbits:  

• Except for stainless steel, the pans you cook with sloth off microscopic bits of the metal they are made from... as it gets absorbed into your system, copper and aluminum will negatively impact your health... cast iron won't.  Use it and you will never have to worry again about iron deficiency again.
• Do you salt and pepper your food while cooking?  With cast iron you might try putting some salt and pepper on top of the oil in the pan before you insert your food - this enhances the non-stick feature of the pan.
• Rumor has it that you cannot cook high acid tomato-based foods in cast iron as it will eat away the iron.  That would only be true in an unseasoned piece of cookware.  The seasoning you work so diligently to achieve provides that layer of protection that keeps the tomatoes and the metal playing nice-nice with each other.

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