JM
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,428
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Post by JM on Feb 28, 2018 10:19:58 GMT -5
Seeking advice on quality, health conscious, Cookware.
Prefer USA manufacture from USA sourced materials.
Iron? Stainless Steel? Copper?
What should I be looking for?
Thank you.
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bones
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142
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Post by bones on Feb 28, 2018 11:07:37 GMT -5
If you're looking for a cast iron skillet...I recommend the Stargazer very highly. It's not the least expensive option for cast iron, but it is very well designed, very well made, comes with a perfectly smooth cooking surface, and will last many lifetimes. Made in PA. www.stargazercastiron.com |
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Post by sixshot on Feb 28, 2018 12:29:37 GMT -5
Lodge has made great cast iron skillets, dutch ovens, griddles, etc for many decades & its very high quality & now comes pre seasoned. Also Camp Chef is making very good cast iron products, I have quite a bit of both including a Camp Chef pellet smoker, gas grill & 4-5 dutch ovens. Comes out of Logan, Utah. Also you can get Porcelain lined dutch ovens that are great for stews, roasts, etc. I have 3 of those plus one of the skillets.
Dick
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Post by magnumwheelman on Feb 28, 2018 16:08:14 GMT -5
it's funny... we've tried most all types of cookware, but breakfast fry pans always end up being old cast iron... & sure MRS has her special non stick skillet for eggs only but most of our pots & pans including the big ones for canning are all stainless... only exceptions are that the frying pans are cast, ( & ours are all antiques & the little egg pan is new non stick
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bones
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142
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Post by bones on Feb 28, 2018 16:40:12 GMT -5
+1 for the usefulness of a good cast iron pan. It's great for breakfast, and for an unbeatable sear on meats and vegatables. And there is a certain satisfaction with getting the surface so perfectly seasoned that your fried eggs literally skate around the pan. Nonstick, without any worries about the safety of a nonstick synthetic coating.
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JM
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,428
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Post by JM on Feb 28, 2018 16:43:46 GMT -5
Trying to pursue a more healthy lifestyle/diet/etc.
Been reading about the horrors of plastic, teflon lining, aluminum cans, blah... blah... blah....
Was thinking of replacing the kitchen cookware with some quality utensils that will last. The only materials that I'm somewhat familiar with is cast iron, stainless & copper.
How do you guys clean & maintain your cast iron? Been reading up on how to season cast iron properly & remember the big iron skillet when I was a kid. It was left on the burner to dry for too long & it cracked.
Thank you.
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bones
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142
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Post by bones on Feb 28, 2018 16:57:11 GMT -5
For cast, I try to avoid soap, but will often hit it with a wet rag/paper towel while it's still warm, letting water evaporate away quickly. Anything too stubborn for that alone, I will hit with a stainless steel "chainmail" scrubber first. Works well, and leaves your seasoning mostly untouched. Then a thin coat of oil before storing away
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Post by squawberryman on Feb 28, 2018 17:32:32 GMT -5
Enameled cast iron + braising equals good
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JM
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,428
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Post by JM on Feb 28, 2018 18:09:34 GMT -5
For cast, I try to avoid soap, but will often hit it with a wet rag/paper towel while it's still warm, letting water evaporate away quickly. Anything too stubborn for that alone, I will hit with a stainless steel "chainmail" scrubber first. Works well, and leaves your seasoning mostly untouched. Then a thin coat of oil before storing away I just saw a few of those stainless Chainmail scrubbers. Are there any that are made in the USA? Haven't been able to verify country of manufacture. |
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bones
.30 Stingray
Posts: 142
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Post by bones on Feb 28, 2018 18:44:25 GMT -5
Not sure if any USA made scrubbers out there. |
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Post by squawberryman on Mar 1, 2018 5:18:20 GMT -5
China's in chainmail, just sayin'
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JM
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,428
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Post by JM on Apr 3, 2018 19:33:29 GMT -5
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Post by sixshot on Apr 4, 2018 2:01:39 GMT -5
Northern Utah is probably the Dutch Oven capitol of the US, there are competitions about every weekend somewhere in the summer & there are many world champions in the area. Quite a few of them use soap from time to time, it's not a problem at all. Many times it isn't necessary but once in a while I'll use soap & so does every one else. At a competition cook everyone will be using charcoal.
Most times we just use hot water & wipe out the Oven, dry it, let it cool & give it a light coating of oil. If I need to season one I'll use Olive oil & put it in the oven for an hour or so at about 400 degrees, drain, cool, wipe out the oven & the lid & store it.
I'm down to 4-5 Camp Chef Ovens & about 6 Lodge Dutch Ovens & skillets. I use to have one of the very rare rectangular ovens by Lodge but I gave it to one of my son's. They haven't made them for years. You could easily put 2 large roasts in there or perhaps 3 chickens.
Don't clean them with any metal scouring pads or you will have to re-season, just wipe them out, cool down & oil the oven & the lid. I also have 2 aluminum Dutch Ovens, works great when packing in with the horses. The smaller Oven has no legs & fits inside of the bigger Oven which does have legs.
Dick
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Post by jgt on Apr 4, 2018 7:59:53 GMT -5
I have a couple of scrapers that look to be made from micarta to scrape things that stick to a not yet seasoned well pan. A little warm water and the scraper removes food particles then warm the pan and put coat of oil on it before putting it away. My favorite is the dutch oven with legs and a handle like a frying pan. These scrapers can be mail ordered or purchased where they sell a line of cast cooking utinsels like Lodge or Camp Chef. They are small hand held 2"X2" size and cost about $1.00.
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Post by sixshot on Apr 4, 2018 12:24:19 GMT -5
Those little scrapers really come in handy if you get some food stuck in the bottom. As mentioned every place that sells cast iron cook ware has them on hand, we keep a couple inside the ovens when we go hunting, camping. Here's a couple of photo's, one shows how you can double stack your ovens if you are cooking more than one item. I've used up to 4 ovens at one time if I'm feeding a lot of people. The chicken will be in the bottom 2 #14 ovens & the taters will be on top because they need to be turned once in a while. Chicken is usually ok once it's been browned. Also, you can see the one oven has very short legs on the lid, it can be turned over & used as a frying pan. Dutch ovens without legs are best used on the stove top or in the kitchen oven. Dutch ovens with legs work best out doors or buried in the ground. Oops, made a boo boo, that first photo isn't a dutch oven, that's when Tank Hoover was here last fall & we were having breakfast!!    Dick |
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