The Arsenal

[OldBaldy1701E]

I apologize for this, but I had to share this photo with someone. I was re-arranging our cast iron when I decided to make a quick photo of what we have here. I prefer it for all uses. There are those who just cannot handle cast iron. That is a bit sad, but I always hope they find what they need. As for myself... with this arsenal, all I need is a good fire.

[beveeheart]

1. I love cast iron, but the pieces I use the most have gotten

too heavy for me.
You have a great collection of pans.

[OldBaldy1701E]

8. I am very concerned about that very thing.

The Dutch oven is not too bad to handle because the weight is centered around your hand via the handle. Now, the 12" frying pan is getting a bit tough for me to handle on occasion. (It will be even harder once I go in for the repair surgery on my shoulder to fix the damage I did by slipping and falling on ice and re-injuring the shoulder with the fall. I guess I will always wear a sling or a brace the way things are going.)

[irisblue]

2. That is a cool photo

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. Thanks. I really do like my cast iron, so going all 'pageantry' with them just once is fun. (n/t)

[quaint]

3. "There are those who just cannot handle cast iron."

That would be me. Two hands for the griddle and the frying pan has permanent residence on the floor of my pantry.

[Paper Roses]

4. I was brought up with parents and grandparents who used Cast Iron.

I guess I caught the bug. I have bought as much as I could find at a reasonable price through the years. I never thought that CI would be such a "thing". I bought them to clean up and give as gifts.

Both of my children have a bunch of CI that I gave them over time. They use it all the time.
The prices now are through the roof so, I guess if luck into a piece at a sale that is reasonable, I'll still buy any that we don't have.

Best pans ever. Easy to clean if you know how. Don't be intimated. Most old CI pans can be cleaned up without too much work. If anyone wants to know, I'll be glad to post the easiest way. You don't need to use electrolysis unless you have a real bad situation.
I use mine for both stove top and oven. Yes they are heavy but you learn how to handle the big pans.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. Some of the pieces I got from thrift stores.

Most cast iron in the thrift store are pretty far gone, but every once in a while I find a few that are either unused or barely used and not taken care of (those are fixable). Now, I have had to open every window and door while I am re-treating those, but the smoke clears out and then... BOOM... nice addition to the arsenal.

[Paper Roses]

12. Can I give you and other a suggestion re: cleaning CI pans?

I found out about this method from a group on line called "Cast Iron Mafia"

This works! Use Easy Off (yellow cap only). Spray pan and put it into a plastic bag and let sit. Check in a hour or 2, spray again if dry and give it a little more time. Remove pan from bag and rinse. Repeat if necessary. This has worked for me on many pans. Most have had moderate build-up, not heavily crusted. Not for removal of rust. That would be a vinegar/water soak.

When I used this method, I always rinsed the pan after the first spray/soak. Most of the time the results were fairly clean. The second spray did the job. Sometimes I just put the pan in the sink because most of the ones I had were not too bad. I rinsed after 1st soak, wiped with paper towel and did it again.

Check out CI Mafia. Nice people with good advice.

[2naSalit]

5. Cool picture!

I have a small arsenal of my own but it is in my storage because I have been renting places with those glass top stoves, don't mix with the beloved cast iron. But we go camping together! I need to get another good dutch oven with legs. The last one figured out how to use it's legs for more than standing in one place, it seems, so I need a new one.

[OldBaldy1701E]

6. We also have a glass top stove.

We are VERY careful when we use any of the pans on it. Now the small frying pan and the small one qt. pot would be like most other pans if you dropped one on the stove top, but when we use the big Dutch oven for making chili or the like, we are very aware of what might happen.

[2naSalit]

10. I can't afford to replace...

A stove that I don't own. That and bad refs.

[OldBaldy1701E]

11. You can just replace the top surface on them

But, that is the most expensive part of the stove and one might as well replace the entire unit. But, I understand about the other part. Of course, replacing the top if you broke it should create a 'good' reference, don't you think? But, those things are very expensive (like almost anything these days.) We don't own this one either. It was already nicked so it is understood that sooner or later it is going to crack. (The damned dude also had porcelain sinks in the kitchen. The entire kitchen was installed by a 'home decorator' who was pleased with how it looked, but as far as being practical, this kitchen is the worst. I even had to add a place for a broom and so on because the guy did not have one cleaning tool anywhere near the kitchen. I will stop now. To talk about the owner of this place is to open a major flood gate.)

[trof]

13. Nice

[chowmama]

14. I envy some of your pieces

My first CI was a 6" frypan from my parents' basement. It had been my paternal grandmother's. It was, of course, quite orange, but I learned how to fix that. Perfect size for fried eggs or a small loaf of brown bread. Last used a few weeks ago on St. Pat's.

As I got out on my own, I eventually got an 8" skillet, a chicken fryer, and an even larger skillet. One 2qt saucepan and a tiny saucepan for melting butter. A pan for cornbread sticks and 2 griddles - one smaller and smooth on both sides, one larger and with ridges for grilling on one side. Many were very cheap from garage and estate sales, as the previous owners had apparently put them in the dishwasher, let them dry on their own, and thrown the result into the basement or the garage. There's no telling the age - they just don't change. But I've had some of them since the Notorious Commune days. That would be 50 years.

I love the gratin pan, the square pan, and the oval skillets you have.

My paternal grandfather valued his cast iron (the small pan may have actually been his). My mother, while she was dating my father, volunteered to clean the dishes after a meal and worked really hard to get them silver again. My dad thought his father would kill her - he had a notorious temper. Instead, he gently led her into the kitchen and taught her how to re-season them. At that point, everybody knew the marriage was a done deal; her FIL was as in love with her as Dad was.

[chowmama]

15. I forgot the dutch oven.

Got one of those, too.

[OldBaldy1701E]

16. Thanks.

I love the story about your mother. I am with your grandfather in that I certainly love mine and so does my handsome hubby. (At least he says he does. He is not the one to usually clean them though... heh.)