Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 
From: Joanne Perkins
Subject: Cast Iron question
To: St Sams 

Greetings all,
Today a work friend gave me a new cast Iron skillet.
I understand one needs to condition said item, and as 
I have seen mention of this on-list I wondered if anyone 
could give me the low down on the best method to do this?
TIA
Peace 
Joanne Perkins
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From: Chef Paul II

Joanne, cast iron skillets should be "conditioned" with a thin layer
of olive oil swiped over the pan and then baked (300F) for about an
hour or until the oil has given the pan a thin shine.  Do this
periodically, as normal use will "dry" out the pan and it may "rust".
Other than that, there isn't much I can think of.  Enjoy, anything
from a cast iron skillet is delicious.  Be sure to use the better oils
when you use it for frying and sautéing.
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From: Sibyl Smirl 

Basically, wash it thoroughly and dry with a towel, then rub all over with
cooking oil and put it in the oven the next time you bake something.  Then
you can use it.  Maintenance is more hassle than the initial conditioning,
but the results are wonderful in the cooking and browning.  For that, you
make sure _not_ to burn anything in it!  ;^)  If you do, you'll have to
scour off your conditioning layer of solidified oil, and start over in that
area.  Purists will say not to use soap or detergent, and never to scour
with anything at all when you wash it.  That seems dirty to me, so I am
simply careful in my dishwashing, don't let it soak, don't scour with
anything harsher than a plastic net scrubber, preferably a rag, dry it
immediately, renew the layer of oil on the inside immediately after drying,
and store it in the oven or on the pilot light if I'll be using it again
quickly.  The pan I fry eggs and omelets in is used at least every few
days, so it sits on the pilot light unless that's in the way, the others
are in the oven.
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From: Jeffry P. Barnes 

While what Paul or Sibyl say will make a cast iron skillet usable, you need 
to accept that buying a cast iron skillet is sort of like planting an oak tree.  
The real beneficiaries will be your descendants, the person who inherits your 
cast iron skillet down the road.

Last year, we gave our eldest daughter (age 38) a cast iron skillet my wife 
inherited from her mother who died in 1978 at the age of 80.  We don't know 
when her mother got it, but it probably was at least 60 years old, since my 
wife remembers it having been "always around" when she was a young girl.

Peace, Jeffry
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From: "Chef Paul II" 

Sorry about that.

    All too true, Jeffrey.  The wonderful thing about a skillet which
is cared for according to instructions (mine has them on the back of
the skillet--etched into the reverse of the bottom of the pan), it
will develop a flavour of it's own, especially if used consistently
for certain dishes like fish, pork, or beef.  I find it very good for
sautéed vegetables on a medium high heat for no more than two or three
minutes if you are doing meat, dropping the veggies in toward the end
of the cooking time for the meat makes a real treat of flavour.
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From: Ellen Rains Harris 

Rub the inside of the pot with cooking oil, then stick it in your oven at 
medium heat for about an hour.

Repeat this every time you wash it with soap after cooking.  The proper method 
is to wash it with soap just before cooking, not after.  Just a good steelwool 
scrub and a rinse afterward.
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From: Joanne Perkins

Thanks aplenty to Sibyl, Paul and Jeffry.
I do realise that cast iron is one of things that improves with age, but I 
wanted to get it right at the beginning. Said skilletr is about to enter the 
oven for its initial 'bake'.
Again thanks
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From: Cynthia J Anderson 

        I was taught in culinary arts college that you rubbed 
the oil in with salt to make sure it gets in all the scratches,
dents etc.
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From: "Allan  Carr" 

Camille says she likes to cook meat in her ancient iron skillet because she
can use a knife in it to cut the meat without worrying about cutting into a
Teflon non-stick coating.

I can hear the horrified cries rising. How to wreck a good edge. In spite of
Camille's disdain for some shibboleths of cooking, she *is* a very good cook.
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From: Douglas Palmer 

I am slowly replacing all my "good" Teflon with cast iron (all, so far, from Lodge). 
Nothing beats it for most of the cooking I do -- which includes none of that fancy 
stuff that requires copper. I may get some solid copper sauce pans someday.
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From: Andrew H. Auld

I note a discussion of cast iron occurred in my absence.

My, and my fambly's observations:

I'd cook ONLY in cast iron if it weren't for crawfish & okra, and if it 
warn't so consarned heavy.

The best way to season a new cast iron piece is to cook bacon in it every 
day for a month.....now, your Dr. likely won't approve of you eating it, 
but - that's the way to season it.

Crisco works.  The best time to season cast iron is in the winter - the 
stove'll heat the house.

Old wives tale:  you have to have different cookware for different foods.

- pax -
Andrew H. Auld