One of my favorite Christmas gifts (they are from my mother-in-law)
Well it's a very wintry last day of "Christmas Vacation" here, although we are not getting pounded with snow like my friends up north.
It's been quite snowy - we've had to plow twice in the last week and today is going to be the third time. (Anyone this winter with a commercial snow plow and/or 24 hour towing is making out pretty well.)
I've come down with a cold, so I've been dragging a bit the last few days, but I'm quite certain I'll pull through. We did take the tree down yesterday, but we still have the rest of the house to "un-decorate", but that shouldn't be as big of a job. This coming week should be fairly quiet, so I can finish that up myself. I also got some new pieces for my Christmas village, so I'll be re-doing that this week too, and I'll share pics.
So, one of the other gifts I got for Christmas is a cast iron skillet - which I have wanted for ages.
I *know* there's a real trick to seasoning it and using it, and I've been looking on the internet and I have found lots of *different* advice on seasoning it, and use and care. It's already "pre-seasoned", but I know that I still need to season it some myself... I'd be more prone to listen to advice about how to use this from "real" people - so if any of you have any advice for me before I try it out, I am all ears!
The end.
I wanted to get out today. My brother phoned and talked me out of it. Very windy out, cold but not frigid except for the wind being so hard and blowing the cold right into your bones.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know these pans came "pre-seasoned" but I had oiled mine and put it in the oven at a low temp for about an hour. And when I wash it I use a paper towel and try not to scrub it too much.
ReplyDeleteSince I've been following the Pioneer Woman's blog and trying out some of her recipes, I bought myself a cast iron skillet a few weeks ago. She uses a cast iron quite a bit. Anyway, it came pre-seasoned too even though the brand I got is The Lodge. First time I used it was with the Pioneer Woman's Whiskey-Glazed Carrots - I was very pleasantly surprised at the super easy clean-up with the iron skillet. The only thing I did before using it was to wash with warm water and then dry. After preparing the carrots, I ran hot water over the skillet and rubbed with a plastic kitchen scrubber. The skillet was really easy to clean. Just be sure to thoroughly dry it so that rust does not form on the iron.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I have used it for other cooking too. Each time, the clean-up has been a breeze. Good luck with your new skillet. My recommendation is for you to visit thepioneerwoman.com - she has great step-by-step photos with her recipes. And her recipes use "normal" food, not a bunch of fancy-smancy stuff. lol
Mine is 28 years old and wasn't preseasoned, so not sure if you need to season yours or not. Just remember not to soak it in water and dry it as soon as it is washed. My great-grandmother always taught me you had to dry it on the stove. Just set it on the burner and turn on burner just until dry. She said a towel dry would not be enough to keep the rust away.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with it! I love mine.
Love love your slippers. I personally feel, you can never have too many pairs! I got 3 prs. I bought after christmas at Kohls for only $5 each! Now I need to post a blog update all about slippers. Thanks to you. :)
ReplyDeleteI got slippers and a new skillet too! I hope you get feeling better.
ReplyDeleteLove those slippers!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, dry the skillet on the stove,not just towel dry.
Stopping by from 2Ps.
No advice on the pan. I hate mine and it has rust spots. So, there you go :) We de-decorated today too. I had hoped to have it done yesterday but there were too many things on the to-do list. It's all done though, so I can breath for the week. Or until tomorrow anyway :P
ReplyDeleteI have two of Grandma's cast iron skillets, and I use them almost every day. I love them. It seems gross at first not to use soap, but you can not use soap because you don't want to lose that oil "seasoning". The best way to keep a pan seasoned is to use it often. Just scrub it under really hot water and dry it extremely well. I use a paper towel, but drying on the stove is the best way. They are easier to clean than non-stick pans, they have fantastic heat distribution, and you can use them on the stove top and in the oven which is great for some meat recipes where you start them on the stove and finish them in the oven. I am so excited for you! Cast iron pans are great...so long as you don't drop one on your toe. LOL Not that that ever happened to me...
ReplyDeleteHey Wingnut! I thought "de-decorate" was *my* word (I thought I was clever enough to make it up). Seems I'm just as clever as you!
ReplyDelete(Sorry for the hijack!)
You're getting the right advice on your pan but if it's pre-seasoned, then I doubt you need to add oil and heat on high till it's hot and steamy. Again, right on the advice for cleaning and drying on the stove top. Don't worry too much about any 'crud' that builds up on the outside. It's all good. I love my cast iron frypan. It's as old as the hills and cooks beautifully. And cleans easy too.
Enjoy your cooking in your sweet slippers!
I received a huge assortment of cast iron cookware when I graduated college and I love it. Being raised in the south I am used to cast iron being used for everything from frying bacon to making cornbread. They really are quite easy to care for once you get them seasoned (sealed). Before using mine initially, I rubbed each pan's entire surface with vegetable oil and baked in the oven on about 350(F) for several hours. I have alternately oiled and broiled this cookware as well; broiling can cause smoking so you'll want to make sure your fan/vent is on. Now I only 'bake' and oil them about once a month. They have achieved a nice black color and cook food beautifully. I do wash mine by hand after each use with a mild dish detergent and dry thoroughly with a dish towel. Heating one the stove sound like a good drying method. BTW, don't freak out if some rust spots appear before it is fully cured. Simply scrub, oil, and bake; the spots will go away.
ReplyDelete