Cast Iron Cookware

[Philbert]

Lodge enameled cookware is made in china, that's why I never bought one.

I think that they also have a ‘Made in the USA’ line of enameled cast iron.

Their website can be hard to navigate: sales focused, instead of being easy to find some product specifications.

I’ve seen some on store shelves, in sealed cartons: never seen / touched / used the actual item.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

* Not all of their enameled cast iron is made in the USA. But, apparently, some is.*


“Lodge is proud to offer a new collection of enameled cast iron cookware made on US soil. Inspired by the very best in American design, this 6 Quart USA Enamel Dutch Oven is the perfect size for creating original recipes, from a weeknight roast to a sourdough loaf. Featuring stainless steel inlaid handles and hardware on an American-made, enameled cast iron vessel, this Dutch Oven is made to last for generations of original cooking.”

Philbert

 

[svk]

Well chop suey turns out better in my chinese one.

JKJK

 

[Woody912]

Wow, you must be REALLY good.
Credit card scores only go up to 850.

Ever notice they never take into account how much money you actually have? I have about 200 times as much as I do credit available, always pay on time and never carry a balance and mine seldom gets above 800.

 

[djg james]

* Not all of their enameled cast iron is made in the USA. But, apparently, some is.*

View attachment 1226586
“Lodge is proud to offer a new collection of enameled cast iron cookware made on US soil. Inspired by the very best in American design, this 6 Quart USA Enamel Dutch Oven is the perfect size for creating original recipes, from a weeknight roast to a sourdough loaf. Featuring stainless steel inlaid handles and hardware on an American-made, enameled cast iron vessel, this Dutch Oven is made to last for generations of original cooking.”

Philbert

I emailed Lodge's CS about that once, and what they told me was the CI is made in USA and then shipped to China for the enameling. Sounds a little expensive so I don't know if that's true.

WRT my 2 Qt Dutch oven, Cabela's is replacing it, as you expected, at no charge.

 

[svk]

Credit scores are a scam. If someone falls on hard times and is late on payments for a longer period of time they can kiss any decent financing goodbye for years even if they pay everything off. But people with multiple defaults and repo's can somehow keep getting credit to buy new cars. And if you shop around for the best rates and multiple banks pull your credit they penalize you for that too.

On top of that the score you get from the credit monitoring companies isn't even you actual score!

 

[Philbert]

they told me was the CI is made in USA and then shipped to China for the enameling.

If that’s true, it’s very misleading.

EDIT: I just called their customer service number. Here is what I was told:

Their ‘Essential Enamel’ line is cast and enameled in China.

Their ‘USA Enamel’ is cast and enameled in the USA.

Philbert

 

[djg james]

If that’s true, it’s very misleading.

EDIT: I just called their customer service number. Here is what I was told:

Their ‘Essential’ enamel line is cast and enameled in China.

Their ‘USA Enamel’ is cast and enameled in the USA.

Philbert

Good to know. It was years ago when I contacted them, so maybe they found a company in USA to enamel them. Or they started it up themselves. I've strayed from the enamel ones because of the China thing.

 

[diver64]

The wife finally had enough of one of the old cast iron pans that was in the house when we bought and asked me to clean the crud and junk off of it then re-season. I used a striping wheel in a drill to clean it off and found out I had what I believe is a 5 1/2 inch Wagner in my hand. Stamped "3" on top of the handle, "H" on the bottom of the handle near the hole and on the bottom of the pan another "H" with "5 1/2 INCH SKILLET" above the H. The hole in the handle looks right and there is no bottom ring.

It doesn't say Wagner on it or have a logo so I think it might be a contract pan.

 

[Philbert]

Maybe strip it in a lye bath, to get down to bare metal, before reseasoning (unless you already have).

Philbert

 

[diver64]

Maybe strip it in a lye bath, to get down to bare metal, before reseasoning (unless you already have).

Philbert

Already did. Spent the afternoon seasoning it in the oven.

 

[Stonesforbrains]

Maybe strip it in a lye bath, to get down to bare metal, before reseasoning (unless you already have).

Philbert

I need to set up a lye bath, got a few that need some attention. Just keep putting it off to do other things. Pictures really don’t show the level of bleh on them.

 

[Philbert]

I was inspired by @svk. Had a pile of CI pieces acquired at garage / estate sales, etc.

I just placed a Rubbermaid tote in my laundry tub (had to cut handles off), so that if it leaked, it would not make a mess.

Coat hanger hooks for retrieval.


1 pound of lye (drain cleaner aisle at home center, or food grade on line) added to 5 gallons hot (to start) water (exact ratio is forgiving).

Most of mine were clean after 24 hours, even starting with a thick crust. Check, wash, return for more time, if needed.

I did 12 - 13 pieces in that solution: might still have worked, if I had more pieces!

Philbert

 

[djg james]

I was inspired by @svk. Had a pile of CI pieces acquired at garage / estate sales, etc.

I just placed a Rubbermaid tote in my laundry tub (had to cut handles off), so that if it leaked, it would not make a mess.

Coat hanger hooks for retrieval.

View attachment 1231327
1 pound of lye (drain cleaner aisle at home center, or food grade on line) added to 5 gallons hot (to start) water (exact ratio is forgiving).
View attachment 1231328
Most of mine were clean after 24 hours, even starting with a thick crust. Check, wash, return for more time, if needed.

I did 12 - 13 pieces in that solution: might still have worked, if I had more pieces!

Philbert

I've got a few pieces that are full of crud. That seems to be the easiest method.

 

[Philbert]

Back a few pages (Post #694), I posted how I seasoned mine.

Again, at the recommendation of @svk . Really happy with how easy to use and how it came out.

Available on line, and pretty inexpensive ordering direct.

Philbert

 

[djg james]

I just bought a Lodge Dutch oven that was pre-seasoned. Would I gain anything by seasoning it again before using?

 

[Philbert]

I just bought a Lodge Dutch oven that was pre-seasoned. Would I gain anything by seasoning it again before using?

Not really. Just follow good cleaning and care methods to build on that.

I stripped most of the used stuff I got, because it was crusty, uneven, etc., and I didn’t know what they cooked in it.

I also wanted to smooth out some sharp and rough edges from casting.

Philbert

 

[Sub-arctic]

I've been somewhat of a cast iron enthusiast for some years now. I will pass on some things I've learned, or think I've learned based on my experience and research.

Older cast iron had smooth cooking surfaces because they were polished with stones.

The best things I've found for seasoning are Lard and Crisco. I tried Flaxseed oil, I had trouble seasoning a Griswold round handle griddle, and a Griswold Skillet / griddle with it. It didn't turn black, and on one of them it flaked off. IIRC, I had good luck with Flaxseed oil on a regular skillet. I don't know if there is something different about the griddles and skillet / griddles....................

The new Lodge stuff is very rough, and at least the bigger stuff is very heavy. I think the seasoning is very good, and it's fine for cooking, I prefer the vintage stuff with the polished cooking surface. I had a new Lodge skillet that was about #10 size, it could have been used for a boat anchor. I suppose if I had a specific use for it where I was concerned about the possibility of breaking or ruining a piece, a new Lodge piece would work well and not be much of a loss if something happened to it

Griswold seems to be very popular for looks and collecting, and in my opinion is okay for cooking. I prefer BSR (Birmingham Stove & Range) or Wagner Ware, they seem to be heavier castings than the Griswold, but much lighter than the new Lodge stuff. I don't have any vintage Lodge stuff to compare. Because of the gas stove burner racks that I have, the skillets with heat rings don't work very well. On a #8 skillet, the smoke ring is barely smaller than the outer diameter of the rack, and one side will fall off very easily. If not for that, I would prefer BSR. The Wagner Ware works better for my stove since there is no heat ring.

I cook primarily with bacon grease or lard, I find they resist food from sticking the best.

If food does stick, I will boil water in the skillet, it does a good job of loosening stuck on stuff. Sugar will turn into something akin to molasses, but thicker. Sugar is in just about everything, and boiling water in the skillet is the only way I've found to remove it without ruining the non-stick surface. I mostly get the burnt on sugar from cooking bacon.

Cooking fatty foods like bacon seems to help build up seasoning.

I recently started using a chain mail scrubber, usually after boiling water. I use it lightly.

I think a good seasoning is difficult to ruin. I think ruining the very top of the seasoning surface to where it loses it's non-stick properties is not too difficult. I try to take it easy on the cooking surface. If a skillet loses it's non-stick properties, I just re-season one time.

When seasoning after a good cleaning or stripping, I heat the pan on the stove, put my Lard or Crisco on, wipe it off to the point it looks dry (there will still be a little bit on there), and bake it upside down in the oven for an hour at 450 degrees. I usually do this at least 3 times. If you leave too much Crisco or Lard on, it will leave spots, drips, or runs.

I pretty much use my skillet griddle for cooking eggs. I used to use it for bacon to build up the seasoning. I fry my eggs in bacon grease and I have no problem with them sticking as long as my seasoning is in good shape.

There are some good cast iron sales groups on Facebook. As much as I dislike Facebook, and would rather not support it or Zuck, I do use it. I have found some pretty good people to deal with, and the prices are somewhat better than Ebay. It seems most of the people in those groups know cast iron and will give a good description of the condition of the piece, like if it sits flat or not.
Some of my pieces have come from second hand stores, but it seems in the last 5 years stuff in second hand stores doesn't stay there long.

I've never tried an e-tank. From what I've read they work well and are easy to make. I just haven't stripped enough pieces that I thought having one was worthwhile. I've stripped mine using sandpaper, Scotch-brite, steel wool, and sand blasting. Some pieces took a lot of elbow grease.

That's all I can think of for now.

 

[diver64]

Not really. Just follow good cleaning and care methods to build on that.

I stripped most of the used stuff I got, because it was crusty, uneven, etc., and I didn’t know what they cooked in it.

I also wanted to smooth out some sharp and rough edges from casting.

Philbert

I strip all of mine as a number require a grinder to even out the pans.