Well, it’s been well over three weeks since our last “Cast Iron Around the Web” update. And fellow black iron aficionados, that’s WAY too long, but the cast iron revolution is ROLLING. People everywhere are cooking in cast iron and talking about cast iron as this post CLEARLY demonstrates.

This update represents almost all of the cast iron-related news and recipes posted new over the past two weeks we could find with the exception of event announcements that had already past.

Enjoy the cast iron exploration below!


INFORMATIONAL / HOW TO
A Steak Fit for the Dark Knight. What does cast iron have to do with Batman? Read and find out.

Sunday Fried Chicken Dinner Is Back. Debbie Maugans tells us why and how.

How Do You Remove Rust from a Cast Iron Pot? Cleaning with the ole’ Coca Cola treatment and then basic re-seasoning.

Grandma Was Green Before It Was Cool: What My Green Grandma Taught Me. And guess what? She used cast iron (of course!). Lots of good stuff here.

Fire and Ice. Most folks associate cooking hot food in dutch ovens. But what happens if you use ice cubes instead of hot coals? Well, believe it or not, you can make ice cream!

What You Should Know About Dutch Oven Cooking. A short, but good introduction to the history of cooking in dutch ovens.

How to Properly Care for Cast Iron. Basic article on use and care of cast iron cookware.

Taking Care of Your Gear. Basic instructions on caring for cast iron and other kinds of cookware.

An Ode to Cast Iron. Few things in the kitchen are more versatile than a cast iron skillet. This post includes a good cornbread recipe, too.

Cast Iron Pans and the Return of Sustainability. One of the best ways to overcome the thinking of a disposable society is to return to our roots, such as cooking in cast iron.

Using a NakedPan Helps Reduce Your Fuel Costs. How? Okay, I’ve never heard of a “NakedPan,” but it’s made of cast iron. The link goes to a British site. Has anyone in the US used one of these?

How To: Clean Cast Iron with Kosher Salt. Stephanie shows us how.

Porcelain Cast-Iron Cookware: Not An Oxymoron. Discusses the value of enameled cast iron.

The Pros and Cons of Cast Iron Cookware for Camping. I need a second opinion. Does anyone besides me feel this writers list of the advantages of cast iron is particularly weak?

Foodie Freak: The Kitchen Gallery. Ross Christensen discusses caring for cast iron cookware about 2/3 into his article.

Safe Cooking: Cast Iron. Quote: “When it comes to frying, grandma had it right. Cast iron is a safe, reliable classic. However, they do take some special care.”

How to Clean a Cast Iron Grill Pan. If you’ve ever cooked in one of these pans, you know that the grill pan is the most difficult piece of cast iron cookware to clean. Here are some tips.

What You Need to Know About Enamel Cast Iron Cookware. Information and benefits of Enameled cast iron cookware.

Cast-iron Cookout: Try Your Hand at Dutch-Oven Cooking on Your Next Camping Trip. Quote: “Cooks who pack in a few pieces of cast-iron cookware, however, can expand their everyday recipe repertoire into the great outdoors.”

Dutch Ovens Cook Up Outdoor Treats. Quote: “If you want an egg at my house, you'll have to eat it scrambled. My culinary skills haven't reached any level higher than that. I plan to do some hunting this year, however, and keeping with my philosophy that if you kill it, you eat it, I decided to look into trail cooking.”

The Science of Dutch Oven Cooking. Quote: “There are a few tricks concerning the cooking source that are important to successful Dutch oven cooking. They can make the difference between undercooked or burnt food.”

Dutch Oven Camping. Quote: “...there is a way to eat great, even gourmet, food while camping and it’s through a Dutch oven.”

Toss the Teflon. Options including cast iron.

Steaks. Zank shows us that all we need for a great steak is a good rub and a cast iron skillet.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Zank shows us the art of making the simple grilled cheese sandwich in a cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Cookware: Great for Cold Foods, Too! And I bet you thought cast iron only worked when hot.

Friday Cooking Brunch. From the Camp Chef Blog comes a pictorial guide to great pancakes.

Wagner Ware Drip Drop Roaster Restoration, Parts One, Two and Three. Greg (Black Iron Dude) has his own electrolysis tank for restoring cast iron which we think is not only hard core, but very cool. See these posts in which he chronicles the restoration of a Wagner roaster.

Wapak A Loo Bop. If you’ve never heard of Wapak cast iron, don’t be surprised; neither had I. They were only around from 1903 to 1926 until they went out of business. Find out more about them as well as some very nice pictures at this post.

Ghost Markings. I thought this was fascinating. Ghost markings are the faint outlines of another company’s logo on a different company’s pan, proving what I’ve thought for a long time--that most cast iron companies (even reputable ones) copied each others’ offerings.

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EXPERIENCES
Cooking Outdoors Tastes Better than Homecooking. Read about experiences campers have cooking in the great outdoors and pick up some ideas for your next outdoor cast iron adventure.

June Dutch Oven. Douglas and Karolynn took a dutch oven class and then shared their new found skills with the neighbors.

Camp Cooking with the Kids. Evidently camping is great in Maine where’s there were no bugs for Shawn and his kids. Oh, and they ate very well thanks to the cast iron.

Cast Iron and Coleman Camp Stoves. Cast iron skillets and camp stoves are a match made in heaven, no doubt. Also includes recipes for chili and 15 bean soup.

Now You’re Cookin! Jared picked up his first cast iron skillet since college. And his first experce with a pre-seasoned pan led to stuck-on egg, but at least he knew how to fix it!

Garage Sale Cast Iron Frying Pan Reborn. Mister Jalopy (interesting name) found a treasure at a garage sale--a 12” Griswold skillet. But it was in pretty bad shape initially. Fortunately, he knew how to clean it up and restore it to its former glory (be sure to check out the before and after pictures). And he was so inspired that he’s decided to carry Lodge cast iron in his store. How we love a happy ending!

Dutch Oven Cooking & a Llama Hike. Okay, I made up that title because there isn’t one at the original post. But hopefully it piqued your interest enough to go check out Lightfoote’s description about how the two came together perfectly for a great day overall.

Vacation Food Update. What do you do when you leave your griddle at home? Easy--you turn the dutch ovens upside down and cook your pancakes on the lid!

Our Dutch Oven Experience. The Gamboa and Metcalf families got together for some camping and in spite of the rain, they ate VERY well thanks to good ole dutch oven cooking.

Dutch Oven Cookoff! What do you do when family comes over? You get out the dutch oven and put on the jambalaya!

Dutch Oven Cuisine from New Mexico. Ronnie ate well while in New Mexico recently. And why not? Most of his food was prepared in dutch ovens.

Shorts About the Camping Trip, Part 2. This mother of nine decides the best way to break in a new dutch oven is to take it on the camping trip. But she also wonders if perhaps she doesn’t need a second dutch oven. With nine kids, maybe she does!

Rafting Trip Allows Unique View of Canyon. Quote: “Meals are so unbelievably outstanding on the river that it is often playfully referred to as the ‘float and bloat.’ Breakfasts included eggs cooked to order and French toast. Dinners frequently finished with a fresh baked desert such as brownies and pineapple upside-down cake, cooked in a Dutch oven.”

Dutch Oven. Who said there’s no such thing as love at first sight? Melanie had been looking for just the right dutch oven for quite a time when she found this one in blue enamel.

Dutch Oven Dinner NIght. There’s not much better than a Dutch Oven Potluck.

Over an Open Fire: McAdams Couple Enjoys Dutch Oven Cooking with Fellow Campers. Quote: “When avid campers Bobby and Tammy Payne of McAdams tired of their usual fare of hot dogs and hamburgers they began experimenting with cooking in a Dutch oven over an open fire.”

A Picture to Prove It. Doreen tells about her recent camping adventure with the. How do you cook in dutch ovens if you don’t want to smell like a campfire? Easy--you prepare all the food and then give instructions to family members.

An Iron Skillet Seasoned with Love. This is a very touching article about a mother and daughter who spent months seasoning and cooking in a new skillet that the daughter took wither her when she moved away from home.

Cast Iron King of the Empire State. If you’re visiting the Big Apple, where better to stay than with a friend who’s into cast iron?

Denny's Chefs Break New Ground and Introduce New 'Sizzlin' Breakfast Skillets. Quote: “The Southwestern Sizzlin' Skillet comes to the table fajita-style on a hot cast iron skillet and features scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and fire-roasted onions and peppers accompanied by warm tortillas, freshly made pico de gallo and sour cream.”

Cast Iron. Erin just got a Martha Stewart cast iron skillet. Her first dish cooked in it: Pork Tenderloin with Honeyed Butter.

I’ll Stick with Mom’s Old Cast Iron Pan. Tom Oleson describes his most treasured position.

Food Journal Number 42: Meet Our Cast Iron Pan. Even in Sweden, there’s a move from Teflon to cast iron.

The Original Happy Meal, Brownie Style. Marlena Spieler reminisces upon her scouting experiences.

Well Loved Pots Are a Cook’s Treasure. Marilyn Monette reflects back on the tools in the kitchen that have served her well.

S’Mores with the Browns! What’s better than dutch oven cooking, s’mores and a movie with friends?

Le Creuset Is Cool! Lisa finally got that dutch oven she’d been wanting--in cobalt blue!

Kids Can Cook. But Will They Want To? Great article on getting kids interested in dutch oven cooking.

High Adventure Weekend Part 2: The Food. Read about one mom’s experience providing dutch oven meals for seven families with a variety of dietary restrictions.

Playing with Guns. Nathan writes about his experience camping, complete with dutch oven cooking and guns!

Worth the Wait. Quote: “A definite highlight of each year’s Palousey Trail Ride is the Dutch oven dinner. George Hatley is considered the cook wrangler, offering advice and a few specific orders to volunteers who bring a wide variety of good stuff.”

The Third Time’s the Charm, Sort Of. After previous failures with attempts at no-knead bread, finally a recipe that works!

Dutch Oven Delight. Read how a dutch oven went from really bad condition to ready for cooking no-knead bread.

Baking at Camp. Read about this blogger’s adventures in bread making.

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EVENTS
Another Feast in La Sal. Among all the other events on July 24, Pioneer Day in Monticello, Utah included dutch oven potatoes in several varieties.

Jackson Lake’s [Colorado] First Dutch Oven Cook-Off. 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Cookoff at the Better-Than-OK Cheyenne Corral. Cooking is always better than shooting. Quote: “Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday had their six-guns. The Ryans come armed with 300 pounds of cast-iron Lodge cookware, black as night and beautifully seasoned. A 16-inch-diameter Dutch oven that turns out feathery biscuits weighs 40 pounds.”

West Coast Chapter of the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association to meet September 5-6 in Deer Lodge, Montana.

Dutch Oven Cooking Demo. August 23, Sportman’s Warehouse, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 10 AM to 12:30 PM.

Dutch Oven Cookoff. Oct. 18, 11 AM till finished. Sportmans’s Warehouse, Bozeman Montana.

First Annual Dutch Oven Cook-Off. Cottonwood, Idaho. Despite the oxymoron of the name of this event, it will be held Saturday, August 23, 9 AM to 2:30 PM.

Dutch Oven Dessert & Game Night. August 30, Cane Creek State Park, Star City, Arkansas.

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PHOTOGRAPHS
Cast Iron Cooking

Dutch Oven and Campfire

Dutch Oven Cooking

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THIS AND THAT (meaning that it doesn’t fit into the other categories)
Special Friday "Review" Round-up. Who needs fancy workout equipment when you’ve got cast iron dutch ovens!? (scroll down to the section “Redneck Kettlebell” )

Dutch Oven. Great picture of dutch ovens and coals from 1939. The fun comes from the accompanying story about trying to get a dutch oven cleaned up since the kitchen stove was broken.

Cast Iron on My Mind. Of course there are other uses for a cast iron skillet...

Cast Iron Competition. Some people cook in cast iron. Others toss them competitively. Really.

Using a Cast Iron Griddle to Tell the Future? Ever heard of scrying? Maybe the cast iron just needs to be cleaned more thoroughly.

Other Uses for a Cast Iron Cook Set. And even more uses beyond cooking...

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RECIPES
Andrea's All-Purpose, All-Natural, Thick 'n' Tasty Tomato Sauce (dutch oven)

Aimee’s Canned Tomato Sauce (dutch oven)

Apple Cheddar Cornbread (cast iron skillet)

Arroz con Pollo with Green Sauce (dutch oven)

Australian Damper Bread (dutch oven)

Baked Apple Pancake (dutch oven)

Baked Rice Casserole (dutch oven)

BBQ Shrimp (cast iron skillet)

Beef Brisket with 40 Cloves of Garlic (dutch oven)

Beef Recipes from Wyoming (some call for a dutch oven and some for a skillet; we’ll assume it’s a cast iron skillet, of course).
 - Chunky Beef Stew (dutch oven)
 - Brisket for a Bunch (skillet)
 - Ground Beef Gravy (skillet)
 - Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy (skillet)
 - Sombrero Casserole (skillet)

Better Homes and Garden Blueberry Chutney (dutch oven)

Black Bean Cheese Enchiladas (dutch oven)

Bowl O’ Red Chili (dutch oven)

Braised Pork Shoulder with White Wine and Apple Onion Confit (dutch oven)

Bulgur Chili (dutch oven)

Carmelized Onion and Wine Braised Brisket (dutch oven)

Cast Iron Skillet Chocolate Pie

Cast Iron Skillet Steamers

Catalan Lamb (dutch oven)

Chicken and Sausage Stew (dutch oven)

Chicken Fajitas (cast iron skillet)

Chickpea Ravioli with Basil Pesto and Hazelnuts (dutch oven)

Chinese Grocery Roast Pork and Bok Choy (dutch oven)

Cinnamon Pecan Roll (dutch oven)

Comer Family Fried Corn (dutch oven)

Country Style Ribs (dutch oven or roaster with lid)

Crawfish Recipes (cast iron skillet; yes, I know the articles says CRAYfish, but I can’t bring myself to list it that way).

Deluxe Pot Roast (dutch oven; oh, and the picture makes this dish look so very good)

Dutch Oven Apple Crisp

Dutch Oven Apple Pie

Dutch Oven Bisquits

Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler

Dutch Oven Dirty Rice

Dutch Oven Recipes
 - Lasagna
 - Enchilada Pie
 - Potatoes and Onions

Dutch Oven Venison

Dutch Oven Yogurt and Herb Fish

Fantastic Black Bean Chili

Farmer’s Omelette (cast iron skillet)

French Fries (dutch oven; great step by step pictures)

Fried Green Tomatoes (cast iron skillet)

Fritatta (cast iron skillet)

Ginger Lemongrass Beet Gazpacho (dutch oven)

Home Fried Potatoes (cast iron skillet)

Homemade Corn Tortillas (cast iron skillet)

Indian Style Eggplant and Potatoes (cast iron skillet or dutch oven)

Irish Soda Bread (dutch oven)

Irish Soda Bread (cast iron skillet)

Jake’s Dutch Oven Recipes
 - Jake’s Bubble Pizza (12” dutch oven)
 - Jake’s Pull-Apart Cinnamon Rolls (12” dutch oven)

Maple-Mustard Pork Tenderloin (cast iron skillet)

Mediterranean Skirt Steak (recipe calls for a “cast iron pot”; more than likely the writer is referring to a dutch oven)

Molasses and Buttermilk Cornbread (cast iron skillet)

Moroccan Beef Stew (dutch oven)

Nine Mile Stew (dutch oven)

No-Knead Bread (dutch oven)

No Sugar Added Fruit Cobbler (dutch oven)

Orange Knot Rolls (dutch oven)

Pepper Beans (dutch oven)

Plum Pudding (dutch oven)

Pullman Brown Ale Braised Venison (dutch oven)

Prosquitto Lasagna (cast iron skillet)

Ragu Alla Napoletana (dutch oven)

Rice and Beans (cast iron skillet or dutch oven)

Roasted Tomato Soup (dutch oven; site requires registration)

Seared Lamb Steak with Orzo Pasta Salad and Heirloom Tomatoes (cast iron skillet)

Shelled Beans and Vegetables Stewed in Their Own Juice (dutch oven)

Special Veggie Steak Stew (diabetic recipe; dutch oven)

Spiced Eggplant Salad (dutch oven)

Spiced Pork Chops with Red Sauce (12” dutch oven)

Spicy Chicken for Leftover Stew (dutch oven; two meals from one main recipe)

Spicy Shredded Pork (dutch oven; great and detailed pictures)

Steak and Kidney Pie (dutch oven)

Steak Quesadillas with Roasted Peppers and Boursin (cast iron skillet)

Steak Tacos (any cast iron pan)

Stuffed Bell Peppers (cast iron skillet or dutch oven)

Summer Minestrone with Fresh Basil (dutch oven; site requires registration)

Sweet and Sour Chicken (wok or deep cast iron pan)

Swirled Bread in the Dutch Oven

Tomato Juice Can Chicken (dutch oven)

Veggie Fajitas (dutch oven)

Veggie Turkey Pot Roast (dutch oven)

White Bean and Pancetta Soup With Kale Pesto (dutch oven)

Zesty Pork Stew (dutch oven)

Posted by Rick Mansfield

If you caught our first video podcast a few weeks back, you’ll remember that we used three different skillets to demonstrate seasoning, repairing, and cleaning cast iron.

Two of these skillets can be yours if you’d like to bid on them on eBay.

One is the 10 1/4” skillet I used to demonstrate seasoning bare cast iron. It has never been used, and is a real find in my opinion because I prefer seasoning skillets myself over pre-seasoning.

The other is a Lodge pre-seasoned factory second 10 1/4” skillet that I used for demonstrating how to fill in minor pits in a skillet’s cooking surface. The pit is almost completely filled in and will disappear with a few more uses. This skillet has only been used twice to cook cornbread and bacon in the podcast.

Both of these are very nice skillets and I’d be proud to keep and use either one if it were not for the fact that I already have two skillets of this size and just don’t need two more.

The advantage for you as a potential buyer comes from knowing the seller and history of these skillets. Often you just have to hope for the best when purchasing on eBay, but not this time.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments.

Posted by Rick Mansfield

Not too long ago, a friend of mine handed me a couple of cast iron skillets which were rusted and had odd stains and asked me what I could do to get them back in shape. If you’ve seen our first video podcast, you saw me use one of them as a demonstration for restoring a rusted pan. After I cleaned and re-seasoned the pans, I gave them two initial run-throughs--one in the oven with corn bread and one on the stove top with bacon.

After I gave the pans back, I offered a few tips for keeping them in good shape. Below is an adaptation of what I suggested. You should know that not everyone is in 100% agreement with all of these suggestions and that’s okay. These suggestions are what I do to keep my cast iron pans “healthy” and looking good.

1. Use your pans and use them a lot.  If your pan has just been seasoned fresh (as opposed to factory pre-seasoned) or re-seasoned it will probably be a shade of brown, BUT it should be completely black within a year if it is used frequently. There's very little that cannot be cooked in cast iron. Rethink the kinds of pans you use. If you normally cook something in the oven on a cookie sheet, it might cook just as well in the skillet. On the stovetop, skillets can be used for much more than frying, but obviously, they're good for that, too. Breads and desserts cook well in cast iron skillets, too.
2. I would recommend that you keep them handy, either on the stove top or in the oven when not in use. Don't stack them or place them under other pans in the bottom of a cabinet. Cast iron pans stacked in closed up cabinets for long periods of time often develop rust rings where one pan is sitting on another. If you don need to stack your pans, put a cloth between them or a pan protector.
3. Since cast iron distributes heat so well, under normal situations, you don't need to turn a stove burner above a "medium" heat. Always let the pan heat as the burner heats or let the pan heat in the oven as the oven heats. Don't put a cold pan on a hot surface or a hot pan in cold water. Either has the potential to crack or warp the pan. 
4. The seasoning/carbonizing process needs to continue, so, I would recommend that initially (perhaps a year or so), avoid highly acidic foods in the pans such as tomatoes, wine, and citrus fruits. 
5. Avoid metal utensils that can scrape and damage a pan’s seasoning. I use a lot of wooden spoons and silicone spatulas that can withstand high heats. See Delia’s post, “Spats & Spoons: What’s Best for Cast Iron?”
6. When you clean them NEVER* use soap as it both breaks down the seasoning and can change the taste of the pan. Clean them with hot water and a good stiff brush. If food is stuck on them, use the kind of scraper that you can get from Pampered Chef for baking stones. Don't worry about sanitary issues in regard to not using soap. Heating a pan on a medium heat will raise the temperature to nearly 350 degrees which is more than twice the temperatures needed to kill any microbes. *Some on our panel of writers will disagree to the NEVER in my first sentence. Once a pan has reached a “mature” seasoning after much use, a mild dishwashing soap will usually not harm it. However, I just prefer cleaning my pans the old fashioned way with a good brush and hot water.
7. After cleaning a skillet, you need to prepare it for it's next use. Make sure it is dried thoroughly. Sometimes placing it on a still warm burner or in a still warm oven will help with this. After the pan is dry, wipe a thin layer of cooking oil over the entire cooking surface to prepare it for the next use. I use olive oil because I cook primarily with olive oil and it will not turn rancid if left out in the air for long periods of time (of course, if you use your cast iron regularly, there’s no such thing as a “long period of time” ). 
8. If your pan starts to show signs of rust, significant loss of seasoning, or gives off a metallic taste in your food, it needs to be re-seasoned.

This may sound like your pans will require a lot of high maintenance, but not really. All of this becomes simply routine. Most modern pans wear out, but cast iron is designed to last beyond an entire lifetime. There's no reason that with the proper care, you wouldn't be able to pass these pans on to your children or grandchildren years from now

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Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, or you can contact Rick directly at rick@cookingincastiron.com.

Tags: Rick

This coming Sunday, folks in Tennessee might want to venture to the Chattanooga Market to watch the “Cast Iron Chef Cookoff” sponsored by Lodge Cast Iron and Five Star Professional Ranges.

Four chefs and one local farmer will compete cooking in cast iron skillets. They have no idea what they are going to cook, but they have an hour and $40 to plan, cook and present to the five judges.

Four more information, go to the Chattanooga Market website.

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Hey! Do you want your event announced on the Cooking in Cast Iron website? If so, click on the contact link and give us all the details. We’re glad to spread the word about any cast iron related event.

If you’re a regular visitor to Cooking in Cast Iron, you may have noticed one of our sponsors in the sidebar, MacGourmet Deluxe from Mariner Software. I’ve been tardy in posting a review of MacGourmet Deluxe, but it is so feature-filled, I’ve been taking my time learning all of its capabilities. I’ll be writing that review, probably later this week, not simply because they’re our sponsor, but because the program impresses me that much. In fact, they are one of our sponsors not because they contacted us, but rather because I contacted them after downloading the demo.

Anyway, between now and Thursday, July 31, you an receive a 30% discount off the price of MacGourmet deluxe by going to the Mariner Online Store (follow this link, not the one in the sidebar for now) and then typing in the word “Happy” and then clicking the Go button.

I’ve been very impressed with MacGourmet Deluxe and if you use a Macintosh computer, I believe you will be, too. Look for a full review by the end of the week.

Posted by Leila Wells

One of the advantages of growing up in a large, close-knit family is the access it provides to a variety of activities. The creativity that drives siblings (of any age) in these situations can be inspiring! I recall distinctly the nearly-annual festivity of cooking Brunswick stew in a 30 gallon cast iron pot with my father’s clan. When I say clan, I refer to my grandparents, my uncles and their families, my grandparents’ siblings, and my immediate family. Friends would also drop in over the years for this special cookout. The family would spend days in preparation for this event purchasing the ingredients and preparing them. Whole chickens, hens, pork loins, ground beef, tomatoes, corn, onions, ketchup, hot sauce, Worcester sauce, and other top-secret ingredients would be stockpiled in the kitchen and then guarded carefully until the moment they were prepared for entry in the tremendous pot.



There were particular rules that governed the entire process related to creating this stew. No one under the age of 35 was allowed to stir the pot, although the simmering process would continue for hours and hours. Only a few (rare) exceptions were ever made to this rule to my knowledge. The rationale behind the age limitation was never fully explained, but the best I could conjecture was that 35 marked a level of maturity in which an individual could be found willing to remain still long enough to contemplate the intermingling of flavors occurring in the pot over long periods of time without interruption.

Only the "elder" of the patriarchs of the family hold the knowledge of the top-secret recipe. I’m confident that my grandmother also knew it, as does my mother, but the family maintains the pretense that only the men know it. My dad has always told us that we could only inherit the recipe if we proved ourselves worthy of keeping its secrets. What might be entailed in proving this worthiness is still a mystery. Perhaps now that I am nearing the age during which I might be permitted to stir the pot, my father will share the criteria for inheriting the recipe even if I cannot yet inherit it.

Once an individual met the selection criteria to be allowed to stir the pot, then even stricter rules were applied to that person’s performance at the pot itself. The concoction had to be stirred continuously and only with designated wooden boat paddles. I also observed that the stirring had to be deep and consistent. The sides had to be regularly scraped in the rounds of the pot. All of these measures ensured an even cooking and no burnt stew. Cooking 30 gallons of stew required devotion, attentiveness, willingness to endure the heat (from the stew and from the summer air), and patience; these qualities, once demonstrated, permitted the stew stirrer to enter into the developing camaraderie of the cooking site.

The men of the family would start well before dawn and prepare the cookware and the cooking site. The fire had to be started and monitored. Once the stew was added to the pot, someone had to be on duty at all times to stir and to keep curious insects away. Often, as the stew was cooking, others would bring in an assortment of meats for barbecuing or smoking. One year, my uncle cooked turkeys on stakes by placing them in charcoal pits and covering them with pails. The meat "sides" (as the stew was the entrée) prompted competition among the family. Over the years, we voted on best barbecue sauce, best dessert, best smoked meat, and so on. Rivals sparred good-naturedly and brainstormed the competition that would take place at the next stew cooking.

By mid-afternoon, the stew had been cooking for at least six hours. The scent alone made passers-by hungry for a sample, if not an entire bowl. It was the time of day when the children were ready to pull off their shoes and commence gnawing if they didn’t get a bowl to themselves. The sliced bread, the sweet tea, the side dishes and desserts all appeared on the tables set up outdoors for picnicking. Utensils, bowls, plates and napkins also found their way to the tables and no sooner had they been placed than a line had formed at the cast iron pot. Huge ladles guided by the chefs themselves served up the delightful feast. Once bowls had been filled, plates were soon piled high with barbecue, potato salad, slaw or whatever sides were available. It didn’t take long for these very same plates and bowls to be emptied and for lines to form once again at the stew pot. I wish I could say I remembered the conversations I had over these delicious bowls of stew, but all I remember is wanting more stew.

When no more space was left inside our bellies, we began the clean-up process. Boxes and boxes of storage bags and storage containers were brought out and stew was ladled into them. As a child, I never had to worry about where this stew went since my family always took home enough to enjoy for the remainder of the year. We would store it in the freezer and reheat it. With every bag, I relived memories of the cookout and family togetherness once again.

As an adult living several states away, I traveled from some distance to come back to this event; I always considered myself fortunate if I found that I could transport even a quart bag back home with me. Now that I’m living much closer again, I’ve found that circumstances have kept the family from holding the event as often. I think fondly of the last cookout a couple of years ago and find myself more nostalgic than usual. Since that last event where over 100 people attended (friends and family), we’ve lost several dear ones and now the event won’t seem quite the same. Still, the tradition remains—a family united over the 30 gallon cast iron pot and the incredible mélange it contained.

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Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, or you can contact Leila directly at leila@cookingincastiron.com.

Tags: Leila

Posted by Rick Mansfield

Around here, we often refer to our cookware of choice as “black iron.” But in many ways, cast iron is green if you think about it, too. No, I’m not referring to enameled cast iron such as the skillet pictured to the right (but it makes a great image for this post!). Rather, I’m referring ot the environmental benefits of cast iron.

Perhaps you’ve never thought about it. I mean, most folks who have been cast iron aficianados for a while are familiar with the other benefits. Of course there are healthy benefits to cast iron. Cooking in cast iron is a great way to introduce trace amounts of iron into one’s diet. Plus, there’s no flaking Teflon to worry about getting into one’s food. Then, on another front, there are economical benefits to cast iron because these pans--except for the enameled variety--cost MUCH less than other kinds of cookware.

Bur you may or may not have ever thought about the environmental benefits of cast iron. These benefits can be divided into at least three main areas: (1) Toxicity (or lack thereof), (2) production, and (3) longevity and recyclability.

First, as mentioned above in regard to health, cast iron cookware is a smart alternative to Teflon-coated aluminum pans. According to the Environmental Working Group website,

Statistics reported by the Cookware Manufacturers Association indicate that 90 percent of all the aluminum cookware sold in the United States in 2001 was coated with non-stick chemicals like Teflon (Cooks Illustrated, September 2002). Chemicals and tiny, toxic Teflon particles released from heated Teflon kill household pet birds. At least four of these chemicals never break down in the environment, and some are widely found in human blood.

This is obviously not a concern with cast iron cookware which builds its non-stick surface naturally through the carbonization process of heating oils and fats on the cooking surface. What about the cast iron that comes pre-seasoned--is that coating harmful? Not at all. Pre-seasoning is nothing more than vegetable oil (and it’s Kosher vegetable oil if you get a Lodge pan!) heated at high temperatures. Yes, it can flake off, but it won’t hurt human beings or animals and this vegetable oil coating is fully biodegradable.

Second, many cast iron foundries incorporate steps in the production of cast iron that greatly reduces waste and impact on the environment. My wife, Kathy, and I were able to tour the Lodge Manufacturing Plant in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, in April. We found that the production of the cast iron cookware Lodge produces was eco-frindly in all stages. The picture on the left shows the scrap iron used in the process before it has been melted to be poured in the sand casts. Part of the production of cast iron also involved pounding the pans with rocks to create a smoother surface on the molded cast iron. Lodge uses rocks taken directly from the Tennessee River bed for this process. Production of cast iron dates back to 600 AD in China, and even though the process is more mechanized today, it is still essentially the same process that has been around for over a millennia. Lodge also has a special page devoted to Eco-Responsibility, incorporating measures even down to the cardboard packaging they use.

Finally, cast iron pans can last for generations. Pictured on the right is my grandmother’s cast iron skillet. It is at least seventy years old, and it may very well be older. Now tell me--if you had one of the original Teflon pans from the 1940’s, would you dare eat from it? Are there any of those pans even still around? Well, my grandmother’s skillet is still in use and has a prominent and permanent place on my stovetop where it is used regularly in our cooking.

Since cast iron, if treated well, gets better with age, my grandmother’s skillet actually has a greater non-stick surface than the skillet I got brand new in the nineties. Certainly, the cast iron in the pan itself can be recycled, but the best way to recycle a pan is to pass it on down to a family member. I fully intend that my grandmother’s pan will outlast me, and I’ll be able to pass it down to my children or grandchildren.

Consider this as well: because cast iron is a lifetime investment (and a low-cost one at that!), you won’t have to completely replace your pans every decade or so as some people have to do with cookware made of other materials.

So, if you’ve been sitting on the fence in regard to whether or not you should make the jump to cast iron, now you have even more reasons to do so. And if you already use cast iron, you can feel good about the fact that cast iron is a smart, economical purchase, is healthy for you and your family, and is friendly to the environment as well. That cannot be said of any other kind of cookware.

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Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, or you can contact Rick directly at rick@cookingincastiron.com.

Tags: Rick

It’s not just a Cast Iron Renaissance; it’s a Cast Iron REVOLUTION! And here’s more evidence:

INFORMATIONAL/HOW TO
“Dutch Oven Baking.” The Happy Campers show us how to cook hamburger buns from scratch in a dutch oven. Great pictures.

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REVIEWS
The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook by Christine and Tom Connors. Kathie Smith reviews this book at the bottom of her column on s’mores and shopping.

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EXPERIENCES
“Dutch Oven Cookin’.” The Stevens family has finally put the backyard fire pit to good use with dutch oven cooking.

“My First Culinary Award.” What could be better than entering a dutch oven cooking contest for the first time? Winning, of course!

“Cast Iron, What’s Not to Love?” Michelle and her family detoured on the family trip to stop at the Lodge Outlet Store in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. We certainly can’t blame her. Check out her pictures and read about her new acquisitions.

“Dutch Oven Cooking with Daddy.” Okay, this one is a post that...well, you’ll just have to see this for yourself.

“Seasoning My Cast Iron Skillet.” Erica thought that seasoning cast iron would be a major drawback. Then she tried it and found that it wasn’t such a big deal afterall!

“Birding Center Teaches Outdoor Cooking.” Quote: “Steve Rodriguez hopes to teach area residents that there's more to outdoor cooking than wood chips and lighter fluid.”

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EVENTS
“Teasdale Volunteer Fire Department's annual Mutton & Taters Dutch Oven Fundraiser.” Teasdale, Utah, Noon, July 26.

“3rd Annual C. O. Dutch Oven Society Cookout.” Sportsman’s Warehouse, 10 AM to 3 PM, Salem, Oregon

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RECIPES
Black Beans and Rice (dutch oven)

Cast Iron Chicken (cast iron skillet)

Dutch Oven Cobbler

Easy Grated Plantain Soup (dutch oven)

Green Beans and Potatoes (dutch oven)

Miss Vickie’s Roasted Potatoes (dutch oven)

One-Pot Pork and Rice (dutch oven)

Quick Oatmeal Soup (dutch oven)

Roasted Duck (dutch oven)

In his post, “Memories Born Out of Simplicity,” JT McCubbin described his multi-generational Saturday monring family breakfast tradition. In this post, he shares with us his recipe for the pancakes he prepares every weekend.

CAST IRON REQUIRED:

• Griddle or skillet
• Melting Pot

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 Tbs sunflower oil
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1 egg, brown of course
• 1/2 tsp vanilla, or 1/4 tsp almond extract
  

DIRECTIONS
Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine milk, oil, honey, egg and vanilla (or Almond).

(Hint 1: measure the oil first, then the honey in the same measuring spoon. The honey slips right out yielding the entire tablespoon with no sticking).

(Hint 2: warm the milk in the microwave for 45 seconds. The honey will dissolve more readily, and the pancakes will cook more evenly because the batter isn’t cold)

Mix the liquids into the dry with a spoon or wisk, it’s okay to leave a few small lumps of batter rather than over mix.

Pour the batter (1/4 to 1/2 cup amounts depending on desired size) onto an oiled, cast iron griddle or skillet. I use low heat, because the cast iron conducts efficiently, and I don’t want the cooking process to begin until I have finished the pour. When bubbles start to rise to the top, check the bottom surface and flip when the right amount of golden brown is apparent. Serve right off the griddle and top with real maple syrup from the melting/warming pot.

Variation:
Immediately after pouring the batter, drop chocolate chips or blueberries on top and tap in with the spatula. This works much better than trying to mix them into the batter bowl, and it gives you the option to arrange them in fun designs.

Rule:
Never, which means not ever, use a pancake mix. This isn’t complicated. You can do it, and you and your kids will appreciate it.

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^{MacGourmet users, click image to download recipe (or simply drag image to your MacGourmet recipe box).}


Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below, or you can contact JT directily at ironman@cookingincastiron.com.

Tags: JT

Below you’ll find cast iron related posts since last Tuesday.

INFORMATIONAL/HOW TO
“Are You Stuck on Teflon Pans?” Well, don’t be. It’s bad for you.

EXPERIENCES
“Do It Yourself Tortillas.” What do you need for tortillas? A cast iron press.

“Obsession Alert: Enamel Cast Iron Cookware.” Diana writes about her obsession. It’s okay, the folks here can relate.

“Who Knows Where the Time Goes?” Molly is back from her wedding celebrations, so whats better to do than bake bread in a dutch oven?

“Natanis Point Campground.” A blogger writes about his family camping trip which involved among lots of other activities, dutch oven cooking. Great pictures in a slideshow, too.

“Done Friday.” After using a dutch oven to cook a ham, this blogger may abandon a conventional oven altogether.

“A Good Bread Day.” The bread came out great. And why wouldn’t it? She used a Le Creuset oval dutch oven.

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EVENTS
“Cooks Share Expertise, Recipes at Dutch Oven Event.” Read all about the event that took place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota last weekend.

“Teens Learn About Cooking.” Silver Springs, Nevada. “Last week, youths that participate in the Teen Summer Program learned about different types of cooking” including dutch oven cooking.

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MISCELLANEOUS
“Fortuna Society Shows Another Side of Cooking.” A profile of Marv Rutledge of Fortuna, California and the Fortuna Dutch Oven Society.

“My Indispensable Kitchen Gadget List.” Amy lists her indispensables for the kitchen which include a cast iron griddle and a cast iron press.

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RECIPES
Baked Gnocci Parmesan (dutch oven)

Balsamic Tempeh Wild Rice Bowl with Sauteed Kale and Radicchio (cast iron skillet)

Balsamico Chicken with Olives (dutch oven)

Beef Stew Zuazua-Style

Beef Stroganoff (dutch oven)

The Bocadillo de Conejo [The Rabbit Sandwich] (dutch oven)

Braised Beef with Brandy and Mustard (dutch oven)

Braised Chicken with Leeks (dutch oven)

Cajun Red Beans and Rice (dutch oven)

Croquecamille’s Pizza/Calzone Dough for Tiny Kitchens (dutch oven)

Curried Seafood Chowder (dutch oven)

Dutch Oven Breakfast Casserole

Dutch Oven Hoecakes

Dutch Oven Peach-Berry Cobbler

Fried Eggs with Sauteed Beet Greens (cast iron skillet)

Fried Green and Heirloom Tomato Salad (cast iron skillet)

Fried Okra (cast iron skillet)

Gemelli Pasta With Clams, Scallops and Shrimp Recipe (dutch oven)