So I picked up this Dutch oven at the scrap yard today at lunch for 7 bucks. I've had the guy that runs it keep an eye out for me for a few things. Doesn't appear to be warped. No markings other than 8 on lid and bottom. 10 1/4 stamped on lid and something else that I can't make out. I lightly hit the light surface rust with a wire wheel. Where do I start the cleaning process now?
I'd love to find a Dutch oven in that condition. I've got a few, and most need to be seasoned. I really need to start using mine more. Time to hit the garage sales/flea markets.
do I just oven cleaner this one for a few days then give it a good crisco seasoning? or what else do I need to do for the rust?
Thats a real nice piece! Next, spray it down real good with a "cheap" store brand vegetable oil like pam and use some double oo steel wool and start rubbing, that will get 99% of the remaining rust. Yea, it's gonna take a bit but it's worth it!!! After that, hot soap and water clean…. The only time you will ever do this! towel dry and throw it in the oven at 250* for about 1/2 hr to get any moisture left on it and in the cast. Then spray down again and season as normal. I looked in my cast book, I believe that to be a Birmingham stove works dutch oven. again, real nice find!!!
try to soak it in distilled white vinegar. the brush again after several hours. I did this and got 99% of it. try kosher salt as the abrasive mixed with bacon grease. rinse or boil out grease season with bacon gr.
I really like that method also. The only draw back with his pot is it would take a lot of vinegar, maybe 4 gals to submerge that in a good size bucket. But it does work well!
Amazing how some people get rid of these cooking vessels in favor of new cookware that has to be replaced every few years. I like these older pots pans and bake wear over the new stuff that sheds its coating into your food. I also like some of my ceramic coated cast iron. We have a large stew pot that is my pot of choice. I gave one to my daughter. She keeps it out on her stove and says she uses it most every day. Raised that one right!
That Dutch oven is in excellent shape. I have a pan that has the same markings and fire ring on the bottom. One of the best and smoothest pans I have. It's not the heaviest cast iron, so be careful not to overheat. I would do the oven cleaner then season it. Outside of a few places you might want to lightly sand I don't think you have to do much to it. Enjoy that great find.
got one of those French porcelain dutch ovens. got to get it refinished. any guess up here in New England who does this.
I'm clueless who may refinish a ceramic pan. I really didn't know they could be resurfaced. Those French pans are very costly to replace. There are some from China that cost much less, but they are not the same. If you ever have the time to do lawn sales, that is a good place to get good buys on cast iron.
Stang, I saw your pans you re-seasoned, they look perfect! I had an advertizement flyer in the local laundramat for any pans anyone wanted to sell, "been there for loooong time" a guy calls me today who is a scrapper. Says he found two pans, I go look at them, I got a 3" deep chicken fryer Wagner ware and a # 8 frying pan for $10.00 ….. I asked him what he'd take and that was his price …. Ok and away I went I would have posted pics but my card reader is shot, I will when I get a new one.
You did good with that deal! I'm impressed. I've been letting go of way too much accumulation. With 4 kids, I manage to relocate much of it. My oldest son really appriciated the big cast iron pans I handed down. Some belonged to my grandparents. I have no idea what brands they are.
Larry, If they were your Grandparents pans, you can "BET" they are top shelf! We didn't import from china, tiawan, or japan then We were a proud and "Strong" country then!
Awesome Dave! might as well post them up here too... and toinghts dinner. The grill pan was a cheap 'Palm' restaurant brand that is just like the cheap deep 10 1/4" in the oven. both were bought at TJ Maxx or Marshalls for 7.99 each... This one works ok, but the casting is very porous. I might sand it down and re-season it. Haven't tried a steak with it yet, food still stuck after 3 seasoning cycles.
Yes, grandma used to cook doughnuts in one of them on their big kitchen stove that heated their house.
I 'll post what I picked up soon. I gotta go to Radio shack or some place and get a card reader tomorrow, mine quit working… One of these days I'll spread mine out on the two picknic tables and snap a pic on post my bunch. You have some nice stuff Stang!
