cast iron fry pan myths

My first new iron, and it’s not really new lol

 

I've just recently caught the cast iron bug, so I'm slowly amassing a collection of them. Unfortunately all off brand, but good enough for now while I figure out the cooking and seasoning. I have a 10" and a 12" Lagostina pan, a 10" Woods brand, a 10.5" old skillet made in Taiwan (lightweight,machined smooth) and a dinky little casserole thing.

There really is a lack of cast iron cookware in this town, be it no demand, or time of the year, this city sucks. I haven't found anything besides 10's and 12's. I even went searching places like Salvation Army, Value Village, etc but nothing to find. Even Walmart of all places has no cast iron pans, except for some off brand Pioneer Woman stuff, with butterflies engraved in the bottom. Seriously? They do have online buying and pick up in store, so that's probably what I'll need to do. My last options are to check the Co-op stores or Home Hardware, and maybe pawn shops. I even put out a feeler on a local buy n sell page and no luck.

My sister in law has a rough looking pan that she poached from somewhere, that has my name on it, just have to get it next time we're in her city.

Just have to say, cast iron and pork chops is a match made in heaven.

 

Cabelas is about an hour or so away in Saskatoon unfortunately. Good point on the garage sales, mrssaskwoodburner mentioned that last night, and she'll be my looker this summer.

 

Here's the pan my siter in law grabbed for me. I know nothing about it, except it's a 10" or 12", old, and she thinks expensive. Looks to have machining marks beneath the rust? Anyone hazard a guess as to what it is?

 

My Griswold Iron Mountain made it out ice fishing today. I cooked up some chicken soup for the boys. It was windy and they were getting chilled, and were happy to have hot soup. This pan is a bit thinner than my other ones. Next time the camp stove goes with us and more food.

 

This thread has inspired me to use my cast iron more, and now I'm on the lookout for others. Made about a pound of bacon yesterday in the old Lodge my mother in law gave us a few years ago, she used it for years and seasoned it quite nicely but stopped using it after she got a glass top stove. I won't tell her she can still use it on glass top though. Only issue I see with the pan is some light rust on the bottom of it.

I could use a smaller 8" or so pan, so I've been looking around Craigslist. The best bet around here is a couple different antique shops which picture stacks of old Griswolds, Lodge, and Wagner and other off brand pans. The prices don't seem too bad either, $30 range for dutch ovens and less for smaller pans I'm interested in. Here's a few pics from the ad...The Griswold griddle is catching my eye....

 

Love my Griswold griddle. We had it at the lake up until last weekend. I brought it home so I could actually utilize the whole thing on my five burner range here. It pretty much only cooks on the ends on a four burner range. The middle just kinda preheats.

It’s a #11, a little bigger than the one in your pic. How much are they asking for that one?

 

I believe $60. Compared to what I've seen on EBay I would say it's not terrible though I don't know what this stuff is "typically" worth. Same thing on EBay could likely be double. Being that it's at an antique shop with various vendors hopefully they can bargain a bit. Cash usually helps...

I have a 5 burner too so I definitely wouldn't mind having a nice griddle like yours.

 

Paid $30 at a garage sale. Steep as far as garage sale prices go, but I knew what it was worth. eBay was north of $150.

$60 isn’t that bad, but I would definitely bargain.

I will say that mine is certainly slick. Flipping eggs requires something to keep them from sliding off the edge

 

I just took some photos and measurements. I'll comment here and then use phone for pics.
10 1/2" outside to outside-top
10 1/4" inside to inside-top
about 9" across cooking surface
slightly less than 2 1/4" bottom of pan to top-vertical
smooth cook surface, machined with obvious swirls
pan weight 3 lb 9 oz

no markings bottom of pan that I can see. Going for an oven cleaner bath. Probably just a cheap pan, but old is my guess. Even my old made in Taiwan is marked.

 

After limited success with 2 bouts of scrapping and oven cleaner, a little cleansing with a small torch revealed made in taiwan under a phenomenal amount of burnt on seasoning. Like 1/8th of an inch. Maybe was an outdoor pan, although it hasn't been scorched red. I'm going to dump coals from the stove into my charcoal grill, and give it more a bout of careful heat cleansing. It's nothing of value (might be a good user who knows?) so if things go sideways, oh well.

 

Here's my early valentine gift from my gal. Just little 5 1/4" pans with wood serving trays.

 

Picked up a few today I was on the hunt for. My wife wanted the cornbread pan so I couldn't say no. No real bargains, about $60 for everything.

 

I gave my son most all our cast iron. Then went out and bought some new stuff that was no where near as nice as what I gave him. I had a really large pan. Honestly too heavy for us, that would help when cooking breakfasts up. He loves to take his trailer out and go "camping" He is much of a show off when it comes to cooking. He does it and wants it done right. The thing is, he really does a good job of it. Everyone is only too willing to leave the fry pan to him. I have been looking on line at a nice Japanese pan that is used to make omelettes. Very smooth surface pan. Looks like it would be fun to use.