In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

cast iron fry pan myths

Discussion in 'The Smokehouse' started by savemoney, Nov 8, 2014.

  1. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    You won't need to if you take your time and hit it with oven cleaner every day, The pan will come out wonderful! The "ONLY" reason you should need to put power to a pan is if it is severely rusted and you want to redo the inside surface. Then sanding with different grits are required, and stone finishing, etc, etc…. If it's just cruddy with "years" of gunk build up, the oven cleaner will do the trick!:cool:
     
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  2. savemoney

    savemoney

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    I always failed with hash browns. Googled how to make them and cane up with this: http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/crispiest-shredded-hash-browns.html. Is this your method? I end up getting them at Denny's. Yesterday, I had some with cheddar cheeze and bacon shredded on top. So Good. I would have liked a big helping of them and skip the other stuff!
     
  3. Freakingstang

    Freakingstang

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    no that takes so long. Sometimes I leave the skin on, sometimes not. wash potatoes, I like reds, better flavor. shred them with a grater over the skillet. use some veg oil..shred until you think you have twice what you want to make. they cook down...

    season to taste, distribute evenly over skillet, smash them down with a flat spatula. let cook, flip, add a tad more oil. I don't like too much, but not enough is no good as they come out hard crusty burnt french fries...

    flip em once or twice. not too hard. very simple actually. even the refrigerated bagged shredded ones turn out great. I like onion, a little garlic and salt/pepper or Tony C's season salt.
     
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  4. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    The wife and I just went to our local junk/flea shop, shes looking for a few Christmasy things and I found another #8 Wagner ware. It's rough and the bottom is warped, For $3.00 I'm gonna experiment with this one and see if I can flatten out the warped bottom.
    I'm gonna try and slow heat on DSCN1524.JPG DSCN1523.JPG the bottom with the turkey fryer burner, flip it over on a flat surface and put a piece of 1" plate on the bottom with a couple hundred pounds and let it cool, hope for the best:eek:… The worst thing is I'm out $3.00, and the sad thing is The old Wagner will be a wall ornament
     
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  5. Freakingstang

    Freakingstang

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    looks familiar. I was contemplating heating up the bottom with a rosebud torch head, then using the steel plate idea with weight.. its not warped much, but just enough I know its there...

    mine

    [​IMG]


    and the little 6 1/2"

    [​IMG]
     
  6. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    Your bottom one is much newer. They sell them like that these days. Your top one is a sweet old girl, If it's not "real" bad I would leave it alone for now. I also think Stang that a rosebud torch will heat it up to fast unless you really take your time. I'm gonna try my turkey fryer to get even heat and turn it down real low, I want it "just" before it starts to turn red then add the plate and the weight. You have a "very" nice pan there, and it has the heat ring around the bottom, "Kinda rare" for the Wagner, not exactly sure of the age but I'm guessing thats from the 20's or 30's :cool:
     
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  7. Freakingstang

    Freakingstang

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    Wow, didn't realize it was that old!! maybe i'll just leave well enough alone...
     
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  8. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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  9. Freakingstang

    Freakingstang

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  10. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    Found a pan like yours on e-bay for $70.00 clams!:cool:
     
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  11. Freakingstang

    Freakingstang

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    Nice. Unfortunately the valuable pan won't be going anywheres. It was my late uncles. It has more value from what he has taught me than any kind of monetary value
     
  12. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    I didn't think as much, Just figured you 'd like to know. :):cool:
     
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  13. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    I did some eggs in that little #7 frying pan this morning I got at the flea market. Before and after cleaning with the oven cleaner, It was perfect! :cool: eggs slid right out
     

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  14. jetjr

    jetjr

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    Deer medallions. 20141206_083426.jpg
     
  15. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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  16. grassguerilla

    grassguerilla

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    My favorite myth is "never wash them with soap". While not necessary, if seasoned with meat as opposed to vegetable oil it will be fine. The "seasoning" is carbon. Soap won't touch carbon. Period. Burned on veg oil or even crisco, not so impervious.

    And I've only cleaned up one with oven cleaner. Sure, it works. But it's a nasty chemical process. Why not just stick it in a fire and burn the crud off? Works fine.

    And my favorite way to make fried potatos is to smoke them on the weber grill till fully baked. Ideally leftovers from the night before. Cut em into slices, and fry em in about 50/50 bacon grease and butter with some sweet yellow onion. Add some crumbled bacon, and stir in a few scrambled eggs right at the end. Top with some smoky sharp cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. Salt pepper to taste.
     
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  17. Doug MacIVER

    Doug MacIVER

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    every so often(2-3years) I put my 2 pans in the oven when I set to oven clean. simply re-season with bacon grease.
     
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  18. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    If you go back a bit on this thread you can read why it's not a good idea to throw them in the fire or use the oven on "mach" 10 to clean the pans. Now if it works for you, thats fine and so be it but you can truly destroy a good pan

    Check out some of these web sites. Go back and read the thread from the start, I explain about what can happen.:)o_O
     
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  19. UncleJoe

    UncleJoe

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    I can't believe I didn't mention that early on in this thread. :picard: I've done that with several CI pans I picked up at estate sales and yes it does work very well. Cleans off any rust too.
     
  20. WeldrDave

    WeldrDave Military Outpost Moderator

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    If a person has any pans that are worth $$$ putting them in a fire is very bad! Rust can be dealt with in a couple ways.
     
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