Cooking Green: Cast Iron Will Rock Your World

[triggerhpy]

1) get a flat bottom dutch oven for your stove and you can use the lid on your 10" skillet.

2) buy a set of bambo utensils by far the best for cast iron.

3) have fun with the new addiction.

[DCFunBud]

Cast iron requires a lot of fat while cooking to maintain its non-stick properties. Seasoning after every use is very important. I use a little bit of Crisco heat the pan and let it cool on its own for a non-stick surface.

[MrMoneyHelper]

Thank you for the good lesson. Somewhere in my home is an old cast iron porcelain covered skillet that is chipping. I don't use it because it has those chips. It is flaking. Is this something than can be used safely or is it ruined?

[dragonflychainsaw]

i don't know why people have gotten away from cast iron they cook better they last really forever i think sometimes we are to smart for our own good and lazy we don't want to tote that heavy cast iron

[homemakingwisdom]

I think cast iron cookware is by far the best there is. I love mine I just added 2 cast iron bread pans to my set.

[DV8DEX]

HEY DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU JUST PUT SOME HOT OIL AND SOME SALT IN THE PAN AND BUB IT WITH A TOWEL. THAT WORKS TOO. AND YOU NEVER WET IT

[malcolmvanatta]

Turn the heat down! ahhhhh.  Burning that egg LOL. Good video. Cast iron rules Teflon Drools.... or maybe it will make you drool..

[godwillhunting2]

get extra virgin coconut oil....one of the best things for frying and very healthy ...but not the crap they sell at wally world....

[realolba]

Well ... if you use a non metal spatula and by a good non-stick skillet in the first place and do not scrub it with a sponge your non-stick skillet will last mor than 1.5-2 years ... mine is now 5 years old w/o any scratch or peeled of non-stick material ;).

The brand is Ballarini.

I still have a little cast iron skillet for german "Bratkartoffeln" :)

[DeadlyAlchemy]

Good video. I've been trying to get other people to start using cast iron. It is by far the best cookware out there!

[matt4270]

NEVER put a hot cast iron pan into cold water, or it could crack! Canola oil is a good high heat oil as well.

[Allen2045]

The cast Iron pans will last for ever.

[1Bonehed]

Absolute best way to keep cast iron well seasoned is to simply use it & use it often. The more it's used the better it'll be. Especially if you cook things with high fat content like bacon. If cooking lots of water based sauces like soups or gravies clean by wiping clean with paper towel and wipe with paper towel with a little veg oil or shortening and heat till first see smoke. Take off heat lightly wipe after cool with (dry towel) just to get any excess oil & your good to go.

[peppersnsmartpots]

Lodge makes a wooden handled cleaning brush made just for that skillet and all other Lodge cast iron cookwear. It is the perfect size and shape to clean thier skillets easily and safely. It was hard to find locally(its everywhere online) but I found mine at Dick's sporting goods for $5 after looking everywhere. Its perfect, just like Lodge's skillets.

[cliffcox66]

I use grapeseed oil. Very high smoke point. Cast iron is the bomb. PPL don't take time to understand how to use it. The masses will move together as sheep. Sheeple!

[1982FMJ]

i was thinking about a cast iron double sided griddle but am concerned that when both sides are seasoned when i heat the underneath of the seasoned side it will cause alot of smoke. is there anyway around this. how well do stove top dual sided griddles perform as there is always a gap in the centre of the cooker which will leave a spot in the centre of the griddle which won't recieve as much heat or will it eventually spread over cast iron.

[Kamita85]

@1982FMJ

I was also wondering this exact thing, I did however buy the smaller square reversible griddle/grill. I have noticed that the center heats up much more then the outer edges but that my pancakes turn out swell as long as i keep them rotating.

I am worried about the seasoning burning off considering on the very high heat needed to burn grill marks on meats.. If anyone has any experience please respond...

[CairnsFoodGarden]

I had a cheap camping skillet and I put it on the hotplate at high and after a while it split! Cheap iron+fast temperature change = NEIN!

[jiga20001]

My neighbor has been trying to get me to take her old rusty cast iron pots and pans for years.

She always told me they would clean up great.

I thought she was nuts!!!!!

Well I finally took her cast iron wok and cleaned it up.

I cook in it almost ever night now.

I turned her old set of rusty wok's, skillets and sauce pans into the works of art that they were meant to be.

I will never cook in anything but cast ever again!!!!

Its simply the best.

Good video.

Thanks!

[switter1999]

An easier way to keep seasoning is after your done cooking, don't rinse the pan off and let it cool down with the oil you used to cook with still in it. then wipe it clean with a dry paper towel. it's gunna get hot again anyway, no need to wash

[Diabolik771]

That egg looks burned. Use Pam and water to cook perfect eggs

[salpi23]

I have a griswold grandma gave me, I over seasoned it, lol... gonna have to start over..

[craziestbxboy]

aha i knew there was a trick to cast iron pots! thank you for this!

[saintmj57]

extra iron in the diet is always good 4 women , mostly.......glass , ceramic and iron are the best to cook with !!!!!

[aeg1000]

Olive oil is not good for high temperature frying. It burns and starts smoking. This is not healthy. Regular vegetable oil is better for that. This is a cool video.

[PantsThatDontFit]

No way. vegetable oil is very dangerous to eat. You are correct about the olive oil for cooking. A blended olive oil is better for cooking

[austinsimpleliving]

great how-to video. cast iron rocks!

[firebrandsgirl]

This woke me up. I have a skillet out in the garden i was going to use to scare off the birds. HAHAAH i guess I can clean it up and get it back in the kitchen.

[bbbtttoooppp]

Your cooking demo is very cool.

[peterdumplin]

Awesome video. Thats exactly how I use mine!

[caboose4449]

Good demonstration cooking on iron skillet, and clean up. I also use salt to dry the skillet as well after it is dried to keep it from rusting.

[flydaddyA]

you don't need to wash your skillet. Just wipe off the excess oil and your done. If you have any bits stuck to the pan, just use oil and kosher salt and scour the pan with a old towel or such. Then wipe off and your done!

[Yobama007]

Thanks for the video! I just inherited my grandfathers cast iron grilling pan and skillet. Can't wait to try it out. =)

[dumb7890]

I have my great great grand mothers deep fryer that went from the east coast to the west in a coverd waggon

[SPAgirlLauren]

That is extremely cool

[Sojaofdapepo]

thats cool my grandmother has a bunch of stuff like that all the way from the east coast to california on a waggon

[Mike990920]

"Turn it on and get it hot". Yes you do. :-) Like yourselves, I switched to cast iron skillets. I bought 3 inexpensive unseasoned made-in-China skillets for $40. I can sear on super high heat and then turn off the stove heat while the skillet keeps on cooken'. Cast iron truly, totally rocks and so do you. Rock on!

[undermyumbrellah]

extra virgin olive oil and high heat is naughty. normal olive oil can handle relatively high heat.

[RyanIsHungry]

interesting, i didn't know that! good to know.

[busymartian]

If you really want a nice satiny black coating on your pans, use Crisco vegetable shortening and bake in the oven at 350 to 400 degrees.

[SPAgirlLauren]

Good tip

[djamorpheus]

@RyanIsHungry safflower oil can take heat up to 500F

[Diabolik771]

@undermyumbrellah wrong, Extra virgin olive oil burns at high heat. Peanut oil can go hottest. Chinese cooking uses it.

[2brello]

Olive oil and high heat? Naughty!

[Trocar72]

Great video! Your skillet is well used and loved...the best kind =)

Another good thing to use to clean cast iron is simply take a green piece of a small branch, and shave it back little by little until you have a little "broom" made. It works wonderfully and it's free.

[ejbgunny]

Looks like a Lodge 10" chef skillet. Great skillet at a great price.

[RyanIsHungry]

you are correct! i think this was under $20. which is amazing for a pan that will literally last forever.

[PossumKiwi]

Thank you :)  !

[screenflicker1]

i danced to that music in the end. doom dip doom dip doom dip dook chak

[evilburrito1523]

Jeezeloueeze... turn down dat heat! Quit burnin' dem eggz! Ouch!

[LadyWeasel]

I absolutely LOVE cast iron. I am slowly replacing my cookware with it. When a piece of old cookware wares out, I replace it with cast iron. Of course, I got rid of my "non-stick" pan ages ago, replacing it with a nice 12 inch cast iron skillet. :)

[kulturvultur]

after 15 years of using cast iron skillets i find the most efficient way to clean them is:

as soon as you remove the food, add water to the skillet while it is still hot and on the stove, use a plastic brush to remove food particles, rinse and done

if you've burned the food, its useful allow the small amount of water to boil to loosen the chard bits

[lauls85]

Have you ever tried to bake food in the oven with cast iron skillet? I am thinking about making pizza with the cast iron skillet but didn't know if it will cook (flour) evenly?

Thanks

[Nilyentaraka]

If you season the cast iron cookware, it will perform just as, if not better, than nonstick cookware. Iron is unsurpassed in heat retention and even heat distribution amaong all other metals used for cooking. Just make sure it's seasoned.

[jellogarden]

oh yea, I make deep dish pizzas in mine it works great

[Kaboom0623]

I make Bannock in my pan and it works a treat. Just be sure and have a well seasoned pan. a newl pan freshly seasoned tends to stick. The Longer the pan has been seasoned the better. BTW if you press your bannock thin and cook about half way then top with your pizza toppings it tastes even better :) ... also thin your banncok down to a very thick pancale mix and adda few tbl spoons of grease and make beaver tails ... Taste great and kids love em. top with cinnimon sugar or the like.

[aflute0509]

YES! The peel-off has happened to me and it's totally gross!

I only use cast iron now.

I've even learned to make corn bread and bake it in the oven. They make cool covers for these pans.

Thanks so much for posting about this! :)

[kathybigfoot]

very imformative! GO GREEN with a cast iron skillet! I just got one for Christmas, thanks for the tips!

[lcromy]

great video. I just bought one and I love it. I was online hoping to find a video on "how to" and yours was awesome. Great job!!!

[CHEFSUMDAY]

THANK'S, Have fun cooking ! And feed Ryan.

[FreeTalkLive]

I cook everything in cast iron.

I am Iron Man!

[Kaboom0623]

LOL the first time I read your comment I thought you said your a real man, I was going to answer with Real men eat cookies and Milk .. but as your an Iron man ... then Make them cookies in the iron pan .. and milk that cow .. BEST combo ever. Now if they would only make a light weight cast iron for backpacking .. I would be in heaven.

[gibsondan]

I'd also like to echo that you had the heat up too high. With a cast iron skillet, you rarely go higher than medium heat. Reason: Cast iron retains heat VERY well. So try cooking with the heat down lower.  Oh...I see your comment now where you say you've mastered this. Well, Bravo! Also remember to never use soap on cast iron. Just scrape with a spatula and wash in plain water. That's also very green-friendly. Great video!

[RyanIsHungry]

yes, it's true, cast iron gets hot hot hot. i grew up using gas stoves where you could turn the heat down instantly too. so the combination took me a while to figure out. but now i'm solid!

[patchcords]

I use cast iron pans too:)

CAST IRON ROCKS !!!!!

[svtcontour]

If I was ever to make a video of cast iron stuff, it would have been word for word the same as yours :) I had the same exact experience the first time too. I didnt know about seasoning so I cracked an egg in an unseasoned pan that had a bit of oil and OMG it stuck on there with more force than any glue ever. I learned how to season and then after that all my non stick or aluminum stuff went to the local charity. Now I use cast, stainless and ceramic. Those are all healthy choices.

[dsd92506]

Girrrl, your pan was way too hot. Electric stoves ARE difficult to regulate(the heat)so you should start on LOW and let the heat evenly heat the skillet. I too am a big proponent of cast Iron. I have a few passed down from great great grandma. I have from a 3 inch skillet to a huge cast iron wok. Nice video, but your pan should not be smoking.

[RyanIsHungry]

ha! i know it. it took me about a year to get used to cooking with an electric stove and cast iron together, both just heat up so fast and stay hot for a long time. i'm proud to say, i've mastered it now!