Cast iron or stainless?

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Oddcaliber, Dec 10, 2017.


  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I have never seen one of those. How does that work? Is that middle part filled with water?
     
  2. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Noooooooooooooooo...........................

    The middle part as you put it, is a funnel, for the charcoal combustion chamber which heats up the reservoir for the cooking stock. It is kind of a rocket stove cooking appliance....handy if the utilities are out of commission.



    Some may use a propane ring instead of charcoal or word burning.






    the device could be used for cooking soups, stews and braises, with appropriate adaptation.
     
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  3. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    We only had a couple of pieces of Al cookware - those came from my MIL - very old school. We 'retired' those and now only use cast iron or SS. All of my camping stuff is SS or cast iron - like the Dutch ovens.
     
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  4. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    I like the idea of the steam boat , makes sense. .
     
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  5. SoaySheep

    SoaySheep Monkey

    I think the only aluminum I have is an angel food cake pan. I otherwise use stainless steel and cast iron. It kind of depends on if I will be having help. I've got nerve damage and cast iron is heavy, often too heavy. SS is lighter but heavy enough (1970's era Farberware) to work well. I can soak it in the sink plus I can store left overs in it in the fridge. CI has to be cleaned right away.

    www.windridgefarm.us
     
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  6. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Not really. Soak and scrub (steel wool, NO SOAP!!) in hot water. Doing it that way works, but does require re-curing. (I hate that, too.)
     
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  7. hot diggity

    hot diggity Monkey+++ Site Supporter+++

    The last time I used aluminum cookware was in a mountain campsite in East Tennessee. I felt like I might die before I got down off the mountain. Stainless steel or ceramic (Corningware) for heating water, cast iron for cooking. Aluminum for recycling.
     
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  8. SoaySheep

    SoaySheep Monkey

    I used to use corning ware but now am prone to dropping things
     
  9. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    I love my cast iron, always will. But, these new, amazing copper ceramic pans are actually quite amazing.
    3 Months With The Red Copper Pan: A Brutally Honest Review
    I've been using these for a couple years now and I don't ever want to stop using them. Be sure to use the Red Copper or Gotham Steel cookware and avoid imitations. These pans are not as durable as cast iron (nothing really is), but they are much better than traditional teflon and other non-stick pans and they aren't toxic, either.
     
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  10. Idahoser

    Idahoser Monkey+++ Founding Member

    I have an idea that I'd like to get to know cast iron but my glass-top electric stove just looks too fragile. So mostly stainless pots and pans and those cast teflon frying pans (Calphalon I guess). The couple attempts we have made at cast iron were poorly executed and everything stuck like crazy, so we know we don't know what we're doing yet.
     
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  11. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    @Idahoser I suspect the issue is that the Bottom of your CI Pan is NOT completely Flat, which on a Glass top Heater will not get the Heat distribution up into the pan like a Metal Stove top or CalRod Heating Unit will... You might try and check the Bottom with a Straight Edge and see just how uniform the Bottom is... and maybe File it, or Sand it ,flat...
     
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  12. runswithdogs

    runswithdogs Monkey+++

    Also if you ever drop it by accedent.. you will no longer have a glass top to your stove.

    The pan should be fine though:p
     
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  13. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    It isn't. Well, my Hotpoint shrugs off the clumsies, dunno 'bout yours. My cast iron has not dinged the glass top yet, and I've been dropping cast iron frying pans on it nearly weekly.
     
  14. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    It is difficult to keep cast iron in working order for some, and I found that most of what is made today is not "up to par", and it will take some work to get the cast iron to where it needs to be before seasoning. I've used sand paper and worked new pans down to a decent flatness (modern cast iron such as Lodge often has tiny dimples that need to be sanded away) but used power tools and more to get it smooth because sanding by hand is a fail, and then a proper seasoning will help create a nice surface. It's only after several uses it begins to become non-stick. I only clean my cast iron while it's still warm with a handful of salt and a few paper towels to scour away the pesky stuck-on food particles. Then, I treat the cast iron with some coconut oil and hang it for the next use. I've found the older cast iron is the best, and it's also much lighter and smoother. One cast iron pan I have is a Griswold, and it's pretty amazing. Yard sales are often the place to find these, if you're lucky...
    [​IMG]
     
  15. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    I have a Red Copper fry pan. It is NOT really "nonstick". I find I need to use a thin layer of oil to fry in. Frying eggs requires enough oil to rake over the eggs as they cook anyway.
     
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  16. Idahoser

    Idahoser Monkey+++ Founding Member

    another issue is my wife has an allergy to metal. she's concerned about both iron and copper. Any kind of zipper or rivet on clothing touching her skin gives her a rash. She once had chromium stitches that festered for months until they dissolved fully. Sterling and gold are ok. Don't know if eating it (the tiny amount that could come from cooking) would do anything or not, but she's worried about it.
     
  17. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    i have a copper egg pan for crepes i love that pan! and i agree i love cast iron but i never did get the hang of using cast iron for crepes. i never could get a non-stick shean on the cast iron

    i think the pan depends on what you are cooking.

    dutch overn cooking, cant beat cast iron, baking, ceramic in a modern oven cast iron on a wood stove. Stainless steel is ok for boiling water but i would much rather have ceramic coated cast iron, the heat distribution is even and its heavy to lift


    EDIT: Copper pans https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=copper+pans
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2018
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  18. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

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  19. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

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  20. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    Cuisinart makes a full set of them.that are actually a little heavier and get better reviews from what I've read, and they are 40-60% less than Me Cruset.

    And if you get them at one of the TJ Maxx stores (TJ Maxx, Home goods or Marshalls) they are even less that's my plan once the remodel is done and we start replacing the pots and pans.
     
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