Thread: Cast iron?

Aloha!

What a great thread. I'm a cast iron devotee. I have a decent collection of Lodge, and a nice collection of Le Cruset enameled for cooking acidic foods like tomato sauce. I would not be without them.

I have had an issue with a fairly recent purchases of a Lodge skillet (2 years ago) where the pre-seasoning flaked off on me in spots, even with proper care, cleaning, and use. But overall, I've been extremely happy with Lodge. And I have no complaints about Le Cruset when you need enameled cast iron cookware. I bought a complete Le Cruset set in 1989 and still use it today with absolutely no issues. I paid $189 back then for a complete set and thought that was an awful lot of money. Now, I see some stores are charging up to $500 for just the dutch oven. Wow. I'm glad I invested in the set when I did. Looking back, I'm actually surprised I invested in a set back in the late 80s as a young man, but I'm sure glad I did.

Lodge seems reasonable in today's prices for the quality that you get. Unfortunately, I have no children to pass my cookware on down to. As you gents know, this stuff will last many lifetimes if properly used and cared for.

Gotta' love cast iron.

Mahalo!

Originally Posted by outback

Whipped up a batch of cornbread, for ham n bean soup.

Personally, I won't make cornbread any other way. That goes for pineapple upsidedown cake, too.

Attachment 318940

Aloha!

Oh my. Skillet Cornbread. You do realize that now I have to prepare some. My grandmother used to do this every Sunday for my grandfather, and then she'd brown some butter in a little cast iron skillet to drizzle over the top just before serving.

OK, out comes the skillet and the corn meal and flour. Corn bread and Chile for dinner.

Mahalo for the idea!

Originally Posted by ZipZop

Aloha!

What a great thread. I'm a cast iron devotee. I have a decent collection of Lodge, and a nice collection of La Cruset enameled for cooking acidic foods like tomato sauce. I would not be without them.

I have had an issue with a fairly recent purchases of a Lodge skillet (2 years ago) where the pre-seasoning flaked off on me in spots, even with proper care, cleaning, and use. But overall, I've been extremely happy with Lodge. And I have no complaints about La Cruset when you need enameled cast iron cookware. I bought a complete La Cruset set in 1989 and still use it today with absolutely no issues. I paid $189 back then for a complete set and thought that was an awful lot of money. Now, I see some stores are charging up to $400 for just the dutch oven. Wow. I'm glad I invested in the set when I did. As a young man, I'm surprised I invested in a set back in the late 80s, but I'm glad I did.

Lodge seems reasonable in today's prices for the quality that you get. Unfortunately, I have no children to pass my cookware on down to. As you gents know, this stuff will last many lifetimes if properly used and cared for.

Gotta' love cast iron.

Mahalo!

I've got some Lodge and it's 'Ok' they are far heavier than the vintage pieces and they are no where near as well finished BUT they do work. I have given most of my Lodge away as I collected higher quality pieces but I do still have my two sided grill/smooth on one side and ridges on the other and my 10" Dutch Oven with legs for cooking over the coals.

As far as the La Cruset enameled ware goes as you've found you were indeed fortunate to have invested in it years ago because now they want your first born for even a small piece.

I do have one Lodge enameled ware Dutch Oven and it's very nicely finished I use it for canning jams and jellies along with other things and I'm very pleased.

NOW--the non enameled is still cast here in the USA however I believe that the enameled ware is made by the C. H. Ina Company. I find it sad that the enameled ware is of a higher quality than Lodge is putting out here in the states.

If you've ever handled some of the much older Lodge they did take time to have a much nicer finished product. I would imagine that the founder of Lodge (Joseph Lodge) could see what's coming and has been coming out of Lodge now he is turning over in his grave.

I have two Staub bread pans. I wouldn't be without them. They are Cast Iron with ceramic coatings and a thick ceramic plate on the bottom. Bread comes out of the oven with perfection.

I have a very few pieces of Skeppshult Cast Iron. It is Swedish Made from a very old company who hasn't skimpt on the product in 100 years. They even own the iron mine where the ore comes from and it's all made right there, not cheap though.

I'd love to see the Staub and Skeppshult items so any chance of some pictures?

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I'd love to see the Staub and Skeppshult items so any chance of some pictures?

None handy but the best pictures for the Skeppshult are at the Pleasant Hill Grain website. They carry the full line and the Staub you can see best on the Williams-Sonoma Website.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

None handy but the best pictures for the Skeppshult are at the Pleasant Hill Grain website. They carry the full line and the Staub you can see best on the Williams-Sonoma Website.

What? No camera?? Ah come on, give us a pic--after all they are in your possession. You know the rule--No Picture/Didn't happen

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I have two Staub bread pans. I wouldn't be without them. They are Cast Iron with ceramic coatings and a thick ceramic plate on the bottom. Bread comes out of the oven with perfection.

I have a very few pieces of Skeppshult Cast Iron. It is Swedish Made from a very old company who hasn't skimpt on the product in 100 years. They even own the iron mine where the ore comes from and it's all made right there, not cheap though.

Originally Posted by cudarunner

I've got some Lodge and it's 'Ok' they are far heavier than the vintage pieces and they are no where near as well finished BUT they do work. I have given most of my Lodge away as I collected higher quality pieces but I do still have my two sided grill/smooth on one side and ridges on the other and my 10" Dutch Oven with legs for cooking over the coals.

As far as the La Cruset enameled ware goes as you've found you were indeed fortunate to have invested in it years ago because now they want your first born for even a small piece.

I do have one Lodge enameled ware Dutch Oven and it's very nicely finished I use it for canning jams and jellies along with other things and I'm very pleased.

NOW--the non enameled is still cast here in the USA however I believe that the enameled ware is made by the C. H. Ina Company. I find it sad that the enameled ware is of a higher quality than Lodge is putting out here in the states.

If you've ever handled some of the much older Lodge they did take time to have a much nicer finished product. I would imagine that the founder of Lodge (Joseph Lodge) could see what's coming and has been coming out of Lodge now he is turning over in his grave.

True enough. I'm happy with my Lodge cookware. I bought it about 10 years ago except for the most recent pan that I got two years ago. I've worked hard putting a much better seasoning on all of them, and they now are up to snuff (in my book anyway). For the price, I'm happy, but I'm not an aficianado of cast iron like some gentlemen here are. I'm just a loyal fan.

As far as the Le Cruset, I can vividly recall standing in a cookware store in New York back in the late 80s and laboring over purchasing the complete set of 8 pieces for $189 plus tax, on sale from $249. I am certainly glad my young self decided to pull that trigger. I settled on the Orange (Flame) color and I'm glad I did because I'm still a fan of that color to this day. In about 1995 ish, I purchased a medium size Blue (Marseille) Le Cruset dutch oven with lid for my mother (RIP). So I have that as well. More Le Cruset than I'll ever use in my lifetime.

As I said, the Lodge finish etc isn't as good as it used to be but it does work and works pretty well.

According to an online Inflation Calculator that $189.00 that you spent in the mid '80's (I used 1985) would be right at $457.00 today.

Cook on--------

Just passed my mother’s flame orange oval le Creuset to my son. It is one of the originals with the handle cast as an integral part of the lid - not screwed into a hole in the lid.

I got it from my mom after she’d owned it for over 30 years. My son got it from me after I had it for 30 years.

Its finish is a little dinged on the outside bottom and the rim, but my granddaughter will inherit it in about 30 years and it won’t look much different.

It’s still the best pot for stews, beans, baking boules, roasting a chicken, etc I have ever owned.

When I went to the website to check current pricing, I was stunned at the cost these days.

I have a Lodge Dutch oven, but it’s not the same.