Thread: cast iron pans

Both Griswold & Wagner produced pans under different names. Griswold made iron mountain pans and Wagner made pans under National name (back then they would put any name you wanted and sold them through sears, montgomery wards etc). I have one National (#8) and they only made 3 sizes #7,8 & 9 and they are the lightest, smoothest cast iron pans i have ever seen. I wish i could find a complete set.
Wapak was a company not affiliated with Wagner, they are highly collectible and very difficult to find.
The reason for Wagner & Griswold cookware being so smooth is the materials they used in their production. Griswold's cast iron has a micro fine crystalline structure where Lodge has a very large crystalline structure, Therefor Lodge is much heavier and very porous. The porosity is what causes the food to stick.
Griswold and Wagner both polished their pans with good results, but, If you try to polish a Lodge, your wasting your time- cant polish out porosity.
I use olive oil to season cast iron, it does not go rancid. there are several methods to strip a pan prior to seasoning them. My personal favorite and easiest method is to put them in the oven and set it on the clean cycle. After allowing to cool, scrub with an S.O.S pad, thoroughly rinse in HOT water, dry and then (while still hot) wipe down with a paper towel soaked in olive oil and then place in the oven @ 250 for 1 hour, remove and wipe off excess oil, re-apply (sparingly) fresh olive oil, and put back in the oven for 2 hours. remove and let cool.
Never use soap to clean pans, if you use the boiling water method to clean, you must wipe with olive oil before storing.
I almost always add butter, cooking oil when cooking and the food won't stick, and, when done (& pan still warm) i will wipe it clean with a paper towel and put away. If I burn something or food sticks, put a couple tablespoonsfull of salt (regular old table salt) in the pan and use a paper towel to scrub it clean. It only takes a second and you wont have to re-season the pan (it will also remove minor rust spots)
Never wash pans and let air dry! they will rust.
Never use chemicals to clean pans! anything that's put in the pan stays there (remember the porosity) and who wants scrambled eggs with lye flavor?(yeah OK- the SOS pad- its not toxic and rinses clean)
Never put pans in refrigerator, water will condense on them and they will rust
Never leave soaking in sink-rust again
never leave on stove with liquids in them and let cool -rust again
Now, this one is optional, cooking with tomatoes, they are very acidic and will eat your pans. they will leave a "bathtub" ring on your pans if allowed to remain for any length of time. If you wait until after dinner to clean pan it will be slightly damaged. If you put tomato sauce in serving bowl, clean pan then have dinner you should be OK
bottom line- cast iron demands a level of care just like straight razors and if treated properly, will last forever. enjoy! (watch out for cast iron acquisition disorder)!!
So, I have 3 acquisition disorders, straight razors, cast iron & old pocket watches- anybody got the time??????
Best regards to all, Bob

Thanks very much for that post Bob. I need to season my two pans again. I quit using them a few years ago because I basically gave up beef but I still like having them and may do a steak again once in awhile. Best use and care instructions I've ever read for cast iron pans.

thats a nice pan jimmy. i have one but the indian is not as nice yours. i have a book on wagner and griwold pans. real nice and tells you the dates and what there worth and history. wagner is another good old pan that seasons well. i have some lodges and got them to season but griswold and wagner are the best. if you find any old pans that say made in usa those are most likely the old lodge pans that season real nice and you can get them cheap on ebay.

Originally Posted by buckeye

thats a nice pan jimmy. i have one but the indian is not as nice yours.

That is a mixed blessing. Now that I'm in a place with an electric stove I am reluctant to use it because the emblem is so nice. I don't know the size but it is a real convenient size for ease of handling. I'm at work now so I can't check. I guess if I always lift it and set it down without sliding it on the burner it would stay good.

i would hang that pan on your kitchen wall and buy a griswaold to cook in or you could sell it to me. heres an old griswold dutch oven and moms chile rrecipe. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Originally Posted by buckeye

i would hang that pan on your kitchen wall and buy a griswaold to cook in or you could sell it to me. heres an old griswold dutch oven and moms chile rrecipe. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Stop, your making me hungry ! I'm going to hang onto the Indian pan. My gris # 12 is for cooking two or three steaks at a time, when I used to do it, or for frying chicken. Nice and roomy but , as you know, heavy. The Wapak is maybe 10 or 12" across the top and a much lighter handier pan. This thread might just get me to go buy a porterhouse or a NY strip and put that pan back into service.

Jimmy, you will be ok to use the wapak on an electric stovetop. it's the gas range or wood stoves that destroy the bottom sides of pans. If you want a real treat, try making corn bread in them. I have several Griswold corn bread pans and every time i use them i put on a couple o'pounds yummmmmmmm where's my drool cup. Try making a pineapple upside down cake in your #12 yummmmmmmmmmmmm my cup overflowith. Bob

I have been into cast iron for many years, but as a user not really a collector. I have a few old Wagners that I aquired here and there and one Griswald that was my grandmothers/mothers/now mine I'm always looking for reasons to get rid of our cheap cookware and replacing it with cast iron but have started to lean the apartment on it's side slightly

Heres a few pics some of my pieces, Just realized I have allot more pieces I have taken pics of yet !!!!

nice set of pans and camp ovens. waitin for it to grt a little cooler here and will have to get the ovens out.

Just thought I would throw this in. If you can find a nice wok brush from a good Restaurant supply or asian supply they work really good for scrubbing out stubborn stuck on food and not hurting the seasoning. Just set the pan on the burner to heat it.Then run under very hot water and scrub.Set back on the burner to dry on the heat and wipe with oil when done.I use either crisco or peanut oil. Make sure the bristles on your wok brush are those natural brown colored bristles...Plastic does not work and any kind of steel pad will strip your seasoning. Cast iron rules ! Bacon and cast iron are the best of friends .