Cast Iron: the Original Non-Stick Cookware!
This lens is dedicated to my Grandma. She could cook ANYTHING in that old iron skillet and it would be delicious! Heck, she could cook anything period and it would be delicious! Something as simple as a plain chicken breast, dredged in flour, with a little salt and pepper, and nothing more, was somehow transformed into the tastiest morsel when Grandma cooked it.
Pancakes were perfect, bacon and eggs were better and, oh, those home-made doughnuts! (Really they weren't exactly doughnuts. We called it "Fried Dough". It was the sweet-roll dough stretch out into odd shapes -no hole in the middle, fried in oil until golden and crispy, and then shaken in a brown paper bag with some sugar.)
For years I didn't know why it was that I couldn't acheive the same taste. How did she cook those eggs up so simply, and yet with so much flavor? I tried and tried to duplicate it- same indredients, same sources, same techniques, everything. It just wasn't ever the same. Then I inhereted her old Iron Skillet, and there it was...THAT FLAVOR.
There's more than cooking here, we've got MUSIC to get you in the mood:
Check out the great old time fiddle & banjo tunes, swing, zydeco and bayou blues too!
Why Use Cast Iron?
Benfits of using cast iron cookware
- It is the Original Non-Stick Cooking surface!
- 100% NATURAL
Made from the elemental metal iron. It even adds a teeny, tiny bit of natural iron to your diet. - It is SAFE & NON-TOXIC
Unlike chemically synthesized non-stick coatings (Silver-stone, Teflon, etc.) and aluminum which has become questionable.
-Over-heated synthetic non-stick surfaces emit toxic gasses that kill pet birds and produce flu-like symptoms in humans.
-High concentrations of aluminum are found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. - FLAVOR
Adds a special home-cooked flavor you can't get any other way. - EVEN HEATING
Iron has excellent heat diffusion and retention properties. - VERSATILE
Works just as well in the oven, on the stovetop, open fire, or BBQ grill. - DURABLE
Properly cared for cast iron cookware can last a lifetime...even longer as a wonderful family heirloom.
It simply improves with age!
Iron Clad Experience...
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Cooking Tip: No-Flip "Perfect" Fried Eggs
No more broken Yolks! Even cooking, without Flipping.
Picture- perfect eggs, every time!You will need:
1. A well-seasoned iron pan
2. A lid that fits the pan
3. Cooking Oil
4. 1 or more raw Eggs
5. 2 Tablespoons Water
Optional, but reccomended: a Spatter Guard
PRE-HEAT your pan on MEDIUM heat.
Put a little OIL (about a tablespoon) into the pan and allow to heat for a moment. Be sure to coat the bottom of the pan evenly with the oil.
Crack egg(s) and place them into the heated pan.
(A spatter-guard is helpful at this point)
COOK eggs UNCOVERED (or with spatter guard) until the whites turn an evenly opaque white color.
Now ADD the WATER and COVER with lid IMMEDIATELY.
This will steam-cook the eggs. Let them cook another minute or two.
It might take a little practice to know when they reach the right done-ness for you (easy to hard yolk).
Your EGGS will SLIDE right out of the pan!
No turning, no broken yolks and your eggs will be picture-perfect for the plate!
Cast Iron Cookbooks
The Wood's Woman's Pot: Black Pot Cooking Indoors & Out
Simply the best guide available on cast iron cooking by the renowned wood's woman, Mignonne Pearson. Recipes are Boy Scout tested for preparation ease and great taste. Features basic and creative instructions for how to use cast iron pots in the kitchen or while camping. The unique easel design stays open on a countertop or hangs on a tree. It slips easily into a backpack, but this little classic should have a reserved place on your cookbook shelf.
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The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen
The cast-iron skillet is the original gourmet-cooking tool. This cookbook aims to show modern cooks how this inexpensive cast iron tool is the best pan in their kitchen. Fusing new and traditional recipes and gathering farm-fresh produce and ingredients, the authors show cooks how to make delicious food in this versatile skillet.
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Cast Iron Cooking for Dummies
Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies is for those cooks who may want to inject a little adventure and variety into their cooking. If you've never even thought of using cast-iron cookware, or you have a few cast-iron pots lying around, you'll discover all you need to know about making great food using cast iron.
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Cooking in Cast Iron: Yesterday's Flavors for Today's Kitchen
Cooking in Cast Iron will acquaint home cooks with the benefits, history, care, and use of this rugged and romantic cookware. Plus, more than 150 recipes-from main dishes and side dishes to breads and desserts-demonstrate the versatility of cast iron in today's kitchens. The original non-stick cookware, it's perfect for cooking with less fat or oils-and readily adapts to a wide range of ethnic cuisine.
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I'll Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy
Originally recorded by "Uncle Dave Macon"
The original video I had posted with the original recording disappeared from YouTube. Luckily there was a more recent live recording. A little harder to understand the lyrics...but you get the idea.
Across Two Centuries: From the Farm, to the Ranch, to the Big City
...and Back to the Farm Again
Amelia was born in January of 1897 on a farmstead in Nebraska to German immigrants, the fourth of 5 children. At the age of 7 she walked the Oregon Trail from Nebraska to west central Missouri with her family along side a covered wagon. English was not spoken at home, so she did not learn it until going to school. This gave her a rather odd accent- a combination of German and Missouri Ozark dialect. I never noticed it, except for with a few words (radio became reddy-o), but my friends always commented on what an unusual accent she had.Fiercely independent, she began teaching school in a one-room schoolhouse in western Missouri at the age of 16. By 18 she set off for Colorado to cook on a ranch. Eventually she found herself back in Missouri, managing the cafeteria at Woolworths department store in downtown Kansas City. This was during the mid-1920's and early 1930's, a time when all major department stores had some kind of in-house eatery and very few women were in management positions. This is where she met Grandpa. Fred, also the child of German immigrants, was a dapper city boy with clear-blue eyes and a sharp wit. Together he and his brother owned a meat company that supplied sausage to Woolworths.
In the mid 1930's, Grandma and Grandpa took all their savings and bought a farm just west of Kansas City on 3 acres of some of the best soil in the area. There they grew vegetables, grapes, apples, peaches and pears and raised chickens to sell at the Farmer's Market. Eventually they, along with the other area farms, were engulfed by suburban sprawl.
Staying at Grandma's was alway a treat. At bedtime she'd ask my sister and me "OK, girls, what do you want want for breakfast?" We'd confer with each other and squeal "Pancakes!" or "Fried dough!" She'd smile and chuckle to herself, amused at our silliness and delighted to spoil us rotten. If it was fried dough, she would get up at 4 o'clock in the morning to start the dough for breakfast. Already in her 80's by the time we were born (some big generation gaps in the family), she was still sharp, actively farming, and could cook circles around anyone.
Holidays at Grandma's were wonderful. Everything was made from scratch, even the hot rolls. She could easily prepare a meal for a large crowd and have everything ready, just the right temperature, and on the table at the same time. Most of all, you could always taste the one ingredient that could not be bought: the love with which it was cooked.
Fiddling Around with the Skillet Lickers
Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Music from North America
Bayou Blues & Zydeco
Music for Inspired Cookin' in yer Iron Skillet
Old-Time Fiddle Tunes And Songs From North Georgia
Decades before rock & roll, the Skillet Lickers blasted through raucous old-time romps that still sound as fresh and edgy as they must've sounded ...
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Put on the Skillet
According to Folk and Acoustic Music Exchange reviewer Tim Hoke: "Clawhammer banjoist Hilarie Burhans has found a perfect balance in Put on the Skillet, an independent release of mostly traditional old time tunes. Burhans is a master banjo player who has won the Ohio State Old-Time Banjo contest nine times.....Burhans' playing has the sweet plunky sound a clawhammer banjo should have. It fits perfectly alongside her rich and soulful vocals. Rounding out the sound on this album are the traditional fiddle, mandolin, bass and guitar, as well as the Indian harmonium and various objects of percussion. The result is a unique yet traditional sounding and feeling collection. Her rendition of Little Sadie sounds as though it might have been recorded sixty years ago, given the rhythmic playing of Mark Hellenberg on an aluminum doumbek, giving the backdrop that 'scratchy-record' feel." Strongly recommended!
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Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy - The Complete Recordings
Uncle Dave Macon, Fiddler
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Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy
"Possibly one of the finest sets out. If you want to really understand the depth of early country music, then you must have this set. Macon had all the styles and showmanship that influenced everyone from Charlie Poole to Bill Monroe. Every single song that was ever issued by Macon is contained on this set and the book is an incredible read. Most recommended!"
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Brian Vollmer Group - "Soldier's Joy"
Foot-Stomping Fiddle & Guitar Tune
Cast Iron Dos & Don'ts
- AVOID using harsh DETERGENTS/grease cutters
This will remove the seasoning. - AVOID placing COLD COOKWARE (room temperature) on a very HOT ELEMENT.
The heat-shock could warp or crack the metal. Place cold cookware on a cool element and head gradually. - NEVER wash in the DISHWASHER!
This will remove the seasoning and rust your pan. Always hand wash Iron Cookware. - NEVER put cast iron away WET
(It will rust!) - DO NOT USE FOR food STORAGE.
Food left in cast iron too long will take on a metallic taste and acidic foods (beans, tomatoes) and will damage the seasoning.
Cast Iron is only meant to hold food long enough for cooking and/or serving. - ALWAYS store in a COOL, DRY place.
Ensure good air circulation- if the pot has a lid, store it seperately from the pot or place a dry paper towel between the 2 pieces to allow good air circulation.
Spatter Guard: A must-have for any kitchen!
Spatter Guard, Splatter Shield, Splatter Screen...they all do the same thing.
Cleaning Cast Iron Cookware
Keep my skillet clean & seasoned
- SALT & OIL RUB
1. While the pan is warm (not hot!) scrub the inside with a tablespoon of coarse salt (kosher salt works well) and a small amount of olive oil.
2. Rub with a small piece of an old cotton cloth or paper towel.
3. Rinse with cold water. - VEGGIE WASH SCRUB
Use veggie wash (this is milder than soap) and a stiff or natural fiber or nylon brush. - HOT WATER SCRUB
Scrub the pan with very hot to boiling water and a stiff natural fiber or nylon brush. - STARCH BOIL & PEEL
1. Boil a solution of cornstarch or rice starch and water in the pan while tilting it so that the boiling solution reaches all the way up the sides.
2. Pour out the grease-water-starch solution, and peel off whatever dries onto the sides of the pan.
3. Rinse the pan in hot water.
Cast Your Vote
Yea or Nay...
Which method do you like best for cleaning Cast Iron Cookware?
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Brand New Unseasoned Cast Iron Cookware
Notice the grey finish, like dark pewter
Seasoning Cast Iron Cookware
What it is, what it does, and how to achieve it
1. A protective coating to prevent rust
2. A natural, permanent non-stick surface
3. An on-going process. The longer you have it, the more seasoned it gets. If properly cared for, cast iron cookware only improves with age.
Patience!
It takes time and repeated use to develop that lovely black shiny surface like Grandma's Magic Pan! Newly seasoned cookware has a brownish or carmel-like color.
A pan may be seasoned and re-seasoned.
***If your cookware has a LID, be sure to season it as well.***
If you are willing to pay a little more for you pot or pan, many manufacturers now offer pre-seasoned cookware. (But what fun is that?)
How to Season Cast Iron Cookware:
- PREHEAT OVEN to 350° F (175° C).
- WASH new cookware in hot, soapy water with a stiff brush.
- RINSE and DRY completely.
- APPLY a thin COAT of pure, MELTED COOKING OIL to the ENTIRE PIECE.
Use an oil that is SOLID at room temperature:
BACON GREASE
COCONUT OIL
GHEE (Clarified Butter)
RENDERED ANIMAL FAT (LARD, BEEF TALLOW, etc.)
VEGETABLE SHORTENING
(Liquid oils are fine for cooking in the pan, but tend to become "sticky" if used in the seasoning process.) - PLACE cookware UPSIDE DOWN in oven.
BAKE for 1 HOUR - ALLOW cookware to COOL COMPLETELY before removing cookware from oven.
- STORE in a COOL, DRY PLACE where air may circulate freely around all pieces.
- To RE-SEASON a Pan:
Follow the above steps EXCEPT DO NOT SCOUR WITH SOAPY WATER. Instead, use one of the processes described here in the "Cleaning Cast Iron Cookware" module.
Seasoned Iron Skillet with Lid
Recipe: Cast Iron Cornbread
Nothing beats cornbread baked in an iron skillet or muffin pan!
Coming Soon! Cast Iron Links
If you want even more information...
-Cast Iron Cookware
-Dangers of synthetic non-stick cookware such as Teflon and Silverstone.
- Wikipedia on Cast Iron Cookware
- History, Care, Seasoning and Brands.
- Teflon Toxicity (PTFE Toxicosis) in Birds
- The "Canary in the Coal Mine"
- Is Teflon Safe?
- Weighing Health Benefits & Risks.
Lavay Smith & The Red Hot Skillet Lickers
"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"
Lavay Smith on Fog Town Network
Fog Town Network was a San Francisco variety tv show. FTN#26 was broadcast live on April 30, 1995. Here is Lavay Smith & the Red Hot Skillet Lickers performing "Between The Devil & the Deep Blue Sea". This Arlen-Koehler classic was charted by Cab Calloway in 1931 and Louis Armstrong in 1932, followed by many others.
Runtime: 240
10341 views
14 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
Git Yer Own CD
Music for some red-hot cookin'!
And "Lick a Hot Skillet" Zydeco & Bayou Blues by Sunpie
One Hour Mama
This is a great cd to add to your jazz and blues collection. Love Billie Holliday, Ella, etc. then you will LOVE Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, if not for their name alone. Lavay has an incredible saucy voice and the band is a tremendous talent with St. Louis, Chicago and Louisiana experience. (One band member even worked with Dizzy back in the day.) I saw them at their local Friday night gig in the Castro in San Francisco and couldn't believe I had stumbled upon such a find. Lots of fun to watch and they really get down.
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Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing
And just like that, the "swing thing" disappeared. Of course, San Francisco's Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers were at it years before the revival took hold and were always a cut above the rest of the pack anyway. That's because Smith and her pianist and musical director Chris Siebert have such a deep wealth of musical knowledge to draw on, the courage and good taste to recruit world-class veteran players from across the jazz world, and a passion and respect for the style of music they play. Boasting a buoyant mix of boogie-woogie, jump blues, sophisticated swing, and even bebop, 2000's Everybody's Talkin' follows up their enormously successful indie debut, One Hour Mama, which sold nearly 40,000 copies in the 3 years after its release on their own Fat Note label. The crafty arrangements, courtesy of Siebert and big-time Ellington expert David Berger, never get in the way of momentum or mood. It all revolves around Smith's versatile voice, which can convey strength and vulnerability, innocence and smut, sweetness and wickedness--often all at once. --Marc Greilsamer
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Lick a Hot Skillet
In New Orleans, Bruce "Sunpie" (a family nickname) Barnes stands out as the best blues harmonicist in town. His innovative and energetic style draws equally from such late greats as Sonny Boy Williamson, and modernists such as Lee Oskar and Carey Bell.
Sunpie has further distinguished himself as a zydeco accordionist and a powerful singer, as the leader of a hot, popular band known as the Louisiana Sunspots.
Sunpie also maintains his job as a naturalist and tour guide at Jean Lafitte National Park, imparting his vast knowledge of Louisiana's swamps and wetlands.
Sunpie grew up in Benton, Arkansas, where his father played "blues harp" at clubs and picnics, and more importantly, for the pure enjoyment of his family. After attending Henderson State University on a football scholarship (and playing gigs on the side), Sunpie played professional football as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
In December 1991, Sunpie teamed up with veteran drummer Harold Ray Brown, best known for his work with War, and formed an eclectic and funky new group called Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots. Barnes possesses a low, booming voice and a great sense of humor, too.
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Splatter Screens
Make sure it is a little larger than your pan diameter!
Lodge Original Finish 11-Inch Splatter Screen
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Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 12/18/2009) 
Oxo Good Grips Splatter Screen with Folding Handle
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Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/18/2009)
Progressive International Stainless Steel Splatter Screen
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Amazon Price: $17.73 (as of 12/18/2009)
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- OhMe OhMe Sep 24, 2008 @ 12:45 pm
- My husband won't let anything else be cooked in his cast iron skillets. They are for his delicious cornbread only! He does make the best in the world. Great lens. 5*
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Reply
- vbright105 vbright105 Aug 17, 2008 @ 5:02 am
- This brings back memories. My Grandma had a magic pan too. Long ago, I even wrote a poem about it. Thanks for bringing back the memories
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- Noober Noober Aug 6, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
- Hi KC,
Very ueful lens here. I will be waiting anxiously for your recipe on cookin' cornbread in the skillet. :-)
Jack
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- Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz May 1, 2008 @ 10:58 am
- 5 stars and Favored!
The Frogs in the Pond hopped over to visit your lens and love it so much that they are sending you virtual pancakes and a cup of coffee to hang on your wall.
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- sparrky sparrky Apr 4, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
- made my wife a converted dutch oven cook. I do the outside cooking and she, the inside. Delicious, how can you lose weight while cooking with Dutch ovens.
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