View Full Version : Cast Iron Griddle
No, not for backpacking!!!
Do any of you have a cast iron griddle at home for making pancakes, bacon, etc?
I am considering buying one and am not sure about cleanup. Some have told me to never wash it. Others have said to keep a thin coat of cooking oil on it. Not real sure of what to do.
Is it worth the extra bucks to buy cast iron over aluminum???
Cast iron just clean with water and paper towel then heat it till just warm rub cooking oil all over it very thin.Or you can season it just like a cast iron pot
Montana Mac
11-30-2008, 10:34
I have cooked on a cast iron griddle for the past 12 years. I cook pancakes and sausage patties on the griddle and NEVER wash it. Cast iron will "absorb" soap and it takes for ever to get rid of the soap taste.
After cooking on it, if it is well seasoned, all you have to do is wipe it off with a paper towel.
I also cook bacon, that has a heavy cure, in a cast iron frying pan. Once the bacon is cooked I dump out the grease and and let the pan cool before adding clear water to the pan. Pour cold water into a hot cast iron pan and you can crack it. After adding the water I put the pan back on the heat and bring the water to a boil and the bacon cure will simmer off the bottom of the pan. Dump the water and the cure, wipe the pan dry with paper towels.
Here is a link to Lodge cast iron web page with use and care hints
http://www.lodgemfg.com/
great stuff to cook on!
RedneckRye
11-30-2008, 10:51
I've got 3 of them that get used almost daily.
I think I paid $2 total for all of them. One came from my grandparents basement when we cleaned out their house, the other 2 were a buck a piece at a yard sale. My current favorite is the smallest, maybe 6" across. Great for cooking one egg to put on the breakfast bagel.
Clean up is no problem what so ever. Once the cooking is done add some water, bring to a boil, scrape out any remaining food bits with the spatula, dump and wipe with a paper towel. Maybe a dab of oil, but I am usually not that organized.
MMM...Pancakes sound good right about now, but I've got to head out to work.
I've got 3 of them that get used almost daily.
I think I paid $2 total for all of them. One came from my grandparents basement when we cleaned out their house, the other 2 were a buck a piece at a yard sale. My current favorite is the smallest, maybe 6" across. Great for cooking one egg to put on the breakfast bagel.
Clean up is no problem what so ever. Once the cooking is done add some water, bring to a boil, scrape out any remaining food bits with the spatula, dump and wipe with a paper towel. Maybe a dab of oil, but I am usually not that organized.
MMM...Pancakes sound good right about now, but I've got to head out to work.
I paid a bit more than redneck, but not much. I have a large cast iron pot for stews and simmering pot roasts and such. Also two cast iron frypans, and a cast iron griddle.
After cooking I just add a little water, scrub out any food bits with a plastic pad, and wipe with a rag or paper towel.
SEasoning is essential -- and it gets better with repeated use. I find it takes several weeks to properly season a new pot. I first coat it with cooking oil and place it in a 300 degree oven for a few hours. Each additional use will add a bit more to the seasoning. Eventually, cast iron becomes virtually a non stick pot.
But cast iron is really not an improvement for most cooking. Stainless steel for instance is a better choice for frozen foods, fresh vegetables, and the like.
Weary
I have a 10 inch Dutch oven that belonged to my great grandmother I use almost every day and I love my Lodge wok.:) Why buy throw-away-and-replace cookware?:-?
I have a griddle too, but I don't use it as often as my other cast iron. All my cookware which isn't cast iron is heavy stainless steel. It will last for generations and be easily recycled.
Sailor (The other one)
11-30-2008, 13:06
I've been a chef and have cooked with just about everything including tinned-lined copper. I love my cast iron stuff best, including a griddle.
Ditto what everyone else said above. The key is to season cast iron properly and then rinse and scrap it clean but avoid soap. With use you'll end up with a non-stick surface superior to aluminum and Teflon.
When I was a kid I carried a small cast iron skillet on backpacking trips. I replaced my cheap Boy Scout aluminum kit with it and a plastic cup.
Now If only someone could come up with a line of ultra-light cast iron!
Another vote for cast iron,I have about 30 pieces in my collection. I use cast iron for everything.
Bare Bear
11-30-2008, 18:13
In 1998 I saw a 'thru' with a 13" cast iron skillet on the back of his pack. He insisted he was carrying it to Maine. He left it with Winton at Neels Gap.
In 1998 I saw a 'thru' with a 13" cast iron skillet on the back of his pack. He insisted he was carrying it to Maine. He left it with Winton at Neels Gap.
Whimp
Our scout troop has 4 cast iron dutch ovens and two griddles from 1963. Great pieces of equipment. They are well seasoned, lol. No soap ever, but they still can burn things into the bottom if not treated right. But put on stove with water in them, scrape, scrape, scrape, all comes out. We have a little nylon brush that does it up everytime. Dry, oil on a paper towel, wipe on, good to go.
Wise Old Owl
11-30-2008, 19:42
Yes Jeff but consider what you are going to be cooking on make sure the pan fits the burner with the windscreens up... they do make different sizes.... Otherwise all the posts above are on target.
Another fan of cast iron here. Other than a couple of stainless steel saucepans, we use cast iron for most other cooking. At this point, Lodge sells both pre-seasoned and "raw." It's not hard to season a pan yourself. The pans usually come with instructions.
We wash our cast iron with dish soap and a scrub brush. To dry, put on the stove and turn the burner on until the water is gone. (Don't forget to turn it off!!!)
A couple of tips:
Don't leave a cast iron pot or griddle sitting in the sink. It will leave a rust mark, even on stainless steel.
Similarly, be careful where you set cast iron to store it. I have cloth on the shelves, so the pots don't mark the wood.
For anything but a griddle, refresh the seasoning by cooking popcorn in the pot.
For a griddle, brush it lightly with olive oil after using, to keep it from getting dry.
No, not for backpacking!!!
Do any of you have a cast iron griddle at home for making pancakes, bacon, etc?
I am considering buying one and am not sure about cleanup. Some have told me to never wash it. Others have said to keep a thin coat of cooking oil on it. Not real sure of what to do.
Is it worth the extra bucks to buy cast iron over aluminum???
I have several cast iron pieces including this one: http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Single-Burner-Reversible-Griddle/dp/B000E1WA7Q/ref=pd_sbs_hg_1
The high bottom heat means that you may have to re-treat on the burner side before that side iis used, but this is easy to do.
Cast iron ware is said to be responsible for the low incidence of anemia in the pioneers.
you'll get extra iron in your diet cooking w/ it. if that matters to you. i too enjoy cooking on cast iron
brooklynkayak
12-01-2008, 00:03
Now If only someone could come up with a line of ultra-light cast iron!
Yes, I compromise by carrying a thick aluminum disk/plate to grill with. I also place my cooking pot on it when cooking things that could scorch.
It doesn't work as well as cast iron, but does help a lot to regulate the heat.
stevie
budforester
12-01-2008, 00:11
I have a non- stick aluminum griddle that fits my 2- burner stove. It is lighter weight and works for pancakes, burgers, etc. But I've fed hunting camps off of a black- iron griddle. The black- iron gets my vote for even heat and a scratch- resistant surface.
Hi, Jeff. Definitely go with the cast iron, as others have advised. It's cheap (a set costs not much at all), rock solid, easy to season (a little oil wiped onto a hot pan) and clean (soap and water, plastic scrubber if necessary). They hold the heat and distribute it evenly. After washing, I dry mine on a woodstove (in winter) or on the stovetop (low heat). Hefting these weighty pans doesn't hurt the biceps, either.