[TheForge] Re: Cast Iron Cookware

Wed Mar 27 09:02:01 2002

IS there such a thing as "bright and shining" condition for cast iron?  I =
think you'd have to take an angle grinder to it to get any shine on it!

I agree 100% with Dann's seasoning treatment.  Polyunsaturated cooking oil =
is best for the job, and leaves a highly non-stick coating.  Season at a =
temperature at which the oil just barely smokes.  Any hotter and you'll =
just burn it.  Use thin layers of oil.  (And meanwhile, you can quit being =
obsessive about eating fats and oils.  They're good for you, in moderation.=
  But the seasoning layer keeps food from sticking to the pan.)

I would be VERY concerned about coatings used on new ironware.  Mayhaps =
there are standards, but a teapot labeled like Dann says bodes ill.  Clean =
it thoroughly.  Use caustic.  Make sure the surface will take on a light, =
even rust before trusting that the "protective" coating is gone.  Then =
wash off the rust with vinegar or scrub it off with steel wool, and season =
with cooking oil. =20

Now some rumor control:  Teflon coatings on pans will not hurt you.  Even =
if you eat flakes of the stuff, you can't digest it, so it will be =
harmless.  (Don't obsess about such things!  Obsessing about things can =
kill you!)

"Iron poor tired blood" is a commercial myth.  Too much iron in the diet =
can kill you.  It helps the cholesterol harden your arteries.  (Pre-menopau=
sal women may disregard this advice.  Men may minimize this  risk by =
donating blood regularly.  This is not a joke.)  I'm not entirely certain =
that the body can absorb rust, Fe(III), as a "nutrient".  Most iron =
supplements are Fe(II).  I won't bet it can't, though, so I suggest you =
not eat off rusty cookware.  (That said, a LITTLE extra iron obviously =
won't kill you in the short term, so don't obsess over this either.)

Bruce
NJ

>>> dann <[email protected]> 03/26/02 06:02PM >>>

It is my opinion that cast iron cook  is NOT best used in a bright and=20
shining condition, but rather with a seasoned cooked-in black oil=20
coating.  I season cast iron cook ware by heating it sort of hot on the=20
stove and then applying cooking oil .. not all that different that the=20
bees' wax treatment  we give  forged iron.

I love my cast iron cook ware.   While I have done some serious  "cleaning"=
=20
on cast iron; that is not the norm.  On an auction find  I  tend to =
take=20
them back to bare cast iron,  then season them with good oil...  as I =
did=20
with NEW  Black Chinese cast iron  "TeaPot" I bought  with an attached=20
warning label: "NOT to use for  heating of liquids to be consumed.

The grunge on the outside of  a cast iron skillet is not a health=20
issue.  The cooked in black-oil  seasoning on the inside becomes  a " =
semi=20
-non stick " surface that is probably  a lot healthier than=20
the  modern  non-stick frying pans.  Cast iron makes the best bacon and=20
eggs!  Perhaps the "iron poor blood" be came an issue as we moved away =
from=20
cast iron cook ware.

Dann Johnson

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