re: Somebody school me on cast-iron skillets......

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lsutigerbandfan

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I think they were just commenting that you didn't use any paragraphs when you posted.

It's much harder to read when you have one huge block of text. I bet they didn't even read your post. Just to let you know.

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ee, who you call'n old fart, old fart...

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Touché

As someone said above, "cast iron is cast iron". That being said, I find that old pots cure out better than new pots. By old, I mean at least 50 years old. I have been collecting cast iron cookware for 25 years now and that's all I cook in. I have everything from small skillets and cornbread pans to a 45 gallon jambalaya pot. I find that cast iron works much better if you cook over gas. When I had an electric stove, I hardly used my cast iron.

If you're in the Baton Rouge area, go out to the antique district in Denham Springs and shop all the stores for "old" cast iron. The last shop on the north end has the best selection of cast iron, but a lot of these shops have some cookware. (you just have to look around some) You'll pay about the same as you would for Lodge brand cookware. If you're not in the Baton Rouge area, just go to one of these "antique" districts and do some shopping.

As far as washing cast iron cookware, I always wash them in the hottest water possible and use very little or no soap. I then rinse it in the hottest water possible and dry with a paper towel. I then pour some oil in it and put it on the stove on high and heat until the oil starts to smoke a little. (this opens the pores of the iron). I then wipe it down with paper towels and let it cool before putting it away. By doing this process, you're curing the cookware each time you use it and in no time you'll have a cooking surface that looks like glass.

Good luck and welcome to the club.

A little touchy are we? Me and Geauxt were just light heartedly messing with you. I promise it was in good fun and no one meant any offense, like you said, we didn't "GTFO noob" or anything like that. Your information was solid, keep it up and welcome to the best board on TD.com. And GEE if I'm an old fart then you guys are real geezers.

After you've used it and cleaned it, spray it with Pam. Easier and cleaner than wiping down w/ oil and just as effective. Also, a little bit of soap doesn't hurt a damn thing.