Cast iron pans

My parents always used to use cast iron pans, keeping them seasoned as required. When I got married my wife switched to steel and aluminium.
Now cast iron seems to be coming back but what has happened to the good old smooth cast surfaces. We bought a pan at the local big box store last week and to inside has a very rough surface, much the same as 80 grit sandpaper. No way would a fried egg slide around in it, even with a thin oil coating....
Is the old cast iron still available? I would love to buy a pan just to show the kids how they SHOULD work.....:rolleyes:

What brand of cast iron was it. Not all Iron pots and pans are cast. There are even ones that are nothing more then a piece of iron bonded to an Aluminium or steel pan.

Try they guys...
https://www.lodgemfg.com/

The worlds greatest cast iron frying pan died a couple of years ago when Imbleau's foundry in Renfrew closed up shop due to cheap poor quality offshore (Chinese) crap flooding the market.

best bet for finding a real good pan, will be estate auction sales and bring lots of cash

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Originally Posted by patvetzal

My parents always used to use cast iron pans, keeping them seasoned as required. When I got married my wife switched to steel and aluminium.
Now cast iron seems to be coming back but what has happened to the good old smooth cast surfaces. We bought a pan at the local big box store last week and to inside has a very rough surface, much the same as 80 grit sandpaper. No way would a fried egg slide around in it, even with a thin oil coating....
Is the old cast iron still available? I would love to buy a pan just to show the kids how they SHOULD work.....:rolleyes:

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Cast iron pans can still be found in retail,but,they're a cheap imitation of the real deal and ain't worth spit. I bought one years ago and when I heated it up to season it,it warped so badly that it was instantly useless. The only place you may find the "real deal" is farm auctions or flea markets in farm country.

Not sure about the proper terms but new cast iron pans need to be cured/seasoned before use and if looked after get better with age. Should be easy to find start-up and maintenance tips on the net. Don't wash in soapy water etc.

Google sanding/grinding cast iron. Proceed at your own risk!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dC_NuOZOqE

We found a few really good ones at an antique place, yard sales and a neighbour gave us 5 frying pans. They were easy to clean up and season them in the oven and all get used. Now we have a good collection of cast pans. The best surprise though came out of our basement packed in a box, the mother-in -law had kept a huge cast roasting pan. We use that for doing up a nice venison stew on the fire pit in the back yard. Savage308

If I ever saw someone coming at my cast iron pans with a sander, I'd be loading the shot gun.

A new pan will take a long time to get it seasoned just right. My best pan is my oldest one. Its been thru hell and back, but its as slick as snot when it comes to frying eggs. You can't beat a real cast iron pan. Throw it in the fire for a while, always oil after EVERY use, and NEVER wash in soap.


S.

If Mikepal hasn't shot all his up he might give you one.

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Originally Posted by Sinker

If I ever saw someone coming at my cast iron pans with a sander, I'd be loading the shot gun.

A new pan will take a long time to get it seasoned just right. My best pan is my oldest one. Its been thru hell and back, but its as slick as snot when it comes to frying eggs. You can't beat a real cast iron pan. Throw it in the fire for a while, always oil after EVERY use, and NEVER wash in soap.

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I have had to wire wheel a few over the years...Only safe way to remove rust. You can oil but that rust will keep coming back, and can be toxic.