Posted: 8/20/2011 6:07:13 PM EDT
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Ok SF, I am looking to get some Cast Iron Cookware. I want it to use on my outdoor LP stove and my LP cook top. I have been looking around and it seems that Lodge is the only USA made brand anymore. Is this the way to go? I don't mind spending some extra $ for the buy once cry once type purchases. I never liked the idea of cooking with cast iron and now I have been doing some camping with people who use cast iron and I like it. My normal pans are health craft Stainless Steel.
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| Check some garage sales. We've scored all of our cast iron items from those and we've paid probably no more than 20 bucks for 3 pans and 2 dutch ovens. Sure it may be used and rusty but you can clean that stuff up pretty good, and remember, the heat will kill anything that's growing on it or in it. We've had no issues with any of it. Just remember to keep it oiled and never use soap on it. |
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1. Lodge
Or 2. Camp Chef http://www.campchef.com/dutch-ovens.html You could look around for used old " Lodge / Griswold / Wagner Cast Iron ", which clean-up & reseason to almost like new 
A few before & after photos: 
Before cleaning & reseasoning. 
After cleaning & reseasoning. PAPI |
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Nice work!
Any tips on how to clean up the rusty cast pots and pans I have picked up? Thanks Quoted:
1. Lodge Or 2. Camp Chef http://www.campchef.com/dutch-ovens.html You could look around for used old " Lodge / Griswold / Wagner Cast Iron ", which clean-up & reseason to almost like new
A few before & after photos: http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_2102_edited.jpg http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_2668_edited-1.jpg http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_3271.jpg Before cleaning & reseasoning. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_3295_edited-1.jpg After cleaning & reseasoning. PAPI |
| Nice Waffle pan. You better hope we never meet on the trail. I might just have myself a new waffle pan. LOL I have found the best places to look for cast iron cookware is Grandma's basement, estate sales, or older folks having yard sales. I have two griddles that were painted for decoration. Now they are my go to egg friers and pancake pan. You'll never eat a better flap jack ! |
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Well done. Some of those catch a pretty penny on e-bay.
Restoring with straw Quoted:
1. Lodge Or 2. Camp Chef http://www.campchef.com/dutch-ovens.html You could look around for used old " Lodge / Griswold / Wagner Cast Iron ", which clean-up & reseason to almost like new
A few before & after photos: http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_2102_edited.jpg http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_2668_edited-1.jpg http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_3271.jpg Before cleaning & reseasoning. http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_3295_edited-1.jpg After cleaning & reseasoning. PAPI |
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I either use Lodge cookware (because I will not put a fine creole or soup in some made-in-china POS piece of metal that may have been smelted from a chemical storage tank or something) or salvaged garage sale cast iron. I've picked up some Wagner and Griswold pieces at garage sales and once theyre reseasoned they are awesome. The easiest way I've found to clean up used cast iron can be found here. When you have a true problem case on your hands, this electrolysis method will do the trick.
Cast iron is a little trciky in terms of care and use, but it has some great properties that make it an excellent choice for cookware. It is especially cool that it can be used on the home stove, a campfire, or just a pile of burning salvaged 2x4's in the middle of a disaster. |
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.I have purchased several " older , well used " cast iron Dutch Ovens & Skillets, which includes a few " Lodge Skillets ".
Just an " FYI " on cleaning & seasoning; Done my Way This is how most of my " Flea Market Finds " look! I.E: 
They are usually " Rusted " with lots of old burnt on " Cooking Grease & Soot " 
I scrub them up a bit (scotch brite pads & wire brushes ) to get some of the loose " Rust & Residue " off, & then place them inside my " BBQ " (BIG GREEN EGG) to burn off all of the old grease @ " Very High Heat " (500++) 
Let them cool & then placed inside of an old plastic ice chest, submerged with " 50 % Vinegar / 50 % Water " solution for a few days ( 1-2 ). 
After soaking a few days toss the water and vinagar & use a new batch for another project. Removed and scrub again (Scotch Brite Pad & Wire Brush) in the kitchen sink with clean hot water & dish soap ( Dawn) to remove any / all " Rust / oily film " or unwanted scale, etc. 
I then dry them over the stove & spray on a light coat of " PAM " , & rubbed in with a cotton cloth, while its warm to the touch. 
It's back on to the " BBQ " to cook for approx one hour @ 450- 475 degrees (under 500,on my BBQ Thermometer Reading, temp control is very critical ), remove & spray on another coat of " Pam "..., to cook for approx 2 hrs.. or until its a " Hard Dark Coat ", which almost looks & feels like a painted surface. It may also take several more light coats of Pam. (rubbed in ) , depending on the peice.... ? 
I just did this lid a few weekend ago, with two coats of " Pam ".This one came out almost perfectly, with just two coats of pam & nice Shiny 
My " Five dollar lid ", looks almost like new !! My most recent project. 
It took me many burnt fingers & temp control to get at this point. Some pieces don't always come out great & I'll end up having to redoiing a few. My best guess... It's all in the metal prepp.. getting it as clean , as possible., before the reseasoning process. 
It took me three years to find this complete with base & handles " Griswold # 8 Waffle Iron " , for a reasonable price of " $30.00 ".. 
The guy ( swapmeet vendor ) wanted $ 45.00 
You could do all of this inside of your kitchen Oven .. but make sure you can tolerate the " Smoke " from the " Burning Grease, oil / Reseasoning " process. My girlfriend can't stand the smell of " Burning Grease / Oil "..or the " Smoke Detectors " going off !! PAPI Aka :" PAPI THEE IRON CHEF SUMO "
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| I buy all mine used at garage sales. I was at one last Friday and spotted a 7" and 10", deep cast iron skillets in a rubbermaid tote with what looked like old camp cookware. I pulled them out and took them up to the guy selling them, every item in the tote was $1!!!!!!! I picked up a Lodge 14" Dutch Oven for $5 a couple of months ago, and a Lodge griddle for $1 two weeks ago. My wife and I hit garage sales every Sat. morning, you wouldn't belive the great finds. Boxes of new canning jars for $5, Motorola radios for $2-$3, military magnesium framed snowshoes for $5, Kerosun heaters for $10, coleman lanterns (with the nifty lantern safe attached full of extra parts) $8, the list could go on forever. Last week my wife brought over a gallon ziplock bag full of Altoids regular and minis tins she picked up for $1. She thought I could use them to make mini survival kits for my Scout troop. |
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My local problem.. everyone's been loooking @ E-bay (high end $$) & watching toooo many episodes of the antique road shows.. !
The all want " Antique " $$$$$$ !
They don't understand ..Many of the pieces are simply " USED " !! It takes some time & effort on my part (Cleaning & Reseasoning ) to get them loooking nice enough, for the $$$$$$ , they are expecting 
You can sometimes find deals on " E-Bay " ! But,....... you might end up spending half the cost (or more ) of the item in " shipping & handling " .... ? PAPI |
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Here is a good cast iron resource. http://blackirondude.blogspot.com/ |
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Why new?
Garage sales.(More you go to the better chance yat what you will fine.) Flea markets.( The bigger the Market the more venders you will fine with what you are looking for.) But it the small one who eather does not know what they have. Or they just want to sell it. You would have to season a new one as well! Thats my vote! PITA45 
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| I have quite the collection of cast iron cookware scored from garage sales. All lodge or better. Some really old. By far the easiest method is to put the cookware in your oven and let it go through the self-cleaning cycle. It comes out looking like new for the most part. Clean cast iron. All the gunk turns to ashy powder. Just rinse & scrub off. Then cure like you would like new. I've done this to some really old, nasty DOs - some with 1/4" of baked on gunk. |
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No matter where you get them you'll enjoy them.
I just went camping in the remote wilderness with my pal from across the state. Before we went he told his young boys that I was coming camping with them, from the youngest, age 9; "Yes!!!, pineapple upside down cake." Yep, that's what I'm known for, cooking a pineapple upside down cake in a dutch oven with coals or charcoal. Fun stuff and a nice treat for the boys (young and old) after spending the day exploring the woods and creeks. This years iteration came out the best so far, I made the cake batter slightly stiffer and used extra coals.
If I'm camping from a vehicle (truck, motor boat, or canoe) I'll carry some cast iron. I've found I get better results over fire as the thick metal prevents the tragedy of burning your food on thinner pans. I'll share my simple to do pineapple upside down cake recipe - 3/4 stick of butter, cut into pats scattered on bottom of dutch oven (line with aluminum foil if you want) - enough brown suger to cover bottom of dutch oven (3/4 to 1 cup) -16 oz can of pineapple chunks (drain juice into bowl to make cake mix and scatter chunks in bottom of dutch oven) -jar of marichino cherries, half the cherries from a small jar is enough (but the kids had me put the whole jar in, this made it all red on the bottom this year, oh well it tasted very good) -box of yellow cake mix (plus 3 eggs, oil, and I use the juice from the canned pineapple for the liquid in lieu of most or all of the water called for) This is stone ax simple and takes about 45 minutes over the coals if you do it right. We had dinner and the oldest boy had the job of turning the oven and lid every 10 minutes or so. I have had some instances where it took a lot longer when I had no stone fire ring to reflect the heat back and block the wind. That's no good with impatient kids. |
Hey Papi,is that a teardrop trailer? No, It's a bit " Larger ".. Camp-Inn 560 Raindrop !! Posted some general info already ! http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/637227_Airstream_trailers.html&page=2 You can start a new thread & I'll post more info !
I.E.. Anybody have a " Teardrop " ?? PAPI |
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Quoted:
Let them cool & then placed inside of an old plastic ice chest, submerged with " 50 % Vinegar / 50 % Water " solution for a few days ( 1-2 ). http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j161/A-PAPI/IMG_3052_edited-1.jpg PAPI Aka :" PAPI THEE IRON CHEF SUMO " Does that stain the ice chest? |