Overlanding with cast iron skillet

Matt Hixson

Matt Hixson

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Big Lake, WA, USA
First Name
Matt
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Hixson
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I love cooking in cast iron and always take a skillet with me on trips. I have a rag dedicated to washing it, otherwise I go through the paper towels like there's no tomorrow.
Just wondering if anyone has any good techniques for storing and traveling with your cast iron. Even when I try to keep it cleaned out it needs to be stored in a plastic garbage bag so that it doesn't get anything else dirty. Just thinking there has got to be A Better Way.
 
I have a bag, SGB-MD Medium Griddle Bag I use a Camp Chef Universal Fry Griddle on a MS2HP camp stove.

Doing dishes for me is a balance of water use, garbage generation and frustration. Pick two. I should pull out that bag and see if i can clean it up actually... (Reading OB either gives me more stuff to buy or more chores)
 
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Mine just sits in my 'kitchen' milk crate. I would think a burlap or waxed canvas pouch would work well too. Just have to make sure it's clean when putting it away.
 
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I have a two-burner length cast iron skillet that I take with on all trips. It fits perfectly between two vertical slots in the back of one of our kitchen crates, we slide it in there and it's nice and secure, doesn't really get things messy at all I suppose because I've become pretty good at cleaning it. To clean it after each use, I typically leave it hot (or get it hot) then spray some water on it with a spray bottle we always have with us for doing dishes. I sizzle off any greasy bits and sometimes scrub lightly with a scrub sponge. I repeat a spray/scrub/dump cycle a couple times until it's nice and clean. Cleans up pretty well and only takes a couple of minutes. To avoid rusting I let it cool off then give it a light spray of canned oil then wipe it down with a paper towel so there's just a very very light coat of oil, then store it back in the crate.

Our skillet also has a flat side and a grill side. I've realized that whenever I use the grill side, it's much more difficult to get nice and clean. Because of this, I tend to do almost all of our cooking on the flat side.

uWoCO98.jpg
 
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I have two cast iron pans that I never wash, I just wipe out with paper towel or sometimes scrape with a stick or scrub with a leather glove ;)

This might change but for now I have a kitchen bin that carry them in on the side at one end. I have a camp fire grate with fold up legs that I set at the top of the bin as that's the only place it fits and I always have to shake or wipe the ash and bits that fall off it onto everything else. Kind of amazed I never thought to put it in a garbage bag... but I have no issues with my greasy pans.
 
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I have Lodge cast iron and they came with zippered canvas covers!

But invoking for them on their website and in fact google results, I'm having a hard time finding any...
 
I use a 6x6" square of stainless chain mail called the ringer, I got it from amazon. It's designed specifically for cleaning cast iron and works great. I either use it or a metal spatula and oil and wipe it out with some paper towels.


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Lintnercorey said:
I use a 6x6" square of stainless chain mail called the ringer, I got it from amazon. It's designed specifically for cleaning cast iron and works great. I either use it or a metal spatula and oil and wipe it out with some paper towels.


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Click to expand...

I have one of those too and can't recommend it enough. Just add hot water and scrub. Works like a charm, and if it gets grimy cleaning the chain mail is easy, just a little soap and wash it like you're washing your hands.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00F...l+scrubber&dpPl=1&dpID=5159nj0xbXL&ref=plSrch
 
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As mentioned above, heating it and cooking the food bits off, then oiling it and wiping it with paper towels (which the fire then loves), and put it away. No soaking in soap & water. I have a camp box with a dedicated space for skillet, griddle, and dutch oven. Sometimes wrapped in blank newsprint (big sketchpad stuff), sometimes brown wrapping paper from amazon deliveries, sometimes the space is just lined with the same paper.

I also have these, Lodge scrapers: http://amzn.to/2w7TgEK , but can't swear to their longevity yet.

Another cast iron piece I love is the Lodge Grill Press, perfect for pressing bacon and burgers and such: http://amzn.to/2v81bF1

Just can't beat good cast iron when camping.
 
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Mine sits in a Pelican case that holds the rest of my kitchen kit. As long as I put it away properly along with my other dishes it remains rust free and clean.
 
Mine used to live in the "Black box". Not it lays in a towel in the pan drawer in the kitchen drawers system. I keep it separated with a layer as not to mess up the seasoning and noise reasons.
 
When cooking outdoors I learned that nothing cooks like cast iron. The thick metal and heat distribution make wind a whole lot less of a factor. Love all your ideas on storage, gonna have to find something myself.

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If you have a camp oven (which normally comes with a canvas bag and if not I highly recommend you get one) and its small enough just place the skillet into the camp oven. That's what I do. Keep all the cast iron pans and pots together in the same canvas bag! :)
 
My pan rides in my mess kit. To clean it, I out some water in it while its hot, dunno that, wipe it down with a towel or scrubbing sponge, place over heat to dry and then rub down with oil and heat it till the oil smokes. I do the same thing with my pans at home.
 
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