Let's Talk Cast Iron

[ChambersFamily]

I use avocado oil on occasion. Works great, and provides a different flavor than olive oil or vegetable.

Thank you!
-Courtney

 

[MuckSavage]

In September 2019, I was working, surveying a 9 acre tract of land. As I was walking thru the woods (surrounded by 10"-12" trees) I happened upon an old range/oven. Inside the oven was 2-12" skillets & a small, 7" round flat skillet! I took them home, wire brushed, cleaned & season them & gave them a loving home! That find was better than my days pay!

 

[AZ Trooper]

Tried these 2 out this past weekend.
I liked how I was able to use the coleman stove and the heat radiated well throughout the pans.
The steaks seared nicely and turned out great.
It was my first time using them camping.

 

[Downs]

Tried these 2 out this past weekend.
I liked how I was able to use the coleman stove and the heat radiated well throughout the pans.
The steaks seared nicely and turned out great.
It was my first time using them camping.
View attachment 156361

That's why I love my griddle. Fits on my 2 burner stove and evens out the heat quite a bit. I actually use my GI Mess Kit pan on top of it if I'm going to use it instead of cookign directly on the burners. to help control the heat better.

 

[NathanPAnderson]

All I use at camp is cast iron. Easy to “clean” and cooks well with very little mess. Since it takes less heat to keep it the skillets hot I feel like I use less propane. I take my 10.25” Lodge and my 10.25” Lodge Blacklock skillets.

 

[Quper]

If I'm "camping" yes love'em. As for overlanding I use stainless steel and leave the what feels like 300 pounds of crock pots, griddle and pans.

 

[Outdoordog]

I always bring my cast iron. Cook, and clean with a scrub and dry.

Never had issues.

 

[GhostOSmokeyJoe]

I use avocado oil on occasion. Works great, and provides a different flavor than olive oil or vegetable.

I really like Avacado Oil as well. Especially when you have less control over temperatures (cooking over an open fire). that 505-degree smoke point comes n handy!

 

[scott17818]

I like CI, and use it at home on my propane stove, i just cant justify bringing all the weight with me.. I have a GSI Pinaccle campers cookset, and a foldaway hand GSI 10" nonstick stainless

they work well.. but dont hold heat or have the searing power of CI,.... just cant justify carrying the CI... ggrrr..

 

[Day1]

I love my Lodge Dutch Ovens. I have travel bags for them. Fairly maintenance free. Clean, dry and oil.

 

[wahoowad]

Used my Lodge Dutch Oven while camping this week. The cast iron did great - I just need more practice getting the heat correct. My food got too hot using the campfire and coals. Seems like wood coals cool off quicker than charcoal coals? Anyway, food was not cooking as fast as it should have so I moved the Dutch oven over more of the active fire. That was a mistake.

 

[M Rose]

Used my Lodge Dutch Oven while camping this week. The cast iron did great - I just need more practice getting the heat correct. My food got too hot using the campfire and coals. Seems like wood coals cool off quicker than charcoal coals? Anyway, food was not cooking as fast as it should have so I moved the Dutch oven over more of the active fire. That was a mistake.

When you smell the food, it’s done... don’t go in conventional oven times... but yes it’s a learning curve.

 

[bryan rury]

Besides cooking like the original overland in wagons I like the time spent prepping cleaning the cast iron like a tool

 

[MattLew]

I got my dad's old cast iron out of storage... My folks stopped using it when they got a radiant glass top stove. it has some light rust of several pieces... a couple pieces may take a bit more work, but for overlanding, cast iron is an absolutely great option. I presently have all Lodge with 3 sizes of skillet, a large griddle/grill, a grilling pan, and a 5qt FRENCH oven. I am looking at adding a proper dutch oven to the collection, after that we shall see. Any overlanding rig should be able to spare the weight for at least a few pieces. I used to carry a cast iron skillet canoeing as well, (note: I would limit myself to no more than 1 skillet and a 4-5qt dutch oven at most when canoeing just to save portage weight, where as overlanding I CAN bring everything including the kitchen sink.) For hiking trips I would not carry the cast iron at all. I have an aluminum mess kit for that.

As so many others have already stated, make sure your cast iron is well seasoned, but also consider making or purchasing a set of carry bags for the cast iron. I first found them when I was doing historical recreation. Simple canvas bags are WONDERFUL for packing your cast iron in. The canvas protects the cast iron pieces from dings and scratches that can ruin the seasoning, and the canvas also protects your other gear from getting greasy when you give the cast iron a coating of vegetable oil or lard after use. I seem to recall seeing other commercial options available, but I personally prefer the canvas.

 

[MattLew]

Used my Lodge Dutch Oven while camping this week. The cast iron did great - I just need more practice getting the heat correct. My food got too hot using the campfire and coals. Seems like wood coals cool off quicker than charcoal coals? Anyway, food was not cooking as fast as it should have so I moved the Dutch oven over more of the active fire. That was a mistake.

natural wood coals (and for that matter lump charcoal as it is basically the same thing) lack the uniformity of a briquette, so the heat calculation charts can be thrown off... additionally environmental factors come into play such as wind. It is something you can get a bit of a "feel for", but in the end, even with an IR thermometer, it is a bit of a guessing game. Natural cooking methods have too many variables to make a hard set of rules for it. The best most folk can do is learn when it should get close and start checking on it at that point. I personally find that an IR thermometer is a handy tool, but even with charcoal briquettes it is not enough to guarantee exact results.

Then again I also know of a lot of overlanders who will pack their charcoal of choice in on trips. I personally hate the charcoal dust getting into everything, but as I understand it, quite a few keep theirs stored externally, so that might resolve the charcoal dust troubles I have had in the past.

 

[Snerk]

I like cast iron both as general cookware, but I like it's durability for "not at home" stuff as well.

Well seasoned cast iron will hold up to water and soap just fine. The seasoning process involves polymerization for that nice hard, non-stick finish so as long as you don't scrub like an ape, the finish will be fine. And of course wipe it down with some oil and get it hot again after cleaning.

Another nice thing is that they're relatively cheap (like Lodge skillets are $30) and you can never fuck it up beyond repair. Worst case scenario, if I do something that really hurts the pan while I'm out in the woods I can just strip it and re-season it when I get home. Whereas if I were to mess up the finish on a fancier, more common non-stick pan, then that's it, game over.

 

[peeeeetey]

I use the cast iron pots on my glass top stove..Just be gentile, no shaking the pot or slamming
it on the burner.

 

[Snerk]

Just be gentile

I know you meant "gentle", but now I'm just imagining that Jews aren't allowed to use glass top stoves.

 

[peeeeetey]

I know you meant "gentle", but now I'm just imagining that Jews aren't allowed to use glass top stoves.

HUUUUh?

 

[peeeeetey]

OH I get it! No politics here! Sorry for the misspell. Bottom line is respect the glass!