Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I haunt yard and garage sales, will buy any Griswald or Wagner wear I can find, it is better than anything made on market today.... IF buying new stay from anything that says (cast right into pot or pan that says) "made in china" or that has tough pebbly looking surface... Go for the Lodge, though its not as good as it used to be...

There is some out there with no markings, and if its old and very smooth, its ok, if its not pitted or really nasty... Key to success is how smooth cooking surface is.... And how well you salvage it and season it...

Dale

I located a small 9" skillet at a yard sale stamped " Korea" I sat it back down and started to disregard it but as I sat it down I noticed it has a smoke ring on the bottom dating it back to the 30 - 40 's. A smoke ring is a raised round circle on the bottom that helps the pan seal on the eye of a wood burning stove. These disappeared in the early 50's.
This little clue assured me it was probably great iron. After seasoning it proved out to be a good buy for $3.00.

This is not the skillet we are talking about but another of mine with a smoke ring.

We started out a year and a half ago with a 12" Lodge Regular DO at the recommendation of Dean at the Dam Gathering.
From there we have expanded to many more pieces new and old.
Planning ahead is key, as they are heavy!
We have an old #10 Griswold frying pan that we use every day at home now and take with us on every camping trip.
Depending on who we plan to feed dictates which of our DO's from 8" to 14" Deep (All new Lodge) we take camping.
For just the two of us we usually take our 8" (makes Great rice) and our 10" (I eat a lot! ) Which when filled to the top with my "Smokey Bean Recipe" will feed us and a few guests!
Yes, we too have fallen in love with Cast Iron Cooking!
Have four vintage Waffle Irons in our collection now and a Waffle Dog Maker that we are having way too much fun with.
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

By far I prefer the old ovens if you can find them. I've never had any problem whatsoever with a Griswold or Wagner ... Lodge and CampChef are good, can be bought new and are easy to find. The other stuff works, but doesn't have the fit and finish that the others do. I have a 16" TekSport (K-Mart blue light special from many years ago?) that cooks OK, but it pings and dings both heating up and cooling down (I wouldn't be suprised to see it split itself in half some day) and the lid only fits one way (makes it tough to avoid hot-spots from the top.) Any iron is better than no iron, but good iron makes cooking just that much more enjoyable.

Bobhenry, is that pot in your post full of bread? If so are you willing to share a receipe?

Art

bobhenry wrote:Oh the rising bread ...............???


it came out just fine.

Oh you are so gonna ruin my reputation as a dutch oven cook.

I never would of thought of that! I'd say you are a cook that many of us on this site would do well to emulate.

Art

I am a DO virgin, but I was wondering
Cheap and cheerful DO plus some sandpaper to smooth it up before seasoning?

Would that help or should I go back to sitting in the corner.

I am in New Zealand and GOOD Ductch ovens are easily 2-400 dollars here, cheap ones are $79 -100

{{I am in New Zealand and GOOD Dutch ovens are easily 2-400 dollars here, cheap ones are $79 -100))
Felixx, Can you order directly from lodge or is shipping crazy expensive?

I am a DO newbie and recently purchased mine from Amazon. Free shipping.

Sanding has been recommended before. I don't see any good reason not to. Just make sure you clean it well afterwards, and perhaps send it through a couple of heat cycles before seasoning it (to help free up any particles that get smeared into the grain).

Briscos had some pretty decent ones when I was in nz.
Be worth checking out one of thier sales

do you use your DO in the oven inside too? Or just cook over charcoal?
Currently in a fire ban here (even in our yards) so thinking using it a bit inside could help get a good pattina on it

I use my cast iron pan inside all the time but Yea you could use and I have done a DO inside.
I use 2 all the time but they are enameled. I left my cast one in nz.
Check Briscoe like I said they had American ones and I think they were lodge0

I have three cast iron skillets that were passed down in my family, and a chicken fryer that was my grandmother's, and a DO without legs, stovetop, that was my great-grandmother's. It's over 100 years old.

I don't think any of these were ever used outside over an open fire until I inherited them and started using them camping in the 1980s. So yes, you can certainly use these for your everyday cooking. That's what they were made for.

When it comes to seasoning and/or keeping them seasoned, my grandmother always recommended frying in them. Fry bacon, or fry something with Crisco, especially. The 'hard greases' do a great job of coating. I found an organic shortening that I've been using to wipe onto my cast iron from time to time.

I see other people now recommending bees wax. I'll have to get some!