Who makes good quality cast iron cookware?

[steve nagy]

I have a few Lodge pieces and I really really miss my Wagner pan that I had shattered. When I worked in the restaurant business I used cast iron pans that were of French manufacture and were excellent pans. Some can be quite costly but they are superior to about anything else I have used and I have used a lot. Now Dutch Ovens are another matter - stick with Lodge. Some have a ceramic coating but that really is only useful if cooking acidic foods, e.g, tomatoes.

Do not ignore the pots and pans of Asian manufacture, after all, the Chinese invented the concept of the cast cooking pot. Asians have been using cast iron pots since the era of North Americans figuring out the fire thingie... :haha:

 

[mrbortlein]

While out with my wife to get a new set of dishes at Old Time Pottery, I found a large selection of Lodge brand cast iron at decent prices. Too bad we didn't need anything they had.
mrbortlein

 

[Chilidog]

Lodge is quality stuff. I've used their products for years and especially like their dutch ovens. :thumbsup:

 

[wis bang]

www.wag-society.org is the wagner/griswold collectors web site. They recomend using Crisco to season CI though I have used bacon grease from farm raised/smoked bacon that my cousin brought to deer camp. We have a bunch of old CI pans w/ no names but they were hand me downs to the cabin so long ago that I suspect that they are unmarked US made.

Lodge is also available at Target and is heavier than the griswold and wagners I have collected.

 

Once you make your mind to which will work for you (lots of good suggestions). You need to take care of your investment.

I have been looking for an article we use to supply with our cast iron ware written by Brook and Barbara Elliot called "The Care and Feeding of Cast Iron". I just did a search on the web and found that article at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-12-01/Seasoning-Cast-Iron.aspx

Brook gave us permission back in the 80's to use this fine article, enjoy.

 

[REBEL TRACKER]

Yeah, but U gotta know how it's been used. Did someone previous use it to melt lead??? :nono:

 

[David W.]

Lodge makes the best and made in U.S.A.

 

[jaw69]

Lodge make the best made now But if you look you can find old 1920-1950 pans at yard sales or flea markets. I have a pan made in the mid to late 1800 it is as thin and light as a steel pan and no hot spots.Found it at a yard sale for 5 dollars. Its great to cook with a pan that was on a stove top right after the Rev War when it come to cast iron old is better alot better . Old pans have a cooking surface as smooth as glass cook with less heat and give trace amounts of Iron with everything cooked in them :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

But if you look you can find old 1920-1950 pans at yard sales or flea markets.

Yes, I always have an eye out for Wagner and Griswald.
I think they where the same company/factory after a name change, with Griswald first.
Really nice, light weight, and if they'er not rusted or warped the seasoning can make them smooth as glass.
Some folks just don't know how nice Grandma's old fry pan really is.

 

[PA16th]

Lodge and it is made in U.S.A.

 

[Zoar]

Count me in with the crowd that recommends buying older used cast iron. The new stuff is terrible. We bought a new large dutch oven that even after seasoning it four or five times now still renders a bad taste to the food cooked in it and things stick like crazy... And a new 10 inch pan I bought has a sticking problem. The old stuff we bought has a smooth surface and food normally does not stick. I love cooking with real cast iron, the old stuff. I don't mind chips or imperfections. I am not dating the stuff, I am using it to cook with. As long as the cooking surface is smooth I am good to go.

 

[Workhorse45]

Here are a few sites to look at dealing with dutch ovens.
Don't have anything to do with these sites, except learning from them.
http://www.macaovens.com/index.htm
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/~papadutch/dutch-oven-cooking-sitemap.htm
http://www.wag-society.org/cleaning.php
http://www.ahappycamper.com/
http://www.cowboyflavor.com/

Food just taste better when it is cooked in black pots. :grin: :2