C/NC: Cast Iron Skillet

[zom-zom]

Do a quick The Google:

http://www.buy.com/prod/galvanized-expa ... 81103.html

[bigc]

Oddly, Google hasn't been responding to my term selection. That one says 'not recommended for use in grills'. I worry about eating nasty chemicals.

[zom-zom]

I see.. did you search for "expanded steel grate"?

[bigc]

Yeah, not much luck. Just a lot of forum discussion on custom/specialty shops. You'd think there'd be a place you could just buy some.

[alex maiolo]

Might be it.. not sure. I would never spend that much money on a grill.. I'm fine with a Weber. It's the skill of the cook and the quality of the ingredients, not the tool, that makes the BBQ great.

I love Webers and used one for years, but there is something to The Egg.
The very best chefs I know, as well as the weekend only Grill Dads get fantastic results.

If you think of it as a $600 grill, then I see why it seems expensive. It does a lot more than grill, though. I've had mine for 5 years. Though I cover it, it sits outside all year, 20 degree winters, 100 degree summers and is in near perfect condition.

A good cook can make a nice meal on anything, but it helps if he has a gas range. It helps a little more if he has very high and very low BTUs on that range. Same thing with guitars - one that's a little nicer and well set up does make a difference. It's a quality thing. I'm happy to pay for it the results merit the cost, like any well made tool.

Up until now there hasn't been a "basically the same thing" option at a lower cost, like Blue Star is to Viking/Wolf, etc., or how a Japanese strat is to an American one.
I'm curious about the knock offs.

-A

[deep.BTUz]

Yeah, not much luck. Just a lot of forum discussion on custom/specialty shops. You'd think there'd be a place you could just buy some.

http://www.bbqguys.com/category_name_Co ... 11253.html

[zom-zom]

A good cook can make a nice meal on anything, but it helps if he has a gas range. It helps a little more if he has very high and very low BTUs on that range. Same thing with guitars - one that's a little nicer and well set up does make a difference. It's a quality thing. I'm happy to pay for it the results merit the cost, like any well made tool.

Up until now there hasn't been a "basically the same thing" option at a lower cost, like Blue Star is to Viking/Wolf, etc., or how a Japanese strat is to an American one.
I'm curious about the knock offs.

-A

I understand what you're saying and do agree for the most part. I'll admit I'm sort of weird about certain things though.. my cooking range is from 1950. It would probably emit laughter from non-professional cooks who go for the restaurant-style ranges in their well-equipped kitchens. Not even a pilot light on the old thing, but it works great for me and it looks cool. Burners get plenty hot, oven is even-cooking and large enough. And it was free. I professionally cooked on some of the worst, worn out piece of shit ranges you can imagine. I sort of like them that way. And I just could never justify spending the $$ on a fancy grill or oven. I don't think either one would make my food taste better.

[Mark Hansen]

I'm gunna by a new grill and I have my eye on a smoker gimmick...

...for beer can chicken. And stuff.

Which one are you looking at?

There are some important things to keep in mind when picking out a smoker...I learned...

Well, I've been looking at local stuff - cats who take a barrell and cut it long into two halves so the lid rolls back. Those are huge and not so cheap. Also, I saw a Green Egg, and though my German blood curdles at the look of it I'm told they're great little smokers.

Any suggestions?

...and I gotta start using the spellcheck more often.

I don't have any brands I endorse, but here are some features you should have:

1. Easy to remove ash. I don't have this. It's a pain in the ass. I have to get a little shovel to take my ashes out. Having a trap door or something in the bottom is a must.

2. A Sidecar Fire box is great for very low temperature smoking.

3. If you're going to be using it as a normal grill as well, get one with some sort of adjustable grill surface.

4 The ability to attach a rotisserie would be good. If you're the industrious type, you could probably rig something up on anything.

5. (and perhaps most important) Make sure it is big enough for a turkey. You'll want this in November.

A friend of mine has a large Char-Broil Grill with a side smoker, that works really well.

I just smoked a turkey on a Weber grill the other day that turned out great. You just need to make sure you use the indirect cooking method when doing this; I put a disposable aluminum pan in the middle to help keep the coals separated and catch the drippings. I've also got a cheap vertical smoker that I bought at Wal-Mart that works good for chickens and stuff like that.

[Mark Hansen]

Yeah, I'm not looking to bust a fuck-load on a grill. If I can find something that'll last 5 years I'll maybe spend 100 bucks. Maybe 150 at the very most.

Thank god. Those fucking eggs are hideous, and I don't think they're big enough for a decent sized iron skillet.

I have two Webers, but they can't take a beer can chicken...

...I sit and dream about a sleeve you can add to a weber that turns it into a smoker.

This is the Char-Broil I was talking about: http://www.charbroil.com/product/1286/S ... Grill.aspx

It works really well for smoking, a lot of grill space. I don't think that, generally, Char-Broils hold up as well as Webers, but if you take good care of it, and cover it when it's not in use, it should last a while.

[Tom]

This is the Char-Broil I was talking about: http://www.charbroil.com/product/1286/S ... Grill.aspx

It works really well for smoking, a lot of grill space. I don't think that, generally, Char-Broils hold up as well as Webers, but if you take good care of it, and cover it when it's not in use, it should last a while.

That's the one I have.

As mentioned above:
It's a pain in the ass to clean out the ash.

Also, the sidecar is good for smoking at sub 180F, but it's damned near impossible to keep the main chamber above 200 using only the firebox.

[bumble]

I'd like to get some of that wire mesh used in many Asian countries for grilling so I can be a little more portable with my grilling habits. Just throw some coals on the ground and put a grate fashioned out of that wire mesh stuff over it. anyone know where I can get that stuff...or, even better, what it actually is?

Would something like this work?

http://www.amazon.com/Campfire-Grill-Extra-Oversized-33-inch/dp/B003L7JG36

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P9F092/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003L7JG36&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1YZQXDYZFPJ3D72R6D11

[E. Norma Stitz]

You should be able to pick that grate up easy. Home Depot or something similar. The stuff is used to cover windows to prevent break-ins.



I used that exact stuff when I made a fire pit out of a washing machine.

You could also probably use rolls of heavy guage yard guard mesh...

[Andy]

Reading this thread, I couldn't stop thinking of



and then that migrated into

[rgauss]

Any recommendations on brands of skillets? Looking to buy one as a gift. I know nothing about cookware. The hardware store sells Lodge pans. They look different than most cast iron I've seen, which were smooth and black. The Lodge pans are grey and they have sort of a stippled surface.

[zom-zom]

They all pretty much start out looking that way.
I'd say just try to get a skillet not made in China if possible.

Once you break them in and cure them they turn black.

It may be cheesy, but maybe you can find an old, seasoned skillet at a yard sale or something.

I made a really nice frittata with mine just the other day.

[Myshkin]

I have cornbread baking in one of mine right now. The only way to make cornbread.

[zom-zom]

I like those tiny cob-shaped iron things too. I have one of those.

[Eugenius]

Any recommendations on brands of skillets? Looking to buy one as a gift. I know nothing about cookware. The hardware store sells Lodge pans. They look different than most cast iron I've seen, which were smooth and black. The Lodge pans are grey and they have sort of a stippled surface.

I have a couple of pieces of cast iron Lodge cookware, a big enameled casserole and a skillet, I have no complaints about mine.

[same]

Lodge are made in the USA. Somewhere in the South I think.

I have 4 cast iron skillets, all inherited. One's kind of like a griddle - no walled rim, just a big flat square of iron with a handle. I have a little 8 inch one I bring camping. I love them. I cook all my bacon in them. Pan fry and bake chicken in them. Grilled cheeses. Corned beef hash. Those fuckers see some action. The only other piece of cookware that gets as much use is my enamel coated cast iron dutch oven. I have one stainless steel pan that pretty much only gets used for omelettes and sautéing vegetables.

[Redline]

Not Crap. Take care of them and keep them seasoned and they last forever.