Comments on: This post contains bacon. You know you want to read it.

By: Joanne Schleier

Joanne Schleier — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:04:07 +0000

I just subscribed to your blog and read this post in my reader…I was laughing out loud! I can relate! As a former vegetarian and one who recently acquired a cast iron skillet, I feel your pain. One thing I learned is to always “dry” them on the stove. I put my it on my gas stove until the water drops are mostly gone from it.

Love your blog!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:16:51 +0000

You talked about Kopp’s! Yay! (Though, now I am going to have cravings because Culver’s just can’t compete…)
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..No Longer a Separation of Personal and Professional Lives? =-.

By: The gold digger

The gold digger — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:07:44 +0000

Hey! I thought you weren’t blogging any more! I’m glad you’re back!

So I guess you’re not going to the bacon chocolate cupcake thingy at the Harley museum on Monday.

Gold digger, aka Class Factotum (GD is the not safe for inlaws site)
.-= The gold digger´s last blog ..In which we buy our own lunch =-.

By: Marsha Keeffer

Marsha Keeffer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:53:36 +0000

Bacon, bacon, bacon. How’s that for helping with SEO?

Clue Wagon is actually a perfect name for a genealogy site…love the double duty!

By: rick

rick — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:02:23 +0000

Challenge: Name any food that is not improved by adding bacon, cheese, or chocolate.

Can’t do it – its the golden trilogy of food – even for vegetarians (judge-y or not).

By: Ed Armour

Ed Armour — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:13:45 +0000

My mother was also an aficionado of cast iron. Probably doesn’t have all of those chemicals shed by teflon coatings either.

TIP: next time you have to clean a substantial amount of rust off a pan, go to your favorite hardware store and buy a brass wire wheel for your drill motor (yes, wear eye protection). Comes off in a jiffy and you won’t get Mike Tyson forearms (or the tattoo). NEVER use sandpaper. Season (I prefer using the oven) as previously described.

By: Ask a Manager

Ask a Manager — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:11:57 +0000

Yes, you can cook anything in them and they are naturally non-stick. One of my favorite cooking blogs just did a post on what makes cast iron so great: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cookware-tools/strong-and-sturdy-what-makes-cast-iron-so-great-107761 .-= Ask a Manager´s last blog ..and we're going to strip-search you before the job interview =-.

By: laurie ruettimann

laurie ruettimann — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:10:44 +0000

This post has bacon and custard in it — so it’s perfect. Just perfect.
.-= laurie ruettimann´s last blog ..Guest Post: UNC Grad Seeks Non-Lameass Job =-.

By: Em-Dash

Em-Dash — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:24:04 +0000

I’ve found that shortening works best and do it in the oven (twice), followed by the frozen pork fat technique described by Lance. Also, I agree with him — when I was a vegetarian, I used olive oil and the pans never seasoned well.

When seasoned well, you don’t have to redo it every time — just don’t let water stand in it.

As for what to cook in them — anything! A properly seasoned skillet is actually great for russian blini (crepes) or corn bread, or ANYTHING. I can’t live without one (or two or more). I found that unlike modern nonstick pans, you can get away with adding less oil b/c heating the pans without anything in them isn’t a big deal like it is for a lot of nonstick ones.
.-= Em-Dash´s last blog ..Life at -40 =-.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 19:13:46 +0000

Amy—I’m going to try that for the lid to the Dutch oven. The underside of it was actually the rustiest piece of all, and obviously I can’t fry anything on it, so that’s a great alternative.

I’m unclear on how much I’m going to actually be able to use these pans after I’m done with this process. Most of my cooking involves sauteeing vegetables in a small bit of olive or vegetable oil, so I always use nonstick pans. Cast-iron seems to be mostly meant for cooking meat, which obviously has more fat. Are my veggies going to stick to the pan? And am I going to have to go through this baking-the-pan and/or cooking lard/bacon thing every time I use them?

I really want to use the pans, because I know my grandma and great-grandma used them daily, which is cool. It seems like a lot of work though.