Question about corn bread 'stick' pans

[perc-o-prince]

I would personally never let anything other than the proper oil or grease touch my cast iron before baking. Never flour and never sprays that have anything other than 100% oil in them.

I have a couple of the cast iron versions of your pan, and many other pans for cornbread like sticks, wedges, etc. I've always understood that the heat/grease method for seasoning the pan, cast iron or aluminum, is basically the same. I don't think you can use the "oil-it-and-sit-it-in-a-paper-bag-in-a-warm/dark-area-for-a-month" method for aluminum.

For cooking, I always pre-heat my pan right from the cupboard then take it out, give it a quick greasing (the spray I buy is nothing but oil, but I usually use a silicone brush with butter when I wanna be really bad, or good, as the case may be!), then pop the batter in. I'm sure I could get away without greasing at all, but that does develop a good crust. The crust, IMHO, is what separates the man's cornbread from the boy's!

Chuck

p.s.- I also throw kernels of corn in mine whenever I can!

 

[launderess]

Gave Much of My Cast Iron Cookware Away As Well

Was a set one had put away in our "hope chest" ages ago that saw infrequent use once one setup housekeeping.

Fry, and various sauce pans, along with a Dutch oven and deep fryer went to a cousin who was that happy to have them.

NYC climate can be damp and or humid along with steam heating during the colder months meant the stuff usually sat mouldering and rusting from not being used. This no matter how often and well they were seasoned.

Then there is the fact certain foods just cannot or should not be cooked in or on cast iron. For instance would never make rice in a pure cast iron pot, nor anything acidic like tomato based dishes.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Then there is the fact certain foods just cannot or should n

Unfortunately so many people don't understand this, or the other point you made about them being stored away and not being used. The best friend to any cast iron pan is proper use! The more you (properly) use it, the better the pan gets!

And it's not a lot of work to properly maintain them. Use them properly, don't leave them on high, wipe them out, and dry them before storing them. If they're still fairly new, wipe them with a touch of oil before storage.

I must say that unlike Hans, I do lightly wash mine lightly with soap, and not just water, to clear away any food particles. Never scrub and never scour. I use a soft sponge like I use on the regular dishes. I always warm them after washing/wiping to drive away all the moisture.

Chuck

 

[dustin92]

I don't usually use soap on cast iron, usually just a brush and hot water, then dry it on the stove, oil it, heat it until it begins to smoke, then immediately turn off the heat. Wait for it to cool down a bit, then wipe away the excess oil with a paper towel or napkin. If things don't come off with just water, I will use a little soap, but never in the dishwasher.

 

[launderess]

Cast Aluminum and Iron Share A Number of Similar Properties.

Both are great at even heat distribution,but IIRC aluminum has a slight edge over iron in some respects or designs.

Both are inexpensive for the most part which is why you find so much early/vintage cookware made from them. Of course there are differences between BOL and TOL cookware made from each as with other materials as well. Quite allot of the cheap cast alumimum stuff comes from Asian countries such as Korea for example, and cannot hold a candle to the vintage Wagner or other American made goods.

Cast aluminum heats up faster than iron IIRC, which is good if one wants to get eggs/breakfast started in a hurry.

My previous comments aside a well made and properly seasoned/cared for cast iron or alumium griddle can be the most well used thing in a kitchen.

If you go to any diner, fast food or some such kitchen you'll see nearly 80% if not more of the dishes are prepared on a cast iron or alumium griddle. It might be a large one, but a griddle none the less. For doing eggs, bacon, flap jacks, open or closed sandwiches and countless other things you just cannot fail can you?

 

[kenmoreguy89]

When we used cast iron pans at school for omelettes and crepes we used to clean them with paper and salt......
Twice a week a wash with soap and hot water and them back all in the oven for the re-seasoning with oil, they were used almost daily, now I just do not know, cleaning with salt is what professor told us to do, always thought it wasn't a great thing for them as the salt will help and create rust on them and a professional kitchen is not what I'd call a "dry" place.....
They were used daily so rust issues never created....