KLO,

I forgot to mention that we got a lot of cast iron from yard sales and thrift stores. The yard sale ones have to be cleaned, but that's no big deal.

Joe

SteveH,

I figure you got a bout 300 pounds of cast iron on that hanger. I hope your ceiling beams are good and strong :D .


Joe

I have a combination of Griswold, Lodge, and what is very elderly, not enameled, Le Creueset. They are adored and much used. I am always looking for pieces I do not have. AND I do have an unnamed darling as well. A 10" diameter fry pan that cooks like a dream and fits a 10" lid found at a totally different place. No name. No identifying marks. Just big, deep, and great cooking.

So. It has been my experience in my kitchen, in the rv, and over a grill that how well a piece of cast iron cooks has a whole lot to do with the iron it's made from. Impurities are found in cheaper, poorer grade iron. Impurities do not heat evenly across the pan. A pan that does not heat well does not cook well. I have been very satisfied as to the cooking of those three brands. Then there's also the thickness of the pan's bottom and walls. Thicker is better in my opinion.

As to price. Lodge has an outlet. Check it out and see and visit if you ever get in that neck of the woods. You will be pleasantly surprised as to the prices. Make certain the Lodge place will be open. We have visited two or three times. Even on days and times the website posted as times they were open. They weren't. Check by calling on the phone. Quite often you will find a piece of Griswold at a junk or consignment store. Or a yard sale, etc. Figure out what the piece is worth to you and "discuss" it with the seller. I have almost never seen a piece of La C.

And you may find some seriously awful looking pieces of wonderful cast iron. One dutch oven I gifted to my son had a black crust that was a real turnoff. Please know that I do not object to black crusts but I am not enthusiastic about buying someone else's black crust. I'd rather make my own. Black is fine; a chipping off black crust is another thng altogether in my book. And it takes some research as to the best way to decrust cast iron as well as a pair of thick rubber gloves and the other necessary equipment discovered while doing the research. There are acids, etc. that some dealers use to decrust. Some of them go down to metal. I, personaly pass on those. Don't know exactly why. Decide how you feel about the crust thing for yourself.

Forgive the length of this epistle. I am only "sorta" passionate about eating and what it takes to do a good job of it. My mother-in-law and her Griswold dutch oven are responsible. God bless and keep her. I think I can hear her laughing. Gonna go prep the rv for this summer's trek. My equipment needs to be in order: kitchen and sewing.

Have fun too.

Pat

We have Lodge. Got them at Academy in the camping department back by the grills. Got rid of the chicken fryer. Gave to son up north. He uses it when he wants to cook outside which is often. Doesn't matter what kind of weather as long as he can use his lean to with a tin roof. He has Griswold Dutch oven he found at an estate sale for $1.00 and couple other skillets.

I got my #10 Griswold and #6 Wagner from my Grandmother. I love cooking in them. They are so nonstick. Since then I have added 2 #8s a #9 griddle and a #9 waffle maker. I love the smooth cooking surface on the old CI. I picked them up at auctions. My dutch ovens for camping are the newer Lodge and you can sure see the difference.
Lodge is the only CI made on the US now.
You can usually find the older pieces at flea markets, yard sales and auctions if you have time to look.

Don't use soap and water with a cast iron pan, it will take the seasoning away and everything will stick. I mostly use my cast iron skillets for everything I cook. My Mom had a cast iron skillet that belonged to her great grandfather and had been use over a camp fire for years, it was probably100 years old.
The Lodge cast iron comes pre-seasoned.
Sharon in Texas.

That was exactly what my DH said when I showed him that photo. But "knowing" SteveH from all he has posted on the QB,I am betting that he knows how to put something like that rack and pans up so they won't come down.

Lots of good discussion on this subject. Of course, I still am not sure what I want but I am going to check out the flea markets, yard sales, etc. for older cast iron. My dh really thinks that the newer stuff might have some impurities in it from being manufactured overseas and therefore not as good as the old stuff. So, the hunt is on.

omg a local salvage store, Mardens, here in Maine has a huge inventory of Le Creuset enameled cast iron. I went over Thursday and picked up a griddle like 10 inch sq for 45.00!!! And the enamel is red so it matches my kitchen if that matters...price was awesome when you price it online.

.

240#

Each of those is a different main beam
The house was built during WWII using rough cut wood. (4"x6" mains)

Been up there for 3 years and two earthquakes of significant shaking. (Heather calls it her earthquake alarm..)

If you have Facebook you can go to several auction pages for CI. Iron man auction, and Cast Iron auctions and classifieds.
a lot of collectors but you can find good deals on them.