Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Is the exact reason plumbers have job security.
You do not want the grease down the drain at all, toss it in the trash can.
So true!! I surprised how many people DON'T put grease in the trash can! My own mother doesn't do this!!
Tally another vote for Barkeeper's Friend, and for stainless steel. I got an amazing set of SS copper core for half price last year because my local high-end cookware store was not carrying the brand anymore. Love them!!
I would also cast a vote in favor of Lodge cast iron, but it doesn't sound like that what the OP is in the market for.
Thanks, I've actually been considering getting one of those. But I still have to put that on a cookie sheet though, don't I? Even if the mat is fine, the cookie sheet will still twist.
Have fun cooking…I love it. I just took out fresh pretzels from the oven about 10 minutes ago. It's my first time. Sadly I am really bad at the shape, lol…on a good note they are delicious.
New Lodge cast iron isn't as good as the old stuff from the thrift store. If it says "Wagner" or "Griswold" and some one hasn't put an "antique" price on it, buy it. Much superior cast iron. Unfortunately, folks are buying that as some sort of antique now and not as a useful pan so the prices have gotten crazy for them at antique shops. Of course, the pan will last just about forever if you don't drop it or let it rust too much.
However, if Lodge is all you can get, then get a sanding block and sand down the interior of the pan before you season it. The old pans had milled interiors where it was smooth to start with, the new pans have a cast interior where there's loads of small bumps. But, sand them flat and then you're good. A sanding block, one of those lava rock block shaped commercial grill cleaner will work, a handy air powered grinder, whatever works for you, but if you can get it smooth, then Lodge are great.
We've picked up a few Tramotina stainless steel pans at garage sales and they've been pretty good. My favorite machete also was made by Tramotina which I find a bit odd.
If you have stainless steel or cast iron, you can clean them aggressively and still have a pan afterwards. If you get too aggressive with the cast iron, you may have to reseason it, but it will still be there to reseason.
Most of the pans here are Wagner, Griswold and Revereware. Hmm, I don't think any of those folks are still in business so you'd have to find them at thrift shops or antique stores.
Buying cookware hasn't been a buy one set and be done with it sort of thing for us. It's been finding one piece here, finding another there and building up what we need. I've found some really nice enamel over cast iron pieces made in Japan which have a dark glaze over them and don't show stains. There's a new covered casserole picked up at a yard sale about a month ago which is a festive red enamel on cast iron, but the interior is white and shows any stain so that will probably be resold after Christmas.
Status:
"Mistress of finance and foods."
(set 22 days ago)
Location: Coastal Georgia
50,038 posts, read 63,384,408 times
Reputation: 92564
To add to my previous post. Penny wise, pound foolish. You want heavy, flat bottomed pans, and there are many available which are not expensive. There is cheap, and there is inexpensive.
Can you spray the outside bottoms of the pans with oven cleaner? I haven't done it, but it seems it should work. Spray the bottom, slide the pan into a trash bag overnight to contain the fumes, take it out and wash with soap and water in the morning. You would only do this every once in a while if they got pretty bad.
Not for use with cast iron...but all my other pans...I soak over night with either liquid dishwasher detergent squirted on the stain...or hot water in sink throw in one of those dishwasher pods and soak over night...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.