I live in Mexico. This means, Lodge and vintages like Griswold, Wagner or Birmingham are not readily available. Add the fact that your average salary down here is $700 usd a month. My very first pan is from a made in China, 3-set (6, 8, 10 inch), Amazon-bought for $28 usd. "Utopia kitchen" 6-incher skillet. I precisely bought it as a learning tool, I reckoned the 6 inch is useless and if I EFFED it up, I would still have an 8 and a 10 inch skillets. Following simple YT advice, I baked it in tallow, of all things, then following you, MB, I broke it in with potatoes. It is WONDERFUL. So then, I bought the Walmart 17" x 9" reversible irongrid/ iron plate. Again, tallow seasoning followed by potatoes and bacon, swirly eggs was the result. NOT a PROBLEM. So, my advice is, if you want the cheap Chinese skillet as your first piece, go for it. That way you can season- bake- rust- sand, clean- reseason- use it and learn a great deal. The 6-incher is great because it gets to temperature fast and it also cools faster, so to cook something quick for myself, it is good enough. My next project is a carbon steel Wok. As far as the State of California...I've had enough of it screwing life for the rest of us, even when living OUTSIDE of the U.S. I've gained a lot of confidence with these videos and my Chi Po skillets. Thank you Mudbrooker, Brandy cheers.
These are some of my most favorite videos. In my mind, the best use for those cheap pans is for wall decoration. Paint it, glue flowers/bobbles into it, make it pretty to look at...because otherwise, it's useless to the inexperienced like me. OR one could put charcoal briquettes in it and use it like a hibachi, OR use it to melt lead for your reloads in.
I'm gonna use it as a guinea pig for my sinister experiments. :) Trying to use a pan like that would be very discouraging for someone just beginning to use cast iron.
I always wanted to drill one out for a clock, 12 holes along the outer wall- nice & simple. Surprised I haven't seen someone do that yet. I just wouldn't use a pan that says made in China, maybe a ruined pan instead?
Found a pre 1960 Chicago foundry cast iron skillet with a diamond 8 on back of pan. Stripped and am reseasoning it. What a difference older cast iron is compared to new cast iron, it seasoned real well. Cheers from Central Texas
Great topic/video. Especially interested since I've cooked on cast iron all my life, but know very little about maintaining and cleaning them. Up until I watched your vids I thought dish soap was a no-no! I've started cleaning all my cast iron with Dawn, and the results are great. :) Thank you and keep the history/research/experiential vids coming, please. Love your channel.
Thanks for this one. For electrolysis you can also use regular power supplies with adjustable output voltages. They are not difficult to get. Just match the voltage and current ranges to your requirements.
As usual, top notch video and info. Recently acquired a National Wag. #7. The seller used electrolysis to take it down bare, and seasoned it for resale (saw both pics). Seller has great reputation, but I still scrubbed it with Dawn, Brillo. And steel scrub pad, and very lightly used some 360 sand paper. It still has some areas of light seasoning and when I wipe it dry, I still get black residue on back and front even though you can see mostly silver/ gray. Should I just try seasoning a few times in oven or do I have to resort to Easy Off. Pan has no rust, no wobble , no spin. I used to live in CA.....I’m surprised they still allow cast iron since everything in that state causes cancer......🙄
The residue is most likely black iron oxide. Heat the pan up a bit and give it a fairly liberal coat of whatever you're gonna use to season it and let it sit a few minutes. Wipe it off and the oil should lift the oxide off. You might need to repeat it a couple of times, once it comes clean you can season it as you normally would.
TheMudbrooker Thanks much. Tried that tonight along with a new discovery. Pan doesn’t spin on any flat surface including my glass top stove until it’s heated up. Started with very low, slow heat as usual and the dang thing turned into a spinner! Yet, as soon as it cooled down, wouldn’t budge. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Have you?
I look forward to your experimentation videos. My Dad has a battery charger he made in the late 50s. It would be good to find a way to get an automatic battery charger to work properly with electrolysis. It'll be interesting to see what you discover. 👍🏻
You mentioned that you don’t really have to clean cast-iron if you know where it’s been. This is what I’ve been struggling with. I bought a waffle maker on eBay. It’s a pretty nice one it is Wardware from Montgomery ward. It’s probably difficult to reseason and no matter what because of the intricate pattern. I looked on your videos but I didn’t see anything on there where you seasons one. It is seasoned already and there is no rust but I just don’t want to eat off of someone else’s cast-iron for the first time. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
If it's been stripped and re-seasoned already it shouldn't be too hard to remove the seasoning and re-do it. A good scrubbing or two with a stiff bristled nylon brush and very hot soapy water should remove the new seasoning sufficiently. Seasoning a waffle iron isn't too hard, if you're using something solid like lard or clarified butter melt it first, and apply a light coating with a basting brush. It can take a bit of patience to get the excess out of the crevices with paper towel but other than that it's the same process as seasoning any other cast iron.
I was so excited when I found my first gate mark white enamel bowl. I understand your led explanation. What I dont understand is how did people used them for so many years. Did they drop dead or rushed to the hospital. Im not trying to be a smart ass. Does led poisoning happen over many years of usage. I notice other channels saying drill a hole in the pan. Dont use it. If its a liability issue I totally understand. Im not trying to poison myself. Just wondering if I can use it at al and have you used yours.. Thank you. I discovered your channel yesterday we spoke about the wood stove.
Not all enamel had lead in it, and not that much would leach out if it did especially when it was new. But it's still best to avoid eating lead and as the enamel wears, more can be released. Most hardware and home improvement stores have lead test kits with swabs for detecting lead at home. I have some, but I haven't got around to testing the pan yet so I haven't used it. If you test yours and it's negative go ahead and use it.
I have a pan that I know was used for casting lead. If I use the electrolysis method to restore it can it be usable or should I just keep it as a wall hanger?
Do you have a webcam? I'm doing a live show tomorrow at 6:30 PM central, you could show it there. If not, I'm at themudbrooker@yahoo.com Be warned though, most gatemarked pieces aren't identifiable to any particular maker.
If you have the opportunity, blast with carbon. ( Dry Ice) As it makes contact with the surface it turns back into gas. With your channel, you may be able to contact some of the manufacturers and do a video. They may be interested in having another outlet to market their product. On top of all that, I believe you'll be satisfied with the end result.
Good video and information. @Mudbrooker it sounds like your stuck in the north or south pole how you say you gotta wait for Spring or Summer, lol. How bad is it where you live?
I heard you mention that a sanded pan will not take seasoning. Can this be corrected or do I need to buy a new pan and how often does a pan need to be reseasoned thanks
Sanding is usually OK, but you don't need a mirror finish. Things that have been buffed with a wire wheel or are overly polished are quite difficult to season.Over buffed items can be soaked in a 50/50 vinegar and water solution for a few hours to etch the surface and make the seasoning take. Generally, pans season themselves with use so it isn't necessary to strip them down and re-season for many, many years.
Love Love Love me a good splash of the Polish. :-) good information and i'm very much looking forward to your tests and trials. i have a couple of chinisium pans i was thinking about wacking with the flap wheel to smoothen out the bottoms.
Question it’s getting to be winter out and I only have one Dutch oven to clean can I do it outside with the oven cleaned in a bag with it cold outside?
Yes, but the cleaner will work much slower when it's cold. If it's cold enough, it can freeze. If you can find someplace warmer, like in the basement or a heated garage, it'll work better.
I was given a used cast iron dutch oven with lid. I stopped using it because it made the food that I cooked in it, taste and smell weird. Why would that happen and can it be fixed?
If it has some build-up on it the burnt on crud can absorb odors like mildew or it could be that it was given a coat of oil before you got it and the oil went rancid. The solution is to strip the pan down to bare metal, oven cleaner is easiest, and re-season it from scratch. Here's my video showing how to strip a pan down. ruclips.net/video/zJTZ4p_Tqks/видео.html
I have 2 wonderful cast aluminum pans from my dad, 50 yrs old minimum. Any thoughts on cast aluminum As for cleaning of cast iron ? The self cleaning cycle on an oven works well.
I have a few aluminum pieces, a cast cake/roasting pan, two big kettles for my woodstove and a recently acquired dutch oven. The kettles are a Wagner and a Griswold and the dutch oven is a Wagner, both companies made tons of aluminum ware. Cleaning aluminum is a whole different ball game from cleaning cast iron. You must NEVER use lye or oven cleaner on aluminum, strong alkalis cause a violent chemical reaction and at the heat required to burn off build-up aluminum is prone to warping. Since aluminum is soft you must be careful not to scratch it if you try scraping it off. About the only thing that will safely do the job is steel wool and elbow grease.
@@TheMudbrookerabsolutely Ive used the short cleaning cycle in my self cleaning oven on both aluminum and cast iron with excellent results. All the crud goes to a fine layer of ash but of course then each piece must be reseasoned. My dad left me an aluminum dutch oven and a griddle. Ive bought some cast iron pieces over the years but I admit I don't use them much because keeping them clean in a dry cabin is a pain. I hope to use them more after my plumbing goes in this spring
I live in Mexico. This means, Lodge and vintages like Griswold, Wagner or Birmingham are not readily available.
Add the fact that your average salary down here is $700 usd a month.
My very first pan is from a made in China, 3-set (6, 8, 10 inch), Amazon-bought for $28 usd. "Utopia kitchen" 6-incher skillet. I precisely bought it as a learning tool, I reckoned the 6 inch is useless and if I EFFED it up, I would still have an 8 and a 10 inch skillets. Following simple YT advice, I baked it in tallow, of all things, then following you, MB, I broke it in with potatoes. It is WONDERFUL.
So then, I bought the Walmart 17" x 9" reversible irongrid/ iron plate. Again, tallow seasoning followed by potatoes and bacon, swirly eggs was the result. NOT a PROBLEM.
So, my advice is, if you want the cheap Chinese skillet as your first piece, go for it. That way you can season- bake- rust- sand, clean- reseason- use it and learn a great deal. The 6-incher is great because it gets to temperature fast and it also cools faster, so to cook something quick for myself, it is good enough.
My next project is a carbon steel Wok.
As far as the State of California...I've had enough of it screwing life for the rest of us, even when living OUTSIDE of the U.S.
I've gained a lot of confidence with these videos and my Chi Po skillets. Thank you Mudbrooker, Brandy cheers.
These are some of my most favorite videos. In my mind, the best use for those cheap pans is for wall decoration. Paint it, glue flowers/bobbles into it, make it pretty to look at...because otherwise, it's useless to the inexperienced like me. OR one could put charcoal briquettes in it and use it like a hibachi, OR use it to melt lead for your reloads in.
I'm gonna use it as a guinea pig for my sinister experiments. :) Trying to use a pan like that would be very discouraging for someone just beginning to use cast iron.
@@TheMudbrooker 🙃
I always wanted to drill one out for a clock, 12 holes along the outer wall- nice & simple. Surprised I haven't seen someone do that yet. I just wouldn't use a pan that says made in China, maybe a ruined pan instead?
Found a pre 1960 Chicago foundry cast iron skillet with a diamond 8 on back of pan. Stripped and am reseasoning it. What a difference older cast iron is compared to new cast iron, it seasoned real well. Cheers from Central Texas
It's a bit more than pre 1960, Chicago Hardware Foundry went out of business in the mid 1930's
Great topic/video. Especially interested since I've cooked on cast iron all my life, but know very little about maintaining and cleaning them. Up until I watched your vids I thought dish soap was a no-no! I've started cleaning all my cast iron with Dawn, and the results are great. :) Thank you and keep the history/research/experiential vids coming, please. Love your channel.
Thanks for this one. For electrolysis you can also use regular power supplies with adjustable output voltages. They are not difficult to get. Just match the voltage and current ranges to your requirements.
As usual, top notch video and info. Recently acquired a National Wag. #7. The seller used electrolysis to take it down bare, and seasoned it for resale (saw both pics). Seller has great reputation, but I still scrubbed it with Dawn, Brillo. And steel scrub pad, and very lightly used some 360 sand paper. It still has some areas of light seasoning and when I wipe it dry, I still get black residue on back and front even though you can see mostly silver/ gray. Should I just try seasoning a few times in oven or do I have to resort to Easy Off. Pan has no rust, no wobble , no spin. I used to live in CA.....I’m surprised they still allow cast iron since everything in that state causes cancer......🙄
The residue is most likely black iron oxide. Heat the pan up a bit and give it a fairly liberal coat of whatever you're gonna use to season it and let it sit a few minutes. Wipe it off and the oil should lift the oxide off. You might need to repeat it a couple of times, once it comes clean you can season it as you normally would.
TheMudbrooker Thanks much. Tried that tonight along with a new discovery. Pan doesn’t spin on any flat surface including my glass top stove until it’s heated up. Started with very low, slow heat as usual and the dang thing turned into a spinner! Yet, as soon as it cooled down, wouldn’t budge. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Have you?
Nice tipple!!!
FYI: BlackBerry wine is a wonderful help when you have diarrhea, & it works quickly. I heard this from an old Grannie Woman.
I look forward to your experimentation videos. My Dad has a battery charger he made in the late 50s. It would be good to find a way to get an automatic battery charger to work properly with electrolysis. It'll be interesting to see what you discover. 👍🏻
I'm looking forward to it too, but it'll still be a while before I can set up an electrolysis tank without it freezing. :)
Love the great cast iron information. Great stuff there!
Can never learn enough about cast iron ...would have a kitchen without mine lol
The next few months should be a learning experience, I have lots of projects lined up.
Great information keep up the great work
You mentioned that you don’t really have to clean cast-iron if you know where it’s been. This is what I’ve been struggling with. I bought a waffle maker on eBay. It’s a pretty nice one it is Wardware from Montgomery ward. It’s probably difficult to reseason and no matter what because of the intricate pattern. I looked on your videos but I didn’t see anything on there where you seasons one. It is seasoned already and there is no rust but I just don’t want to eat off of someone else’s cast-iron for the first time. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
If it's been stripped and re-seasoned already it shouldn't be too hard to remove the seasoning and re-do it. A good scrubbing or two with a stiff bristled nylon brush and very hot soapy water should remove the new seasoning sufficiently. Seasoning a waffle iron isn't too hard, if you're using something solid like lard or clarified butter melt it first, and apply a light coating with a basting brush. It can take a bit of patience to get the excess out of the crevices with paper towel but other than that it's the same process as seasoning any other cast iron.
Cast iron forever...👍
A good skillet is nearly eternal. :)
Really enjoy your videos so informative
I was so excited when I found my first gate mark white enamel bowl. I understand your led explanation. What I dont understand is how did people used them for so many years. Did they drop dead or rushed to the hospital. Im not trying to be a smart ass. Does led poisoning happen over many years of usage. I notice other channels saying drill a hole in the pan. Dont use it. If its a liability issue I totally understand. Im not trying to poison myself. Just wondering if I can use it at al and have you used yours.. Thank you. I discovered your channel yesterday we spoke about the wood stove.
Not all enamel had lead in it, and not that much would leach out if it did especially when it was new. But it's still best to avoid eating lead and as the enamel wears, more can be released. Most hardware and home improvement stores have lead test kits with swabs for detecting lead at home. I have some, but I haven't got around to testing the pan yet so I haven't used it. If you test yours and it's negative go ahead and use it.
@@TheMudbrooker thank you sir. Cheers to you a little gentlemans jack. I'll test it again.
I have a pan that I know was used for casting lead. If I use the electrolysis method to restore it can it be usable or should I just keep it as a wall hanger?
I don't know, you could try it and test it with a lead test swab. But I don't think it would be worth the risk.
I have a very old & pitted dutch oven. No lid gate mark on bottom & "No 2. 10in" any idea what i have? Thanks in advance.
Do you have a webcam? I'm doing a live show tomorrow at 6:30 PM central, you could show it there. If not, I'm at themudbrooker@yahoo.com Be warned though, most gatemarked pieces aren't identifiable to any particular maker.
If you have the opportunity, blast with carbon. ( Dry Ice) As it makes contact with the surface it turns back into gas. With your channel, you may be able to contact some of the manufacturers and do a video. They may be interested in having another outlet to market their product. On top of all that, I believe you'll be satisfied with the end result.
I was wondering about using a propane torch to burn off the thick stuff, and then cooling it down slowly, like they do blown glass?
It would be risky, it would be very easy to way overheat a small spot which WILL crack cast iron.
@@TheMudbrooker thanks.
Good video and information. @Mudbrooker it sounds like your stuck in the north or south pole how you say you gotta wait for Spring or Summer, lol. How bad is it where you live?
I'm in northern Wisconsin, it hasn't been too bad of a winter, but it'll still be mid to late April until it stays above freezing at night.
I heard you mention that a sanded pan will not take seasoning. Can this be corrected or do I need to buy a new pan and how often does a pan need to be reseasoned thanks
Sanding is usually OK, but you don't need a mirror finish. Things that have been buffed with a wire wheel or are overly polished are quite difficult to season.Over buffed items can be soaked in a 50/50 vinegar and water solution for a few hours to etch the surface and make the seasoning take. Generally, pans season themselves with use so it isn't necessary to strip them down and re-season for many, many years.
Love Love Love me a good splash of the Polish. :-)
good information and i'm very much looking forward to your tests and trials. i have a couple of chinisium pans i was thinking about wacking with the flap wheel to smoothen out the bottoms.
Question it’s getting to be winter out and I only have one Dutch oven to clean can I do it outside with the oven cleaned in a bag with it cold outside?
Yes, but the cleaner will work much slower when it's cold. If it's cold enough, it can freeze. If you can find someplace warmer, like in the basement or a heated garage, it'll work better.
Dollar stores have plastic putty knives and scrappers,easier on the casting.
My girlfriend bought me a 15” Lodge cast iron pan because she loves to watch me cook. Any advice for a cast iron newbie?
Very interesting. Thanks
You're welcome.
I was given a used cast iron dutch oven with lid. I stopped using it because it made the food that I cooked in it, taste and smell weird. Why would that happen and can it be fixed?
If it has some build-up on it the burnt on crud can absorb odors like mildew or it could be that it was given a coat of oil before you got it and the oil went rancid. The solution is to strip the pan down to bare metal, oven cleaner is easiest, and re-season it from scratch. Here's my video showing how to strip a pan down. ruclips.net/video/zJTZ4p_Tqks/видео.html
I have 2 wonderful cast aluminum pans from my dad, 50 yrs old minimum. Any thoughts on cast aluminum
As for cleaning of cast iron ? The self cleaning cycle on an oven works well.
I have a few aluminum pieces, a cast cake/roasting pan, two big kettles for my woodstove and a recently acquired dutch oven. The kettles are a Wagner and a Griswold and the dutch oven is a Wagner, both companies made tons of aluminum ware. Cleaning aluminum is a whole different ball game from cleaning cast iron. You must NEVER use lye or oven cleaner on aluminum, strong alkalis cause a violent chemical reaction and at the heat required to burn off build-up aluminum is prone to warping. Since aluminum is soft you must be careful not to scratch it if you try scraping it off. About the only thing that will safely do the job is steel wool and elbow grease.
@@TheMudbrookerabsolutely
Ive used the short cleaning cycle in my self cleaning oven on both aluminum and cast iron with excellent results.
All the crud goes to a fine layer of ash but of course then each piece must be reseasoned.
My dad left me an aluminum dutch oven and a griddle. Ive bought some cast iron pieces over the years but I admit I don't use them much because keeping them clean in a dry cabin is a pain.
I hope to use them more after my plumbing goes in this spring
I'd soak those crusty pans in a lye bath about a week and it will come right off with a brillo pan!
Use sound like papa g. Are u?
Uhhhh, that white one looks more like an old nineteeth century bedside slop jar, than anything to cook in. [Shudder🤢]