• You must be logged in to see or use the Shoutbox. Besides, if you haven't registered, you really should. It's quick and it will make your life a little better. Trust me. So just register and make yourself at home with like-minded individuals who share either your morbid curiousity or sense of gallows humor.
It must be the 15 incher then, it's in the top of the pantry and I'm really afraid to try to get it down to see by myself, if I got it down I'd never get it back up there and it's too big to sit anywhere else. I use the smaller one the most, I try to save it for my cornbread, but I end up using it anyway.

My first husband used my first small skillet for melting lead to pour into the boys Pinewood Derby cars, I had a fit, he couldn't understand what the problem was, and I was afraid to ever use it again. The dumbass ruined my skillet by melting lead weights in it, and he couldn't figure out why I wouldn't use it again.
well maybe that's why he sound like an ex, I would have been chasin him around the house with it! I always keep my heavy stuff in the bottom cabinets, easier to pull out and I don't have to worry about braining myself trying to get anything down
 
Back in the day everyone (at least in the south) had a container of bacon grease on the stove for seasoning foods, pans, or whatever. I think they even came with canister sets back then.
I'm a bacon grease hoarder. I save drippings from everything. I put crumbled bacon in potato salad and a few spoonfuls of the grease right in the potato salad. But I wouldn't dare let it sit on the counter.
I have special containers for all my drippings. beef, chicken, pork and bacon all have their own containers in the freezer.
If I'm hungry for bacon and don't have any I scoop a big glob of grease into a pan get it nice and sizzling and fry bread in it. (no wonder I had a heart attack at 49.)

I promise to find that recipe ASAP!
 
Also, I've found using stainless steel spatulas when cooking in cast iron helps a bunch when you have a new or new preseasoned pan. It just seems to help "smooth" the pan out quicker than just maintaining the seasoning.

Also, the acids in tomato based sauces will kill your seasoning if you have the newer pans. And if you want to take the rust/seasoning off used pans, grab a bottle of oven cleaner, soak the pans in it, put the pans in plastic trash bags and let it sit over night, and clean them off with WHITE VINEGAR (kills the chemical reaction in the oven cleaner). Works every time.
 
Also, I've found using stainless steel spatulas when cooking in cast iron helps a bunch when you have a new or new preseasoned pan. It just seems to help "smooth" the pan out quicker than just maintaining the seasoning.

Also, the acids in tomato based sauces will kill your seasoning if you have the newer pans. And if you want to take the rust/seasoning off used pans, grab a bottle of oven cleaner, soak the pans in it, put the pans in plastic trash bags and let it sit over night, and clean them off with WHITE VINEGAR (kills the chemical reaction in the oven cleaner). Works every time.
that's really good to know!
 
I'm a bacon grease hoarder. I save drippings from everything. I put crumbled bacon in potato salad and a few spoonfuls of the grease right in the potato salad. But I wouldn't dare let it sit on the counter.
I have special containers for all my drippings. beef, chicken, pork and bacon all have their own containers in the freezer.
If I'm hungry for bacon and don't have any I scoop a big glob of grease into a pan get it nice and sizzling and fry bread in it. (no wonder I had a heart attack at 49.)

I promise to find that recipe ASAP!
that's what I use to try and tell my granma! it does go rancid and I can taste when something starts gettin a little off.
 
that's what I use to try and tell my granma! it does go rancid and I can taste when something starts gettin a little off.
Also, My grandmother used to have a big pot on the back of the stove and it was some unidentifiable soup. Everyday she would add something else to it. But I remember it sitting there for over a week.:vomit:
 
No lie though, the easiest way to get stuck food off, it fill the pan with water and set it to boil. When everything is unstuck, dump the water out, use a cloth towel to whipe it off and then oil it. Paper towels will shred if they look at cast iron.

My doctor actually suggested I cook in cast iron because of my iron deficiency.
 
Also, I've found using stainless steel spatulas when cooking in cast iron helps a bunch when you have a new or new preseasoned pan. It just seems to help "smooth" the pan out quicker than just maintaining the seasoning.
I got some stainless spatulas at Wal*Mart specifically for cast iron. The ends are squared off, and I figured that would help with smoothing the seasoning out.

--Al
 
I love to make cornbread in a cast iron skillet. I just hate having to grease them when you are done cooking with them. "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
 
Back in the day everyone (at least in the south) had a container of bacon grease on the stove for seasoning foods, pans, or whatever. I think they even came with canister sets back then.

I want one!!! We use the bacon grease for frying eggs - it makes the BEST eggs!!!

I have special containers for all my drippings. beef, chicken, pork and bacon all have their own containers in the freezer.

Oh thank you for posting this!! I do the same thing!! That way when I need gravy for something that didn't give much drippings, or stock for something I have some really good stuff on hand!! I find the pork the tastiest truth be told!! And when we make gravy, we make loads!! lol Dh calls me a 'dripping whore' in a kind kind of way. And man, if you get rid of the drippings before I can get them stored away.....it's not pretty!!
 
My route took me past Goodwill and the Salvation Army this evening, so when I was done with my errand I stopped in at each and took a look. I didn't find anything especially interesting at Goodwill except a black-painted decorative skillet, but I did better at the Salvation Army.

The glass case up front had a corn stick pan in it much like this one, but the cast iron was of a much finer grain than this. The holes in the handles are oblong instead of round as well. When I examined it I noted that it didn't have any "Made In USA" markings (or for that matter any markings stating where it was made), which told me it was cast before 1960. It had a little rust in a couple of the cups, but I knew I could take care of that quickly. And there was that fine-grained cast iron to think of too . . . .

To cut to the chase, I swapped the Salvation Army $7.95 for the corn stick pan then brought it home and did my research. And what I learned is it probably is an old Lodge 7-cup corn stick pan. Considering that the best price I've found for the new pan is just about 1/3 more than what I paid I think I did rather well. I do wish I had been a little earlier, because apparently they had a cactus corn stick pan too. I wanted one of them as well.

Next time, right?

--Al
who is just about to oil the new pan for the first time
 
The glass case up front had a corn stick pan in it
After more research over the weekend I'm pretty well satisfied now that this is an unmarked Lodge corn stick pan that dates from between 1940 and 1960.

That raises another question in my mind, though: how did it make it 50 to 70 years without being used?

--Al
 
The cleaning reminds me of my pampered chef roasting pan. You aren't supposed to use soap, only water and you only scrap the stuff out.

I have always wanted cast iron but I wasn't sure about using on an electric range and now when I get a much needed new stove, I think I'll be going smooth top and I think cast iron will destroy it!
 
Last edited:
Lodge says if you don't drag the pots and pans across the surface it'll be okay. Al says "Well, I don't know about that . . . ."

--Al
 
The cleaning reminds me of my pampered chef roasting pan. You aren't supposed to use soap, only water and you only scrap the stuff out.

I have always wanted cast iron but I wasn't sure about using on an electric range and now when I get a much needed new stove, I think I'll be going smooth top and I think cast iron will destroy it!


I've got a ceramic top stove and so far my cast iron pan hasn't done any damage to it. I think I'd be the advice @Alf gave from Lodge is probably fairly accurate; that so long as you don't drag the pan (or drop it, I imagine...) I'd assume it would be fine.
 
After more research over the weekend I'm pretty well satisfied now that this is an unmarked Lodge corn stick pan that dates from between 1940 and 1960.

That raises another question in my mind, though: how did it make it 50 to 70 years without being used?

--Al
I have found a few pieces that were never used. Congrats on the great find.
I'm wondering if its a griswold... griswold is silky smooth .
 
Sorry for another post. Couldnt edit for some reason. I'm new to posting with a phone.


Early griswold had no markings. Then erie later. Then came the griswold logo.
 
I have found a few pieces that were never used. Congrats on the great find.
I'm wondering if its a griswold... griswold is silky smooth .
It is identical to this one, right down to the flats on the large ends of the endmost cups and the little buttons on the small ends. That's what has me convinced it's a Lodge.

--Al
 
I've gotta quit looking for those corn stick pans. I keep finding them.

This one's the same thing as last time, except it doesn't have the part number molded into it -- just a big dot on one handle. It is used, but hasn't been used in a long enough time that it collected dust and grit in the cups. It needs a good cleaning and reseasoning, but now I can make 14 corn sticks at once.

--Al
 
I love to make cornbread in a cast iron skillet. I just hate having to grease them when you are done cooking with them. "Ain't nobody got time for that!"
Lodge sells a seasoning spray that's pure canola. Wal*Mart has a pure spray canola, back where the cooking oil is. And Misto sells aluminum and glass olive oil sprayers.

With the spray it's pretty easy. Wash, rinse, dry, warm, spritz, and store.

--Al
 
I am not sure the size I have, it's the giant skillet. I also have the kettle and lid with feet on it that you can use in a fire from my husband's grandmother but it sits on my fireplace. At first, I hated it because everything stuck to it but I've found the more I use it the better it gets. I use it to make hamburgers or saute any sort of meat and it's great for frying. Skillet potatoes and sausage. Mmmm, hungry.
Is that the camp Dutch oven, Aerysta? If so it is a very versatile piece of cookware. I've used the same piece to cook biscuits for breakfast and apple pie for dessert after supper.

--Al
 
And look what turned up on my Facebook feed today.

IRON SKILLET APPLE PIE

1 stick, plus 1 TBS butter
1 c brown sugar (can be cut in half)
1 c white sugar (can be cut in half)
1tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
4 c Granny Smith Apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 box refrigerator piecrust (or homemade)

In large iron skillet, melt 1 stick of butter and 1 cup brown sugar (do not caramelize, just melt the two together). Cover with piecrust; add apples, ¾ c white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover with top crust that has been slit in 3-4 places (I always cut a heart shape, feel free to choose your own cutout). Sprinkle top with remaining ¼ cup of sugar and dot with remaining TBS of butter.

Bake in 350-degree oven, for 30-45 minutes or until crust is brown and apples are tender.

From Folk Magazine #11.
 
Here is a curiosity.

When I bought my second unmarked Lodge corn stick pan I also bought a square skillet. I have no idea who made it.

The only marking visible when I got it was "MADE IN USA" molded into the bottom at 12 o'clock (if you hold it upright with the handle pointing down). There may be others; since it is in a plastic bag soaking in oven cleaner right now I'm not much of a mind to pull it out and look to see what else is marked on it.

It does have two odd features: the handle is long, very slender, and graceful, almost gracile; and the corners are notched. There is a ridge down the bottom of the handle that almost looks like that on a BS&R skillet, but the handle is straighter than that of the BS&R skillets I have found on-line. The eye doesn't have the distinct ridge around it like the BS&R does either. The texture in the notched corners is the same as that of the surrounding metal, so it isn't something s previous owner put on with a bench grinder or angle grinder.

The one visible marking indicates it is post-1960 production, while the nicely polished interior puts it into a relatively early production cycle. The production date also eliminates some manufacturers who had suspended operations before this skillet was cast.

What say you, cast-iron Demonites? What have I got?

--Al
 
Last edited:
The texture in the notched corners is the same as that of the surrounding metal,
On looking at it again, after it came out of the bag full of oven cleaner the first time, it is obvious that the notches aren't factory. Probably a bench grinder.
so it isn't something s previous owner put on with a bench grinder or angle grinder.
 
Back
Top