Pages

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Cast iron care

Today we look at care of your cast iron pans.

First thing you need is fat, animal or vegetable doesn't matter although I feel I get better results with animal fat(aka lard). One thing you can do to make seasoning of the iron easier, when you cook something like sausage that produces a lot of grease USE IT.

After you are done removing the meat from the pan take about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt (regular table salt) depending on the size of the pan, pour it on the hot grease, keep the pan to the fire.

Using a pair of cheap read $2 or less metal tongs take a paper towel and use the salt to scour the pieces that might be stuck to the pan. The salt does 2 things first it acts as a scouring pad removing things stuck to the pan, second it pushes the fat into the pores of the metal this is key as the fat is not what makes the metal slick after treatment. I will explain that in a minute.

At this point you need to decide if you have 45 minutes to properly treat the pan or not.

If you don't have the time then rinse pan out and dry on the stove after pan is dry take a paper towel and wipe up any excess grease. If you have the time now is when you heat your oven to 500 degrees. Once hot place pan (with salt and grease still in it) in oven for 30 minutes, there may be some smoke but it should not be more than the average ventilation fan can handle.

after 30 minutes turn off heat and let pan cool in oven. Rinse pan and dry on stove over high heat, remember to let your pan cool thoroughly before you rinse it once dry wipe with paper towel and store.

Explaining what makes the pan slick you have to understand that in the hot oven the grease turns to carbon and adheres to the pan carbon is very slick in fact I have a pan that i could drop a pile of cheese into and it won't stick this is the ORIGINAL non stick surface and still the best as every time you use it if properly done it gets better not worse.

Today's recipe sausage and egg sandwiches

makes 4 sandwiches

4 pre-cooked sausage patties (I buy the ones that Wal-mart carries)
4 rolls ( again if you don't bake your own any bakery carries hard rolls)
4 fried eggs (if you feel really creative you can buy the rings for these at any kitchen shop)
4 slices cheese
mayo

Now if you can't figure out how to put this together we really need to talk. :)

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

recipes

I make up my own recipes and modify others. also any recipe here is free game to use or modify but please do not republish them without your own modifications.

Now for the first recipe

Chili for the truly hungry

2 pounds slab bacon or ends and pieces cut into bite size pieces
3 pounds bulk sausage
2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, goat, whatever you have)
6 cans of beans (I usually use 2 cans red 2 cans black and 2 cans of great northern)
1 large onion (I use a sweet yellow onion)
2 bell peppers (I like using 1 green and 1 red)
2 cans of tomato sauce
2 cans of dice tomatoes
Cajun or creole seasoning to taste

now first thing you need is a large dutch oven pre-heated
start with the bacon and the onion and peppers after they are cut up place in the dutch oven and douse it liberally with Cajun seasoning (I also like to add chipotle Tabasco to all the meat as it cooks) cook till crisp and drain.
next break up the sausage into the dutch with the bacon.
Again season liberally with Cajun seasoning drain when done.
break up ground meat and YUP you guessed it season liberally with Cajun seasoning.
When meat is done drain and then add the beans. I don't drain the beans you can if you want
add tomato sauce and tomatoes at this time
taste for seasoning and let simmer for 30 minutes
this will get better the longer it simmers but don't let it go for more than an hour

this is also great for freezing just let it sit in the fridge overnight before freezing or the flavors won't come full.

Hi all

This is my attempt to share what little I know about cooking and in particular cast iron cooking recipes, care and hopefully something you didn't know before.