Cast Iron - What is it?

DMW

My wife called today and said she was at a local discount store and there was this cast iron thing for $5, did I want it?

I said sure, why not. 

Here it is, I'm not sure what it is. No markings, I'm sure it's cheap and not high quality. I'm not sure what I'll do with it. Maybe cut the handle off and use it on the small for fajitas, etc. Any thoughts?

Any input as to what it's actually called? I think it's a comal, but I'm not sure.

Thanks in advance,

yzzi

It's a griddle! I use mine for pancakes all the time. Fajitas would be great too.

McStew

good score! it is a griddle, have furn with it 

SGH

As said above, it's a round griddle. Nice score!!

Lit

Griddle. Newer cause the rough casting. Great to sear burgers, steaks, etc on. I wouldn't cut the handle its most useful direct so the egg dome will be open.

dldawes1

I gave $4 for this one....I'd gladly have given $5 for yours !!!!

Carolina Q

I have a Griswold. Looks just like that, but smooth on the top. Comal is Spanish for griddle.

Eggcelsior

Cast iron is iron that is cast into shapes.

You're welcome,
Captain Obvious

Little Steven

It's a big building with doctors but that's not important now.

Mattman3969

I have one similar in the lodge. I cut the handle off and use it to sear fish and steaks in the small. Good find!!!

theyolksonyou

Little Steven said:

It's a big building with doctors but that's not important now.

And don't call me Shirley.

ksmyrl

Shirley you can't be serious

Little Steven

I would go on but I'd probably start to bore you

lwrehm

At my house that is for heating up tortillas, corn or flour...that reminds me it is almost tamale season!

Little Steven

( Listen, Betty--Don't start up with your white zone **** again! )

Focker

Little Steven

( http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=MrktxWUgcyA )

Fred19Flintstone

Mrs. Cleaver speaking jive always cracks me up.

Skiddymarker

lwrehm said:

At my house that is for heating up tortillas, corn or flour...that reminds me it is almost tamale season!

There's a season for tamales? 

DieselkW

It doesn't look like cheap iron to me, but wonder why it doesn't have any markings on the bottom - suggests it was not made in U.S.

The handle suggests it's made of fairly thick iron, hard to tell from the picture, is it relatively heavy for its size?

I would take it to the garage, spray it with EZ-Off oven cleaner, the full strength kind in the yellow can. Put it in a plastic bag overnight, and rinse it off under the hottest water you have in the morning.

If you now have clean grey metal, dry completely (not a paper towel, it will shred) and coat with vegetable oil. (some argue that the kind of oil is important, but you have a $5 griddle, no need for exotic oil you have to go out and buy)

A thin coating is all you need, all the way around, including the handle. Then stick it in your egg at 500f until the fire goes out. 

I turned this yard sale find into a really nice usable fryer.

DMW

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

@DieselkW I just weighed it, it is almost 3 pounds, 13.5 oz. Not sure if that is heavy for its size or it, it's 9.5" across.

It looks to be fairly new, doesn't look to have been used before. Should I still strip it down and start over on seasoning?

dldawes1

@DMW..I don't have anything to precisely weigh my cheapo with. If I did I could give you something to compare yours to.

yzzi

If it looks fine why strip it? Just pop it in the oven for a while to kill off any funk.

GATraveller

I have the exact same one but paid $10 for mine.  I use it to make pancakes indoors or sear steaks on my LBGE outdoors.  Great score!!!

UncleFred

O.K. ....There is a restaurant chain named BJ's and they have a dessert called a Pazookie.  It's basically a large, slightly undercooked chocolate chip cookie served warm with ice cream on it.

Lodge actually makes a Pazookie pan but when I'm making one for more than two (or just me) I'll use the Lodge skillet shown at the top of this thread.

If you've never heard of a Pazookie, look it up and if you've never tried making one, there's no time like the holidays.

DieselkW

DMW said:

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

@DieselkW I just weighed it, it is almost 3 pounds, 13.5 oz. Not sure if that is heavy for its size or it, it's 9.5" across.

It looks to be fairly new, doesn't look to have been used before. Should I still strip it down and start over on seasoning?

If you don't want to strip it, you don't have to. I do it because I don't want anyone else's funk on my cooking surface. (I check the utensils when I eat out, so maybe I'm a **** about it)

At almost 4 lbs. this is a good heavy well made griddle - hopefully by now you're using it.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Little Steven said:

It's a big building with doctors but that's not important now.

surely you can't be serious?