Meatloaf in cast iron skillet

Powak

I think I’m gonna do a meatloaf in the skillet later this week on the egg but I’ve got a few questions. Do you warm the skillet up with egg before putting the loaf in? Do you use the plate setter too? And what’s a good temp to run the egg at for a loaf?

fishlessman

have never gotten meatloaf to stick to anything so i dont think it would need to be warmed up, never used castiron for it though. 350 to 400 would be fine indirect with the platesetter. i do use seasoned carbon steel though, i sometimes use the grease to baste roasted potatoes.

Jupiter Jim

Yes to the plate setter your baking, same temp as you in an oven and I don't think you need to preheat pan.

I have never done what you want to do but to me it's the same as in an oven. 

northGAcock

Using cast iron.....consider dropping the temp a bit. You don't want your cast to burn the bottom of the loaf. It might take a few minutes longer but overall you should be golden. This assuming you go indirect as indicated above. Looking forward to some pictures and thoughts on how it turned out. 

Powak

northGAcock said:

Using cast iron.....consider dropping the temp a bit. You don't want your cast to burn the bottom of the loaf. It might take a few minutes longer but overall you should be golden. This assuming you go indirect as indicated above. Looking forward to some pictures and thoughts on how it turned out. 

Hellyeah! Thinking 350 should be perfect. I’m debating on doing a bisson or bisson/beef mix now.

bucky925

I always preheat my cast iorn before adding meat.  This came from many a Saturday lunch with my grandmother.  I still use her castiorn pans.  It may not be nesserary but that's the way she did it. 

smokeybreeze

One should ALWAYS preheat cast iron (and carbon steel) dry, to temp, prior to adding any food. I learned this lesson by personally cooking paper towel dried boneless skinless chicken breasts in a heated dry cast iron skillet (never added oil of any kind). When the chicken released itself from the skillet, I turned it over and did the other side (and repeated until 165 IT was reached). The end result was moist, juicy chicken protein cooked to perfection.

Oh, and to those that think cast iron is a miracle because it heats up evenly... You have no idea... Use your IR thermometer to check out the heat gradients in your CI pan after heating it up on your stove top to, say, 400*F. You should find up to 100*F temperature differences between the hottest areas and the least hot areas of your pan. [That's one way you find the posers from the knowers in cooking blog posts]

RalphieBoy

I always use a trivet under the Cast Iron. 

Hawg Fan

@smokeybreeze. Good advise on preheating the CI and yes there are hot spots in even the best cast iron pans.  @fishlessman  Your bacon wrapped meatloaf and roasted potatoes is a thing of beauty.  Great idea that I'm going to steal.

fishlessman

smokeybreeze said:

One should ALWAYS preheat cast iron (and carbon steel) dry, to temp, prior to adding any food. I learned this lesson by personally cooking paper towel dried boneles s skinless chicken breasts in a heated dry cast iron skillet (never added oil of any kind). When the chicken released itself from the skillet, I turned it over and did the other side (and repeated until 165 IT was reached). The end result was moist, juicy chicken protein cooked to perfection.

Oh, and to those that think cast iron is a miracle because it heats up evenly... You have no idea... Use your IR thermometer to check out the heat gradients in your CI pan after heating it up on your stove top to, say, 400*F. You should find up to 100*F temperature differences between the hottest areas and the least hot areas of your pan. [That's one way you find the posers from the knowers in cooking blog posts]

the correct way to heat up cast iron prior to cooking is in the oven

SaintJohnsEgger

fishlessman said:

smokeybreeze said:

One should ALWAYS preheat cast iron (and carbon steel) dry, to temp, prior to adding any food. I learned this lesson by personally cooking paper towel dried boneles s skinless chicken breasts in a heated dry cast iron skillet (never added oil of any kind). When the chicken released itself from the skillet, I turned it over and did the other side (and repeated until 165 IT was reached). The end result was moist, juicy chicken protein cooked to perfection.

Oh, and to those that think cast iron is a miracle because it heats up evenly... You have no idea... Use your IR thermometer to check out the heat gradients in your CI pan after heating it up on your stove top to, say, 400*F. You should find up to 100*F temperature differences between the hottest areas and the least hot areas of your pan. [That's one way you find the posers from the knowers in cooking blog posts]

the correct way to heat up cast iron prior to cooking is in the oven

But isn't the BGE just a large convection oven?

fishlessman

SaintJohnsEgger said:

fishlessman said:

smokeybreeze said:

One should ALWAYS preheat cast iron (and carbon steel) dry, to temp, prior to adding any food. I learned this lesson by personally cooking paper towel dried boneles s skinless chicken breasts in a heated dry cast iron skillet (never added oil of any kind). When the chicken released itself from the skillet, I turned it over and did the other side (and repeated until 165 IT was reached). The end result was moist, juicy chicken protein cooked to perfection.

Oh, and to those that think cast iron is a miracle because it heats up evenly... You have no idea... Use your IR thermometer to check out the heat gradients in your CI pan after heating it up on your stove top to, say, 400*F. You should find up to 100*F temperature differences between the hottest areas and the least hot areas of your pan. [That's one way you find the posers from the knowers in cooking blog posts]

the correct way to heat up cast iron prior to cooking is in the oven

But isn't the BGE just a large convection oven?

egg is fine for preheating, still dont see a need for meatloaf in an oven or egg for a preheat, all the ones ive done in carbon steel pans the meatloaf is floating at the end of the cook and im usually removing some grease during the cook

Powak

Alright! Here it is, no preheat. I followed this recipe: http://www.greeneggblog.com/big-green-egg-meatloaf/
except I wrapped in bacon and surrounded with potatoes instead of putting a rub on.

jimdgreat1

That looks amazing. We need a drool button.

blasting

very nice @Powak - looks great

I like the way the carrots and spuds turn out with skillet loaf.  Great flavor.

shtgunal3

My mom has been cooking meatloaf in a cast iron skillet for probably 50 years. Yours looks great. I like the idea of cooking the potatoes in the same pan.

BigGreenBean

Not to be heretical, but do you need all that bacon?  Seems to me it would overpower the meatloaf.  

Powak

BigGreenBean said:

Not to be heretical, but do you need all that bacon?  Seems to me it would overpower the meatloaf.  

I think regular bacon would have but this stuff did not at all. It was hand sliced applewood smoked bacon from behind the butcher counter and the flavor was rather mild. I would try this recipe again one with and one without because it was outstanding.