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Cast Iron, Anyone?

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Begger
Begger Posts: 569
I'm considering the purchase of several SMALL cast iron skillets for the prep of individual meals for a small group....
I can get the real small (3 1/2") or more reasonable 5 1/2"  from LODGE........
I was thinking stuffed green peppers?     Individual portions of maybe some kind of casserole?   I could even make single-serve egg dishes....
I have enough ceramic to sink a small ship, so Indirect is not an issue.   I'd use the plate setter, of course, than a small stone spaced (space is important to prevent conduction) and another stone on the grill as a 'cooktop'.....

Anyone ever experiment with this?

Comments

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,893
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    Not real sure why you think that 3.5" is of use since Lodge has sold for particular size for many years as a Chrisrmas tree ornament..(I'm dead serious and have 2 myself) and what a 5.5" would gain you? 

    I have a few Lodge c/i but honestly the larger the better. I also have a collection of 4 handles I have sawn off Lodge griddles as proof! My advice is just cool the seemingly hot desire to spend some coins to buy a bunch! Wait to figure out what you really want and need! BTW I very seldom ever use any of my Lodge C/I on my BGEs...just inside on my stove.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    Maybe your guests will be really hungry and you should follow Ron’s advice!
  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Knock yourself out dealing with a bunch of small cast iron pieces. I agree with Ron. So much easier cooking a larger batch in a larger cast iron vessel. It’s also tougher to monitor a bunch of small CI pans and judge the carryover temps.
    As far as choosing the sizes, no one can tell you what you need or is best for you. It’s all based on what you want/like to cook.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
  • RyanStl
    RyanStl Posts: 1,050
    edited May 2022
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    Are you wanting to serve guests with a sizzling hot pan like Mexican restaurants do with fajitas and steak restaurants? That would be cool if you can pull it off 
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    ive done bangers and mash in my 5.5 one but likes been said easier in a bigger skillet

    Need Some Quick Weeknight Ideas  Big Green Egg - EGGhead Forum - The  Ultimate Cooking Experience

    if you want smaller pans, they make some smaller carbon steel paella pans.  they stack and store better, great for deep dish pizza, paellas, seafood dishes, personal apple pies etc




    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • JohnfromKentucky
    Options
    ive done bangers and mash in my 5.5 one but likes been said easier in a bigger skillet

    Need Some Quick Weeknight Ideas  Big Green Egg - EGGhead Forum - The  Ultimate Cooking Experience

    if you want smaller pans, they make some smaller carbon steel paella pans.  they stack and store better, great for deep dish pizza, paellas, seafood dishes, personal apple pies etc




    ok, that bangers and mash looks awesome!  Care to share the recipe?

    And same with your pizza and apple pie! Please :)
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
    edited May 2022
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    its as simple as it looks, brown traditional pork bangers, brown potatoes and bangers in the egg, drop on a couple eggs and let them set up in egg.

    deep dish crust is a little different, this one is like the original unos, not the chain.

    Deep-Dish Pizza
    Prepare the topping while the dough is rising so it will be ready at the same time the dough is ready. Baking the pizza in a deep-dish pan on a hot pizza stone or quarry tiles will help produce a crisp, well-browned bottom crust. Otherwise, a heavy rimless cookie sheet (do not use an insulated cookie sheet) will work almost as well. If you've only got a rimmed cookie sheet, turn it upside down and bake the pizza on the flat rimless side. The amount of oil used to grease the pan may seem excessive, but in addition to preventing sticking, the oil helps the crust brown nicely.

    Makes one 14-inch pizza, serving 4 to 6 1 medium baking potato (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
    1 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
    3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    1 cup water (warm, 105 to 115 degrees)
    6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for oiling bowl
    1 3/4 teaspoons table salt

    1 recipe topping (see related recipes)


    1. Bring 1 quart water and potato to boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool until potato can be handled comfortably; press through fine disk on potato ricer or grate through large holes on box grater. Measure 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato; discard remaining potato.

    2. Adjust one oven rack to highest position, other rack to lowest position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Once temperature reaches 200 degrees, maintain heat 10 minutes, then turn off heat.

    3. In bowl of standing mixer or in workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, mix or pulse yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1/2 cup water, 3 cups flour, salt, and potato. If using mixer, fit with paddle attachment and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Switch to dough hook attachment and increase speed to medium; continue kneading until dough comes together and is slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. If using food processor, process until dough comes together in a ball, about 40 seconds. Dough should be slightly sticky. Transfer dough to lightly oiled medium bowl, turn to coat with oil and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place in warm oven until dough is soft and spongy and doubled in size, 30 to 35 minutes.

    4. Oil bottom of 14-inch deep-dish pizza pan with remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Remove dough from oven; turn onto clean, dry work surface and pat into 12-inch round. Transfer round to pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest until dough no longer resists shaping, about 10 minutes.

    5. Line low oven rack with unglazed baking tiles or place pizza stone or rimless cookie sheet on rack (do not use insulated cookie sheet; see note above) and heat oven to 425 degrees. Uncover dough and pull up into edges and up sides of pan to form 1-inch-high lip. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm draft-free spot until double in size, about 30 minutes. Uncover dough and prick generously with fork. Bake on preheated tiles, stone, or cookie sheet until dry and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add desired toppings; bake on tiles, stone, or cookie sheet until cheese melts, 10 to 15 minutes. Move pizza to top rack and bake until cheese is spotty golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Let cool 5 minutes, then, holding pizza pan at angle with one hand, use wide spatula to slide pizza from pan to cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.


    cover bottom with mozz, add cut up whole canned tomatoes and roasted red peppers, add italian sausage broken up skins rempoved, lightly cooked, top with grated parm after cooking


    dont have a great apple pie recipe


    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,485
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    I have the 5.5" Lodge, and love making breakfast in it.  Cook tater tots in it (the coin-style are perfect for this) in the toaster oven for 20 minutes, fry up some mexican chorizo and spread over the tots, an underfried egg on top of the chorizo, handful of shredded cheese, then back in the toaster oven to broil for two minutes.  Top with thin-sliced scallion.  
    Serving in the cast-iron keeps everything hot thru the breakfast, but I burn myself often because I'm not quite awake yet.  
    _____________

    "Pro-Life" would be twenty students graduating from Sandy Hook next month  


  • SamIAm2
    SamIAm2 Posts: 1,898
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    @Botch -  I remember when you first posted about that. 


    Found my picture of the cooks back in March of 2021.
    Ubi panis, ibi patria.
    Large - Roswell rig, MiniMax-PS Woo; Cocoa, Fl.
  • Hansm
    Hansm Posts: 214
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    I have the small ones mentioned above, I use them for making sliders for dogs. But I also use them the melt butter and such. They are good to have
    LG BGE,  Weber Genesis gas, Weber 22" Kettle, Weber Smokey Joe
  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    Small pans are primarily about presentation. As time has gone on most of my hang ups around that have drifted away. Now I simply focus on good grub, ease of use and efficiency. If my plate presentations have offended, I haven’t heard. They either don’t come back or are busy filling their pie holes. I have most all the sizes. My go to smaller ones are 10, my workhorses are 13. I occasionally melt butter in a small one for popcorn etc. 
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.