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[jdmessner]

Skillets, dutch ovens griddles etc. in the count: I have about six that I use on a regular basis. That includes a dutch oven, a wok, and assorted frying pans. There is a collection of CI pans that came from a friend of my grandmothers that date back to the mid to late 1800s.

 Do you find C I imparts better flavour to the food? I tend to think so, but it could be purely a psychological thing.

 Is the food cooked better using C I? I do think CI heats more evenly and things cook and bake better in it.

 Is the weight a hinderance? Perhaps a challenge at times (see picture below), but never a hindrance!

 Do you collect cast iron cookware? As mentioned above I do have a few pieces that have a bit of family history, but nothing beyond that.

 Do you have problems developing or maintaining seasoning? I like seasoning the pans. No problems there.

 How nonstick do you find seasoned C I cookware? I would put a well-seasoned CI pan up against any other nonstick pan. 

 What oil or other product do you use to season that works well? I normally just use vegetable oil. I’m interested in other options.


Here is the latest addition to the collection. A friend of mine made it and gave it to me when I got my grill. He has a metal casting business that produces a wide variety of things. He is just messing around with the pans in his spare time (which he doesn’t have a lot of). Rumor has it that a lid is the next project. The current plan is to have a flat lid so coals could be place on top of it and used like a dutch oven.
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[Phrett]

Gotta love cast iron!  I have quite a few skillets, dutch ovens and griddle, melting pot, and utensils.  I use them on a metal cooking table with charcoal, on a Coleman stove and on the Pro.

[David]

I always cook my cornbread in a cast iron skillet

[Quadman750]

I have never cooked my cornbread in anything else.

[pmillen]

Bump!  (Revised opinion.)

I’m now using a mix of seasoning oils.  I use flaxseed oil for the first five or six coats and then microwave-melted Crisco shortening for subsequent coats.  (I’ve not used the Crisco oil, but may try it.)

I’ve concluded that flaxseed oil creates a smooth, durable coat but isn’t as non-stick as Crisco.  Additionally, certain foods seem to remove the Crisco but not the flaxseed.

Flax seed oil is available from vitamin stores.  Read the labels, though.  Some brands have added omega oils and vitamins.  They may affect seasoning results.  Look for 100% organic filtered flaxseed oil.

Has anyone with a bit of seasoning experience used the Crisbee puck?  There are a number of videos on youtube touting it.

[SurfAndTurf]

Cooking grates don't count.
 
 Skillets,dutch ovens griddles etc are in the count. Enamelled or not.

 Do you find C I imparts better flavour to the food?
Perhaps because I pay more attention becuase I am more invested in the process of cooking.
 Is the food cooked better using C I?
Yes because of my first answer.
 Is the weight a hinderance?
No, I don't even think about it.
 Do you collect cast iron cookware?
Not on purpose, but if I see a piece on the side of the road or a yard sale for cheap I'm probably going to try it and see if I like it.
 Do you have problems developing or maintaining seasoning?
Not if I am the ONLY person cooking in it.
 How nonstick do you find seasoned C I cookware?
My eggs don't stick?
 What oil or other product do you use to season that works well?
Crisco
 Disclaimer: I do own and cook on cast iron cookware.

Disclaimer: me too
I posted this summer about a cleaning method I was going to try involving oven cleaner and black plastic bags but it was just too hot to start any new projects. Now we are in an El Nino rainy season and so that pile of iron is still stacked in the barn, awaiting my inspiration

[Brushpopper]

Love cooking in my CI in the winter.  If you want to season it well and quick use some manteca, which is Spanish for hog lard.  I like cooking with it but my young bride won't let me.  She inherited her dad's high cholesterol.  It's the best for initial seasoning I think.

[ArborAgent]

I’ve given away most of my antique cast iron and I’ve switched to steel pans. Specifically the stuff solidteknics makes. It’s some sort of steel, but I like that it’s seamless. All one piece like cast iron but lighter. I’ve backed a few of their kickstarters.

[pmillen]

The Solidteknics pans look very nice.  They're mild steel, like most restaurant flat top griddles.  My daughter does most of her cooking on French mild steel pans.  One of their features is that they heat up fast.  But as a result, they also cool fast, so the cooking stops, which allows for serving from them at the table.   Consequently, they don't work as well as CI for searing a heavy piece of meat.  The meat sucks the heat right out of them.  For searing, heavier is better.