Cast IRON skillets for camping trips

[Corey]

Hi Van, thanks.
I will post up more on it when I get time in a new thread.
I remember talking to you before about one.

Hopefully tonight I will find time to put up a separate thread.

 

[VanGo]

What size durch oven are you guys using? I found this: Walmart.com: Lodge 4 Quart Cast Iron Camp Dutch Oven: Camping Any thoughts?

Van

 

[JLH911]

What size durch oven are you guys using? I found this: Walmart.com: Lodge 4 Quart Cast Iron Camp Dutch Oven: Camping Any thoughts?

Van

Just ordered the 5qt version with the handle that's stays cool if you grab it. It may be a little big, but I won't be backpacking with it.

Btw, I sent them an email asking if they are truly American made. These are but not their porcelain covered ones.

 

[94SRUNNER]

Keep your feelers out and try and locate a Wagner Ware dutch oven. Quality product!

 

[DRANGED]

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[Rigger]

I wish I could say otherwise, but I have not had the positive experiences with iron cookware that others talk about. I tried an iron dutch oven a few times. Pain in the rear end, and heavy as an anvil. My mom used to use iron pans. She loved them.

For camping, I bring a bunch of lightweight, aluminum, non-stick, Teflon-lined pans. If it's a short trip, I don't even clean them at camp after using them. I throw them in a grocery bag, haul them home, run them thru the dishwasher, then stash them for next time.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Y'all are bumping a 10 year old thread

10 years ago I posted in here that I carried a cast iron skillet and an aluminum pan. About 5 years ago I ditched the aluminum pan. Cast all the way for me, helps with the heat distribution from my coleman camp stove. It is heavy, but the whole truck is heavy.

 

[SharpeCat]

Seems to be a hot topic today!

 

[tclark]

If you like cast iron but want to save a little weight try a good carbon steel pan. Many of the same properties as cast iron but lighter and arguably even more durable

 

[GLTHFJ60]

@JohnVee uses carbon steel and loves them.

 

[JohnVee]

Yeah, I like the steel stuff due to the weight savings and the ability to use it over even a small backpacking stove. Also, I wouldn't put a nonstick pan over a campfire but the steel pan is no problem. Doesn't hold heat like CI but can clean up just as easily and cools down faster after breakfast on load out day. The menu usually dictates what cookware I bring. There is no perfect choice that covers everybody and everything. Hell, I have a 4 or 5" nonstick that works great (as mentioned above) for just about anything to be cooked over an alcohol stove or Pocket Rocket that doesn't require a pot of boiling water. Lightweight, easy clean, small.

Here's something related that surprised me:
I decided to try a new CI skillet. I want to cut the handle off my Lodge 10" CI so it can serve a specialized purpose, but it's the only smaller Lodge I have that is actually well seasoned and VERY smooth bottomed (damned pebble-like surface on newer Lodges!) so I was hesitant to chop it up. Found this on Amazon - Chinese made, but the price made it acceptable as long as it performed and was smooth and seasoned so as to not have to spend months (years???) getting it that way.

The first test at home, after a quick rinse, was fried eggs. Second was scrambled eggs. Both turned out great and released perfectly with just 1 tbsp of oil. Try that with a "preseasoned" Lodge! Clean up was a breeze. After about 2 months of cooking all kinds of stuff, I've had zero issues with it. The heat measures at least as consistent as any of my other stuff when hit with an infrared thermometer. I'm really happy to recommend this skillet to anybody who wants to test the CI waters but is afraid of the seasoning process. The damn thing works great right outta the box. Broverland approved!

Amazon product ASIN B07PP9TPRZ

 

[chudly]

i have a carbon steel i use at home. camp site cooking for me has always been cast iron. cast iron gets used at home too

 

[BMThiker]

We've been using 12" carbon steel skillet for a couple years at home and dragging it on trips. I love it but it doesn't fit on top of the Coleman stove very efficiently. The last couple trips I started bringing a Lodge cast iron griddle/grill that someone was giving away - free is good. It fits over both burners just perfectly and I can do combo cooking on it once it's up to temp.

Here we cooked mac n cheese in a disposable tin covered in foil, cut squash/zucc in the sauce pan and pork loin on the grill. You can see the right edge of the griddle glowing below too.

 

[MoJ]

I bought all new Lodge preseasoned cast iron for home and camping this year.
I will not use anything else, and cleanup is a cinch, easier than using my stainless steel pans I used before.

Same here. Pre-seasoned, made in USA, and imop very fairly priced.

Classic Cast Iron Skillets

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[ZackR]

Pro tip for cast iron.... Wet sand the cooking surface with 600 grit until it's super smooth and down to bare metal. Rinse it out, apply oil and re season in the oven upside down.

Now it's non stick and tough at the same time. I cook eggs over easy on mine every morning, they never stick.

No teflon to worry about either.

 

[dcs111]

Pro tip for cast iron.... Wet sand the cooking surface with 600 grit until it's super smooth and down to bare metal. Rinse it out, apply oil and re season in the oven upside down.

Now it's non stick and tough at the same time. I cook eggs over easy on mine every morning, they never stick.

No teflon to worry about either.

I just broke in a new lodge pan this weekend. Photo showing mid-process of sanding both with an angle grinder (60 grit) and eventually finishing with a palm sander (80-220grit). If you have 45 minutes it is totally worth it!

 

[Prairie Swamp]

Probably a 100 year old 10" Wagner. The finish as cast is so much smoother than anything new. Much lighter too as the wall is a lot thinner.

 

[Corbet]

My standard cook box has a case iron flat top round griddle and a covered deep skillet that can also work as a small Dutch oven. I then also carry a MSR stainless pot for boiling water. This combo has given me all the versatility I’ve ever needed.

 

[cruiserpilot]

We've been using 12" carbon steel skillet for a couple years at home and dragging it on trips. I love it but it doesn't fit on top of the Coleman stove very efficiently. The last couple trips I started bringing a Lodge cast iron griddle/grill that someone was giving away - free is good. It fits over both burners just perfectly and I can do combo cooking on it once it's up to temp.

Here we cooked mac n cheese in a disposable tin covered in foil, cut squash/zucc in the sauce pan and pork loin on the grill. You can see the right edge of the griddle glowing below too.
View attachment 2439113

I have a whole set of Revere SS copper bottom pots like that one. Talk about old timer! But great pots. I use SS pots and fry pans
in the Cruiser now, easier and lighter. I like my cast but too heavy unless in a base camp situation.

 

[MANUCHAO]

I used to take a 10" skillet.... Until I found the 17" Bayou 7488 Disk...
So sweeeeert....

Only thing I use at home or the boonies...