There’s nothing like cooking with a piece of vintage/antique cast iron. I use my Griswold cast iron skillet several times a week. It has a lid that you can use as an additional skillet, or as a cover if you need to finish cooking an item in the stove or on the range. I also have a small Griswold Dutch oven that I use for beans, stews, and soups. You cannot beat the taste of anything cooked in cast iron. These were probably made in the 1930s or 1940s.
My husband and I buy, sell, and keep a lot of cast iron. It is a primitive collectible that has maintained it’s value and actually continues to grow in popularity and price. I cannot keep enough in stock at my booth in the Stillwater Antique Mall.
The two biggest manufacturers of cast iron cookware during the late 19th and 20th century were either Griswold or Wagner Ware. Both made great cast iron skillets, Dutch ovens, griddles, roasters, corn pans, scotch bowls, monk pans, bread pans, sauce pans, and more!! Take some time to look up these pieces of cast iron to see how they were used. I prefer Griswold, because I think it has a slight edge in the casting process.
I am often asked how you can tell old/antique cast iron from newer pieces. Honestly, you can just tell by looking at it and feeling it. The casting in old pieces is very smooth and not pitted. Look at how smooth the inside of the skillet(s) are below. Also, the exterior of the cast iron pieces provide a lot of information. The numbers, logo, and descriptions provide a lot of great information. You can look on Google or in reference books to find more about your piece.
There were also several lesser know cast iron manufacturers who made equally impressive pieces of cast iron. Favorite, Martin Stove Company, and Crescent come to mind. In my opinion, their pieces are just as well made as the “big two” and are priced similarly.
I make fajita meat, blackened chicken, fish, steaks, pork chops, and pretty much everything in my cast iron skillet. I love that you can cook something on top of the stove, then just place it into the oven to continue the cooking process.
A cast iron skillet must be well seasoned and cleaned. My husband is an expert in cast iron cleaning/seasoning. He takes the grittiest, dirtiest, piece of cast iron and it comes out as smooth and clean as the day it was made.
See if you can find an older piece of cast iron to use and try some of your favorite recipes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the outcome!
Jackie
Big Red Barn Blog 