Okay I admit it. I am a cast iron junkie! I get my highs off cooking in cast iron cookware. Cast iron cookware cooks like no other type of cookware. It gives food a better taste then any other cookware and in my opinion it cooks more evenly and better. Plus I don't have to worry about chemicals coming off the coating and into my foods. Cast iron if taking care of will last for generations unlike Teflon cookware. I am the third generation to use my grandmother's 12 inch Griswold cast iron skillet that was bought in 1930. I love that skillet and have had it for about 12 years now and have never had to season it. It was well seasoned by my grandmother and mother who used it for years before it was passed on to me. And it will be well seasoned when I pass it on to my daughter one of these days.
I have a decent collection of cast iron cookware from skillets to dutch ovens, griddles, roasters and even the Lodge Sportsman grill. Today I want to talk about a new piece I was recently sent by a very good friend. It is the Bayou Classic 7470, 20 in x 3 in baking pan. It is huge and barely fits in my oven but I love it! It is a great piece to have and very useful. I have used it quite a few times since I got it. It is great for cooking for a crowd or even just for a few.
The first thing I made in the baking pan was biscuits. They turned out so nice and pretty as you can see here. My husband said they were the best biscuits I ever made and that was saying something because my biscuits are always good according to him. :) I have made biscuits 8 times in that pan since I got it and he always brags about how flaky and tender they are because you can peel them off in layers like those store bought canned flaky biscuits. The trick to getting your home made biscuits to come with layers is simple. Roll out your dough, fold it over in half, roll again, repeat the process 4-5 times rolling out lightly each time. Cut with a biscuit cutter, place in a pan and bake. As you can see in the picture of the done biscuits there are layers in the biscuits.
I have a decent collection of cast iron cookware from skillets to dutch ovens, griddles, roasters and even the Lodge Sportsman grill. Today I want to talk about a new piece I was recently sent by a very good friend. It is the Bayou Classic 7470, 20 in x 3 in baking pan. It is huge and barely fits in my oven but I love it! It is a great piece to have and very useful. I have used it quite a few times since I got it. It is great for cooking for a crowd or even just for a few.
The first thing I made in the baking pan was biscuits. They turned out so nice and pretty as you can see here. My husband said they were the best biscuits I ever made and that was saying something because my biscuits are always good according to him. :) I have made biscuits 8 times in that pan since I got it and he always brags about how flaky and tender they are because you can peel them off in layers like those store bought canned flaky biscuits. The trick to getting your home made biscuits to come with layers is simple. Roll out your dough, fold it over in half, roll again, repeat the process 4-5 times rolling out lightly each time. Cut with a biscuit cutter, place in a pan and bake. As you can see in the picture of the done biscuits there are layers in the biscuits.
The pan is not only good for cooking biscuits. It also is good for cooking a pound of bacon in the oven. Sorry I forgot to take a picture when I cooked bacon it in but I can tell you it came out nicely browned and crisp with no burning or sticking. I have also baked stuffed pork chops in it and they came out so nice and tender and beautifully browned. Just thinking about them and remembering how good they tasted is making my mouth water as I write. The lastest thing I have good in the pan was barbacued pork ribs. All I can say about the ribs are they are heaven on a bone. I just placed the rack of ribs in the pan seasoned them with a little salt and black pepper and placed the pan in a 350 degree oven. I baked them for a hour and a half then took them out basted them with Sweet Baby Ray's barbacue sauce and placed them back in the oven for 15 minutes. The ribs came out so tender and juicy. I was able to eat two of them and the men folk ate the rest. LOL Even I have to admit they were the best ribs I have ever cooked. Personally I think the pan is what made them so good, not anything I did. Now you might be wondering why I am talking so much about this pan because this is a blog about prepping and homesteading. Well I feel this pan fits in well for both things. You might be wondering just how I plan on using the pan if SHTF and I can no longer use my electric oven. It's quite simple really. I can use it on my big stainless steel gas grill and when the gas runs out I can always convert the grill to charcoal or wood and still use the pan. It may not be practical if you plan on bugging out to a retreat if SHTF but if you plan on staying put it will be well worth the money it costs to acquire one. Truthfully I can not say enough good things about this pan. It's a beautiful piece of cast iron and I will be using it for many many years before one of my kids ever get their hands on it. The one thing I do wish about it thought is that the friend that sent it to me lived close enough to come and eat meals with us. I think she would love the food being cooked in the pan she so lovingly gifted me with. Thank you again my friend for sending me such a beautiful piece of cast iron. I love it! Prepping Granny |