Category: Cooking Appliance

Submitted by: Michael Lansing

In the days before we had non-stick cookware, we had the next best thing seasoned cast iron cookware. While non-stick cookware has certainly outdone cast iron cookware in the non-stick category, cast iron pots and pans are still favored by many chefs, including the professionals because of their durability and ability to retain flavor.

But, if you re not lucky enough to have a hand-me-down from Grandma, you may find yourself confused about how to become a cast iron chef. Have no fear you can learn to season cast iron cookware with the pros and keep them in great shape for years to come.

Seasoning New Cast Iron Cookware

The process is actually quite simple. When done correctly, your pans will last a long time and may even become your own hand-me -downs in the future.

1. Heat your oven to 300 degrees.

2. Coat the pan with lard or grease. (Be sure that you do not use vegetable oil or commercial cooking sprays. While they may seem easier, they will not only cause your cookware to be seasoned incorrectly, but they will also leave a sticky film on the outside of the cookware that is impossible to remove.)

3. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and allow it to bake for 15 minutes.

4. Remove the pan and pour out any excess grease or lard.

5. Put the pan back into the oven and bake for another two hours.

6. Repeat as needed

Many cast iron enthusiasts will swear upon repeating the seasoning process several times before ever using the cookware the first time. Each time you season the cookware, the seasoning bond becomes stronger. Many people will recommend that the first few times the cookware is used it should be used to cook greasy foods (bacon, fatty meats, etc.) to again strengthen the seasoning bond.

Re-seasoning Cookware

If you find that you seasoned the pan improperly the first time, or if food starts to stick to the pan after a period of time in use, you may want to re-season the cookware.

1. Wash the cookware thoroughly with a steel wool pad (doing this while the pan is warm and still safe to touch is best).

2. Make sure the pan is fully dry (use a towel if needed).

3. Follow the seasoning steps above to re-season the pan.

Cleaning Your Cast Iron Cookware

To make your cookware last the test of time, be sure to take proper care of it. Remember the creed of every enthusiast of cast iron – no soap and no steel wool. Soap and steel wool will cause a breakdown in the seasoning bond and should not be used to clean your cookware on a regular basis. If you re baffled at this moment, have no fear. Cleaning cast iron cookware is a breeze.

1. You ll need to rinse your cookware while it is still hot. If food is stuck to it, then scrape the pan or pot as needed.

That s it! Remember not to store food in your cast iron cookware because it may attach a metallic flavor to the food. In addition, store your pans with the lids off to prevent moisture from accumulating and rusting from occurring.

Now that you know the ins and outs to cast iron cookware, you can start creating your own family heirloom as well as some great food!

About the Author: Mike Lansing is a retired chef who spent most of his time as a Head Chef in New Orleans after training in France. He spends his free time cooking for family and friends, as well as serving as a contributing editor for

CookingSchools101.com

which offers information on Cooking Schools for those wishing to enter the trade.

Source:

isnare.com

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The Upmarket Gas and Electric BBQ Range from Weber The Q Range

by

Captain Jack

The Q range of barbeques from Weber consists of eight different models. The design brief was for quality of materials and ease of usage. Price was a secondary factor. These units are not aimed at those who only want a barbeque that will last a season before rotting away. This range of BBQ-Grills are for those people who want quality that will last for a long time. With normal care there is no reason why these units should not last a decade or more.

The Q range has three sets of identity criteria

The smallest units are designated Q100 Q120 Q140 Large enough to feed six people

The medium units are the Q200 Q220 Q240. These larger units will easily feed ten people

The largest units are known as the Q300 and Q320. There is no Q340. These are the largest BBQ Grills in this range and will easily feed fifteen people.

They are easily described. The 100 200 and 300 models are more basic than the 120 220 and 320. While the 140 and 240 are electric versions. The lack of a Q340 in the range is not an error. The 300 series have a massive 2,400 square centimetre cooking area and it was felt that Gas cooking would be more efficient than trying to achieve cooking heat using a single electrical element. There is also the fact that adding more electrical elements could well have led to safety issues where electrical extension cables are involved.

As it is, the 300 series have two stainless steel burners where the 100 and 200 series need only one. It is for this reason that the 300 series uses a 20 pound external cylinder rather that the 14 ounce or 16 ounce disposable canisters used by the two smaller models.

The Q100 is also famously known as the original BabyQ , and the rest of the range took this original model as its base. Although perfectly adequate for a stand-alone BBQ it is slightly restricted by the lack of built in side plates, which the Q120 has, it also has a smaller cooking height. Now if you want to cook steaks, burgers, sausages etc this is no problem at all. The cooking height is still 13 centimetres (just over 6 inches). You can certainly cook a decent sized piece of meat or a medium chicken, but the Q120 has a higher cooking height and a built in thermometer. The Q320 has the highest cooking height at 20 centimetres, or about 8 inches.

Of the whole range, only the Q100, Q120, Q200 and Q220 can seriously be considered as the sort of kit you could take to the beach for a BBQ. The Q140 and Q240 both require mains power and the Q300 and Q320 are simply too heavy. These latter two are okay to move around on their wheeled trolleys in your yard or on flat ground, but don t even think of moving these around on sand!

It s worth remembering too that when used at home, all of the Gas BBQ s in the Q range can be connected (with a suitable adaptor) to a standard bulk gas bottle. As with all gas devices that use small disposable gas canisters for convenience when away from home, it always makes absolute sense financially to connect to a larger LP gas supply when you can.

I think that you will be interested in more information about the Weber Q range. Take a look at the link below. It will take you to my Weber Q webpage. When you arrive, I hope you will be pleased to see that one of the videos I ve placed there shows a large leg of lamb being cooked with a recipe of generous quantities of roast vegetables. Take a look We ll make you feel very welcome.Direct link: http://www.best-camping-stoves.com/weberq.htm

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