Improving cast iron skillets

[Marianne]

We don't have gas here so we bought a glass top stove. I love the cleaning aspect of it, but constantly have to put a mitt or something on the top as I'm afraid I'll scratch it when I take something out of the oven. And it took a while to learn how to cook on it, too!

I use baking soda to clean it. If that doesn't do it, I sprinkle Cascade on the area and put a wet, hot dishcloth on top of that. Then I just let it sit for a while, even overnight. Sometimes I have to get the dishcloth wet again, but so far I haven't had anything that I couldn't get off doing that. I suppose I could just dissolve some Cascade in a bowl of hot water, then do the dishcloth thing.

So, that part works well. One time I had too much water on the top and now I have streaks of dried, soapy water that dribbled over the edge of the stove top and into the vent of the oven door, between the glass. Impossible to get to.

But you all have answered a fear of mine - I scrounged up a couple of cast iron skillets that I wanted to use, but I was afraid to use them on the glass top. I cleaned one up, but DH is afraid I'm going to poison him if I use it.

So I'm still using the stainless steel set I've had for 39 years. Still love that set, but I'd really like to use the cast iron, too!

 

[Denim Deb]

I really need to read these titles more carefully, I read this as improving my cast iron SKILLS!

That being said, I have a glass top, too and love it. I grew up w/electric, there's no propane on my street, so we'd have to put in a tank. Plus, gas scares me. Might have something to do w/all the stories I hear coming from Philly about houses blowing up and people dying because of the gas.

 

[TanksHill]

I have natural gas!!







Sorry, I had to.

I have switched to only cast iron. I do have a few stainless pieces, sauce pots etc..

g

 

[hoosier]

This has been a very interesting thread for me. I had been considering getting a glass top when our stove dies, but after reading this, I doubt it.

 

[Boogity]

This has been a very interesting thread for me. I had been considering getting a glass top when our stove dies, but after reading this, I doubt it.

If I were you I would keep asking friends, neighbors, and family about their glass top stoves. Some folks love 'em and some not. Also there are different kinds of heat source models. Don't listen to us - we're all nuts

 

[Denim Deb]

This has been a very interesting thread for me. I had been considering getting a glass top when our stove dies, but after reading this, I doubt it.

If I were you I would keep asking friends, neighbors, and family about their glass top stoves. Some folks love 'em and some not. Also there are different kinds of heat source models. Don't listen to us - we're all nuts

Hey! I resemble that remark!

 

[CrownofThorns]

I never had a problem with scratches on my stove until I started using cast iron (some of my pans are in bad shape), and I slid things around a lot. Now I have a few scratches nothing bad. I even use a razor to clean off baked on stuff. When I first started using it I was afraid of scratching, it, but unless your using something like what I am, cast iron with "flaky" bottoms then you wont have problems.

My glass top is one thing I will really miss once I go to a wood stove, and if I ever go electric again, I will not go for anything but a glass top again.

I have no grease issues whatesoever. I don't even have to use a soapy rag and the grease comes right off. But mine is different then a lot, it doesn't have that gray area, it's all white except for circles where the pots go.

 

[hoosier]

CofT - What do you mean by a flakey bottom?
I sometimes misjudge distances. What would happen if I set a cast iron skillet down hard on the surface?

 

[CrownofThorns]

I'm not really sure what it is other then it's flaky, and while some flakes off gently others are hard and can scratch my stove eventually.

I've dropped stuff onto mine, glass, cast iron, never from more then a couple inches but it's never done any harm to the glass top. The enamel outside edge though.... It has a couple chips on it from when the stove was my moms and my brother dropped something really heavy from really high onto the edge.
BTW this stove is between 5-7 years old.

 

[so lucky]

I think the glass tops are particularly attractive, especially to people who don't cook very much, because they are nicer looking that the burners on regular electric ranges, or the stark look of a gas range. It seems most of the fancy-schmancy cooks on TV would not cook on anything but gas. But the rest of us gotta do what the budget allows. I think I have developed a fear of damage to ours. Hopefully, it will withstand a smallish pressure canner (15.5 quart?) Otherwise, DH will get no canned beans this summer. Or canned anything. The crazy thing is, our house has natural gas already hooked up. And I still didn't opt for the gas cooktop!!!