cast iron pan overload

[texmati]

ok... so I think I may have just done something stupid.

I have been looking for used cast iron pans for a long, long time. I finally saw a craigslist listing for pots and pans. When I get there, there are only pans (but 11 of them), and in kind of beat up condition.

I was going to pay about 15 dollars for just the 3 best ones, when he offers me 25 for all of them. I bought them all thinking that I could resell some.

Did I make a dumb decision? Where do these normally sell, and should i try to clean them up and reseason them, or just sell them as is? I'm hoping to at least get my 25 bucks back.

[root*children]

I would go ahead and clean them up and reseason them. They are too heavy to sell well on ebay. Do you have any kitchen consignment shops? Or you could resell on craigslist or your local classified paper. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to sell for $5-$10 each depending on size (I wouldn't pay more than $5 personally since there aren't lids).

[texmati]

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking I'd sell them for 10 bucks each (esp the big ones). I had been looking for used cast iron for quite a while, but was unable to find them in the thrift store, good will, garage sales ect. I wonder if it's becuase we are in the south.

I'm looking for a good way to reseason all of them quickly and at the same time. I'm thinking of trying the oven cleaner method.

I'd never heard of kitchen consignment, but I'm definitely going to look into it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how many cast iron pans to keep around? I was thinking about keeping 3 of the eleven.

[chinaKat]

sand off any rust/gunk with sandpaper (use a power sander or drill attachment). coat pans liberally inside and out with veggie oil and put them in the oven for a few hours.

[mamadelbosque]

Um... I may be making myself the crazy-cast-iron-lover here... but I have... 5", 8", 10", 12" pans, 10" + 12" pots, 8" griddle, 14" pizza pan, 2 six-hole muffin pans, 2 11-hole muffin pans, wok, and a melting pot...

So... if you don't have any, I'd keep as wide a selection as you have room for All of mine (except the pots) are hung on the wall above the stove, and they look super nifty

[texmati]

I don't know... I put some for sale up on craigslist, but no takers so far. I feel so stupid!!! My DH is already making fun of me.

Were vegetarian, so I *have* to get the seasoning off them before I can use them. Good advice on the sand paper, I'm going to try the oven cleaner on the teeniest one first.

Mamabosque, wow!! Thats a lot of pans. A lot of them are the same size so there wouldnt be any sense keeping all of them. I kind of want some pots... but I don't know what I'd cook in them.

Another thing is that I'm not quite sure what vegetarian stuff to cook in them, but I do want to start phasing out the nonstick pans.

[Ok]

We do lots of cast iron here, but unless there is something remarkable about them, I think $10/piece is a lot. I have paid $8 for a new, large cast iron skillet. I've purchased most of the rest for a $1-$2 at yard sales. All of them were in good shape. We use the 2-stove-element gridle every other day probably and it was only $1.

I don't think $25 for a large set is a bad price btw. Best wishes.

[cristeen]

New cast iron in a large size goes for about $20 or more around here. I paid $10 for mine second-hand. So I think it really depend on where you live and cost of living.

You only need to sand the rusty bits.

Boil some water with baking soda in them until you can see oil floating on the top. Dump it out, put more hot water in and boil it again. Dump it out and let it cool. Scrub with salt and lemon juice inside and out. Rinse it well. Put it over a low flame and let it dry. Smell it... it should smell like metal. If it still smells like oil/food, then repeat the above. When I got mine, they were coated with a non-edible oil and this got them to the point I was willing to cook with them.

Once that's done, you can coat them with coconut oil, and bake them in the oven (upside down) to season them. My stepmother coats them with oil after each use, and bakes them dry (at about 250F).

[bocks_box]

We're veggie, too, and I use the heck out of cast iron. I love that you can cook stuff in it and it doesn't stick. I love that it cleans up easy. I love that you can start something on the stove and finish it i theoven.

I just got three off Craigslist yesterday! Varying sizes, $10 for the set. There was a tiny bit of rust, not much.

My husband got out salt and oil (coarse salt, like margarita salt) and a stiff bristled brush and just scrubbed them down really, really good with a lot of elbow grease. He then coated them in oil and baked them for a few hours.

As far as daily use, I wash mine in dishsoap after use, rinse, dry well with a dishtowel (never let air-dry), and immediately rub a little oil (veg oil or olive oil, whatever is closest to grab) into them with my fingers. I then hang them from my potrack until next time. They stay very, very nice that way.

[root*children]

You can cook all the same things in them that you would any regular pot or pan.

I don't rub oil into them after washing, but I also don't use dishsoap. I just bought my first new cast-iron (the rest of my collection is from thrift stores), and the instructions say to scrub it without dishsoap, then towel dry and that's that

You could sure try to sell them for $10 each with no lids, but if I were you, I'd be willing to come down to half of that. JMO

[momaste]

I read that you're not supposed to use dish soap on cast iron, just wipe out, dry, and lightly oil (a little spritz wiped on with a dry cloth). So I never use dish soap. I have two cast iron pans (10" and 8") and an enameled cast iron Dutch Oven (love!) They're used more than anything other cookwear we own, and are pretty darn non-stick at this point!

[texmati]

ok! So I'm going to relist them on craigslist for cheaper. I tried the oven cleaner method on the smallest two last night... but it didn't work.

Has anybody tried to clean them in a self cleaning oven? I'm just nervous, cause my mom was saying that it SMELLS when you do it. Are the fumes dangerous at all?

[Flor]

I use this web site a lot.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Infor...stIronPans.htm

This site taught me to care for and cook with cast iron.

I pretty much only cook with cast iron and stone, though I have one glass pot and one stock pot for boiling water, too. I cook anything in cast iron.

I've never paid more than 10 dollars for a big new one. I buy them at Walmart or Ross. At Ross I bought 3 for 20 dollars. You could give them to someone else as a gift. Lots of people (even my parents) seem to be trying to get rid of non-stick these days. I do think they'd sell better if they are cleaned up. If they'd fit in a flat rate box you might be able to sell them on lne with reasonable shipping.

[bocks_box]

Originally Posted by momaste

I read that you're not supposed to use dish soap on cast iron, just wipe out, dry, and lightly oil (a little spritz wiped on with a dry cloth). So I never use dish soap. I have two cast iron pans (10" and 8") and an enameled cast iron Dutch Oven (love!) They're used more than anything other cookwear we own, and are pretty darn non-stick at this point!

My husband makes his living as a chef (and is ServSafe Certified), and he recommends washing them with soap to make them clean. Also, he has found, and I concur, that if you leave grease and food residue (which is left if soap is not used) it could smoke or be sticky the next time you use it. Not always, but sometimes.

But anyway, we use dishsoap for food safety/cleanliness reasons, and we've never had a problem. I oil them right up with a tiny bit of oil after I wash and dry them, and they stay lovely and nonstick.

[doubledutch]

well . . . just this weekend, i picked up a lodge pre-seasoned pan at t j maxx for $10.

i think you were right to re-list with lower prices! good luck.

marisa

[Ruthla]

Since you were going to buy 3 for $15, and ended up with 11 for $25, you really only need to make $10 total on the ones you're not keeping to make it worth your while to have gotten the extra pans (although you may want SOMETHING for your effort at cleaning and reseasoning!) I'd suggest charging $2-$5 a pan.

[texmati]

Thank you ruthla!!! I think you are totally right. It's not just the money, but also my hubby saying that it's a waste and i should chalk it up to a lesson learned. He's just so smug!!!

But! I did learn that I should never buy something I don't need. never, ever, ever. No matter what a good deal it is. We have enough stuff in the house that we could to sell.

[SleeplessMommy]

Check your brand names, some may be "collectible" on ebay.

[texmati]

most are wagner ware, which does go for a bit on ebay. I've decided to keep the nice ones, though, and sell the others for whatever I can get for them. I'd put them on the TP/ebay, but they are so expensive to ship. I'm going to try locally some more.