Cast iron (again) smooth v rough (pebbled)

[Wayne Smith]

I didn't find the previous thread and did make an observation the other morning when I was cooking. I have a 13" Griswald and a 13" Lodge and they were side by side on the front burners.

I noticed that the oil in the Griswald (smooth bottom) migraged to the edge of the pan much faster than in the Lodge (pebbled pan). It also migrated much more completely.

When I saw that I thought of the previous thread and don't remember anyone mentioning this.

[DougGuy]

The Griswold is probably a lot thinner especially on the bottom. Heat would be absorbed quicker.

I have some nice old pre WWI griddles, lightweight, thin, polished smooth, although they are both very similar they cook differently they take different times to start sizzling. Pancakes don't finish cooking at the same time.

I have two #5 skillets with heat rings that are excellent for searing steaks, they look identical but they don't cook the same either. One will cook the steak more done than the other one in the same amount of time over the same gas flame.

Apparently it's a mass/thickness thing and not a polished vs. pebbled thing.

[C.F.Plinker]

Take a look and see if the bottom is flat on the inside or domed. If the ID of the top is 13" I would expect that the bottom is around 11" which is much bigger than a typical electric element. Could you be heating the center of the skillet more than the outside?

[Wayne Smith]

This is on a 'glass' top stove and the two big burners. Yes, not only is the Loge thicker, it is one of the year dated pans - the fire year so it is very different in the absorption of heat. Didn't think of that. The Griswald is thin as usual.

[jimlj]

Wayne, do they cook the same? Is one easier to clean than the other? Does food stick in the rougher pan more than the other? Just wondering.
I took a $10 fry pan from wallyworld and ground it smooth and seasoned it. It cooks great, no sticking at all. I didn't try it before so I have no proof that I made any improvements. It sure looks and feels better though.

[Idaho45guy]

I bought a Lodge frying pan and tried to season it a dozen times with all different methods. Even used an orbital sander once to smooth the surface and started over. Still have a sticky to a cast iron enthusiast's site with awesome instructions on seasoning. Nothing worked. But it makes for good decoration in the kitchen...

http://www.castironcollector.com/seasoning.php

[osteodoc08]

I’ve been wanting some really nice cast iron ware. I’ve been looking at butterpat, field, stargazer and a few others. I truly enjoy good cast iron.

[DougGuy]

I’ve been wanting some really nice cast iron ware. I’ve been looking at butterpat, field, stargazer and a few others. I truly enjoy good cast iron.

American Skillet Company, Borough Furnace, Butter Pat Industries, Field Company, FINEX Cast Iron Cookware Co., GRIZZLY Cookware, Lucky Decade Foundry, Marquette Castings, @nesthomeware, Smithey Ironware Company, and Stargazer Cast Iron.

All American made, each one is a solid performer, this is the New Renaissance of US made cast iron.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The Last cast Iron thread got me to thinking that I should be looking for a nice vintage #8 to add to my collection. Mostly I cook with a #9 Griswold and find it a tad large sometimes.

I found a older Wagner at one antique store for $17. The same store had other vendors with #8 Griswolds but they wanted $70ish and weren't in as nice condition. Another shop I visited had a very rusty Griswold #8 for $55.

Anyway, I bought the $17 pan...it had been coated with linseed oil...a trick many antique vendors use on cast Iron. When I went into the garage to get some stuff to clean it off, I found I had previously bought Wagner #8 that I forgot about...this one was newer with a lot of text on the bottom (instructions to season)...anyway I got both cleaned up and seasoned. They both work great.

[Wayne Smith]

When I do blueberry pancakes the blueberries stick to the smooth pan worse than the pebbled pan. Just did that, neither stuck badly.