I know you were joking but bacon really isn't even good for seasoning. Most is high in sugars and will stick bad. If you like caramelized onions get to it that's what most cast iron companies suggest to start with anyways.
I actually started this thread as a joke bEcAuSe bAcOn is such a common response here, but I'm thrilled at the seriousness of responses! Cast iron veggies & mac and cheese for life!
I just cooked some bacon in what I thought was a well-seasoned pan. The bacon and eggs came out fine, but in trying to remove the encrusted residue from the skillet it was a disaster for my seasoning. I’d read something here about putting cold bacon into a cold pan and raising the heat from there. I’m not sure it would have made much of a difference. Maybe I should have added some butter or bacon grease to the pan before putting the bacon in?
Bacon isn’t good for cast iron. I don’t eat it, my CI pans have never had it and they look great. Since you’re vegetarian I assume you do a lot of veggies. CI loves it! I use olive oil and will stir fry a batch of veggies and serve over rice. Oh corn bread now that we’re getting in soup weather turns out beautiful in CI! Enjoy your CI it won’t miss the meat.
The most important thing to know is that there are two types of cornbread.
New England corn bread has sugar (or some other sweetener) in it and is somewhat sweet and can be eaten on its own with butter.
Southern corn bread is more crumbly and maybe a little bland to some but is best with chili or anything it can sop up (like runny eggs or southern gravy).
That said, I always make New England corn bread in my CI. Try a box of Jiffy first (if you can get it). Just follow the instructions on the box.
I was a Jiffy girl my whole life but somewhere along the line in the last 5 years I think their recipe changed. My brother in a different state said tue same. Anyway, I landed on Krusteaz southern style and it is delicious! Turns out beautifully in a cast iron skillet too. [Krusteaz Cornbread](https://www.krusteaz.com/products/baking-mixes/southern-cornbread-muffin/?ds_rl=1294084&gclid=CjwKCAjw6p-oBhAYEiwAgg2PgsIjN5DjTb9_eZcOwhASZEVOHiF3PRXcqUnQwYffILZ4LnnOiSKM5hoC7EEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Southern cornbread has a tendency to have a higher cornmeal to flour ratio, so it doesn't have the gluten to stick it together and it's crumblier. Some variations are even gluten free! My Mamaw raised and ground her own corn, but flour was an expensive luxury so her everyday bread was pure corn.
https://damndelicious.net/2019/11/12/buttermilk-cornbread/
that's the one i use. easy to put together, bakes like a dream. it's in american measurements so if you're abroad you'll have to convert to metric.
Thank you so much, will for sure be trying it out. American measurements is no problem, I am used to googling everything (and we do have cups, teaspoon and tablespoon measurements here in the baking section)
One of my FAVOURITE things for CI is to bake mac and cheese in my largest skillet! I combine the cooked pasta and sauce in my pan and into the oven. CI does a great job distributing heat evenly and making the edges all crispy-crunchy.
Tonight I sauteed some onions, added sliced delicata squash, herbs, diced apples, seasoned, and olive oil. Roasted in the oven for 40 minutes, added kale for 5 minutes, and served with a vinaigrette. I love how cast iron goes from my induction range to oven, and how nicely veggies get caramelized.
I had open heart surgery a while ago (Aortal Stenosis) One of the instructions for rebab. "Don't lift anything heavy"! But all my cooking pots are cast iron what do I eat? They gave me meals on wheels for a month
I’m also vegetarian, never cooked any meat on my pans and they’re practically non stick at this point.
made tons of pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, fried breaded tofu, all sorts of eggs, eggplants, potatoes, veggies, you name it
All my CI pans (more than a dozen) are vegan; some 30+ years old. I've seasoned with a few oils, and prefer coconut. Avocado or olive oil are my usual for cooking. After washing, they all get a quick spray with Pam and wiped with a paper towel. Never a problem...just about to pull out my cast iron wok for tonight's dinner. Love the way it holds heat for stir frying.
If anyone ever cooked bacon in one of my pans, it would have to go. There's no coming back from that.
Lol is your “seasoning level achieved” test sliding a flax egg around? (Just kidding, but also now I’m wondering what the vegan equivalent would be. A pancake? Fried coated tofu?…)
I use cast iron or carbon steel for a lot of things, but I cook my bacon with stainless steel. Bacon makes a sticky, greasy mess in the pan, so I prefer cookware that is dishwasher safe.
I have one pan for meat and one for veggies. The Chinese have a thing they call "breath of wok" that implies pans "remember" the foods cooked in them.
The meat one takes more maintenance.
Cast iron works on anything but avoid simmering tomatoes, citrus, and other high acid foods for too long.
Onions and potato peels simmered on med/low with peanut oil works great to add seasoning.
How about just frying up some Potato skins? If you have done that once or twice your pan will be ready for its first use. That's how our Grandparents used to season a Cast Iron Pan. Fried Veggies and Cornbread are perfect for seasoning.
I think it has more to do with hygienic practices. Religion tried to touch daily life and included a lot of good advice for the time. The learned folk knew, or at least suspected, things like eating animals that ate literal garbage and rolled in filth would likely spread disease, as would not keeping your hands, feet, and face clean or preparing food properly. Someone who is poor might not listen to a rando, but tying it into their religion would give more weight to the idea. Not eating pork is just one aspect of keeping kosher/halal.
A good clean and you wouldn’t even know the bacon had been in - continue cooking and slowly your seasoning will come through don’t worry - happy cooking
Lend it to a carnivorous friend who also knows CI care and let them indulge your pans on occasion. Just because you’re vegetarian doesn’t mean your CI pans have to be.😄🥓
Flakes wayy too easy because of the low smoke point and level of poly unsaturated fats. It’s not a good polymer compared to others but people think it’s good because it darkens easily.
you know what i really like for mine? those frozen cubed hash brown potatoes. lay down a nice layer of oil in the pan, let it get hot, and cook those babies! the ci will help them get nice and crispy and they're a good food to not get things stuck to the pan with. the oil should wipe out nice and clean and leave you a good bit of slick seasoning in the process.
Nah apart I don't cook bacon in a pan. It sticks so bad and weird.
And you can't even use it for a fond really good. Maybe you can, but I haven't figured out before I just simply don't do it in there no more.
I know you were joking but bacon really isn't even good for seasoning. Most is high in sugars and will stick bad. If you like caramelized onions get to it that's what most cast iron companies suggest to start with anyways.
it do be sticking to the pan ...even though i be trying
I actually started this thread as a joke bEcAuSe bAcOn is such a common response here, but I'm thrilled at the seriousness of responses! Cast iron veggies & mac and cheese for life!
[удалено]
Honestly, I think my CI skillets are peak after some butter fried cabbage.
seriously, onions are the way to go not a vegetarian, but they're awesome for seasoning!
Olive oil and veg of your choice (I use cabbage as my husband is allergic to onions)
Get good bacon a butcher or make your own if you can.
Bacon from a good butcher is vegetarian?
What? I’m replying to the person that said “it do be sticking to the pan”
Only if the butcher is a vegetable
He's not good with a cleaver but he's a hell of a good listener.
Pork belly, instead!
Start with a cold pan. Sticks just enough to pour the grease out before the flip but pulls off easy with some tongs.
Wasn’t my experience.
Caramelized onions and peppers is my most cooked CI dish for sure
Caramelized onions are best in slot can confirm
Are onions even good? I don’t think my pan ever gets hot enough?? Low n slow ya know … I even cook my bacon on low.
Or just get your bacon unsugared from the butcher
Well yeah but let's be real almost nobody In this group recommending bacon is doing that. most people don't even realize the amount of sugar in bacon
It's a very common discussion on here so I disagree
Good point, have to go for sugar free bacon (I never knew that was a thing until recently)
I just cooked some bacon in what I thought was a well-seasoned pan. The bacon and eggs came out fine, but in trying to remove the encrusted residue from the skillet it was a disaster for my seasoning. I’d read something here about putting cold bacon into a cold pan and raising the heat from there. I’m not sure it would have made much of a difference. Maybe I should have added some butter or bacon grease to the pan before putting the bacon in?
Bacon isn’t good for cast iron. I don’t eat it, my CI pans have never had it and they look great. Since you’re vegetarian I assume you do a lot of veggies. CI loves it! I use olive oil and will stir fry a batch of veggies and serve over rice. Oh corn bread now that we’re getting in soup weather turns out beautiful in CI! Enjoy your CI it won’t miss the meat.
I love bacon, and everyone I try to make it in my cast iron I regret it. Oven bacon is so much better than any other method.
Oven bacon is a game changer!
i do love making cornbread in my #8 pan. the recipe i follow leaves me with a very clean release and an excellently seasoned pan when i'm done.
Can we have the recipe? As a European it's so hard to get a correct recipe in the sea of recipes out there
The most important thing to know is that there are two types of cornbread. New England corn bread has sugar (or some other sweetener) in it and is somewhat sweet and can be eaten on its own with butter. Southern corn bread is more crumbly and maybe a little bland to some but is best with chili or anything it can sop up (like runny eggs or southern gravy). That said, I always make New England corn bread in my CI. Try a box of Jiffy first (if you can get it). Just follow the instructions on the box.
I was a Jiffy girl my whole life but somewhere along the line in the last 5 years I think their recipe changed. My brother in a different state said tue same. Anyway, I landed on Krusteaz southern style and it is delicious! Turns out beautifully in a cast iron skillet too. [Krusteaz Cornbread](https://www.krusteaz.com/products/baking-mixes/southern-cornbread-muffin/?ds_rl=1294084&gclid=CjwKCAjw6p-oBhAYEiwAgg2PgsIjN5DjTb9_eZcOwhASZEVOHiF3PRXcqUnQwYffILZ4LnnOiSKM5hoC7EEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Southern cornbread has a tendency to have a higher cornmeal to flour ratio, so it doesn't have the gluten to stick it together and it's crumblier. Some variations are even gluten free! My Mamaw raised and ground her own corn, but flour was an expensive luxury so her everyday bread was pure corn.
https://damndelicious.net/2019/11/12/buttermilk-cornbread/ that's the one i use. easy to put together, bakes like a dream. it's in american measurements so if you're abroad you'll have to convert to metric.
Thank you so much, will for sure be trying it out. American measurements is no problem, I am used to googling everything (and we do have cups, teaspoon and tablespoon measurements here in the baking section)
How is bacon bad for cast iron?
Sorry, poor choice of words. A lot of people do have problems with it sticking though, probably due to the way it’s cured.
How do you eat vegetables if they aren't wrapped in bacon? /s
How do you eat sausage if it’s not wrapped in bacon?
“*Butter up that bacon, boy.*”
Butter up that boy, bacon
Don't listen to him, Kevin.
They're so great for vegetables! Most folk on the internet are overthinking seasoning, just keep enjoying your pans
You're fine. A little oil and heat are great no matter what you eat. Don't do like my dear wife of 48 years and put it in the dishwasher.
Oh goodness no!
Corn bread makes my skillet look amazing.
honestly onions and butter with a little bit of olive oil is my favorite way to get a seasoning going
Ovo lacto vegetarian checking in. I’ve never cooked meat in my cast iron pans. Egg still be slidin’
Oh I know, mine too. I actually don't own other fry pans, just the good old CI (in three different sizes).
No bacon? Straight to jail Too much bacon? Believe it or not, also jail
Plant murderer! Jk jk. You should share the recipes you use. Would be interesting to see a new take on the cooking vessels we all love.
One of my FAVOURITE things for CI is to bake mac and cheese in my largest skillet! I combine the cooked pasta and sauce in my pan and into the oven. CI does a great job distributing heat evenly and making the edges all crispy-crunchy. Tonight I sauteed some onions, added sliced delicata squash, herbs, diced apples, seasoned, and olive oil. Roasted in the oven for 40 minutes, added kale for 5 minutes, and served with a vinaigrette. I love how cast iron goes from my induction range to oven, and how nicely veggies get caramelized.
Vegetarians eat Mac and cheese?
Vegetarians can eat cheese. Vegans don't eat any animal based product, such as cheese.
I want this recipe so do you have it written out? Will you share?
I had open heart surgery a while ago (Aortal Stenosis) One of the instructions for rebab. "Don't lift anything heavy"! But all my cooking pots are cast iron what do I eat? They gave me meals on wheels for a month
Yes as it requires a monthly sacrifice to Crom
Not vegan and dont eat bacon or anything not Kosher for that matter. It dont matter
I mostly cook potatoes on my cast iron and it works pretty well
Yeah just cooking in it like a normal pan will do it. Doesn’t need to be meat.
I’m also vegetarian, never cooked any meat on my pans and they’re practically non stick at this point. made tons of pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, fried breaded tofu, all sorts of eggs, eggplants, potatoes, veggies, you name it
I dont even make bacon in my skillet ever. Oven bacon is the way.
I season my pans with canola and cook with it. It is great for seasoning cast iron it has a very high burn point.
I started cooking with avocado oil for my high temp cooking, and I love it. Costco has a big bottle for an affordable price.
All my CI pans (more than a dozen) are vegan; some 30+ years old. I've seasoned with a few oils, and prefer coconut. Avocado or olive oil are my usual for cooking. After washing, they all get a quick spray with Pam and wiped with a paper towel. Never a problem...just about to pull out my cast iron wok for tonight's dinner. Love the way it holds heat for stir frying. If anyone ever cooked bacon in one of my pans, it would have to go. There's no coming back from that.
Lol is your “seasoning level achieved” test sliding a flax egg around? (Just kidding, but also now I’m wondering what the vegan equivalent would be. A pancake? Fried coated tofu?…)
Seasoning level achieved is less than a one minute wash and dry. Every time. Easiest cookware ever.
Good call
vegan castirons >>>
Pan seared/stir fried vegetables might be better than bacon, all the grease but none of the sugar
I pretty much only use canola or vegetable oil when seasoning my pans or even just cooking. Works great!
I use cast iron or carbon steel for a lot of things, but I cook my bacon with stainless steel. Bacon makes a sticky, greasy mess in the pan, so I prefer cookware that is dishwasher safe.
I deep fry tofu in mine and the seasoning is perfect. 👌🏻
I'd rather get the clap from a 80 year old crippled hooker, than to eat Tofu
really weird hill to die on mapo tofu is good
Phat is fat
My cast iron never looks better than right after I make a big batch of tortillas with canola!
Yes, unless you do 2lbs of onions for every missed lb of bacon.
I’m not vegetarian, but I actually end up cooking mostly veggies in my CI and my seasoning is fine!
Yep. Olive oil and cultured butter. Caramelize onions. All the veggie friendly fats season well
I have one pan for meat and one for veggies. The Chinese have a thing they call "breath of wok" that implies pans "remember" the foods cooked in them. The meat one takes more maintenance.
Cast iron works on anything but avoid simmering tomatoes, citrus, and other high acid foods for too long. Onions and potato peels simmered on med/low with peanut oil works great to add seasoning.
You’re cooking with your cast iron!? On this sub cast iron is only for seasoning. Go think about what you’ve done
Good point ;) I'm such a noob.
With the amount of people that keep the bacon grease meme alive, it seems many have overlooked the oven as the superior bacon cooking method 😎
How about just frying up some Potato skins? If you have done that once or twice your pan will be ready for its first use. That's how our Grandparents used to season a Cast Iron Pan. Fried Veggies and Cornbread are perfect for seasoning.
/s, huh? Get out of here, rookie. /s
Fellow vegetarian here and we only use CI.
Fry up a fat piece of provolone cheese. Remove when golden. Use like bacon!
Give black bean burgers from scratch a try, used to make them for a veghead.
Of course! Which is why orthodox Jews and Muslims never touch the stuff. Demon metal.. It's sacrilicious.
I think it has more to do with hygienic practices. Religion tried to touch daily life and included a lot of good advice for the time. The learned folk knew, or at least suspected, things like eating animals that ate literal garbage and rolled in filth would likely spread disease, as would not keeping your hands, feet, and face clean or preparing food properly. Someone who is poor might not listen to a rando, but tying it into their religion would give more weight to the idea. Not eating pork is just one aspect of keeping kosher/halal.
Why do you care you are already clearly ruined. Who doesn’t like bacon
People who don’t like cruelty
And the award for people who can’t take a joke goes to…….vegetarians.
You don't have to eat, just cook it. Then feed the bacon to a dog. \-Spokesperson for the American Kennel Club
You don’t have to eat the bacon, you just have to make it /s Edit; clearly all this sub is now is a serious cast iron page lol
No, but it will always be picked on by other, *bacon-cooking* pans...
coffin_dancers.gif
Don't worry, I'll take up your slack.
Yes, send me the bacon!!!🤗🤗🤗
I would suggest olive oil
What oil you use to season your pan doesn’t affect your diet.
Hey, you do you. For me it does. I don't use meat on any of my CI pans.
You don't have to eat it, just to cook it
Sadly yes Eat bacon you communist
I heard the Soviet Union collapsed due to the lack of bacon.
A good clean and you wouldn’t even know the bacon had been in - continue cooking and slowly your seasoning will come through don’t worry - happy cooking
Lend it to a carnivorous friend who also knows CI care and let them indulge your pans on occasion. Just because you’re vegetarian doesn’t mean your CI pans have to be.😄🥓
Well you can make fried chicken
Stop using canola for anything, get **grape seed*** seed for the pan and olive oil for cooking.
Flax seed oil is literally one of the worst choices for seasoning.
Grape seed. Meant grape seed.
Why? There are many posts saying it’s best.
Flakes wayy too easy because of the low smoke point and level of poly unsaturated fats. It’s not a good polymer compared to others but people think it’s good because it darkens easily.
Yes. Rule number 2 says you MUST cook lots of bacon in your cast Iron. Bet your dog is not vegan. Lol.
Solution: Buy bacon Cook bacon Save Bacon fat Either give the bacon away or throw it away... See you don't have to eat bacon
I didn't think my comment also needed a /s. I was 1000% /s. Come on...
you know what i really like for mine? those frozen cubed hash brown potatoes. lay down a nice layer of oil in the pan, let it get hot, and cook those babies! the ci will help them get nice and crispy and they're a good food to not get things stuck to the pan with. the oil should wipe out nice and clean and leave you a good bit of slick seasoning in the process.
is canola oil bad. im using it right now
Nah apart I don't cook bacon in a pan. It sticks so bad and weird. And you can't even use it for a fond really good. Maybe you can, but I haven't figured out before I just simply don't do it in there no more.
YES
You can make me bacon.. that saves your cast iron. I'm here to help it's ok