Indoor cast iron project and cook

[RGleason]

Picked up a Wagner #8 online and was supposedly cleaned and seasoned. *Got it in my hands and it was a Mess! *Forgot to take any before photos, but after 3 rounds with oven cleaner sitting in a bag for 24 hrs she was finally clean enough to my liking. *

I then scrubbed her with a SS scrubber and dish soap concentrate twice. *Then dried her and on the stove for a couple minutes to dry more. *I then greased her lightly with shortening and put her in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. *Wiped her with a dry paper towel and then back in the oven for an hour.

Any constructive criticism and feedback is appreciated! . *Her inaugural cook I spoiled her and had her cook fried chicken drumsticks! *My first time ever cooking fried chicken. *Came out tasty!

Photos:
Before seasoning

After one seasoning and fried chicken cook:

In action:

Product of this beauty:

Plated:

Thanks fer lookin'

 

[DaleW]

I love cast iron, and I love fried chicken! Your post made my day!!

 

[M Morrill]

Awesome. I have a similar pan that my wife bought at a thrift shop. Used it for fried chicken tonight as well. Been making popcorn in it all week and it is now seasoned for good. Yours looks great as does the dinner.

 

[Morgan C.]

Great post! I have a similar pan and its my favorite!

This is my go to pan!! You will love it!

 

[Gary H. NJ]

That may be the best looking fried chicken I've seen in my life ...

 

[Jim Lampe]

▼PICTURE PERFECT▼ M&C looks KILLER too!!!

 

[PaulG]

What a wonderful meal......Great find and putting it to use. The Warner Ware will be long lasting.

 

[Brian Zimmerman]

Nice, job way better than the way I ruined a CI pan.

 

[Jabe G]

Great job!

 

[Mike Coffman]

Super looking chicken and m&c! Great work on that CI!

 

[Joe InJersey]

One cook and it looks like it's already good to go for some eggs!

 

[Jim McKelvey]

Super looking chicken and I am jealous of that CI!

 

[Tim McCann]

RGleason, chicken looks super! By the way do those splatter shields work? Love fried chicken, just don't like the mess!

 

[RGleason]

RGleason, chicken looks super! By the way do those splatter shields work? Love fried chicken, just don't like the mess!

I use the splatter shield a lot. Works for frying and bacon/sausage. Doesn't eliminate the mess entirely ( I get grease somewhere somehow) but it makes a huge difference IMO.

 

[Doug Wade]

Nice! Just a note for the future - a lot of people think it's better to season them at higher temps (like 500). The problem is that makes them smoke like mad, so most people don't want to do that indoors. You can do it on a grill though...

That being said if you're mostly going to be doing things like fried chicken the first couple of cooks the seasoning will take care of itself. Just stick to the fatty/greasy end of things and life will be good. Bacon seems to be the best thing to cook to keep building in good layers, no joke. Or do bacon and then do eggs in the bacon fat.

Oh, great, now you've made me hungry!

 

[John Osmond]

I love Cast Iron, and yours looks great. Nice find.

 

[Bob Correll]

Great looking chicken and skillet!

I have a WW #9 that's currently getting broken in with breakfast cooks.
It was pretty much new-old-stock when I picked it up a few years ago (and forgot I had it).

Here's a before pic of the inside.

 

[RGleason]

Is that a #9 griddle Bob? If so, I have one too. Awesome for pancakes, eggs, and grilled cheese sandwiches. That's what I have done on mine so far.

 

[Timothy Hoffman]

RGleason, she turned out real nice, and so did the chicken! Next time save yourself some work and try the electrolysis way. This just like my little setup and it sure beats using all the chemicals and hard scrubbing. Also, as someone already mentioned, use a higher heat to season. After mine comes out of the electrolysis bath it gets a bath in 2 gallons of hot water mixed with a quart of white vinegar. I wash it in that bath with 0000 steel wool. A quick rinse with clean water and into a 220 deg oven for about 20 minutes to make sure it is dry. Then I crank it up to 500 deg for 30-40 minutes. After that I turn the stove off and pull the ripping hot pan out with double mitts and start wiping it down with a high smoke point oil like canola or grape seed oil. once it can not absorb any more oil I place it up side down in the oven as it cools. Wipe any excess oil every 10 minutes or so.

Here is my Wagner #3 right after I got it.

My set up. The Wagner in the bath.

Right after rinsing off. Notice how after less than a minute it wants to rust?!

All seasoned and ready for use.

 

[George Curtis]

timothy, i like yer setup. simple. been looking for a more difficult rig but yours is eaily done.