Cast iron skillet made a very loud cracking sound!!

[smilingcat]

Wow. I just went to Lodge web site. Do they even make non seasoned cast iron skillet anymore or is it all pre-seasoned?

I bought mine about 30 years ago at ACE hardware store I think. I don't remember spending more than $10 for it. Has it become sort of yuppie gourmet cooking thingy? And the price to reflect it? I think I'm going to have to start looking at garage sales and such. that's a great idea.

[indysteel]

Wow. I just went to Lodge web site. Do they even make non seasoned cast iron skillet anymore or is it all pre-seasoned?

I bought mine about 30 years ago at ACE hardware store I think. I don't remember spending more than $10 for it. Has it become sort of yuppie gourmet cooking thingy? And the price to reflect it? I think I'm going to have to start looking at garage sales and such. that's a great idea.

I can't speak to the seasoned versus unseasoned issue, but the prices for Lodge's seasoned cast iron don't seem that high to me, especially when compared to Le Creuset and Straub. A 4 1/2 quart enamel dutch oven from Lodge costs about $92. From Le Creuset, it's $250. But I otherwise agree with you that trying to pick up one at a garage sale isn't a bad way to go.

[GLC1968]

Wow. I just went to Lodge web site. Do they even make non seasoned cast iron skillet anymore or is it all pre-seasoned?

I bought mine about 30 years ago at ACE hardware store I think. I don't remember spending more than $10 for it. Has it become sort of yuppie gourmet cooking thingy? And the price to reflect it? I think I'm going to have to start looking at garage sales and such. that's a great idea.

Price changes may also reflect a generally increasing shortage of metal. Since most iron goes towards making steel, iron used in its closer to iron form (like for cast skillets) might be in shorter supply due to the demand for steel. Just supposition on my part though...

[tulip]

I find old good quality cast iron skillets and such in junk shops and yard sales. Cheap and high quality, made in USA. Sure I have to re-season them, but I don't mind. It's like bringing a cast-aside back to a useful life.

[OakLeaf]

Wow. I just went to Lodge web site. Do they even make non seasoned cast iron skillet anymore or is it all pre-seasoned?

I bought mine about 30 years ago at ACE hardware store I think. I don't remember spending more than $10 for it. Has it become sort of yuppie gourmet cooking thingy? And the price to reflect it? I think I'm going to have to start looking at garage sales and such. that's a great idea.

$10, 30 years ago, street price of $45 now for a 5-qt non-enameled oven or $30 for a 12" non-enameled skillet ... pretty comparable to inflation I think.

[Melalvai]

It's like bringing a cast-aside back to a useful life.

Ha ha! (cast-iron-aside...)

[nuliajuk]

Cast iron is more brittle than steel, it's just the nature of it. If they didn't cool it immediately after forging it, the crystal structure could be quite large, and that would make it prone to cracking.