Welcome @cookingwithaveteran sponsor @smitheyironware
A special thank you to our sponsor @tnmeatco for introducing us to our sponsor Smithey Ironworks.
They donated a No. 12 pan to Cooking with a Veteran. As with any new pan, I put it to the test. In three days cooked 14 meals in the pan, here are some highlights.
While the recommendation is something like ground beef and onions, as with any new cast iron I started with a nice Rib Eye Steak.
What you will find is you have to test the pans heat levels. Not all cast irons are the same. As I am using a electric stove, medium and lower heat levels seem to work best with Smithey.
One thing you will find is that some of the protective coating in the pan will come off, this is why it is good to cook a couple of meals in the pan over the first week, so that you can help build your natural coating through cooking.
As Smithey seasons their pans with grape-seed oil, I am also going to use grape-seed oil to help seasoning the pan.
Pasta and Meatballs in sauce with cheese.
Yes you can cook pasta sauce in a cast iron. Those that follow my cooking show know that I love one-pot dishes. When cleaning your Smithey cast iron, use simple water, unless something sticks to the bottom. A little soft unscented soap and warm water works well.
Eggs over easy.
Cleaning up after a meal like this is easy, wipe the pan out, coat in grape-seed oil, and place on a warm burner to dry out.
Philly Cheese Steak Omelet.
I did not use as many eggs as I should for this meal, but still a simple clean, and at this point you can see the bottom of the pan is already non-stick.
Tuscan Style Short Ribs.
This is a great meal that starts on the stove, and goes into the oven. Searing the meat, then cooking for 40 min in the oven. A little sticky stuff on the bottom which required using my chainmail to lightly scrub the pan.
French Toast.
On a medium heat, the pan works great on French Toast. Like any type of bread, ensuring the bread does not burn, keep on a medium to low heat, and check every 2-3 min.
Fluffy scrambled eggs.
Cast Iron scrambled eggs are easy to cook and don’t take much eat, or time. Keep on a medium to low heat, using butter. Again see how the pan is a non-stick pan.
French styled pork chops with Middle East seasoning. Again another stove top to oven meal, the pan holds the temperature, and cooks the meal in less time than with most cast irons. While normally I would cook this for 45 min in another pan, in the Smithey it only took 30 min to cook the meat.
Hash Browns. Smithey is a great pan to cook some nice crispy hash browns. As with any type of meal that needs to sit 4-5 min per side, keep on a lower heat to reduce the chance of burning.
Herb and garlic pork belly. This is a pork dish that goes straight into the oven, you will likely get some residue stuck on the bottom. Again the chainmail scrubber is an easy clean for this pan. When cleaning be sure that the pan is still warm, so that the residue will clean up easily.
Coating, through cooking you will loose some of the initial coating on your pan. Over time of seasoning and cooking you will build a grayish, brownish natural coating this is normal.
I would highly recommend this pan, and not just because Smithey donated one to me. The pan cooks well on lower heats, as it carries the heat throughout. Easy to clean, I use a little warm water, and dry rag to wipe out. With a little sticky residue a little soap and warm water, and for harder residue my chain mail and a little soap.
Add a little grape-seed oil and place on a medium heat to bake in the seasoning. this will keep your pan rust free and stick free.
Cooking with a Veteran 