Wanted : Quick & Easy Cast Iron Skillet Recipe

[Sgt Tyree]

Joining the Pit has given me motivation to rethink using cast iron in the kitchen again. I dug out a couple of Griswold's (5 & 6) that I forgot I had (hanging from the same hook as some Lodge's) and gave them a little TLC yesterday. The 5 was always used make johnnycake's but what would you cast iron Jedi's recommend for a quick and easy recipe for just my trophy wife and I in the 6 to go with the johnnycake?

[Spinaker]

I love making Corn bread in my skillets.

I like sweet corn bread. I know the southerners will say this isn't Corn bread, but that is how we do it up north, and we call it corn bread. (We need a little sweetness to help brighten the day and fight off the cold in the winter months!)

Here is the recipe I use:
1 Cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup White Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 1/2 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Large Egg
1 Cup Whole Milk
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Grade A Honey

Preheat the skillet and coat with bacon grease. Pour in the batter, it should sizzle a little bit when you pour it in the pan. This will give you a very nice crust on the bottom of the bread.

I bake mine at about 350 F for about 20-30 mins. I use a tooth pick to see when it is done. If the tooth pick is clean when you pull it out, the bread is done!

[jerrybell]

Seems odd there's no flour. Is that correct?

[Sgt Tyree]

jerrybell : There are a lot of recipe's out there for cornbread that don't use flour.

[jerrybell]

Thanks for the info Sgt Tyree. My brisket took way longer than expected and sides were running late so I took a guess in the heat of moment and added about 2/3 cup flour. It still turned out well. This recipe is a bit on the sweet side for my family's taste.

[Mudkat]

I haven't had a johnnycake since I was a kid. What would you normally have with them? Egg, bacon, homefries? All three of these are great in a CI skillet. If homefries aren't too heavy try this:

Cube two or three potatoes of your choice. I use red potatoes. Make sure there is only a single layer of potatoes in the pan. You want a cubes to touch that hot CI.

Heat two or three table spoons of oil in skillet to med high. I use peanut oil.

Throw in potatoes, add salt, pepper to taste.

Turn the potatoes with a spatula until all sides are coated with oil. tCover for 5 minutes. No touchy, touchy.

Remove cover and cook for another five minutes or until all sides are browned or seared. I make sure to get as many sides of each cube browned as I can.

These are simple but are delicious. Crisp on outside, soft in the middle. Just make sure the pan is hot before putting the potatoes in.

[Frozen Smoke]

Thanks for the recipe Mudkat I read somewhere recently that many breakfast diners keep their cube taters in the fridge right up until they throw them in the pan or on the flat top. Seems there is something about the reaction of the cold potato on the hot iron that browns and crisps those home fries up.

[Mudkat]

Pics of those on a flat top would be cool!

[texastweeter]

I honestly like seared salmon with johnnycakes. Weird combo, but is great

[Jon Solberg]

A frittata of your choosing!!

[Sgt Tyree]

I've never made a frittata. That sounds interesting as well as the simple I was looking for.

[Skip]

For sure a frittata! I do them all the time with whatever is left in the frig.

[FireMan]

BACON! Yeah, & when you’re finished, you can cook some bacon & don’t forget the bacon.

[Potkettleblack]

Searing things post sous vide.

[Sgt Tyree]

Spinaker : Here's a DO cornbread recipe lifted from a guy that was called "Papa Dutch" years ago. Have never tried this particular recipe any other way than a 12 inch DO but suppose it could be done. Makes a lot of cornbread.

1 cup melted butter
4 eggs beaten
3 cups milk
2 cups sugar
2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 cups flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

(1 small can chopped jalapeno's is optional)

In bowl combine butter, eggs, milk, sugar, meal, flour, baking powder. Mix 1 cup at a time until well blended. Spoon into lightly greased 12 inch DO.

Bottom 8-10 coals ; Top 14-16
45-90 minutes turning lid 1/4 turn every 10 minutes
Watch bottom coals to prevent burning

[Mudkat]

I make something like that in my 9" skillet. I do add pepperjack cheese and jalapeno. Maybe a tablespoon ot two of honey. Sweet heat! I like the 9" inch cause it makes the bread rise thicker or higher in the pan. Can't wait for nake December camping trip in two weeks!

[EdF]

A different way to do pork butt: https://www.evernote.com/l/AKKwh0tnl...4OQGHYdmp1juUA

[Jon Solberg]

Great post right here! Thank Ed!

[lostclusters]

The quantities seem to be missing after the garlic ingredient, or at least on what displays after I click the link. Can You notate them?

[EdF]

lostclusters Thanks for catching that. I've updated the contents of the link.

[texastweeter]

Bacon fat crackling jalapeno corn bread, or grilled cheese

[Sgt Tyree]

texastweeter ; Thanks.

[HouseHomey]

Jerk chicken thighs or "shrimp ala texastweeter " with bacon fat.

[Cheef]

My son since he was 4 years old INSISTS on a pineapple upside down cake cooked in a cast iron skillet in place of a birthday cake.
Cast iron pineapple upside down cake is a whole new level!!

[Sgt Tyree]

Cheef ; OK now, you must have a recipe for this. The doll (my wife) loves pineapple upside down cake. Care to share?

[Cheef]

Let me get to looking. My wife does the inside cooking. I've been banned from the kitchen for years. It WASN'T my fault but I got blame anyway. (Yep--one of those deals).

Edit; She says this recipe is pretty much the same as an old Betty Crocker Cook book she uses. Pretty much exact except she doesn't use the cherries, and bakes it until it gets kind of a crust on the outside where it touches the skillet. That part gets a little chewy in a GOOD way.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/pineapple-upside-down-skillet-cake/02c1049d-b7a0-40bb-b578-4bc6fe5b85e7

[Sgt Tyree]

There was a thread today on cookbooks today and thought I had them all in one place but it turns out some were scattered in other shelves. Found a book put out by Lodge called "A Skillet Full" which has a Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe for a 10 inch skillet. Recipe found, books organized, cocktail hour in 30 minutes. Perfect!

[EdF]

Well let us know how that turns out, Sgt Tyree !

[Sgt Tyree]

EdF : Will do. I think I need to work on my reading comprehension skills and cornbread first after the mess I made here today.

[Jerod Broussard]

Wagyu A5 strips. Easiest skillet cook in the world!!! (not funded by me so likely one of the most expensive)

[Sgt Tyree]

Spinaker : This didn't work out. Right now we're trying to clear the tons of smoke when the batter hit the bottom of the oven. It just boiled over and then the fun started. Any ideas?

[Sgt Tyree]

Spinaker ; On the plus side it is a tasty batter...

[Spinaker]

I am glad you like it. I bet you'd like it a lot better if it wasn't burnt onto the bottom of your oven. :/

[Sgt Tyree]

Spinaker ; I'll try this again in a DO for the higher sides. Down the road. After I get an eye exam. When my wife is out of town. Just in case. Man it smells festive in here tonight!