Cast iron skillet question.

[TexasProgresive]

We have 3 different cast iron skillet that are well seasoned. My favorite is a saute/omelet pan that I bought with my Mom before I was married. The pan has made a lot of omelets in the last 50 years. The problem is my wife likes to use it for scrambled eggs cooked in olive oil. When I use it for fried eggs with olive oil or an omelet with butter the eggs just slide out on the plate, pretty as you please. Not so with my wife's scrambled eggs. They stick like gorilla glue. It is my job to keep the pans clean.

I never use detergent and little or no water. I scrap the eggs out with a spatula and scour with salt if necessary. I then put the pan on a burner with a dab of corn oil and wipe out the excess.

Any ideas? And no she won't cook her eggs in a none stick pan-cast iron or nothing.

[cilla4progress]

1. I soak for a bit

And use a plastic scrubber and plain water. Works fine!

I enjoy my scrambled eggs - from our own pastured hens! - this way many mornings, too!

[Galileo126]

4. I do the same

A plastic scrubby and plain ol' water (no soap).

I try not to use metal implements on my cast iron, to keep the seasoning intact, However, when making deep dish pizza, I notice I slice too deep into the pan (causing cuts) and have to do a quick re-season in the oven.

[Phoenix61]

2. My Mom taught me this trick

Pre-heat the pan. Wait until the egg has set up around the edge of the pan then get busy scrambling. If you start scrambling too soon you end up with more egg stuck to the pan than on your plate. If the pan is too hot the eggs get too brown before the edge sets up. She was the scrambled egg master.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

5. This right here.

Preheat the pan, THEN add the olive oil, then the eggs. When I do it this way, neither my cast nor my stainless pans stick.

[TexasProgresive]

9. That's eggzactly how I do for omelets.

The pan is hot and I pour the mixed eggs in which begins to set. Gently with a fork I drag the edges to the middle allowing more liquid to the edge. Thanks.

[cyclonefence]

3. I'm really surprised that you guys

prefer to cook eggs in cast iron, since eggs require such touch-and-go temperature control and cast iron's big virtue is its ability to retain heat. Do you brown your omelets?

When you scour with salt, do you add a little oil, to make a paste? I've found that a good cleanser.

I have cast iron skillets that belonged to my grandmother (and I'm 70 years old) that are smooth as satin, and I suspect that my grandmother scrubbed them with soap and water !

[Dr Hobbitstein]

7. The old ones are all smooth.

They underwent a polishing process that is not done with modern cast. I have a 10" skillet I bought about 17 years ago that still has a rough finish after proper use and seasoning. I have a 12" skillet that's MUCH older (it belonged to my mom's neighbor's mom), and has a super smooth finish.

And you're right about the heat. I prefer to make eggs in my stainless pans. Preheat pan, add butter, remove from heat, throw in the eggs.

[cyclonefence]

14. Thanks for the information about the polishing

I've been trying for years to get my new pans to have that smooth, smooth surface. One less thing to fuss with!

I saw Julia Child on tv demonstrating omelets, and she said to go buy the cheapest, thinnest non-stick skillet you could find!

[TexasProgresive]

12. We have always had gas stoves which give excellent control.

Yes the cast iron retains heat but I have learned how to get the results I want from hearing and seeing. I DO NOT brown omelets. I was taught in the French way by my Mom. When the eggs are set and perfectly round the filling is laid on what will be the bottom half and covered with the other half. The only thing in the egg mixture is black pepper, water and a little milk or cream if you prefer and no salt. The filling can be anything from cheeses, sauteed peppers, ham or whatever suits your fancy. No brown eggs except the shells.

[TexasProgresive]

13. These are young by that standard but pretty old

They do have a smooth finish. I will have examine some new cast iron pans. As to adding a bit of oil to the salt-I think I will give that a try. Thanks.

[TexasProgresive]

21. She did it again.

It was so bad I thought I would have to sand blast the skillet. When I got the biggest part of the eggs out I tried your salt and oil. Voila it was great. The pan was clean and satin smooth. I just cooked my lunch in that pan- 3 egg omelet with left over bacon, provolone cheese, diced uncooked yellow bell pepper and black pepper. The omelet just slide out of the pan pretty as you please. Clean up - wiped out with a paper towel.

I will just consider cleaning the stuck pans an upper body work out to compensate for my cycling.

[cyclonefence]

22. Oh my

Well, I'm glad the salt and oil worked, anyway.

There are objects in our house--appliances mainly--that my husband is forbidden to touch.* I guess it's too late in your marriage to impose that kind of rule on your cast iron.



*he breaks things, then suffers amnesia about it, leaving me the bad guy always accusing him of stuff he didn't do. Putting those things off-limits (after they've been repaired or replaced) has saved our marriage of almost 50 years.

[TexasProgresive]

23. We're working on 44 years

There are somethings that are not worth a battle because there are somethings worth more (a life of love). Ain't nobody perfect except our animals - the are who they are.

[TBA]

6. Try spraying with Pam

before adding the olive oil. I season mine with Pam as well.

BTW mine never leaves my stove top. I use it constantly, including scrambling eggs. There is a bit of sticking when scrambling but not much.

I have a vintage one rescued from a barn.

[Angry Dragon]

8. Buy her own cast iron skillet and tell her she is responsible for it

[TexasProgresive]

10. That is not an option.

[PJMcK]

11. Winner! (n/t)

[NCjack]

15. Yep! Experience shows the way. But, if she rejects the suggestion, here is my way:

I had failure after failure until a by chance discussion with a ex-navy submarine cook in a Waffle House cured my errors. He made omelettes this way.

In a clean container, add the eggs, for each egg add 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of water (or milk, almond milk, coconut milk) and beat either with a folk or an electric beater. With the skillet preheated on low, quickly pour in the mixture. When wetness of the top of the omelette appears to have changed to a drier texture, either fold or flip. (Of course, to do that, the omelette must not be stuck to the skillet -- if that happens, just say that you like it best that way, and those who don't can cook their own.) Before folding, I add some cheese and sautéed veggies as a diagonal line, and then close by folding 1/3 from each side; after about 30 sec, I flip it, wait 15 sec and transfer to a warm plate. If the omelette begins to burn, flip as needed. You are a bozo if you ever pat or squeeze down on the omelette.

This process is simpler if you have pancake or waffle batter at hand. Substitute 1 tablespoon of drippy batter for each egg instead of adding the olive oil and water.

[rusty quoin]

16. I have a set of carbon steel pans I need so reseason often.

I don't know if I'm doing anything wrong, but a pan can last a long time, but when I add something like tomato sauce to what I'm cooking, the low pH leaves just steel with no oil protection.

I always wondered how tomato sauce affects the aluminum in anodized pans. I figure low pH cooking is not a nice thing when using the shiny restaurant aluminum pans.

[TexasProgresive]

17. I've heard that tomato can leach aluminum into the sauce and should be avoided.

We have a set of stainless steel pans with a heavy layer of aluminum on the bottoms we use for cooking high acid foods. The cast iron is reserved for frying.

[Lars39]

18. She may not be letting the skillet and/or olive oil get hot enough.

I also swirl the oil a bit up the sides of the skillet before adding the eggs.
My new method of scrambled eggs just for me is to spray a cold cuisinart skillet, add eggs and then turn on heat. Works great for fried eggs too. Minimal clean-up involved.

[Major Nikon]

19. The proteins in the egg yolks stick to cast iron like crazy

I used to make scrambled eggs in cast iron but had the same problem. Eventually I learned the proper way to make them and now use a stainless pan. It's the way knowledgeable chefs do it, and is simple once you get the hang of it.

[VermontKevin]

20. Only use very cold water to clean egg protein. And she's cooking them too long.

Beat the eggs well, pour them into the pan and let them set a bit, and use chopsticks to fluff. Take them off the heat well before being done and continue to move them around. Cast iron retains lots of heat and the trick is to undercook a bit and then put the eggs on a heated plate.