Sometimes things don't go as planned.

     As the title implies, things did not go as planned. As you might recall, about six months ago I was posting a string of entries that highlighted my attempts at cleaning an enameled Le Creuset pan. The poor timing (oops) of that project was interrupted with a move from Washington to Upstate New York. I must go where the Navy sends me.
    The move itself I can declare mostly a success. Yet, facing the same conundrums that many other folks face when moving around, specifically 'Where the heck am I supposed to put (insert the appropriate title of your random item of choice here)!?!'. I recon that might be why I cannot find the Le Creuset pan. I hope that it did not get recycled. I took advantage of the opportunity to deep clean the kitchen and garage with reckless abandon.
    I called up a friend of mine, Brandon, to wander on down to my house to help me take a few loads of junk to the dump. His pickup is much larger than mine. What should have been three loads to the Waste Management transfer station, turned out to be one load to the dump and two loads to his house.
    Like any good homesteader Brandon has an eye for the value and usefulness of stuff. Very nearly everything, well I guess by truck load merely 2/3rds by volume, we pulled out of the garage and house he chose to redirect to his homestead. He tells me he needed the old wire, tools, poles, posts, wood, crab pots, etc... to build a chicken coup. Trying to picture in my minds eye how a crab pot would help with the construction efforts of a hen house, I inquired as to what his wife thought about this and he replied, "Once I get it home it will be too late!" So off to load the truck we went. Perhaps he has the pan and is using it for a chicken feeder. Oh well, at least those peckish hens will get their required iron intake.
    In the mean time I suppose I will continue to unpack the house, continue to downsize my material possessions so that I might have more room to collect more cast iron. I have a few projects I am toying with, such as I hope to put together a electrolysis set up in the garage.
    Well, thanks for reading, and until next time, Cast Iron Jim out!

Cast Iron Jim's Irish Soda Bread

Good Morning Folks!

     Welcome to Cast Iron Jim's Blog on all things Cast Iron. Today I shall provide one of my favorite bread recipes. Irish Soda Bread is a heavy dense bread. Use this bread to soak up stew or gravy.

Cast Iron Jim's Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 Cups All-purpose flour

1 cup Oats (meal)

4 tbs Sugar

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

4 tbs Cold Unsalted Butter cut into 1/2 inch bits

1 3/4 cup Cold Whole Milk

1 egg lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375F. Remember to place your cast iron skillet in the oven to allow it to heat up as well.

Combine ingredients and mix in a bowl.

Place dough on a cutting board which has been dusted with flour. Knead dough in to a round, flat loaf approximately 2 inches thick and 8 inches in diameter. 

Take the pre-heated skillet out of the stove and oil with some coconut oil.

Score an x into the top after placing into the skillet.

Bake for 45 minutes.

   Thanks for visiting, and I hope you return soon! Until next time, Cast Iron Jim Out!

It is good to be back home.

     Over the course of the last 8 months, I have been absent from posting on Cast Iron Jim. My absence was by no means intentional, I have simply had to answer the call to duty. The majority of the time absent was spent at sea answering my Nation's calling. Unfortunately, my at sea duties prevented me from using the internet with any regularity so I chose to simply be absent for the time being.
     One of the most frequent topics sailors discuss while at sea "enjoying" the food purchased from the lowest bidder made to last for dozens of years tasting of whatever that food stuff was packaged within is well... food. By now it is well known to my fellow sailors, that I one of my favorite addictions hobbies is collecting, restoring and using cast iron. As a result I was often queried by other sailors on how to use cast iron when cooking. This is a completely reasonable, and often repeated topic that I have experienced.
     Cooking in cast iron is actually not that difficult, and when done correctly actually does make a very durable non-stick surface. Cast iron can be used to cook just about anything. Something I learned early on is that homemade corn bread using cast iron is one of the simplest and most rewarding meal items that can be cooked in cast iron. I often advise folks to cook lots of corn bread in their cast iron to assist in developing seasoning on new cast iron. The following is the corn bread recipe I developed early on to assist in seasoning cast iron. Remember the trick to successful baking of bread in cast iron is to heat the pan first, before pouring the batter into the pan. You can also find this recipe and more information located at www.castironjim.com

Jim's Traditional Cast Iron Cornbread

This recipe makes enough batter to cook in a No. 8 Skillet. You might have to double the batch to season a bigger skillet. I don't recommend halving the batch for a smaller skillet. Simply make a second cornbread when the first is done. Remember to always oil and heat the cast iron pan in the oven before adding the batter.

2 Tbs. Coconut oil

2 C. White or Yellow Cornmeal
½ C. flour, (whole wheat if your prefer) sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 C. buttermilk (milk)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Butter and Honey to taste

1. Set oven to 450°F. Cover a No. 8 cast iron skillet with an even coat of coconut oil. Put the skillet in oven until set temperature reached. 

2. Mix together then and set aside the dry ingredients. 

3. Whisk together egg and buttermilk.

4. Mix the egg and buttermilk with dry ingredients, adding wet to dry, until just combined. 

5. Carefully remove skillet from oven, pour hot oil into batter, and stir to mix. Pour batter into skillet, return to oven and bake for 20 minutes. 

6. Cornbread should be browned on top, and pulling away from sides of skillet. A toothpick stuck in the center should come out clean. 

7. Remove and allow to cool a few minutes before turning out onto a plate for slicing. 

8. Serve with butter or honey.

Enjoy! And until next time Cast Iron Jim out!