I have a cast iron 10" skillet that has 3 notches on the bottom. Having an electric range all my life I never noticed the notches. Now that I bought a gas range I see the notches fit the grates perfectly. My other pans all seem to be slippery on the bottoms.
I looked online and couldn't find any cast iron cookware that has the 3 notches. Does anyone know what's going on with the notches? Any help you can give me for cooking on a gas range will be good!
***Thank you***
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Here is a good read about cast iron pans:
thepan-handler.com/
OR, here is just the part about notches on the pan bottoms:
Tip #5: Look At The Bottom
While cast iron pans havent changed much over the centuries, cooktops have. In the past, we cooked on stone hearths or log fires. Then we moved to charcoal grills, electric coils, and finally induction plates. Pan designs have adjusted to keep up, so your pans cooking surface is a hint. Some pans (e.g. Lodge pans) have recessed heating rings on their outer edges.
These were intended to snugly fit your electric heating filament. Other pans have extruded heat rings (e.g. Griswold pans), or they might have three or four projecting nodes or notches. These nodes or notches enable your pan to sit on gas grills or electric heating plates without slipping off. Lodge pans commonly used between one and three heating notches at the bottom.
I found this on a you tube video:
www.youtube.com/
"A great skillet from a legendary maker! Lodge has remained the leading maker of cast iron for decades for a reason, and this stunning pan is a testament to why that is the case.
The #10 unmarked Lodge skillet (easily identified by the signature 3 notch heat ring) is an impressive size at 12 inches wide (diameter without the handle) - capable of handling even the hungriest of crowds."
Here is a little article about the notches:
www.leaf.tv/
Best guidance for using on a gas range is to use the burner that is the closest to the size of the pan to get the most even cooking. Hubby LOVES his cast iron and uses them often. He even uses them on the propane grill and in the oven (although be super careful when removing them from the oven since the handles can often make it feel unbalanced (or maybe it is me) and I tip out the meal if I am not careful.
Keep it well seasoned and it will last you for many years!
Cast iron cookware is probably one of the few things that started in the 1800's (maybe earlier) and is still being used today.
Women have always been protective of their cast iron pieces because anyone unfamiliar with cooking or cleaning them could cause a mess of trouble for the 'lady of the house'.
You've been informed about the notches, which are kinda rare I think, but it's nice that you it's something you can still use after switching to a gas range.
Gas flames can get very hot if placed on high (just like an electric range on high) and a lover of cast iron cookware told me that I should never use high heat with my cookware as if not properly used it could warp the pan. So maybe you could use high heat sparingly.
I believe learning how to regulate the simmering part will be your biggest challenge. I recently read where someone used 2 or 3 cast iron stove top 'trivets' to keep his food on low simmer for longer periods of time. Something to think about if you ever need it
Some things to remember:
Always match the flame to the pot/pan - not lapping over the sides.
Practice simmering as this little technique has a learning curve and takes a little practice to get it right. Some burners on your range may 'simmer' better than others because no matter if your range has 'click' knobs or free turning knobs they will not all work exactly the same.
Gas ranges are easier to clean up spills than an electric but it's best to that job as soon as possible. Most parts of a gas range are dishwasher safe but may need a little extra scrub sometimes.
I have heard not to use cast iron on glass top stoves but I have been using my pans with no problem for years. I think the only concern is being too rough and breaking the glass. I think I would get rid of my stove before my cast iron. :)
Thanks Jess,
I just listened to supposedly 'experts' and assumed they were correct or I would still have all of my pieces.
I still have several oven pieces (makes the very best cornbread!) and some favorites that I have hanging on my wall so I'm going to take them down and give it a go.
I was not happy with giving pieces away but it's nice to see my children using them.
thanks for the information.
Hope it works well for you. I did a little digging to make sure my advice was ok and I found this article that discusses the pros and cons.
Thanks - sounds good to me.
All of my pans are very good and flat as I've had these for many years and always took good care of them.
I feel sure it will work and I'll have homemade sausage in the morning!
Here are some helpful sites about cooking on gas range:
from Reddit: Cast iron works fine on gas, though they do tend to heat unevenly. To mitigate, just heat slowly and gradually or what I do when I need the entire surface to be the same temp, heat the pan in the oven and then transfer to stovetop for cooking.
I hope all of this info helps you out. Good luck and stay healthy.
The nodes/notches are there to prevent sliding on, gas grills or electric heating. This is a good thing when cookware has some type of grooves or notches on the bottom. they are not recommended for smooth top stoves - www.foodandwine.com/
Here is a bit of history on cast iron skillets - worldofpans.com/
My mother and grandmother's all had cast iron skillets when I was growing up. We used them on gas ranges to cook with. I know electric ranges are a bit different than gas ranges. When I used the skillet for cooking I would heat it up very hot to start off with before adding my food to the pan. After I could actually turn down the heat on the stove because the heat would stay in the pan and cook the food.
I would suggest that you heat the pan first, add a drop of water to see if it dances around, then add your oil or food to the pan, reduce the heat and cook as you would cook with any other skillet youown.
Thanks to you all! I just got to thinking....I haven't heard from anyone answering my post about the 3 notches....so I got to looking and the email address I signed up with..I no longer use.
After updating I see you have all replied!
I will be looking at all the links you sent for me.
I go to thrift stores looking for cast iron. There are a couple of Lodge skillets that look like they've never been used. Neither skillet has any notches. Wonder why? Anyway, thanks and have a great day. Don't let the pandemic get you down. Use it as an opportunity to let peace and joy fill your hearts.
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