Cast Iron with Ashley Jones

by RogerMay 1, 2023

On today’s episode Ashley L. Jones, author of Skilletheads: A Guide to Collecting and Restoring Cast-Iron Cookware joins me to discuss cast iron’s role in the home kitchen. We touch a little on the history of cast iron manufacturing in the United States, which pieces a home cook should invest in, where to find pieces for your kitchen, and how to season your cast iron cookware.

Mentioned in this Episode

Ashley Jones’ new book, Skilletheads : A Guide to Collecting and Restoring Cast-Iron Cookware, is available starting May 2, 2023. It’s a great book if you are considering heading to your local flea market or estate sales to look for cast iron cookware. For a more broad look at cast iron and modern cooking, along with caring for your cast iron, check our her other book, Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More.

Check out Ashley’s blog, Big Sister Knows, for even more information on cast iron cookware. In the video below she walks through the simple process for cleaning and performing a “light” seasoning of a cast iron skillet.

If you are getting serious about collecting vintage cast iron, then Ashley recommends getting ahold of the Wagner and Griswold “red” and “blue” books that are chock full of information on manufacturers, styles, and collectible pricing.

Lodge Cast Iron has been manufacturing cast iron cookware in Tennessee since 1896 and is probably the largest manufacturer in the United States. You can get a good, heirloom quality cast iron piece very reasonably. For example, a pre-seasoned 12-inch skillet with silicone handle cover is around $30 at the time of this episode.