My mother picked this up off the curb outside a home that was being cleaned out to be sold. Its an old Dutch Oven. It has three small legs and a rounded bottom. It is perfect for hanging over a camp fire.
You guessed it, someone had used it as a planter. Can't really blame them. These old ovens were used on coal fired or wood burning stoves. The rounded bottom fit in the open burner hole and the three little legs kept it from moving around. The same qualities that made it perfect for those old stove tops make it pretty useless on a modern one.
After an hour or so with a wire brush on a power drill it started to shine again. Of course the great thing about cast iron cookware is it's non-stick characteristics. In order to get it ship shape again it needs to be seasoned. Once I got the rust off I coated it with peanut oil and baked it in a 450 degree oven for an hour.
Presto! Its ready for a batch of sliced onions and bratwurst, the real seasoning won't begin until it has soaked up a healthy dose of animal fat. I did a little painting inside the cabin to help showcase my swanky new piece of cookware. Painted the heat shield with some high-temp XO-Rust.
Aren't curb-side finds great! Happy Holidays to you too, and enjoy that meal of onions and bratwurst in your fine piece of cookwear.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lara
ReplyDeleteWe will have to share some cast iron cooking recipes when the weather gets better, I found one for chili I'm looking forward to trying in the spring!