Cast Iron cookware

[3ofusnow]

I am looking for some good cast iron cookware that I can use at home, and camping without spending an absolute fortune. I have skillets, but I definitely need a dutch oven. Any that you would recommend?

[wvbreamfisherman]

I got mine from a surplus store in Michigan. A friend of mine found them and called me. It's a no-name brand, but its reasonably thick and evenly cast. I did take a file and then some valve grinding compound and made the lid seat very evenly.

I've gotten some very nice iron skillets from yard sales. I'm sort of looking for a decent cast-iron griddle. I'm not real thrilled with the aluminum one I have.

[LindaLou]

I've always used them and had some handed down to me from my mother. The older ones are really the best and aren't as heavy as the newer ones. But mostly I would look around and yard sales and flea markets to see what you could find. It takes a while to break in a brand new one.

[jason]

I do my best to yard sale, although it has been a while. But I've found a few pieces here and there. Sometimes I will find something at the flea market.

[Grandpa]

Lodge is the top of the line but Camp Chef is the best bargain, about the same quality as lodge but way cheaper. If you do look at cheaper no names, make sure the lids fit, the inside is smooth and there are no thick/thin areas in the bottoms and sides. Stove top ovens do not have legs, camp ovens have 3 legs.

NEVER USE SOAP TO CLEAN CAST IRON.

[ponderosa]

I use case iron in my kitchen at home nearly every day. My best pieces have all come from thrift stores.

[southerngal]

I have been searching thrift stores for cast iron for awhile, but with no luck so far. The older stuff does seem to be a lot better than any of the new ones you can buy.

[hippieP]

I have not found any that were not a fortune in the past few years. I wish I still had my mothers set, that thing had to have lasted forever. It went through us and all her grand-babies.

[Cappy]

Black iron pots are part of every day life at our house. Almost every meal is cooked in them. I aint a materialistic kinda guy and don't care much for "things", but there are a few things I consider priceless, and the couple black iron pots I have from my great grandmothers kitchen are amoung them. Heck the pot in my profile pic. is a 20 gallon black iron jumbalaya pot. As soon as this forum quits considering me a threat and I graduate from mewbie status Peg and I will post pictures and blog entries showing yall how we roll. The pot in the profile pic is often the star of camping trips.

[PieInTheSky]

When we bought our house there was a cast iron cookware set already here. We cleaned the set up and it looked great. We have been using the cookware ever since.