Frying Pans

[Glenn MacGrady]

Fry pans were invented by the eccentric . . . .

The Irish gaelic friochtan . . . .

You never know what kind of responses you'll get in a thread, but this post fried the few remaining neurons in my brain pan. After multiple readings I'm still trying to untangle all the history and word plays, and wondering what or who has been cooked up. But I'm now all buttered up to go to Ireland to look for a . . .

Irish Pronunciation Database: friochtán

How to pronounce 'friochtán' in Irish

www.teanglann.ie

 

[Odyssey]

It's all Sweeper's fault. He started it. Way back when.

Ageless Priceless leaves me Speechless... Thank You Sweeper!!

Pulling up my drive the other day I spied a cardboard box sitting on my front porch minding its own business. I gave it some privacy there while I busied myself with a few domestic tasks. Soon after my curiosity got the better of me so I went to investigate. Lifting the latch and opening the...

www.canoetripping.net

And after trying this gentleman's generous gift I knew I had to have another pan. Funny thing happened though on my way to buy one more, I bought two more. These nest nicely either in my wannigan or pack or barrel.


The shiny 2 pans are my newest old pans, stripped of carbonized crud and seasoned. The one from Sweeper has served up everything from eggs to naan bread, pancakes to bannock, and a few meals in-between. Thanks again Sweeper. I owe you.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

I make a motion to elect Odyssey historian laureate of canoetripping.net.

 

[Woodpuppy]

Seconded!

 

[GeoBoy]

I looked at the Frybake and what’s not to like, lightweight, versatile, durable and made in the USA.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

Disclaimer: Your parents have warned you against people like me. I don't own this pan nor have I any experience with it whatsoever. I'm posting it anyway. The bad review came from a misunderstanding about the size. It might be something for the traditionalist/Teflon decrier.


https://www.amazon.com/CC-Trekker-Skillet-6-1-1-3/dp/B004JBAYDY

 

[Odyssey]

Most any pan will do provided you use it correctly. How do you use a metal pan incorrectly? Too much heat. I went down the nonstick rabbit hole a few years ago (now there's an image for you) to research pan coatings etc and slid out the other end having chosen the independently tested nonstick pans I use in our home kitchen. They're awesome. Although they're (2 sizes) fine for both stovetop and oven use all I ever use them for is gently frying eggs in the morning. A thin smear of oo in the heated pan makes sure my eggs slide easily onto my plate. (See, I still don't fully trust the no-stick promises). Despite having a nice ss pan we both instead go to our cast iron pans for braising and broiling. Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens and a paella type pan round out our home cooking gear. Unfortunately, all of this stuff is too heavy for canoe trips. I do have 2 GSI "nonstick" frypans with folding handles and they've served me well on trips. From fry-ups to bannock they've performed well. But because I'm adverse to plastic kitchen stuff (how nonsensical is a spatula that melts?!) I have managed to chip these pans over the years. I don't care how many reports I've read that assure me the flecks of black "pepper" are harmless inert confetti I still refuse to eat paint. So, seeing Robin in action around the cold handle campfire on the Marshall Lake trip convinced me there indeed was a better way. And then of course Sweeper pushed me over the frypan finish line. I have chosen to "season" these cold handle pans, whether they really need it or not I don't know, with the cast iron seasoning method of multiple thin coats of (grapeseed) oil. Our cast iron pans are in fact treated with bacon fat. Don't tell the vegetarian kids, what they don't know won't hurt them. Just kidding. The cast iron pans are used for meat eaters only. The thin c-h pans heat up and cool down quickly so managing the cooking fire is everything. I can finally leave our collection of plastic blobby spatula mutations at home. And no more "pepper" in our pancakes.

 

[clemency]

But because I'm adverse to plastic kitchen stuff....I can finally leave our collection of plastic blobby spatula mutations at home

You might be a candidate for Earlywood utensils. I call'em cooking sticks, but they're really spatulas.

flat saute set

These versatile thin wood cooking spatulas are easy to use, clean and store. Use these handmade hardwood spatulas to stir, taste, flip, bench scrape, and serve salad! Come say “hey” to your new favorite wooden kitchen utensils.

www.earlywooddesigns.com

 

[Odyssey]

Cool! Thanks Clemency! I will check those out. For me.
In fact, I did buy my wife a nice wooden spatula a couple Christmases ago, but one day I committed the kitchen sin of using the svelte virgin unblemished tool (careful now) to stir my curry (still being careful) and ended up staining "her spatula". Did you know turmeric stains wood?
Ever since then I've had to ask permission to use it. True story. Same with the wooden spoons. She's made me memorize which are for her baking and which are for her soup stirring. And which cheap cast-offs are for me to use. But I really like the svelte spatula I bought her. Might be bamboo, I don't know. I bought her a beautiful new pair of wooden spoons for Christmas this year. (Careful now.)
You know what else is weirdly funny? We in our extended family draw names for Christmas each year. Big family = too much stress for gifting.
My wife and I were the last two people to draw names. She chose x and I drew...me. Jackpot!!! But when I admitted this, she made me switch with her. I came THIS close to the best Christmas ever!!

 

[Alan Gage]

I like lightweight non-stick skillets with folding handles for canoe camping. They're lightweight and it makes cleanup so easy. I think they're aluminum but I can't remember for sure. The bottoms are slightly heavier so they don't overheat so quickly when the fire flares. I don't know if there are health issues with this setup or not but since, in the grand scheme of things, very few of my meals are cooked in such a fashion I choose not to worry about it.

I don't really enjoy cooking on canoe trips and the only thing I use the skillet for is making bannock, which I do almost daily. A 6" would suffice but I already have an 8" and a little extra room is nice.

I love fried egg sandwiches and at home I cook them on a cast iron skillet. It takes a little while to build up the seasoning but once its there the eggs don't stick at all. It helps to have the skillet really hot before cracking the eggs in it. Pancakes are fine in the cast iron as well once it's seasoned.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I like lightweight non-stick skillets with folding handles for canoe camping.

Alan, do you have a particular brand/model name?

 

[sweeper]

It's all Sweeper's fault. He started it. Way back when.

Ageless Priceless leaves me Speechless... Thank You Sweeper!!

Pulling up my drive the other day I spied a cardboard box sitting on my front porch minding its own business. I gave it some privacy there while I busied myself with a few domestic tasks. Soon after my curiosity got the better of me so I went to investigate. Lifting the latch and opening the...

www.canoetripping.net

And after trying this gentleman's generous gift I knew I had to have another pan. Funny thing happened though on my way to buy one more, I bought two more. These nest nicely either in my wannigan or pack or barrel.

Although I may or may not be the provider of pans, I blame Robin for introducing me to the pan, I can't help it if people outside this group can't figure out the value of these pans and purveyors of second-hand goods can't sell them except by reducing the price.

 

[Woodpuppy]

Sometimes things just work out!

 

[scratchypants]

Hi - Corporal Stick-in-the-mud here. I've packed a frying pan a few times with the intent of cooking up a catch. Turns out they're a jinx - bring a pan and I don't catch fish. But other than that (and the weight and awkwardness of packing), my main reason for no longer bringing them is the smell. Colour me paranoid, but fried food has to smell like mana to a bear. And bad news - your clothes will smell pretty tasty, too.

 

[sweeper]

To be Fair!
I go both ways

 

[Alan Gage]

Alan, do you have a particular brand/model name?

No. I once bought an REI branded one but I can't remember if it's the one I lost or the one I currently use. They're pretty ubiquitous and I doubt there's much difference between brands.

Alan

 

[lowangle al]

Hi - Corporal Stick-in-the-mud here. I've packed a frying pan a few times with the intent of cooking up a catch. Turns out they're a jinx - bring a pan and I don't catch fish. But other than that (and the weight and awkwardness of packing), my main reason for no longer bringing them is the smell. Colour me paranoid, but fried food has to smell like mana to a bear. And bad news - your clothes will smell pretty tasty, too.

Scratchypants, I used to keep some folded up aluminium foil in my food pack for cooking fish if I didn't bring a pan or just for a change. Fried fish is great but I think you get a better taste of the fish when baked or steamed. Anyway it's a trade off that I'm happy with and I don't think the fish can sense it.

When it comes to frying food in bear country some things are worth the risk. It is amazing how far smells can travel though. I once smelled a guys bacon cooking from over two miles away.

 

[Ruttrowe]

Just ran across these pans on eBay. Anyone have any experience with these? They are carbon steel. Handles appear to be bolted on which could make them removable for packing.

 

[yellowcanoe]

To be Fair!
I go both ways
View attachment 133430

oooh... I have 8 old cast iron pans.. But no wall space to display them. They are Wegner and Griswolds.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Just ran across these pans on eBay. Anyone have any experience with these? They are carbon steel. Handles appear to be bolted on which could make them removable for packing.

no but I suggest you ferret in old barns.. the old frypans are out there. You could also bump into an old wood canoe.