In our recent pumpkin cornbread recipe video, we use a round cast iron skillet with sections, a pan with the pie sections already divided. I love this pan. I can't remember where I got it, but I figured out where to buy it.
Why Love a Cast Iron Pan?
This skillet has edge wedge already sectioned off, and after you preheat this pan in the oven, you oil the sides of each section, and pour in your batter. The cool thing is each slice of the pan is like getting a corner piece. Each section has that crunchy edge thing going for it.
I learned early on that this pan needed to be well seasoned, and before putting in the batter, use one of those silicon brushes to slather on butter or oil. You don't want the batter sticking, its a pain to clean. Be sure to put the pan on a wire grate when you pull it out of the oven, else that burned circle on your countertop will haunt you for a while. And cast iron is HOT when you pull it out of a pre-heated oven, use a good oven mitt or gloves, OK? Burned hands = bad.
This pan can be kinda difficult to clean, but for this I pull out an old toothbrush that I keep in the kitchen drawer for this special purpose. You can brush off the baked corn bread batter fairly easily. One could also use one of those small wire brushes, but be gentle. The plastic bristles of the toothbrush work better. Go pull a toothbrush from the bathroom. Some cast iron pans will come already seasoned. Pre-seasoned is what its called.
Here's one of our how to season cast iron videos:
Fab
Ohhh man! I'd love to have one of those sectioned pans....OMG! Corn bread made in that would be the bee's knee's. Everyone would get a nice crusty piece....mmmm!
And, what do you mean....What do you want for $50 bucks? That's a great deal where I'm from. Even purchasing the cheapest chinese made brand up where I am would be at minimum $200.
If I could find a deal like that, I would find the money to buy at least two sets and more if possible for friends who would want them. Even sell them at a yard sale or garage sale and make a couple bucks.
Call me jealous.
Fab
alice
also you can check places like goodwill or st vincent de paul's. We have one of these pans that my husband got at a garage sale. I agree they are a PAIN to clean. That aside, you never know where you can scarf up some cast iron. 🙂
William
That pan in the picture was made by Birmingham stove and range, it was made in the 60'-80's lodge got the pattern from BSR after there bankruptcy to settle a debt which resulted in the pan you see for sale from lodge with a little design change.
Jeff
lodge version stinks. There's a hole in the middle. Batter can run through == unless you are very precise. Anyhow, I love my original BSR cornbread and cornstick pans. BSR made the ultimate USER cast iron cookware. Forget the Griswold/Wagner fanaticism. Those pans aren't nearly as tough. Lighter than Lodge, but heavier than the others. Their slogan was "will not chip or crack" for very good reason.
Jeff
Also -- can be acquired cheaply from eBay. Just take your time looking. BSR aka Birmingham Stove & range cornbread pan/skillet. MANY sellers will have NO CLUE about what they are selling. The skillets are unmarked. All that is written on the bottom is, typically "cornbread skillet" and "patent pending"
Ed
The ones with a hole in the middle cook more evenly than the ones without. That big piece of metal without a hole in the center of the pan ensures that the "point" of each piece will be slightly less cooked than the outside edge.