Pioneers would sometimes use horsetails to scour their pots and pans.
Yes indeed, they did.
Cast iron pots are very good for a few reasons. Cast iron pots get very hot very quickly making cooking less time consuming. Cast iron pots are also very long lasting and sturdy. They rarely fade or break.
They used cast iron cooking pots and pans. Cast iron cooking stuff has been around for a very long time
It's conductivity makes it perfect for cooking [see Cast Iron Pots]. The thing about iron is that it is overly heavy, and its conductivity also makes it get equally hot all over so a handle would be difficult to make in such a way it wouldn't burn you. Oh, and it rusts easily. You have to oil those cast iron pots to avoid this.
Norway uses the same cooking pots as much of Europe. That can be cast iron, copper, steel, and ceramic.
Dishes and pots lined with enamel are not porous on the cooking surface and therefore do not need the oil seasoning that cast iron does.
Cooking pots are not made of just one material when it comes to the handle. Some are made of steel, while others are made of cast iron.
Pioneers had both metal and wooden utensils; large spoons, ladles, 2 pronged forks (for turning meat over a fire), cast iron skillets, cast iron dutch oven pots for over the coals baking and cooking.
More modern cooking implements are made of aluminum or stainless steel, older pots and pans were made predominantly from cast iron, and prior to that copper
Both stainless steel and cast iron are good choices. The only thing that wears on stainless are plastic handles. As for cast iron, it can be handed down for generations and still be perfectly usable.
When it comes to outdoor cooking, nothing beats the durability or versatility of a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven or skillet. These are the same types of pots used by camp cookies on Old West cattle drives and by pioneers as they stretched America farther west. Though other cooking options are available for camping, cast iron easily surpasses the all.Cooking in Cast IronWhen it comes to cooking in Lodge cast iron pots, there is a difference in technique, especially when cooking outside over an open fire. The best Lodge cast iron pot to use is a Dutch oven, sometimes called a camp stove. These iron pots have a handle and lid, all made from cast iron. Their design allows them to be hung over a fire or buried under hot coals, all without burning the food inside.The secret to how well Lodge cast iron cooks is its heft. Cast iron is a dense material that slowly heats. Because the metal heats so slowly, it also transfers that heat to the food at a slower rate, compared to lighter materials like aluminum. This prevents the food from burning, and helps to create melt-in-your-mouth dishes that are only possible with low and slow cooking.Seasoning and CareBefore using a cast iron pot for the first time, it must be seasoned. This process creates a non-stick coating on the inside of the pot that is completely non-toxic. Thin layers of vegetable oil or shortening are baked into the pot to season it. Luckily, most pieces of Lodge cast iron cookware are preseaoned or coated with enamel on the inside and do not need seasoning. Once seasoned, cast iron should not be washed with soap and water because that will clean away the seasoning. While the pot is still hot after cooking, scour it with salt and hot water to remove any cooking residue. This makes cleanup at camp simple since no soap is needed for the cast iron.Lodge cast iron is a modern version of classic cast iron pots. Their ability to be used over an open fire without burning the food sets them apart from other camp cookware options. Campers should consider cast iron for their next outdoor excursion.
Yes
I love cast iron pots. If you keep them clean they are never too old.