One of my Favorite Pans!

…is my vintage Iron Mountain cast iron chicken pan and lid, made by the Griswold Manufacturing Company of Erie, Pennsylvania.

Some years ago, I submitted a brief description of that day’s favorite pan for consideration for publication in the Griswold and Cast Iron Cookware Association’s quarterly newsletter.¹

So without further ado, here’s the little blurb I submitted to the editor about my favorite pan – at least my favorite pan at that precise moment – my Iron Mountain (by Griswold) chicken pan.

My Iron Mountain Chicken Pan

My “favorite” cast-iron pan varies from day to day and month to month. But I would say my perennial favorite is my Iron Mountain (by Griswold) number 8 chicken pan and lid. I have a particular interest in Griswold, and I have always favored the Iron Mountain line. There is something about the fine surface of Griswold, and I love the aesthetics of the Iron Mountain pan.

Aside from its great looks, my chicken pan is a great cooker. It can do just about anything I’d want a Dutch oven to do, and it also serves as a great deep skillet. Of course, it also goes from stovetop to oven, one of the outstanding features of cast iron. My chicken pan is also very versatile – it accommodates a small roast, chicken, beans, fried foods, soups, stews, sauces, and all kinds of casseroles. Casseroles – or “hot dish” as we call it in Minnesota (where I grew up) – have long been a favorite of mine. Ground beef + vegetables + canned soup + liquid + tater tots, chow mein noodles, or rice = Minnesota hot dish.

My chicken pan can do it all!

1. One of the benefits of membership is that dues-paying members of GCICA can access the newsletter and its previous issues at the GCICA website. You can find information about how to join GCICA here.