I have my grandmothers (or great's, not sure) either way I love it. I only season it occasionally and it's great. I do prefer my scrambled eggs in nonstick pan but that's also becuase of my DH too! I don't think he believes me about the soap and he thinks its gross that I wouldn't use soap on it.
I might sound loony but I feel like its healthier to cook with cast iron (supposedly helps with low iron levels) than nonstick pans (which is just some strange chemicals). My family is southern, but I never thought this was "a southern" thing...
Heres a good one
http://yummysupper.blogspot.com/2011/10/pulled-pork.html

I have a set and use if for everything except eggs because I like to slide those out of my non-stick. I agree w/ all of the PPs seasoning tips. They are easier to care for than any other cookware.

i cook everything in it. bought it at target actually.

I use it for everything.

One important nonstick tip is get the pan hot before you put anything in it. Don't put meat in the pan and then heat the pan, put the meat in when the pan is already as hot as you're going to cook with.

I am just getting the hang of using mine. I've used it for sausages and burgers, mainly. To clean it I use water and a sponge, or if it needs a better scrubbing I use some coarse salt.

Am I supposed to be seasoning it after each use?

Cornbread in the oven.

cast iron is great for pan roasting just about anything--salmon, steak...

one reason your food might be falling apart on the stovetop is that your poking it or trying to flip to quickly?

I'm a yank, but my grandmother was from Mississippi. She cooked everything in hers and cleaned it just like pp's said. Now I have my DH's grandmother's skillet. The only difference is that she seasoned her's with olive oil.

I cook anything in it. I don't use it as much as my nonstick because DH does dishes, and no matter how many times I tell him not to, he'll leave it soaking. If you're having sticking problems, you could try the Frugal Gourmet's mantra:

"Hot pan, cold oil, food won't stick"

I use it for everything. It browns meat better than ALL-Clad and cooks more evenly than anything. If it's well-seasoned and you know when to turn things nothing will stick.

I cook everything on it. very easy to care for. I wouldn't cook a steak any other way...

Anonymous wrote:I have my great grandmother's original cast iron set. And I use it to cook just about everything. They are not difficult to care for. I'm not sure about the newer ones. But I was taught to use hot water (and maybe a little soap if absolutely necessary) to clean the pan, then season with crisco.

I'm from the deep south. I learned to cook on cast iron.

That is exactly how I learned to clean it too Fellow Southerner here, that is how I learned to cook as well. Mmm..makes the best cornbread!

From the south, and I use my cast iron skillet 4-5 times a week. It's not a "fancy" brand, just one of the middle of the roads, and unfortunately not a family one.

Best advice I ever got on cleaning? Run water over like you'd do for anything...Never use soap. After rinsing, pour olive oil in and clean that out with paper towels.

I have one, I'm not a fan. I have followed all of the tips I've read re how to cook with it -- season it; let the pan itself and the oil in it get very hot before placing the food you are cooking in it; do not poke under the food until you are ready to flip. However, my chicken burns in it and fish falls apart and looks like a shredded mess. The only item that seems to work is a steak - sear it on stovetop and finish cooking in the pan in the oven - Bittman's how to for steaks.

I have my great grandmother's original cast iron set. And I use it to cook just about everything. They are not difficult to care for. I'm not sure about the newer ones. But I was taught to use hot water (and maybe a little soap if absolutely necessary) to clean the pan, then season with crisco.

I'm from the deep south. I learned to cook on cast iron.

I am thinking about buy one (lodge brand) - what do you cook with yours? Is it high maintenance?