My grandma's 60 year old cornbread skillet beats any new pan I've bought and I finally know why
I picked up a Wagner Ware skillet at an estate sale in Tulsa for $12 last month and the cornbread came out with a crust my $40 new pan has never once given me. So I started reading up on it and found out older cast iron was ground smooth at the factory, while most pans made today come out of the mold rough on purpose so the seasoning sticks easier. That rough surface is why my new pan grabs eggs, and the smooth old one just lets them slide. I know lots of folks say you need that sandy texture for good seasoning but honestly the old smooth pan holds seasoning just fine after 4 rounds of Crisco. Has anyone else gone back to vintage iron after fighting with a rough modern pan?