Cast iron griddle

[sapphire]

Before passing this on to a friend who is a chef and who unlike me, knows how to NOT burn food on it, I would love to be able to pass along a little more info to him on it's history.

It was my mother's and possibly came to her from her mother.

The markings show "McClary's", "Round Griddle" "98 (?)" as well as what appears to be "No. 9" centered between the company name and the description.

From what I can find out John McClary started as a tinsmith in 1847. Sometime after 1952 the McClary brothers opened their first foundry. In 1871 they created the company McClary Manufacturing.  In 1927 they, along with other companies created or became part of General Steel Wares (GSW).

As my griddle carries the McClary name, I'm assuming it would predate 1927.  As my mother would have been 19 then, it's likely this did belong to my grandmother.

Just wondering if anyone is familiar with their products or could point me in a direction that I may be able to better date it.  My friend is already pleased that he's going to have the use of "real" cast iron, it would be great to be able to give him as much info about it as I can.


The outside measurement is just under 10 3/4", the cooking surface is 10", outside height 3/4"

[regularjoe2]

These are great griddles !

I had one for years (from my moms' kitchen) and was used for crepes, pancakes , johnnycakes , quesadillas & pan biscuits .

I too 'gifted' mine to another chef , who had it swiped from him , dang it !

As I recall (or so I think) McClarys made cast iron cookware from around 1900 through 1960's ... Canadian company , I think .

Your chef friend should be pleased with this one !

[sapphire]

Of course it was Canadian! Eh?   

The griddle was around before I was, so that would date it to before the 50's.....along with all the other 'lasts forever' utensils in my kitchen.
Would McClary have used their name after GSW took them over in 1927?

[D&b antiques]

it's possible. since the change,over would require some time.

[cogar]

Even though the cooking surface is 10", the No. 9 would be the griddle size and those #s would decrease for each smaller griddle that they produced or increase for larger griddles such as a No. 12 or No. 14, whatever the maximum was.

Maybe the No. 9 refers to a maximum 9” pancake that one can easily get a “flipper-do” underneath it to turn it over, ….. who knows.

[cogar]

Now I had never really checked the #’s on a skillet or grill to see if it referred to inches so  I just had the wife check the dimension of a No. 8 Griswold skillet and sure enough, the inside surface is 9”. But her Wagner “chicken fryer” which is 3” deep, has a # 8 on the handle with an 8 ¼” cooking surface.

[sapphire]

Probably because you're not supposed to 'flip' a chicken.   

[KC]

Thanks alot sapphire....just woke the better half up laughing out loud about flipping the chicken! 

[cogar]

I think I paid $14 for that Wagner at an auction and was planning on selling it for about $65, ..... but the minute I got home with it the wife cabbaged it.

And it is better than any teflon coated skillet you can buy. Nothing sticks to the bottom of it.

[sapphire]

I think I paid $14 for that Wagner at an auction and was planning on selling it for about $65, ..... but the minute I got home with it the wife cabbaged it.

And it is better than any teflon coated skillet you can buy. Nothing sticks to the bottom of it.

Never having learned the 'right' way to cook with cast iron, everything I've ever cooked in it has either burned or stuck or both. 
But there was at least one man with a big smile on his face last night.......dreamin g about what he can whip up on it.

[cogar]

Good move Sapphire, you sell, give or throw away one that sticks like that and find one that won't stick.

Now if that skillet you had had never been "seasoned" then that could have been its problem.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I too have ditched my teflon coated junk in exchange for cast iron. It's the best! I never had the stomach to "season" pans though, I wash mine in soap and water, but then give them a wipe-down with olive oil before putting them away. They olive oil does a good job of keeping the rust away. That griddle is great, I'd love to find one of those!

[D&b antiques]

Sapphire Is inviteing, us all over for a pancake Supper

[sapphire]

Good move Sapphire, you sell, give or throw away one that sticks like that and find one that won't stick.

Now if that skillet you had had never been "seasoned" then that could have been its problem.

It's problem was me  Always had it too hot.
Mother used to use bacon grease.......back before we were all taught how bad it was for us.

[cogar]

It's problem was me  Always had it too hot.

The wife can heat that Wagner up extra hot, throw a dab of butter in it ...... followed by a NY Strip or Ribeye and cook it medium rare for me and it will never stick to the bottom.

There are iron skillets and then there are good iron skillets.

But if one buys a new iron skillet they should always wipe it down good with cooking oil and then put it in the oven and "burn" it off.