what's a heat ring?

[AmericanIdol]

so yeah i bought a griswold #8 cast iron skillet finally and really quickly at that. super happy about it because wow i can finally cook the way my ancestors did lol i mean there's something exciting about ancient cast iron skillets that you won't find in the modern ones so yeah... just curious because there's a heat ring on the 1916 pan? what does it do? please enlighten me!

 

[bellionaire]

First off, it must be such a thrill cooking with something that has history. I read somewhere that the heat ring you're seeing on the 1916 pan is actually a design feature meant to help with stability and heat distribution.
Back when they were made, stovetops weren't flat like modern ones, many were wood or coal-burning stoves with grates. The heat ring helped the skillet sit evenly on those surfaces while also elevating it slightly to regulate heat. These days, it's mostly a historical detail, though some people argue it still helps with even heating on gas stoves.

 

[Bespoke_boss]

Nice pickup, that heat ring was for old wood/coal stoves, it kept the pan stable and helped with even heating. Totally normal on skillets from that era.

 

[chickfilA]

so yeah i bought a griswold #8 cast iron skillet finally and really quickly at that. super happy about it because wow i can finally cook the way my ancestors did lol i mean there's something exciting about ancient cast iron skillets that you won't find in the modern ones so yeah... just curious because there's a heat ring on the 1916 pan? what does it do? please enlighten me!

Since you already have an answer, I'm just curious about the food cooked in it. What is it like? What can i say, i'm drooling over.

 

[felina]

Since you already have an answer, I'm just curious about the food cooked in it. What is it like? What can i say, i'm drooling over.

This is also what I was looking forward to read. Almost a month after the post and I'm just curious about the cuisine. Anyway, just a quick heads up that collectors love this heat ring thing and it can help date the skillet. If you're planning to let go of it then hit me up first. I'd love to have one finally.

 

[MoonAndSun]

heat ring on the 1916 pan

I got one of those too. my mom said it's to raise the pan slightly above the stovetop and help to distribute heat more evenly

 

[Dondee]

Its called an eye. The numbers would typically mean what size of eye to use.

 

[SweetAndSpicy]

so yeah i bought a griswold #8 cast iron skillet finally and really quickly at that. super happy about it because wow i can finally cook the way my ancestors did lol i mean there's something exciting about ancient cast iron skillets that you won't find in the modern ones so yeah... just curious because there's a heat ring on the 1916 pan? what does it do? please enlighten me!

I feel the same way, it's satisfying to cook using a cast iron, I feel a lot cooler lol

 

[ironMAN]

so yeah i bought a griswold #8 cast iron skillet finally and really quickly at that. super happy about it because wow i can finally cook the way my ancestors did lol i mean there's something exciting about ancient cast iron skillets that you won't find in the modern ones so yeah... just curious because there's a heat ring on the 1916 pan? what does it do? please enlighten me!

What a great discovery! The heat ring on your Griswold #8 is fantastic for ensuring even heat distribution, especially when using older stoves. It lifts the pan just enough to avoid those pesky hot spots and helps seal the stove's eye. Plus, it really adds a charming vintage flair to your cooking

 

[crispycrustking]

Yep, that heat ring thing? It basically makes old stoves heat stuff way more evenly, so you don't get those annoying hot spots. Smart, huh?