How Cast Iron Pans Are Made by Hand at Borough Furnace - Handmade
On this episode of ‘Handmade,’ John Truex and Liz Seru, co-owners of metal casting workshop Borough Furnace in Owego, New York, show us how cast iron pans are made by hand, from designing, casting, sanding, seasoning and beyond. You can see more of the shop’s work here: boroughfurnace.com/.
Credits:
Producers: Carla Francescutti, Pelin Keskin
Director: Carla Francescutti
Camera: Carla Francescutti, Murilo Ferreira
Editor: Carla Francescutti
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Development Producer: McGraw Wolfman
Coordinating Producer: Stefania Orrù
Audience Engagement: Daniel Geneen, Terri Ciccone
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For more episodes of 'Handmade,' click here: trib.al/ngK1tYD
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I once inherited two, 12' skillets that were over half a century old from a senior citizen off craigslist for just $15 and promised her that they were now in good hands. Best purchase yet.
you can't inherit something by buying it lol
@@beet111 Hey shuttup. I bought a free pan off craigslist once.
@@beet111 he means he got adopted for 15 dollars, sorry for the confusion
You suck dude lol jk good find
12 foot skillet? That's got to be heavy
Proudly 'Made in the USA'. Great to see such attention to detail and passion.
I love the idea of them reprocessing the scrap iron to turn into the pans. I hope they continue to flourish and can continue to keep up their high quality.
I agree I think it's great! I think this is pretty common with cast iron makers though. I see lots of scrap iron in Lodges production line
@@fishkluch Yes, turning scrap metal into usable products is what foundries do.
I agree, I think it's so awesome that they are giving the scraps a new life, especially since a well-maintained cast iron pan lasts basically forever
Their shop has come a long way from when Anthony Bourdain interviewed them. Good to see they're thriving.
Thanks for the tip. I'm due a good dose of Anthony Bourdain right about now 😉
I miss that guy.
Yeah they killed him for trying to expose
@@stn7172 What are you saying?! I loved Anthony Bourdain. RIP.
@@stn7172 Conspiracist spotted
I can totally dig a family company where the founders are putting in the work instead of kicking the labor out of the way just for the video. Out of my price range but maybe I’ll luckily score at a thrift store some day. The skillet and Dutch oven are very practical and what I’d consider art work. Very well done!
considering what companies like le creucet charge.... id way rather put my money here
I'm really impressed by the mold making and level of finish these have, they look great! I wish people could understand how much actual time and effort goes into getting something like this out the door.
I’ve followed this company for years since they make impressive products. I know Bourdain was a fan. Bought a cast iron skillet from them like a decade ago. Ordered their Dutch oven through their Kickstarter campaign, and man, was that a process. They provided updates throughout, including when complications occurred - like the enamel company going out of business, their decision to attempt the process in-house, and all the complexities of navigating through the pandemic. Needless to say, it took a while to finally get the Dutch oven, but I’ve never questioned their level of dedication or craftsmanship. Great product!
Beautiful products. It’s nice to see craftsmanship still lives in America.
Dutch oven $240 and skillet $300 if you were wondering :)
Wow, Pricey !
Priced less than most Le Creuset. Something that will last a lifetime and be passed down to future generations.
Thats not that bad. I expected much more
Not bad, still can't afford it haha
what
I've been designing cast iron components for 20 years and I really enjoyed watching your process. They look great
The sand they use has polymer ?
"We try to make things we can be proud of" ... Looks like you have far exceeded you expectations. Bravo
So nice to see owners take so much pride into their product. That seems rare today.
I had two family cast iron pans - one from 1917 and one from 1947 - that had been unused for years. So I seasoned them and they work great.
They will get better the more you use them!
I restore Cast Iron. I have a 1915 - 1920 Wagner #10 Skillet and a 1905 - 1906 Griswold Kettle.
@@bingosunnoon9341 Whether or not she knows what seasoning means, someone must have seasoned the pan otherwise it would be unusable. What color is it?
@@bingosunnoon9341 Because it would be covered with brown rust, which would contaminate the food. What color is it?
@@bingosunnoon9341 It's probably steel then.
I am completely enameled by their creative process.
😂😂🔥
Underrated!!😂😂🔥🔥💯
@@nonamepainter that wooshing sound you heard as you took the time to write your reply was the sound of my pun flying over your head.
@@nonamepainter you're a horrible human being, aren't you?
@@nonamepainter Hahahaha 😂
I was a appretice pipefitter in Dayton in the late 60s, we had several jobs at G.H. and R foundry. I loved watching them making cast iron moulds then pour it, I learned a lot just watching the guys work.
I'm impressed they pre-season them the right way. Just wish I could afford their products as this is a small business I can get behind.
Although it concerns me they state that flaxseed oil has a very high smoke point. Unrefined flaxseed oil is indeed the best thing to season with, party because of its very LOW smoke point of 225° F.
@@ThePFranny that smoke point is also specifially while still in a concentrated oil state, which is great for getting that deep intial seasoning. Once you do something like season a pan with it and it polymerizes, then smoke point rises considerably. This is what she is probably focusing on, since many oils people use to season cast iron have lesser smoke points as they dont polymerize to the same degree, and the seasoning isnt as durable in comparison.
Seriously. Of all the cast iron I've ever owned (a lot), theirs is the absolute best factory seasoning.
It's the graphite in the cast iron that makes them non-stick and impossible to weld.
With the wish I could afford attitude you'll never ever be able to afford anything go back to the story the little train that could and start saying I can afford it watch what happens
This is the type of content I needed. Cast iron pans makes the best food
I find them a little bit chewy, but I appreciate the workmanship.
@@AlanHope2013 ok
In my humble opinion, a good quality stainless steel or copper steel pan is the best if you’re pro at using it
@@brrrrr7057 ok
@@SK-pw9id ok
I am blown away that they made that whole production line themselves
What else did you expect from business owners?? It's like praising a restaurant owner for knowing cooking and accounting and interior decor and taxes etc. It's supposed to be the owners job.
@@marty9404 You're a moron but I guess I'll try explain to you what is glaringly obvious. These are just a couple. A hard-working smart but normal family couple. They clearly aren't born into a family industrial manafacturers. This is a new thing for them. The man is a genius because he has designed the machines and the production floor layout to a point where the flow of production is as good as some huge factories I know. He also custom built and fabricated the machines. If you had any idea how complex that is you wouldn't have been so dumb as to compare it to a restaurant owner who cooks. Now I know his wife is as much a genius and will hace done just as much of these things but it seemed like the man did the machine design from the video. Also, they could have had help from external contractors or fabricators but still. For two people to get a factory such as this to produce products such as these is incredible.
@@wuddadid stupid retort. This guy is doing what people have been doing since ummm Iron age.. He didn't design anything nor invent anything... They aren't doing anything that isn't being done all over the planet..
@@donlove3741 You are literally too stupid to insult.
well they lied a little bit because they didn't. what they done was bought in tooling already made up.. do you think they made the furnace ? of course not. didn't make the motors or compressors they use or any of the tooling. these people are millionaires pretending to be normal people starting out small and growing. their prices tells you they are only aiming at the rich.. can get a new cast iron pan made in asia for under £30 and made every bit as good and often better, and they realy are hand made by little one man bands. not huge factory warehouse.. go check out all the cast iron cookware in IKEA for example.. bloody good stuff and cheap..
A ton of individual labor. Very detailed in their craft. As someone who works in manufacturing, I can appreciate this. They are giving something of themselves in each piece. Beautiful and functional and able to be passed down from generation to generation. If you love cooking and more importantly, cooking with cast iron, a very reasonable price.
Watched the video twice. Great to see people who love what they do and focused on quality. Thanx.
Lots of work and Craftsmanship goes into one of those. I can see why they are not cheap.
Indeed, I find a lot at the Goodwill for pretty cheap and they are in great condition.
@@apeshitclothing I need to go hunting for some, thanks for the reminder.
sometimes if you want "actual" quality product you're gonna have to pay alittle more ... and in the long run it'll just pay (off) for itself.
a nice piece from LODGE, then sand it yourself and season. But yes this handmade stuff is gonna be expensive and it should be. Really its where the metal comes from that should be considered.
But at $240 ... is it 10 times better in form, fit, function and finish than the Lodge ? Are you buying art or a cast iron pan ? ... all things being equal.
I use cast iron a lot, and got very technical into it. This is by far the most care, labor, and quality in any cast iron manufacturing process I've seen; truly handmade! One correction for the video (07:49): flaxseed oil has a very low (not high) smoke point.
Yeah, that is what I thought. I season mine with coconut oil for saturated fats with a high smoke point.
Thank you. I searched 'flax' from the comments before making a very similar comment.
I used to use Flaxseed oil but found that it flaked badly after a while. I stopped using it and use grapeseed oil now.
It’s great to see how far they have succeeded in the last few years! Terrific!
I am thrilled to see a company such as this, providing handmade products made lovingly until perfect! I would buy a couple of these, they'd last a lifetime! A big thank you to the industrious couple in the video. May you be blessed with much prosperity. Stay Safe.
This guy does a great John Malkovic impression
Can’t unhear it now
I was just going to say that
Hahaha I was thinking what is this guy talking about then oooooohhhh I see
How do i get this as a job
I hate you
"You Get What You Pay For" I salute your hard work, and great success. May God bless you and your family.
You could take that 400$ a pan is worth and make your own little foundry and make 50 of these things with a little skill and knowledge of the industry.
Thank God for these highly skilled and dedicated craftsman. God bless your work, business and family. May God always protect you all from dangers in your work.
Love it when the owners know in and out of the manufacturing process.
Okay. I love my le Crueset, and my all clads, but now I NEED some of these.
I'm just like you, I have All-Clad, Crueset, I have old cast iron, but I fell in love with the handmade carbon steel frying pans, from a company like these, Blu Skillet Ironware, I assure you that too You are going to fall in love and you will say like me, I want and need one more.
@@aliciaguerra-salazar5854 I, too, have got'ta have a pan made here
I appreciate the down to earth craftsmanship. I’ll have to add a piece.
I can't afford them now but.... I'm going to save for a bit. I've GOT to have that Dutch Oven..! 😉♨️
I used to use only All Clad, until i tried cast iron. As they say, once you go black...
That Dutch oven lid is beautiful, and very smart!
This is such beautiful work, thank god there are company’s like this out here that provide pots/pans that aren’t coated with Teflon (poison) and built to last forever. Much respect
I wish that there were more people like this in America so proud and happy for them Keep up the great work 👍
This guy is soooooo interesting. Love the way he talks. He's so knowledgable.
Simply beautiful, well thought out cookware.
Delicate craftsmen...delicate products...for delicate cooking! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
I love the process you are doing and the durability of them will last for years. Great work to both of you.
I've never had a video get deleted while I was watching it 😂😂 glad the reupload was quick!
Idk, I'm guessing they wanted to change the video. I started watching it and it was messing up, so I went to their page and it wasn't even there lmao
Same!
This couple is an excellent example of American hard work, ingenuity, attention to detail, craftsmanship, and self sufficiency. Cheers to them both!
Left out a very important piece of information about cooking with cast iron pans. Benefits of adding iron to your diet. That is one of the reasons I started using cast iron daily.
I love these products. And their workshop look like it's their hobby and passion. Very calm and satisfied with their work.
No way you can pay your bills with this enormes handmanship. The production costs are too high. Greetings from Germany
When he said they remove the enamel from the lip edge of the lid and the pot I was sold. 😍
buy at your own risk. waiting over 6 months with two promised dates and still nothing. took them over a month to respond to an email. not even a phone number..
I'm VERY impressed. The amount of care and effort that you put into your craft is incredible. Thank you for this education.
Such a beautiful team making beautiful cookware. I respect the attention to detail and quality.
Such respect for the craftmanship you guys put into this cookware. Seriously, bravo. The epitome of "do it yourself". Congratulations guys. Will be a customer for that grill pan come December 2020 👍👍👍
@Osel Somar Clearly, you're not their target consumer.
@Osel Somar its for people who want pans/pots that arent cheap and will last a long time.
@Osel Somar they are also reliable and can be used in a lot of situation when cooking. also, the handle is pretty nice because you don't have to deal with the heat when cooking on the stovetop but can also still put the pan in the oven when needed. also if your food ever starts sticking all you have to do is season it. it doesn't bend, and has some good weight to it so it wont be easy to knock off the stove or something.
@Osel Somar also you have to take into account that this is made in America, not China so of course the price is gonna be steep but at least you get something quality.
@Osel Somar as has clearly been stated, these aren't overpriced. Maybe in your opinion. But the craftsmanship these artists put into making this cookware is well worth the price, especially to those that will appreciate it. You are clearly not in this market and/or simply don't know or don't have an understanding of cast iron cookware. It's certainly not for everyone 👍
I love cast iron cookware! it literally changed my approach to cooking, and now I actually enjoy cooking
Had a lovely email correspondence with Liz. Highly recommend.
i can tell they really love what they do. good job
As an ex machine manufacturer I'm hugely impressed with the quality of the iron castings, truly remarkable.
Go watch Anthony Bourdain‘s video where he visited this place with the Balvenie series he did.
I just did. Bourdain helped make one... imagine owing that skillet... it's like being blessed by a food deity.
A real seasoned cookware I have ever seen. Keep it up.
Amazing and interesting. Very surprised at all the work and customization that goes into a single piece. A lot of work for mass production. Really appreciate what you do... hopefully it can continue for generations...
For a self promotion this is beautifully made. You clearly know yourselves and I wish you well.
This guy needs to be a narrator on the Calm app.
the vocal fry is annoying to me
Sound more like apple guy designer fancy slow voice
Wow, brilliant recreating the enameling process. I have a little experience casting metal and it isn't easy. Good job!
Passion, precision, family, what a fantastic business and achievement. Keep, keep going, you are making history...plus, I love cooking and would be so very happy to use what you produce, this is alchemy!
Someday, I will buy your products. Thank you for the "art" with longevity in mind.
Great video! I'm looking forward to getting mine soon. 2 dutch ovens for $390 (including shipping) on the Kickstarter campaign. Granted it has taken longer than planned but they are doing something nobody else in the US is doing. I'm glad to support their business.
I'd say that is a fair price.
Wow. A lot of love goes into the final product. We can only hope your children are able and interested in your business. It is quite a legacy!
Everyone relax, this guy is a true craftsman and does not need a readout to tell him when the temperature is correct. Trial and error, day in and day out as he said in the video. Its really not any different than heating a knife and knowing what color it should be to quench properly.
No one should EVER be scared off by the cost of a quality cast iron cooking piece. I have cast iron pieces that I quite literally have had for decades (30 years + and counting, and I don't see that not going for another 30). Compared to most other mass-produced pans, these can last an entire lifetime of the user.
Almost all my cast iron is family hand me downs. Some of it is so old it doesn't have any markings
you can get a great cast iron piece for $20 at a camping store and 2 hours of work with a flap disk
What u say is true.
A better way to say this is, a cast iron should last you a lifetime, so if a piece you like and or want costs a lot of money. Know that you could have that forever with proper treatment so it wouldn’t be a big deal to spend a little extra for exactly what you want.
@@blzt3206 haha. I did that with a new set if lodge cast iron skillets
This isn't just cookware, this is art!
it makes me really happy to see the bright red of it when they opened the kiln
That is some excellent cookware. I need these in my life.
Is it just me or does 10:51 look absolutely beautiful
It was really cool looking
Pretty honkin' kewl...
My dude here giving me John Malkovich in space force vibes. The way he talks is uncanny.
yeah why he sounds like malkovich? what is that mouth??
When Someone Sounds Like This. You Know It's Going To Be Expensive
I have been working in the foundry industry for 25 years. It was so cool to see things I see every day, but only in smaller scale. When I started working in a foundry, I didn't know what it was. It has not only become my career, but also my passion.
These are two very smart people. To pretty much make their entire manufacturing process from scratch. Extremely impressive.
How Do I Get Touch With The Husband and wife That Make The Cast Iron Skillet That's On Utube
Yeah I'm gonna have to save up few months to want to buy one. But hey I'm proud of you all and I hope you sell great cause it all looks really nice. My budget is in the lodge or flea market. Lol
"no good way to measure the temperature" as a metallurgist, this hurts my feelings...
No metallurgist here, but yeah this part made me cry a bit
Foundry engineer here. Yeah.... Like Pyrometers aren't a thing.
@@th31695 how's your job ? I'm studying mechanical engineer right now and I have no ideo what i'm gonna do after ...
@@Maaaaaax-07 all I can say is, it’s hot ;)
@Dennis Young I mean with 300 dollar pans they can afford it.
Beautiful design. Great finish.
Quality work by these folks I. Impressed
The kiln opening to the Ferrari Red hot pans,,it's like a graduation of sorts.
Basic skillets are US made, however the Dutch Oven is made in China. With that said, I love my US made Lodge brand, skillet!
So happy to see a beautiful enduring product coming out of the U.S...New York has made great cookware for more than a century...Good health and success to you craftspeople...It's becoming a lost art...
Nice to see good product still been made. Also no program obsolescence on it. Is great to see.
cast iron pans are amazing af
Yuo
My oldest cast iron pan (enemalled) is 40 years old. Still in perfect shape.
Second time I've watched this.... Still impressed with their workmanship
Pure quality in this product.. something that will last a long time.. very rare these days
A broken disc brake becomes a frying pan. Great stuff.
Pretty cool huh! I wished we could re-purpose plastic in this manner!
Those frying pans have great stopping power
@@rooftopvoter3015 buahahahaha!!! They can stop on a dime! 🤣 🤣
Looked like there was an engine crank in there too.
@@rooftopvoter3015 yeah, they’ll stop me when my wife throws them at my head......
07:47 Flaxseed oil has a very *low* (not high) smoke point. That's why it's good in creating that seasoned surface, which consists of the burned oil.
I love the modern look of these pans.
Awesome , I used to love love visiting my dad in his works foundry .
7:50 flax seed oil has a low smoke point of 225 degrees farenheight.
OK, I subscribed. Fascinating. I've had a cast iron skillets that are 101 and 60 years old. They have outlasted 3 aluminum cookware sets. I am sure they be around long after I am dead, possibly used by alien archeologists.
A new thing on my "wish list" for sure!
I got the 9 inch! Love my cast irons.. use em everyday. Good to help out a true craftsman and craftlady here! Look forward to getting it.
Very interesting. This explains why good skillets are so expensive, and why cheap skillets are so shitty. You gotta appreciate craftsmanship when you see this! I do.
Lodge brand cast iron pans $29.99 walmart
@@mikejones3560 if you can manage to get rid of the terrible, rough surface, and give it a proper seasoning. I hate my lodge pans because of that god-awful texture they use
Earnest VanDuyne I know this is not something that everybody can do, but smoothing the surface of a cast iron skillet with and angle grinder is a pretty easy and straightforward process that will take around 30 minutes. To me it doesn’t make sense, financially speaking, to spend 10 times more money just to have someone else do that for you
@@chilepeulla sandpaper and elbow grease homie
mike jones but why though? I mean, if you don’t have an angle grinder and you don’t want to spend 80 bucks on a decent one, sand paper and elbow grease is a fair approach. But if you already have one you should definitely use it, it will make the job so much easier
I worked in the steel industry you can indeed measure the temperature it is a critical part in the manufacturing process.....
FASCINATING video! Thanks for posting.
I love it when a pan comes together
3:28 they could use a pyrometer (infrared thermometer) to measure temperature yea?
I just brought one 10.5" Frying Skillet
Let us know how you like it, the handle design while unique sticking up seems suspect on function
Please update us in a few months! I currently have an old Griswold and the newer Field cast iron skillet, but a handmade one sounds nice. I wonder if this would be better than a Butter Pat.
Simply amazing
beautifully manufactured. Congrats!!!!!!
I checked their website, they are completely sold out for Christmas.
What is their website name?
@@golden2011 boroughfurnace.com/
@@Darthbelal Thank you so much!
Lodge cast iron is great too. I inherited my Nana’s set from 1950’s in 1992 and I still use it all the time
@@bitterbeauty6144 I like their hibachi, if you haven't got one, get one!
Amazing stuff! I just buy my pots and pans from the goodwill store 🤣
What a great product, thoughtfully made with pride and love. This is the best attribute of American innovation...sadly lacking in most products today.
Everything about this was satisfying.