Cast iron hanging skillets

Many thanks to Beth Maxwell Boyle for permission to post the above photo. Her blog is here.

Those are called hanging skillets; They were made in the early 19th century. One is a griddle.

Before stoves were invented, people cooked over open fire. We've all seen pictures of pots and kettles hanging over a fire, but I've never seen a skillet or griddle used in this way.

They were used for not only pan frying, but baking over the fire.

In the late 19th century, they sold griddles with bale wire handles, for the same purpose.