Cast iron cookware is one of the best cooking tools to have in your kitchen! It is heavy duty, retains heat and can be a non-stick item after seasoning.
Cast iron is as old as the ages and if you have inherited any of the cookware consider yourself lucky! The older the better because it continually seasons itself over the years. That is not to say you should not go out and buy a new pan or even an old one at a flea market or garage sale. Just make sure it is seasoned properly which is an easy process. This makes food cook easier and taste better.
I also re-season my pans with the “seasonal” changes! Note: many new items come pre-seasoned, but if you do purchase something that is old and rusty no worries. Scour the rust with steel wool, wash and dry thoroughly. Apply a thin layer of cooking oil with a paper towel and bake upside down at 450 degrees for an hour. Turn oven off and let pan cool inside.
To Season:
- Clean with hot soapy water. (if it has rust, use a nylon scraper or steel brush)
- Dry thoroughly.
- Coat all over with oil (Flaxseed, Grapeseed or Canola) wiping off excess
- Place upside down in 425 degree oven for an hour. Let cool in oven.
- Tip- place foil in bottom of oven to collect drips.
Cooking with Cast Iron
Once you cook with cast iron you may never go back to anything else! It creates a nice brown crusty sear on meats and veggies which is where flavor comes from. Almost anything can be cooked in cast iron. My Schnitzel and Crispy Salt and Vinegar Potatoes are 2 great dishes to try!
You can fry, saute, roast and bake in cast iron. Nothing beats a fried egg and hash browns for breakfast. One dish meals are easy going from stove top to oven. And you can cook indoors or outdoors over an open flame.
No matter how you use your cast iron you must pre-heat your pan ideally over medium heat as it will heat up quickly, become quite hot and retain it’s heat. Always start with some kind of fat before adding your food item. And remember when cooking with butter it’s best to add a bit of cooking oil since it has a higher smoking point.
Caring for your Cast Iron
There is an ongoing cleaning debate amongst people that own cast iron. The “don’t clean, just wipe it out” or the “wash it”. According to a leading cast iron company, you may wash with water and a small amount of soap or hot water and a scrub brush. After drying thoroughly you need to add a thin layer of oil to the pan.
I am from the “wipe it out” school of thought. Unless there is a cheesy or burnt on mess, wiping gets rid of the food but leaves the beneficial oils in tact. For those stubborn messes, I have applied 1/4 cup kosher salt and used a wet sponge to remove the crud. Another trick is to simmer a small amount of water and use a nylon scraper or scrub brush.
Whichever school of thought you are from I think we can all agree…..NEVER soak your cast iron!
There are many types and styles of cast iron:
- Skillets- regular, deep, covered, dual handled, round, square, woks and combo cookers
- Dutch ovens
- Griddles, grills, grill presses, single, double, lipped, flat, handled
- Bakeware
I have multiple skillets, as do my children, from single serving to extra large, fajita pans, a griddle and panini press and this adorable mini cake pan! I also really love my enamel coated sauciers, soup pots and dutch ovens. By far my favorite piece is a large deep skillet that I often make one pot dishes in. And that makes for an easy clean up! Did you know that every time you cook with cast iron some of the iron enters into your food giving you that added health benefit!
For a delicious cast iron breakfast try my Breakfast Hotdish!
The Essentials:
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