Everything You Need to Know About Cast Iron Cooking and Cookware
Why you might use them?
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| Cast Iron Pans on a Stovetop |
Cast iron cookware conjures up visions of bygone eras and campfire cookouts, yet the classic culinary equipment is as popular now as it ever was.
There's a reason cast iron cookware has been around for so long: it's extremely resilient and long-lasting.
If you've never used cast iron before, you've probably heard terrifying horror stories about how difficult it is to handle, clean, and store.
However, once you understand the fundamentals of cooking with cast iron, you'll likely find it just as simple to use and maintain as other types of kitchen equipment.
This article provides a broad overview of cast iron cookware, its benefits, how to get started with it, and other information.
When I have found myself needing to set up a kitchen to cook, sometimes in a remote place while camping or hunting, bringing a single piece of cast iron to cook on provides everything needed to cook complete healthy meals.
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| Close-up of a seasoned cast iron skillet. |
What are the advantages of cooking with cast iron?
One of the main reasons cast iron has been valued for so long is that it is practically unbreakable.
In reality, with a little cleaning and care, even neglected and rusted cast iron cookware can often be restored to practically new conditions.
Furthermore, properly seasoned cast iron develops its own nonstick surface.
The best feature is that, unlike typical nonstick pans with Teflon or ceramic coatings, the nonstick surface on cast iron can be restored repeatedly through a process known as "seasoning."
The inherent nonstick surface and robust structure of cast iron are the most apparent advantages of cast iron cookware, but the benefits don't end there. Other major advantages of cooking with cast iron include:
It retains heat nicely. Once cast iron has warmed up, it retains heat, which aids in keeping meals hot. However, you should be aware that cast iron takes a long time to properly heat up and cool down.
It works well with a variety of heat sources. Cast iron is suitable for use on any sort of stovetop (gas, electric, or induction). It can also be used over an open flame, like a campfire, or straight in the oven, like a baking dish.
Simple to clean.
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| Cast Iron Skillet, seasoned, cleaned, and ready to cook with |
Affordable. Cast iron cookware is sometimes marketed at low costs, and because it lasts practically forever, you can consider it a one-time purchase. Cast iron is commonly available in thrift stores and secondhand shops.
It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Cast iron skillets are the most common type of this cookware, although it is also used to manufacture pots, griddles, cake pans, pizza sheets, and other items.
Is there any health benefit to cooking with cast iron?
You may have heard that cooking with cast iron is a natural way to increase your iron intake.
Cooking with cast iron does add iron to your meals, but how much depends on a variety of things such as what you're cooking, how long it's in the pan, and how well your cast iron is seasoned.
If you want to cook with cast iron to treat a condition like iron deficiency anemia, you should realize that research on this topic is still very limited, and the quantity of iron added to your diet by cooking with cast iron is likely insignificant.
Cast iron may be most effective when used in conjunction with other therapies such as supplements and dietary changes.
Cast iron cookware lasts a long time and retains its natural nonstick coating with proper care. It's also adaptable, inexpensive, and widely available in a variety of forms and sizes.
Yes, you can prepare your grandmother's delicious cornbread in our cast iron skillets.
Alternatively, you may use them to sear luscious steaks, roast poultry, and vegetables, bake decadent blueberry and apple pies, or cook eggs and bacon.
Seasoned cast iron cookware made in the United States is ideal for novices, chefs, and home cooks of all skill levels. It can withstand any kitchen stove, barbeque, or open campfire. So go ahead and incorporate cast iron into your cooking routine because your food deserves it.
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| Cast Iron Seasoning may appear to have cracks. |
Why should you use cast iron?
- Cast iron cookware is versatile.
- Cast iron cookware can be used on any kitchen stove, outdoor barbecue, or open campfire. Then bring it directly to the table to serve.
- Almost anything may be made with cast iron cookware. Most of the meals you are already used to preparing can be made in cast iron cookware, and oftentimes, it may prove easier to do.
- Cast iron may be used to sear pork chops, grill steaks, sauté vegetables, fry eggs, and bacon, bake a gooey skillet cookie, and so much more.
- Cast iron cookware is extremely durable.
- Cast iron is constructed to last a lifetime. Although cast iron is not indestructible, it can withstand high temperatures and be utilized for most of your culinary endeavors.
- Cast iron cookware is naturally nonstick.
- To help prevent sticking the first time you cook, we start the seasoning process for you in-house. With each use, you'll notice that the performance improves.
- Cast iron cookware is simple to operate.
- Using cast iron is basic, straightforward, and uncomplicated from start to finish.
- Cast iron cookware enhances the flavor of meals.
There's no better way to get crispy fried chicken, fragrant roasted vegetables, or a beautiful loaf of bread than with cast iron.
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| Cast Iron Skillet |
Cast Iron Cookware's Benefits and Drawbacks
Cooking with well-seasoned cast iron cookware is a rewarding experience for both novice and experienced chefs. Cast iron cookware is dependable, long-lasting, nonstick, and full of personality. You may sear a delicious filet mignon for dinner and then bake gooey chocolate chip cookies for dessert in your cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets might be daunting to people who have heard the numerous cast iron warnings and stories - "don't wash with soap, don't get your skillet wet, don't do this, don't do that!" The truth is that as long as your cast iron is properly seasoned and rust-free, you'll be able to cook a wide variety of flavorful, delectable items for many years to come.
Considerations for Cast Iron
Many individuals find seasoning cast iron cookware to be frightening. In actuality, seasoning is a simple process that takes very little time. Keeping your cast iron well-seasoned will assure its durability for many years to come, making the time and work well worth it.
A well-seasoned cast iron skillet
Cooking very acidic foods, such as tomatoes or citrus juices, in cast iron can be challenging. Because the acid draws iron from the skillet or saucepan, your meal will turn a deeper color. Some individuals appreciate this because it supplements their diet with iron and fortifies their food.
When using soap on your cast iron skillet, use caution. It's fine to use a small quantity of mild dish soap, but it's best to merely use hot water to avoid breaking down the seasoning.
Iron, by definition, is prone to rust. When a cast iron skillet is properly seasoned, the oil absorbs into the surface and renders it impermeable to water. This means the iron will not rust, and your food will not stick to it.
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| Several Cast Iron Pans |
Skillet Made of Rusted Cast Iron
So the lesson of the tale is that if you properly care for your cast iron skillet, it can last a lifetime. Don't be afraid of cast iron - experiment in the kitchen, cook delicious meals for loved ones, and, most importantly, maintain that thing well-seasoned!
It can be used for cooking as well as serving. Many people believe cast iron cookware to be aesthetically beautiful, and it may complement any table setting. Many restaurants, in fact, utilize tiny cast-iron skillets as serving dishes.
Cast iron cookware is flexible, durable, easy to use, and will save you money over time. Most of the problems you find in ordinary cookware are absent in cast iron. You can use them on the stove or put them in the oven. There are no mechanical or electrical parts to wear out and break. Once seasoned correctly, the skillets and pans are almost non-stick.
A Quick Overview of the Different Types of Cast Iron Cookware
Cast iron cookware comes in various forms, including frying pans, dutch ovens, griddles, waffle irons, flattop grills, panini presses, crepe makers, deep fryers, tetsubin, woks, potjies, and karahi.
There are benefits to using each of the varieties of cast iron cookware listed above. Some of them can do double duty by being used in multiple roles in the kitchen.
- Frying Pans or Skillets
- Dutch Ovens
- Griddles
- Waffle Irons
- Potjiels potjiekos - Potjie pot - "Poi-key" (for pot) and "Poi-key-cos" (pot food). The potjie is the pot, and the latter is the age-old traditional method of cooking.
Frying Pans (Skillets) - Frying pans, frypans, or skillets are ideal for pan frying because they have a large flat heating surface and shallow, sloped sides. Omelet pans are frypans that have shallow, rolling slopes. Grill pans are ribbed frypans that allow fat to drain away from the food being cooked. Frypans and grill pans are typically measured in diameter, between 20 and 30 cm (7.9 Inch - 11.8 Inch).
Dutch Ovens - Dutch ovens are heavy, relatively deep pots with heavy lids, designed to re-create oven conditions on stovetops or campfires. They can be used for stews, braised meats, soups, and a large variety of other dishes that benefit from low-heat, slow cooking. Dutch ovens are typically made from cast iron or natural clay and are sized by volume.
Griddles - Griddles are flat metal plates that are used for frying, grilling, and making pan bread like pancakes, injera, tortillas, chapatis, and crepes. Traditional iron griddles are circular in shape, with a semicircular hoop fixed to opposite edges of the plate and rising above it to form a handle in the center. Rectangular griddles that cover two stove burners, as well as griddles with a ribbed area that can be used as a grill pan, are now popular. Some have multiple square metal grooves, similar to a waffle maker, allowing the contents to have a defined pattern. Round griddles, like frypans, are typically measured by diameter, which ranges from 20 to 30 cm (7.9 - 11.8 inches).
Griddles are known as Girdles in Scotland. A similar pan is known as a comal in some Spanish-speaking countries. Griddles are similar to crepe pans, but they are usually smaller and made of a thinner metal.
Waffle Irons - The main use of a waffle maker or iron in the kitchen is to make waffles. Although any material can be used to make cooking pans, cast iron is the most popular choice. The waffle iron is heated, the batter is added, and the cooker is then covered until the waffles are done or the timer is up.
You need a waffle maker to make the traditional waffle, regardless of whether you prefer your waffles cooked with a store-bought mix or homemade batter. You should think about your preferred waffle style before purchasing one. Belgian-style waffle makers have deeper cooking wells and bake thicker, crunchier waffles than standard waffle makers, which produce thin, crisp waffles, with soft insides.
The Potjie Pot, on the other hand, dates back to the Iron Age, when man first discovered how to cast iron into a variety of shapes for a range of uses. Due to their popularity with the witches and druids of the time, who used the pots for their rituals and rites, the pots during this time also developed a lot of mystique.
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| The bottom of several cast iron skillets on the counter |
The term "potjies," which is another name for them, also conjures images of cannibals. The round-bellied, three-legged cooking pot evolved during this time period and, for all intents and purposes, became the perfect cooking pot created to be used over an open fire.
The traditional cooking method and the potjie came to Africa around 1600, along with the first explorers who only carried these cooking utensils on their journeys deep into the continent. The Tribal Africans traded these pots for animal hides and other goods at this time, replacing the clay cooking pots with these ones after realizing their usefulness.
These pots acquired the name "Putu" pots among the indigenous African tribes (corn meal pots). As a result, practically all African civilizations still make substantial use of the potjie today and it has stood the test of time.
Because of its timeless functional properties, the potjie has mostly maintained its original shape and traditional form over the years. Today's high-quality cast iron cookware, which is still as popular as it was back then and is a necessary cooking tool, can be produced thanks to current technology.
The types of cast iron cookware listed above are some of the most common, depending on your location in the world. Listed below are some of the other types, which I will go into greater detail about in another post.
Other Types of Cast Iron Cookware used around the world
- Karachi
- Flattop Grills
- Panini Presses
- Crepe Makers
- Deep Fryers
- Tetsubin
Seasoning and Other Considerations
Cast iron cookware does require maintaining a good seasoning layer to prevent rust from developing on the base cast iron casting. Seasoning is not scary, although it is different from what most people are used to. Once you have successfully navigated seasoning cast iron for the first time, you will find it easy and effortless.
I will go into detail about how to season and maintain your cast iron cookware through cleaning and seasoning in another article. I have a YouTube video that goes through the steps to season cast iron cookware. It might help you to decide if cast iron cookware is right for you, and I hope the video shows how easy it is to maintain your cast iron. If you like the video, please consider subscribing to the channel for more content.
Since cast iron cookware is made from metal, it can handle high temperatures without damage. The material retains heat and can be used to cook at high or low temperatures. You can even serve food with them, as they will keep the food warm.
Yes, you can use our cast iron skillets to make your grandma's tasty cornbread, and she would be so very proud of you.
You can also use them to get the perfect sear on delicious steaks, roast chicken, and side dishes, bake a tasty apple pie, fry eggs, scramble eggs, or bake eggs and bacon.
Below is an example of cooking a meal using cast iron skillets.
IN SUMMARY
Seasoned cast iron cookware is perfect for beginners, chefs, and home cooks of any skill level. It can handle any kitchen cooktop, grill, or open campfire. So go ahead and make cast iron part of your tradition, your food deserves it.
Some of the benefits of cooking with cast iron cookware are that it is long-lasting (often being handed down over and over again through the years), non-stick, easy to clean and maintain, and affordable.
Since cast iron cookware can be used for a lifetime, and then passed on to others, family wealth can be maintained from generation to generation. Using cast iron cookware means you are no longer buying and replacing your ordinary cookware over and over again, which will save you money.
Cast iron is excellent for cooking because it’s versatile enough to be used on wood stoves, campfires, any range or oven, and on a grill.
In short, one of the greatest benefits of cooking with cast iron cookware is the flexibility and variety of cooking you can do, even with a single skillet or pan. If you ever had to bug out and could only take one piece of cookware, grab a cast iron pan or skillet.
Cheers!
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