Cast iron cookware is the choice of most professional chefs because of all of its benefits that can’t be found in any other type of cookware. When you put a cast iron skillet on a burner and turn the burner on high, the pan gets very hot and retains the heat. Cast iron heats evenly throughout the entire pot or pan and it can go from stovetop straight into the oven at very high temperatures. This saves you time in using only one piece of cookware instead of one on the stovetop and one that is oven safe. Cast iron can also be used over any type of heat source, it is the preferred cooking method for camping out, and cooking over an open fire as well as using a camp stove to make your meals. All of these benefits add to cast iron being called the workhorse of all cookware in the kitchen.
Preparing Your Cast Iron Cookware
When you purchase cast iron cookware, you can choose pieces that are pre-seasoned and ready to use. However, if you buy pieces that need to be seasoned, you will need to follow specific directions to gain all the qualities that this material has to offer.
To season or re-season your cast iron, first clean it without using dish detergent or soap. These items can actually break down the cast iron. Sprinkle kosher salt into the pan and rub it with a kitchen towel to scour it. Don’t use a metal scouring pad as this will damage and scratch your cookware. Apply a generous layer of flaxseed oil or lard on all surfaces of the cast iron including the inside outside and the handle. Place the pan on a baking sheet in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees for an hour. The excess oil will drip onto the pan. When it has been in the oven for an hour, turn the oven off and allow the pan to cool completely while still in the oven.
After each time you use your cast iron cookware, simply wipe the pan out with paper towels. Rarely does food ever stick to the cookware, but if it does use kosher salt to clean it. Always allow your cast iron pieces to dry completely on a countertop or on top of the stove before you put them away in a cabinet. This prevents the cast iron from rusting.
Cooking Tips for Cast Iron
Always allow your cast iron to heat up on a stove burner before you place food in it. If you add a layer of kosher salt to the exterior of a roast or steak before cooking it, it will brown beautifully in cast iron without over browning or burning. When meats brown, they caramelize and it brings out the best flavor possible. After browning your meat on the stovetop, you simply place the pot into the oven to braise meats to a meal of perfection.
Cast iron takes the place of a wok because it holds the heat so well. Since cast iron doesn’t experience a drop in temperature when foods are added to it, it turns meats and vegetables into the best stir fry’s with meat that is completely cooked while the vegetables retain a slight crunch to them.
Cast iron cookware also replaces a deep fryer in your kitchen. Since cast iron is heavy and holds heat well, it can fry perfectly brown chicken on the outside while remaining juicy on the inside. You may choose a deeper type of cast iron cookware, such as a Dutch oven for frying things that may cause grease spatter.
Do you remember your grandma’s cornbread with the extra crispy exterior and the light and fluffy interior that begs for a pat of butter? Chances are that your grandma used a cast iron skillet to make cornbread heaven for you. You can achieve this perfection too. Put your cast iron skillet in the oven, and then turn it on to preheat the pan to the oven temperature. Make your cornbread batter and remove the pan from the oven to pour it in the pan. You will hear a sizzling sound when the batter makes contact with the pan. Return it to the oven and get the butter ready. If you love the crunchy exterior parts of cornbread cooked in cast iron, you may consider a cornbread wedge pan or an impression cornbread pan that looks like ears of corn to have crunchier exterior for each portion.
If you haven’t used cast iron cookware in the past, you should consider it now. It is durable enough that many families pass cast iron down as an heirloom and it stays in the family for an indefinite amount of years as long as it is cared for correctly.
