Caring for and Cooking with Cast Iron!

I love my Cast Iron cookware. It is easy to use, to care for and doesn’t infuse all my home cookin’ with toxins and chemicals that modern day Teflon pans do; so what’s not to love?!

I use cast iron for everyday cooking; I find it superior in every way. I often hear the moans about how “stuff sticks,” but cast iron, when taken care of, is a breeze to use. Cast iron simply needs to be “seasoned.” When you buy a new piece, or finally break out Grandma’s cast iron she gave you years ago… season it a few times before preparing any food in it. Seasoning a pan is easy: coat the pan in Crisco (or lard or olive oil) and bake it in at a low temperature for a few hours. We tend to season ours with Olive Oil (my husband likes to use Crisco) at 250 degrees for about 4 hours, and even today, some of the pieces that I use daily are over 50 years old—we season them every few months. It keeps them in pristine shape!

I use olive oil whenever I cook in my cast iron. Never use an alcohol-based cooking type spray, because it will dry out your pan and you’ll have stuck-on food that is tough to remove! (Ask me how I know this.) Cast iron doesn’t need much cleaning beyond being wiped out with a dry rag or paper towel, depending on what you’ve cooked. I try to avoid using any soap on them and when needed, I’ll use hot water and a sponge or dishcloth for cleaning. On occasion if I have something stuck–say, like crispy fried chicken pieces–I just put some water in the pan, heat it back up slow and low, and that will usually warm it enough for me to gently scrape off the residue with a wooden spoon.

Cast Iron is wonderful for cooking (and baking!) in. It maintains even temperatures, holds heat really well…not to mention you can cook  on just about any surface; from electric range top, to propane, to woodstove, to open fire!

Cast iron is simply the best for our health, but is also simple to use, simple to care for and the results are simply delicious!

~Lisa