Cast iron is my favorite type of cooking vessel. I think it can be intimidating if you are not familiar with it so let me give you some easy steps so you can be comfortable with it too:
It comes in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, suitable for all types of cooking.
You can wash it. ‘Old school’ would tell you to never use soap and water but I’ve always used soap and water on mine and there’s never been a problem. I also put it in the dishwasher.
After each use, no matter how you’ve washed it, you simply smear a light coating of oil all over it and store it in a cabinet. I use mine so much they all just stay on the stovetop ready for business!
Food doesn’t stick to it and clean-up is a breeze.
It can be used on the stovetop and in the oven. (NOT microwave safe because it is metal.)
It’s very heavy and lasts forever. My smallest cast iron skillet belonged to my grandmother who passed away in 1958. It’s at least 100 years old and still going strong!
Here are the pieces that work for me:
Three skillets: a gigantic one for deep frying, a medium and a small one for everyday use.
A covered Dutch oven made by Lodge and available everywhere. Target has a nice selection.
An enamel covered shallow “cocottes” made by Staub. (Basically, a shallow Dutch oven.)
A built in griddle on my gas range.
Several mini-pans that are great for individual desserts or egg casseroles.
And my newest addition: a Lodge cast iron sandwich or meat press.
Nothing, and I really mean that, cooks a steak as beautifully as a cast iron skillet. Cast iron gets hotter than any other type of cooking vessel. The second you drop a piece of meat into the preheated skillet and you hear that sizzle you know it is going to be delicious. The heat creates a beautiful crust on the outside of any kind of meat and seals in all the luscious juices. There’s nothing like it!
Cast iron also works well for stews and casseroles that you start on top of the stove then finish in the oven. The only thing I don’t cook in one of my cast iron vessels is popcorn but only because I haven’t tried. I’ll report back here if I do!
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