How to Cook With Cast Iron Pans
Cast iron makes a great vessel for cooking a variety of foods. They are sturdy, durable and easy to clean. Because of its density, it makes a great conductor of heat and retains heat well during cooking. When properly seasoned, sticking isn't usually a problem. It easily goes back and forth from stove top to oven, and eating foods cooked in it can actually help supplement your diet with iron. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prepare your cast iron cookware properly by seasoning it before you begin cooking in it. Wash it with a mild dish detergent, rinse and dry it thoroughly with paper towels.
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Heat your oven to 300 degrees. Place your cast iron on the stove top and add two or three tablespoons of lard. As the lard melts, rub it into the pan with a paper towel or clean rag. Rub it around the outside and the bottom of the pan as well as the handle if it is all cast iron. Wipe away any excess lard.
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Place your pan in the oven for approximately one hour. Remove it from the oven and set it on the stove, allowing it to cool down to near room temperature. For a while you can continue to do this after each use, but soon your pot will become so well seasoned you won't have to do this again -- just cooking in it will be seasoning enough.
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Cook in cast iron anything you cook in most other pans. Because the seasoning develops such a great non-stick surface, cast iron is great for eggs, vegetable sautes and stir-frying.
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Use your cast iron for meals that go from the stove top to the oven. Sear meats and roasts on your cast iron by setting the pan on the stove on high heat for a couple of minutes. Add a light coating of vegetable oil, then place your seasoned or marinated meat flat on the pan for two minutes. Flip the meat over and place the pan directly into a pre-heated oven to finish cooking. Take it out and set it back on the stove top, remove the meat and proceed to make your sauce or gravy right in the pan.
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Cook your pancakes on your cast iron pan on medium to medium high heat. Because cast iron maintains a stable temperature, it makes a great griddle. Cornbread can also be cooked in a cast iron pan in the oven for a nice, crisp crust.
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Make any stews and soups in your cast iron kettle or pots. Their ability to heat evenly and retain heat make them perfect for slow-cooking chili or hearty, rib-sticking meat dishes.
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Keep your cast iron out of water as much as possible. After cooking, do not wet it until you are ready to clean it. Scrub it with a firm wire brush or scour with coarse salt on a paper towel. You can wash your cast iron with some mild dish detergent as long as you re-season it. When you finish washing cast iron, dry it quickly and thoroughly.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't put cast iron with wooden handles in the oven. Try to find pieces made of solid cast iron, including the handle. Never clean cast iron in a dishwasher.
