I may have a tendency to become slightly dramatic about the things I love.
Example: My family. Words cannot even tell you the throbbing my soul endures for them. This Brown Butter Fudge: it’s sexy and I wanna marry it. You see? It just comes naturally, what can I say?
So, here’s the thing: I feel the same way about cast-iron cookware. It’s just… so beautifully moving and inspiring. It has a rich history and a solid reputation, and I utterly adore it. Cast-iron is my absolute favourite way to cook. I big-puffy-heart-love it. Cast-iron rules and teflon drools… and here’s why:
Why Choose Cast-Iron? Here are 3 good reasons:
1. Non-Toxic
I recently wrote about teflon over at Keeper of the Home, and after discussing some of the studies that have pointed to serious health risks associated with the ubiquitous non-stick coating, this was my conclusion:
“Do you know how many health risks and scary-sounding studies and crazy potential health risks are associated with glass cookware? Cast iron? Stainless steel? Zero.
I can’t tell you with upmost certainty that Teflon absolutely causes xyz disease. I can tell you, however, that the choice is pretty well a no-brainer for me. Materials used for centuries–natural materials created by God vs. chemicals invented in a lab with plenty of shady ties to major health concerns? I’ll take my cast-iron pan any day of the week, thank-you very much.“
It provides a superior non-stick cooking without the toxic chemicals that are associated with teflon. I can make eggs, pancakes, fried veggies, and even desserts (from stove-top to oven!) in it, and nothing ever sticks. It’s amazing!
image via flickr cc
2. Long-lasting & versatile
Cast-iron boasts a far superior quality than any teflon-coated pan on the market today. By a long shot. This is difficult to overstate, really.
Cast-iron pans are passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years, whereas teflon pans start flaking and chipping and degrading right away, and only last a few years. It is far more durable and stronger than any stainless steel or teflon frying pan out there.
A cast-iron pan can go on the stove-top, in the oven, or on a campfire. It could go on a BBQ or even in a fireplace! Its versatility allows for you to own less pieces of cookware. I have 3 cast-iron skillets, and most days all 3 are in constant use.
3. Frugal & sustainable
When you combine the versatility of cast-iron with its longevity, it may actually be considered the more frugal choice. I firmly believe that frugal doesn’t always mean needing to spend less money upfront, and this is a perfect example.
Have you ever heard of planned obsolescence? I first heard about it in Annie Leonard’s influential and eye-opening documentary The Story of Stuff while in university. (A must-watch!) She explains:
“Planned obsolescence is another word for “designed for the dump.” It means they actually make stuff that is designed to be useless as quickly as possible so we will chuck it and go buy a new one. It’s obvious with stuff like plastic bags and coffee cups, but now it’s even big stuff: mops, DVDs, cameras, barbeques even, everything!”
Of course cheaply made housewares with toxic chemicals and flimsy materials are part and parcel of this whole scenario. I do not want to contribute to this consumerist culture by buying things which are poorly made, requiring me to discard them and buy another sooner than I would have if had just bought better quality in the first place.
image via flickr cc
Best Place to Find Cast-Iron Cookware?
If you are looking for a source you can completely trust with no hesitation then you absolutely have to check out MightyNest. Their selection of cast-iron cookware is suberb. In fact, I’ve been drooling over the cast-iron muffin pans for a while now, and I am putting them at the top of my birthday list this year.
I also have a couple of pans that I sourced second-hand. If you are very patient and persistent, you can often find one at a yard sale or a thrift shop. I looked at the thrift shop in Tiny Town every time I went for the 2.5 years we lived there. It “only” took me a year to find one.
If money is tight and you have the patience to keep looking, you may just be in luck. I *may* have done a literal happy victory dance when I found mine for $2. Oh yes, I did, friends.
If you’re not into the thrifting route, then I’d advise finding a store that shares your values for sustainable, non-toxic, and green products for your home, like Mighty Nest. They care about their customers and their needs, and that’s why I love them so much. They also make my philanthropic heart go pitter-patter with their school donations program.
Like I was saying at the beginning – when I fall in love with something, I fall hard. MightyNest is a store I can get behind – they’ve stolen my heart.
How to Properly Season & Maintain Cast-Iron
When you buy a new cast-iron pan, it will require seasoning before use. This basically involves coating it with oil, placing it upside-down in the oven at a high temperature, and baking it. Many pans come with specific instructions for this.
I recommend using saturated fat. It’s the most heat-stable – and it’s good for you, too. So of course, that’s what you already have in the house, right??
Coconut oil, bacon grease, tallow, lard, or organic palm oil would all be good choices. Check out this link for some more details (but ignore the recommendation for vegetable oil. Yuck.)
image via flickr cc
Water-Only (mostly)
When you need to clean it, use a stiff brush or scrubbie pad of some sort, and only use water. Don’t use soap to clean it regularly. Now, most sources will tell you to never ever use soap on a cast-iron pan, but I do occasionally, and it works fine for me. But only in certain situations…
When there’s a ton of grease, like after cooking up a package of bacon, I typically use a tiny drop of soap to help cut down on the grease layer while washing. It’s not enough to clear the grease away altogether – just enough to make it not so thick of a coating.
Dry Immediately
After washing, you can air-dry if necessary, but personally, I like to place my clean and wet pan on a hot burner for a minute or two to dry it out completely and prevent it from rusting.
So that’s it – how to care for cast-iron cookware… but even more awesomely: how to fall in love with it. And just like that, you find yourself falling in love with cast-iron and all it stands for.
Jenny Holton
I have used cast iron cookware my entire cooking life. My mother taught me to make my cornbread and biscuits in the large cast iron skillet. We also have a dutch oven we use for fresh green beans and potatoes or blackeyed peas. Have just too many pieces to choose my favorite. I do like to make the cornbread sticks though. I always thought that was such fun when we were to have company and mother would let me help make them cause they looked so nice on the table. Have always loved fried catfish in the big skillet too!
Barb
I have a large pan. I use for everything, sweet and savory. I covet a “combi” cooker, where I can use the lid as a skillet, too. I will bake bread in it. Can’t wait to find more at local thrift stores.
Joan
I’ve been cooking in cast iron since I started cooking just like my Mom and Dad before me and theirs before them. I have too many pieces to name them all but I have fry pans in all sizes including a chicken fryer and dutch oven as well as corn bread stick pan and some pots.
Dawn
Or son is getting married in a couple months and I’d love to give them this prize! Cast iron is the best!
Jane G
I have a cast iron skillet that I rarely use. I keep telling myself to get it out and start using it, but tonight I’m going to.
Ginger Gaubert
I only have a small cast iron skillet that was my grandmother’s, and I use it to fry or scramble eggs for me or grill a sandwich. I would love to win this giveaway and start using more cast iron skillet ware. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Paul @ Far Infrared Heaters
I love my cast-iron cookware, for some reason I’m much better at timing my meals when using them.
Jyothi
I am a cast iron junkie. I absolutely love cooking and baking in it. I own several saute pans, deep dishes, cast iron with enamel soup pots and the list goes on :). Cast iron or iron is a revered metal that was and is still used in Kerala though it has been replaced by cheaper ( not better) alternatives. The old vessels are worth a lot of money now since they are no longer even made.
Debbie
I have a large cast-iron skillet,but I use it in the oven as a cooking vessel. Seems like I read it somewhere you can’t use cast-iron skillets on glass cooktops,but I’ve never tried it.
Beverly
Yet another bonus to using cast iron cookware: MUSCLES! My kids used to say that they wanted teflon pans because our cast iron ones were TOO HEAVY…but I think they might have changed their minds when they discovered that they couldn’t beat me at arm wrestling! No gym fees, either!
E.W. Modemac
You may want to take a glance at our Cast Iron Cooking group on Facebook – we have over 34,000 members, and this group is one of the busiest *and* friendliest groups on Facebook. Someone posted the link to this page over there, and you can be sure folks will be reading it. http://www.facebook.com/groups/castironskillet/
Nicole
I absolutely love mine. I have 3 skillets of various sizes and all 3 are perfectly seasoned. Another tip for cleaning: after I wash and dry mine on the stove, I’ll drop about 1/2 teaspoonful (the spoon you eat with not, not an actual measuring spoon) of bacon grease in the hot skillet and wipe it all around with a paper towel. That helps maintain the nonstick surface.
Kelly O'Shaughnessy
I use cast iron, i have my great grandmothers collection and a few pieces from my great aunt. still going strong. love the heavy duty lids , i have one that is stamped 1929
Carol
I have my Grandfather’s coal stove – set up and still working! I would love to have my own set of cookware for it.
Merryn
I have a cast iron dutch oven and a medium sized cast iron skillet – the oven bakes amazing sourdough bread with a perfect crust every time, as well as soups, stews, and roasts. I grew up with cast iron, and can’t say enough good things about it!
mik ferguson
Grew up in an irish household, used cast for everything. ?.period best for flavor and texture. Now am a trained chef of 30 yrs teach my students same.
shelly M
I use cast iron exclusively in my kitchen, except for a couple of pieces of fantastic stainless steel that I got for a wedding present 25 years ago. I love my stuff SO much~
leemurr
I own several pieces that were my grandmothers – so glad to be able to learn how to use them properly! My favorite is the corn shaped cornbread mold! They make them still but these are easily over 70 years old or older.
Kelly E.
Wow! What a thorough post. It’s really informative, and I’m bookmarking for future reference. Thank you for the chance to win!
Dawne
I do almost all of my cooking in a cast iron frying pan and an enameled cast iron dutch oven. They are just my favorite pans. I have been phasing out all other pans for a few years, simply because they don’t work as well (and because bits of non-stick coating in my food is just ewwww)