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Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about kitchen equipment. This is based on some emails I’ve been getting asking for recommendations on cookware and also on my huge influx of quality kitchen gear I’ve received via wedding presents.
Over the years I’ve amassed a pretty fair collection of pots, pans, gizmos, and gadgets and to be completely honest, I use almost all of them fairly regularly. But there’s one piece of kitchen equipment that I use more than any other.
It’s one of the very first things I recommend people spend their hard earned money on if they’re trying to get a kitchen started.
The piece of equipment, of course, is a cast iron skillet.
10 Reasons to Own a Cast Iron Skillet
1) Made of Iron. This thing is sturdy. You can drop it and it won’t be damaged. You don’t have to worry about scratching it or discoloring it (it’s black already you see). It’s possible that it can rust, but you can easily clean it. Cast iron skillets will take any and all abuse and still last forever. In fact, your skillet will probably outlast even you.
2) It Can Take The Heat. Most cookware comes with heat warnings. Even most stainless steel cookware isn’t supposed to go over 450/500 degrees in an oven. Cast iron? I mean… yea… eventually it’ll melt. But seriously you can cook on an open campfire with this thing. Try that with a nonstick pan. Oh wait. Don’t. I don’t want any lawsuits.
3) It’s Nonstick. Speaking of nonstick, cast iron skillets are nonstick if you season them correctly. Season your skillet by wiping it down with a thin layer of canola oil and then baking it in a 250 degree oven for about 90 minutes. Let it cool and wipe it down and this will be as good as any nonstick pan out there. Go ahead. Try a fried egg on it.
4) It’s a Grill. For us city folk, having a yard is not always an option. But because you can get a cast iron skillet really hot, it can effectively be used as a grill. For example, I cooked this steak in my cast iron and it was just as good as if it’d been cooked on a grill. Perfectly medium rare with a really nice crust.
5) It’s Economical. I think some people are actually turned off by cast iron because they think it’s cheap as in low quality. But the reality is that they just happen to be cheap to make which makes them economical, but not cheap. If you pay more than $40 for one, you are getting super-screwed. Not to mention that a lot of people sell perfectly good cast iron skillets at yard sales just because they don’t know how to season them.
6) It’s Versatile. You can make hundreds of completely delicious things in this one pan. For starters, you can make the best biscuits and gravy. You can make really good french toast. You can brown chicken in it for a salad. You can even fry in it (donuts). I’d guess I’ve easily used it for a few dozen recipes on Macheesmo.
7) Save on Soap. Once your skillet is seasoned, it actually hurts it to wash it with soap. The soap will break up the tiny oil molecules that are embedded on the pan and make it not-so-nonstick. It’s also possible that the next thing you cook it will have a slightly soapy taste to it! So save on the soap. If you need to scrub your cast iron pan, use salt!
8) It’s Vitamin Rich. This is a stretch, but since it’s made out of iron, a little bit of mineral iron does get transferred over during cooking.
9) Heat Distribution. This is maybe one of the most important reasons you should own one of these guys. People spends thousands on pots that evenly distribute heat. A cook’s nightmare is a pan with a really bad hot spot on it so half of your food is burned and the other half raw. Cast iron does such an amazing job of evenly distributing heat that you’ll never have this problem.
10) It’s Sexy. Call me crazy but I find these things kinda hot. There’s something rustic about them. Like a guy with a great beard. When you see someone working with a big heavy pan, it’s a turn on. Or at least… that’s what I tell myself.
Get one today! If you don’t have one of these guys yet, I have a few different sizes available in my OpenSky store. If you want to go big time, there’s a 15 inch cast iron skillet available on amazon for just $30.
If you already have a cast iron skillet, leave a comment! What’s your favorite thing to cook in it? If you have a blog, leave a link to your best cast iron dish!
But if you accidently drop it on your kitchen floor it will cause serious damage. My favorite thing to cook on the stove top is my Italian chicken recipe.
[...] Almost like it as much as my stainless steel – depends on what I’m cooking. Here is why you need cast [...]
I love cast iron! At work we use them to sear our meats, and every day we use coarse salt to clean them. The salt can then be reused until it is as black as the cast iron pan. Dishwashers are afraid of them, because they know the saucier cook will have their heads if they end up in the dish area.
Finally, worse case scenario, it can also double as a great weapon – if needed. Nothing smarts more than a cast iron pan!
True! I didn’t consider the defensive uses!
I think you forgot one of the most significant and historical uses. Growing up I heard more than one story of a wife jerking the slack right out of her wayward husband with one of these things and I don’t mean by cooking him an impressive supper. ;0)
I was raised with cast iron cooking, so I use mine everyday. Other than the things you mentioned: they make THE BEST fried chicken- hands down, pizza, hashbrowns, just about any meat or vegetable that needs roasted in the oven, naan bread, pancakes, and french toast. And Nick is right, they are completely nonstick if they are seasoned correctly.
Ha! Two votes for weapon!
And yes… cast iron fried chicken is some of the best that you can get.
I just made a big ol’ pan of blackberry cobbler in mine over the weekend. I’m also a big fan of cast iron fried chicken. I use mine several times a week. I’m still working on seasoning it properly. Its like half of it is right but the other half refuses to cooperate! I will prevail!
Have you tried heating it first- wiping with oil- then heating again? I’ve found that I like olive oil best for seasoning a skillet because of its heavy viscosity.
Remember that if you’re using olive oil, it can go rancid in the pan… so if you only use your pan occasionally, you’re probably better off with canola or something more neutral.
I grew up in a household ruled by a Texan mom, and I was introduced to cast iron skillets from babyhood. I swear by them-they’re cheap and they last forever. I wipe mine out with a paper towel or rinse it in hot water after each use, then put it on a hot burner and rub a small amount of cooking oil all over it. (Keep rubbing while it’s hot for a smooth finish.)
I have a 12″ one that’s at least 30 years old, a 9″ one, and a cast-iron grill pan. I rarely use any other skillet.
https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1_new.asp?menu=logic&idProduct=3931
Boom
I love me a good cast iron. Perhaps the 2 most compelling reasons to own 1 are; You can go from the stove top to the oven, which is super important for many really important dishes. You can take it camping and throw it in the fire to cook for you
A true Southerner wouldn’t dare cook cornbread in anything else! In addition to a few different sizes of skillets I also have a grill pan and a Dutch oven. The smallest skilllet is perfect for roasting whole garlic. The Dutch oven is just amazing. I cook Jambalaya and cassoulet in it often.
Love, love, love cast iron. Your mac and cheese looks wonderful. If you have more creative uses please keep posting them. I’m always looking for new recipes to try in mine.
Sorry I didn’t get back to you, let me know if you still want the recipe you asked for, I think I have a couple of different versions so let me know if you are doing lamb or chicken…
I have quite a collection of cast iron. My chicken fryer was a wedding gift from my mom. It’s 10 inches across. I fried yeast doughnuts in it today. And my skillets are in various sizes: 17, 12, 10, 8, and 7 inches. Occasionally it’s good to re-season them, but my 10 inch skillet, bought at a country junk store near Dollywood 25 years ago (when it was Silver Dollar City) is as slick as ice and perfectly non-stick. And yes, it will out-live me. They all will.
Wow! That is quite the collection. I’m a bit jealous!
Oh — and they are excellent weapons. My husband’s aunt wacked her husband over the head with one once, and it permanently cured him of his tendency to the bottle. He stumbled to his mama’s house for refuge, and she wouldn’t give him entrance — “You’ve already got a home.” The fryin’ pan worked!
I got a cast iron skillet for a wedding present and didn’t treat it well. I washed it with soap a lot. It started to behave pretty poorly, so I did some research and seasoned it. Now I clean it with salt when I need to and it’s the best cooking equipment I have.
My cast iron skillet is in need of some help…There are a few rust spots on the bottom. What do I need to do? Help me o’ wise ones…
So basically what you need to do to remove the rust is start over from scratch with the pan. This is the great thing about cast iron. Here’s some good instructions on what I’ve done in the past. I’ve never even had to do the steel wool thing. Normally the salt and oil combo does the trick.
Because you’ll be scraping off rust, you probably do want to actually wash it with soap (as the article says). This is the ONLY time that’s okay though. Rinse it realllly well and dry it completely and then re-season it. It’s a good lazy sunday activity and your pan will end up as good as new!
http://www.ehow.com/how_114309_remove-rust-cast.html
I LOVE my cast iron cookware!! And, yes, you totally forgot the usefullness of it being a weapon.
I cook a lot with cast iron. One of the all time favorites is potato encrusted salmon http://bit.ly/byzXQV
Another favorite is whole roasted chicken at a very high heat, turning once. It bubbles up and is amazing, but smoke alarms will go off.
I like reading the comments, learning to use salt to clean. But, one commenter said she uses olive oil to season. Not a good idea. Olive oil goes rancid. Best to stick with a canola oil.
I got my pan (please don’t crucify me for this) at WalMart for like $15! My fave use for it is a ghetto bread stone. I turn it upside down and heat it in the oven til it’s time to slide my loaf of bread onto it. I can’t compare it to a real baking stone b/c I’ve never owned one… but I like the results I do get!
I’m glad to know you can keep re-using the salt used to clean – I think that mine ends up with soap in it (I’m not the household dishwasher! But reading over my should the hubby says “NEVER!”) so it certainly doesn’t fry eggs without some pretty major stickage!
Oops… and I forgot to add another vote for weaponry… legend has it that my mom broke a cast iron on her ex’s head!
Love #10! I knew the rest, but now I have to test this to see if it enhances my sex appeal! :)
Best recipe…hmm, I’ll go with this one:
http://www.castironrecipes.net/cast-iron-skillet/black-magic-voodoo-chocolate-cake
[...] Ten Reasons You Need a Cast Iron Skillet | Macheesmo [...]
I’m so glad I read this because I just bought one and wasn’t quite sure why…
I have 4 cast iron skillets at the moment. It’s hard to say what my favorite thing to cook in them is.. I use them for just about everything. I have 2 regular 10in ones, 1 10in cast iron grill pan skillet, and then a 6in one that I don’t really use so much.
I love my cast iron skillet too – I never make steak in anything else!
You left out, they are handy for self defense! http://www.nibblemethis.com/2010/01/cast-iron-chef-tequila-steaks.html
Great post!
I love my cast iron skillets. I own several…originally owned by my grandmothers. I have two square and two round. One of the rounds was used as a paella pan by a grandmother. I also have a grill cast iron pan (with the ridges on it).
And I also have several Le Cruset pots that I love using.
I use my cast iron pans constantly.
Do you have cleaning tips for when you let remnants of something (say, totally hypothetically, a black bean/spinach/egg scramble from breakfast-tacos-for-dinner) sit in your cast iron pan overnight and then it’s all stuck and crusty but you’re not really supposed to scrub it with soap?
P.S. I made your brickle for a family BBQ and now my mom and her whole book club read your blog.
On the cast iron question, when I need to really scrub my cast iron, I do one of two things:
For 99% of stuck on stuff, I use a small plastic scraper that works great. Just run the pan under hot water and scrape away. I use mine all the time to clean really dirty cast iron and they work like a charm.
If it’s REALLY bad stuck on stuff, you can put a Tablespoon or two of neutral oil in it along with a few tablespoons of Kosher salt. Then scrub like crazy with a clean non-soapy rag or sponge. The salt will scrub off the crud. Then be sure to rinse it out well with hot water a few times and you should be good to go.
I’ve only ever had one or two things that the scraper wasn’t doing the trick on and I had to resort to the salt tactic. :)
And thanks for the shout-out!
I grew up on cast iron skillets. My mom had one in every size and now they are all mine ~ practically antique! From the teeniest 6 to a two-hander 18″, they all had a specific purpose from poaching an egg in the small pan to doing home fries on the outdoor grill — a stone oven (before Weber time). Recently I found a new idea for my 10″ skillet ~ I make fresh fruit cakes in it and bake them ~ so delish!!
You’ll find the recipe on my website ~ here’s the link ~ http://www.tastefulliving.net/tastefulliving/2009/10/fall-fruit-cake-in-a-skillet.html
Bon Appetit!
[...] Cooking like a caveman is a great way to step back and just focus on cooking. Focusing on the heat and the food. It was great. It reaffirms reason #2 of the 10 reasons to have a cast iron skillet. [...]
I grew up with cast iron myself. I had actually forgotten about them once I left for college. After reading this blog, I skipped over to Amazon and bought one! I’m so excited to use it :D They really are wonderful pans!
CORNBREAD!!!!!
I can’t even remember where mine came from.
I like to use mine when I don’t want to turn on the oven. I roast my own raw unsalted nuts on the next to the lowest mark on my electric stove. I leave it until it is done like I like it, usually an hour or two. Taste often.
I am so glad to hear about the kosher salt. It is going on my shopping list. I will season it with canola oil.
I cook my buffalo steaks in it. I cook stewish, chilish things in it.
It lives on top of the stove I can grab it fast. Actually, both of them do and I can’t recall where either of them came from. My maternal grandmother?
My grocery auction place had a big cast iron grill for $20. I use it instead of a baking stone and am very happy with it. It was good exercise to get it up to my second floor apartment. ;-)
Thanks for all the good info. I will use it even more happily now.
Great topic! My dear husband just gave me a 12″ 100+ yr old skillet for my birthday (not an odd gift at all, I had requested it, and he gave it to me a couple of weeks early). I already had a 10″ which was my grandfather’s – it’s about 70 or 80 yrs old. I use them all the time, love to make a dutch baby pancake in the 10″. It is also great to start out chicken on the stove and finish in the oven. We also have a grill pan, with a grill weight, and have been enjoying them for panini and for turkey or salmon patties. Really, I enjoy cooking in my cast iron far more than any “nonstick” skillet I have ever had. The versatility of these pans is so wonderful. I had been feeling sorry for myself because I don’t have Le Creuset, but am now perfectly happy with my cast iron. Look forward to getting a good dutch oven one of these days.
Cast iron rules. Wish I had my grandmother’s but someone got off with it. So I bought a couple so that my kids will not fight over it when I am gone.
Great article.
I just received a 15″ cast iron skillet from my daughter for my birthday. She bought me a cookbook for it also. My question is how to convert some of the coffee cake, bread recipes that call for a 10 or 12 inch pan to my whopping 15″ pan? Would I make a 1.5 recipe? Thanks for any advice!
[...] So the more you use your cast iron skillet, the more scrumptious results you have. You can check this article out at Macheesmo to learn more reasons for using cast iron. Thank you Nick for listing [...]
My niece has her great-grandmother’s iron skillet. The best for southern food; cornbread (preheat oiled skillet in oven before adding batter), vegetables like cabbage, summer squash (cooked down to reduce watery liquid), fried corn and fried green tomatoes (well, maybe not THE healthiest, but oh so delicious), and “fried” chicken (seasoned, but not breaded, chicken.) Every kitchen should have at least one. And if you’re not the best of cooks…..just looking malicious with skillet in hand will turn those frowns to compliments!
I do live in the suburbs, I do have a gas grill, but I almost daily use my cast iron pan with ridges for chops. chicken cutlets, hamburgers, and so on. It’s a must in any kitchen for the person that loves to cook.
This vegetable dish was done in a cast iron skillet with ridges.