Ten Reasons For Cast Iron
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 recommend the 15 inch cast iron skillet available on amazon for just $35.
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!
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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.
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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!
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Nick replied: — July 6th, 2010 @ 7:40 am
True! I didn't consider the defensive uses!
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Maggie Flinn replied: — March 21st, 2011 @ 5:31 pm
I'm teaching English and while trying to explain a pan a student made the gesture of using a pan as a weapon. Too Funny!!
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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.
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Nick replied: — July 6th, 2010 @ 7:41 am
Ha! Two votes for weapon!
And yes… cast iron fried chicken is some of the best that you can get.
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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!
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Angela replied: — July 6th, 2010 @ 10:46 am
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.
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Nick replied: — July 7th, 2010 @ 4:14 am
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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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Jen replied: — September 15th, 2012 @ 11:54 am
I just purchased my very first cast iron piece from a Goodwill for $3. It was in rough shape, but after scrubbing it out really good and reading your blog on how to season it, I think I’m ready to go!
How do you cook your cornbread? Silly question, but do you just mix it up, pour it in the pan and then put it in the oven to bake??? Keep in mind I feel like an infant here with this new-found love. I just need to hear how/what they are used for! :)
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Nick replied: — September 16th, 2012 @ 9:47 am
Hey Jen, here’s how I make my cast iron cornbread:
http://www.macheesmo.com/2012/06/granny-leonas-cornbread/
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Tonya replied: — March 9th, 2013 @ 8:58 am
You can use your cast iron for anything you cook. It will fry, saute, bake, griddle… The uses are innumerable. I grew up with cast iron and cook with nothing else today. Food not cooked in cast iron just doesn’t taste the same. Cast iron must haves–13-15 inch skillet, 9 inch skillet, dutch oven. Nothing more is needed in your kitchen. :)
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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…
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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.
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Nick replied: — July 7th, 2010 @ 4:05 am
Wow! That is quite the collection. I'm a bit jealous!
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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!
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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.
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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…
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Nick replied: — July 7th, 2010 @ 4:10 am
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.h…
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I LOVE my cast iron cookware!! And, yes, you totally forgot the usefullness of it being a weapon.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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/…
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I'm so glad I read this because I just bought one and wasn't quite sure why…
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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.
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I love my cast iron skillet too – I never make steak in anything else!
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You left out, they are handy for self defense! http://www.nibblemethis.com/2010/01/cast-iron-che…
Great post!
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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.
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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.
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Nick replied: — July 9th, 2010 @ 2:57 pm
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!
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Tonya replied: — March 9th, 2013 @ 9:04 am
Cleaning your cast iron when it is still hot is the easiest way to clean it. I use a paper towel or a clean damp dish rag. If your pan has sat overnight, my teens are famous for this, heat it on a medium heat. Let it get hot, not scorching, and then wipe it clean. Follow up with the oil wipe down and it’ll be good to go.
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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!
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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!
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CORNBREAD!!!!!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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.
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This vegetable dish was done in a cast iron skillet with ridges.
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I pick up my cast iron skillets at garage sales. Some as low as a quarter! I have all but the little size.
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I actually have a question for a cast iron professional: what is it about seasoning a skillet that makes the eyes burn? I don't know if maybe it's an allergy, or if maybe I'm just whinier than other people, but every time I use my skillet at high temperatures, or even low ones for a long time (like making cornbread, my favorite!) my eyes and nose start to burn! Hand mincing 10 lbs. of onions would feel better. Since I bought my bird over the summer I haven’t used the skillet at all. I was afraid it might hurt him too, since birds are so susceptible to fumes. Since no one else seems to have this problem, I was wondering if maybe the skillets that I have were just too old?
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I have several cast iron pans. Great post for saving them.
Reason #11 – They make a great stove top to oven steak. If for any other reason, I would keep my cast iron pan for this. You sear really hot on top of stove, then put into oven at 375 to finish off. Steak stays tender and you can get a perfect medium rare with a seared outside.
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Your “vitamin rich” reason is not so much of a stretch! I’m borderline anemic, so every time I get my blood tested, they always give me these hand-outs on getting more iron in your diet. Cast iron cookware is always listed as a great way! Up with iron!
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I didn’t read all of the posts, but my favorite thing in a cast skillet is french fries. I know, not heart healthy, but sometimes ya just gotta have! And I know from personal exp that you CAN break one! I knocked my mom’s big one (12-15in) off the counter and it hit the tile floor just right, on the handle, and snapped the handle right off. I think she still has it. You just had to use oven mitts to move it around (which you did anyways) I guess you could say it became a cast casserole dish. One other thing…I was told you couldn’t use cast on a smooth top stove. My Kitchen Aid stove has good/better/best in the manual and says cast iron is THE BEST to cook with! So I use cast once in a while and have never had a problem with it. Should be great on an Induction stove!!
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Cornbread, of course
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I love cooking Chicken Etouffee in my skillet. Also, good for gumbo. Because of the even heat distribution it is excellent for making the roux for those dishes. I also enjoy cooking breakfast in my skillet. I start cooking the sausage, then I push them aside and crack in my eggs. Yum!
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Has no one mentioned that cooking in “non-stick” teflon-coated cookware is just not good for you? At high temps, bad stuff is released. Cast iron doesn’t have that problem. And it’s awesome.
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#11 you can also defend your dog from rabid mountain lions.
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Fav thing to cook with my Iron skillet Is steak… Its just so darn unexpected. No one ever believes my steak will be any good.
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I never grew up on a cast iron skillet and I’m a Texas gal, but my mother always used glass Pyrex or Corning ware for everything. I had a cast iron skillet about 12 years ago, but the first night food stuck to it so I left it soaking over night. Needless to say, it rusted and I threw it out. I have learned since then that cast iron is a great cooking tool, so I decided to give it another try. I found one at The Christmas Tree Shops just the other day and since then I have cooked everything in it. I am wanting to try to bake some brownies or a cake in it. Things are still sticking, but each time I cook with it, it gets less and less sticky.
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My earliest recollection of iron skillets was when my mother took hers (3) out of the cupboard and proceeded to heat them on our gas stove to almost white hot, adding salt and then pacing the t-bones (very rare occasions) in searing them and having the smoke fill the kitchen. When the steaks were served the flavor, tenderness and juicy perfection made for a most delectable meal!
Of course she cleaned them with paper towels before placing them back in the cupboards.
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I’m new to CI cooking, having recalled how my Dad would fry eggs on a skillet when we were camping, making a mess, I’d never learned how to cook in it. Then I saw a ‘pin’ on pinterest about how to clean them. I had one of my husband’s grandmother’s old skillets (BS&R #8) that she fried Shoe Leather bread in it (that’s what they called it, as they were Germans from North Dakota). So, I cleaned it up and started cooking in it. Tho’ I love the idea that three generations have cooked in that skillet, I also love my Wagner #6 that i got at a flea market. I like the size and weight of it (its thin walled). I make a Dutch Baby in it at least once a week!
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I just got one for $4 at the local fleamarket! Am baking the gunk off right now, look forward to seasoning and using it!
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I grew up with one in our house and I finally bought one today! It’s the best. I have fond memories of my dad making cornbread every week in our skillet. I cannot wait to put this bad boy to use! Love point #10 . . . it’s totally sexy!
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I want one of these so badly *¬*
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I use a cast iron frying pan as a guide to what to look for in a man. Tough, durable, versatile, rugged, good in the kitchen as well as in the woods, elegant but unpretentious, timeless, can defend me in a pinch, good for everyday use, and the only pan I need :)
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Nick replied: — March 29th, 2013 @ 8:31 am
Nicely done Sarah. :)
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Hello, I have really enjoyed reading the comments here. I grew up in the south and I love my cast iron. Fried chicken and fish are one of my favorite foods to cook in them. Pineapple upside cake is soooo delicious in my skillet. I bought my first set of cast iron from Sears in the 70′s for $12.99. Whenever I find one at a yard sale or flea market, I scoop it up. recently found a large cast iron roaster for $5.00, griddle skillet for $4 and a 8 qt 12 inch dutch oven with the lid for 15.
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