Cast Iron: A Tribute

I recently cooked with some wonderfully maintained cast iron skillets that were over 80 years old and decided that anything that good, at that age, merits applause. I rarely used cast iron before I started seriously cooking; largely because of the warnings that cast iron cookware had to be seasoned and required special care. But the advantages to cast iron are well worth any extra effort.

What's so great about cast iron? Cast iron is a wonderful heat conductor, so pots do not get hot spots and they retain heat superbly. With proper care, cast iron skillets become non-stick, but, unlike Teflon and other non-stick pans, meats and other things will sear beautifully on a cast iron surface. Cast iron lasts forever and will not warp or dent. Cast iron pots can go from burner to stove. Cooking with cast iron is also healthy, not only due to the lower fat required for cooking, but also because dietary iron is transferred to food.

Cast iron is also inexpensive, as is illustrated by comparing prices with Le Creuset cookware, which is made from cast iron, but is then porcelain covered. Kitchen, Etc. sells a 12 round cast iron skillet for $10.00. The cheapest Le Creuset 12 skillet I could find on the web was for $89.00, (at http://www.cookswares.com/). Le Creuset justifies the price as their cookware does not require seasoning and can be made in many colors; however, it does require some care in cleaning. To me, however, the work involved in seasoning cast iron is not so onerous to merit the price difference.

Below are listed the basic approaches to both seasoning and maintaining cast iron, as well as some tips on cooking in it. Seasoning is necessary as a virgin cast iron surface is both porous and has microscopically jagged peaks. Seasoning rounds these peaks off, leaving a smooth, non-stick surface. Further, the oil involved in seasoning fills in the pores, eliminating the danger of rusting. With careful maintenance, the surface will actually increase its nonstick quality as you cook with it, unlike other nonstick pans.

How to initially season a new pot:

1)       Wash with a mild dishwashing liquid. Rinse and dry with a paper towel.

2)       Oil the cookware with a light coating of melted vegetable shortening. Do not use liquid oil, which leaves a sticky surface.

3)       Bake in a 300-degree oven, removing after 10 minutes to drain off the excess oil. Return to the oven and bake for 1 hour. Cool naturally in the oven.

How to season an old cast iron skillet that has not been maintained or is rusty:

1)       Wash with hot soapy water and brush off any residue. Rinse and dry completely. If the residue is caked on, and the pan is really dirty, you can run the pan through a cycle in a self-cleaning oven. Cool the pan, brush off the residue and continue.

2)       Oil the pan inside and out with melted solid vegetable shortening.

3)       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and put a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack.

4)       Put the pan, upside down, on the top rack.

5)       Bake at 350 degrees for 30-60 minutes, and cool in the oven.

How to clean cast iron:

1)       Remove the food from the pot as soon as possible, (cast iron should not be used for food storage).

2)       Clean with hot water and a brush, (salt is also a good abrasive if you need one). Do not put it in the dishwasher.

3)       Rinse and dry thoroughly; do not drain dry.

4)       Before storing in a dry storage area, oil very lightly with melted vegetable shortening, or spray with Pam. Wipe the oil out with a paper towel.

Some tips on cooking with cast iron:

Because cast iron retains heat so well, it is usually not necessary to use higher than medium heat on the stove. To test the pan's temperature, splash some water droplets in the pan. If the water immediately evaporates, the pan is too hot and could burn food. If the water droplets sizzle and jump around, the pan is the right heat.

Cast iron sears like nothing else. Prepare salmon by putting on a dry rub of lemon pepper, cayenne, and salt on both sides of the salmon steak, and throw it on the hot, non-oiled pan. Once the crust has formed (you will be able to move the steak easily), flip it over, and youll only need a minute or two on the other side. The fish stays very moist.

Using cast iron for braising, stewing, etc. has equally strong advantages, specifically the ability to hold a low stable temperature. A good site for further information on cast iron is http://www.Lodgemfg.com/; the instructions above primarily came from this site. Lodge is the largest U.S. manufacturer of cast iron kitchenware.

Postscript: Since this article was written, Lodge has come out with preseasoned cast iron cookware. I haven't tested it, but for the cost, it certainly is worth a try.