While it might not be as sleek, svelte, or even sexy as my trusty stainless steel skillet, lately I’ve been finding myself reaching for my 12″ cast iron skillet more than ever. Cast iron offers many advantages over stainless steel; it’s inexpensive (I could buy four of these for the price of one similarly sized All-Clad skillet), it heats evenly and retains heat well, and it’s virtually indestructible.
So why doesn’t everyone immediately think of cast iron when shopping for new cookware? I like to think of stainless steel as a car equipped with an automatic transmission and cast iron as one equipped with a manual transmission; both will get you to your destination but the 5-speed will require some additional know-how and expertise. All cast iron must be specially treated before it can be used for cooking. In this ‘seasoning’ process, oil (or shortening) is baked into the cast iron skillet as a way to produce a non-stick cooking surface and protect the metal from rusting. In the event the factory doesn’t season their cast iron ware prior to packaging, the home chef must go through this process prior to using the pan. Additionally, cast iron pans require a longer time to heat up and are much heavier than pans made from stainless steel. Cast iron also requires special care during cleaning and may need to be reseasoned periodically to maintain the integrity of its non-stick surface.
Being someone that refuses to give up his manual transmission equipped car, I think the extra effort involved with cast iron almost makes cooking with it more fun and rewarding, plus I like embracing old-school technology. If you’re still not ready to jump on the cast iron bandwagon, have a look at some of the great things one can do with cast iron, starting off with homemade, stovetop-baked English Muffins:
When I need to make a dark roux for anything Cajun related, cast iron has become my go-to pan of choice:
The even-heating properties of cast iron are an asset because flour is prone to burning, especially during the long process required to make a dark roux.
Because it retains and conducts heat so well, cast iron is great for searing things, like this handsome Porterhouse steak:
I cooked the whole steak and made a pan sauce using my cast iron skillet, a perfect example of a one-pot meal.
While cast iron requires special care, once you know what’s involved, the process of caring for one of these pans shouldn’t seem so daunting. If your new cast iron skillet is unseasoned, it may have a thin layer of protective wax applied to the surface of the pan that will need to be removed. Using a brush with nylon bristles (or any non-metallic and slightly abrasive surface) and lots of hot water is the best way to remove this coating. Dry the pan thoroughly, then apply a thin layer of canola oil to both the outside and inside of the pan. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven, then set the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pan upside down in the oven on a middle rack and bake for 1 hour (the foil will catch any oil that may drip from the pan). After an hour, turn off the oven and let the pan cool inside the oven. Remove the newly seasoned pan when it is cool enough to handle and store it upside down in a dry place.
To clean a cast iron skillet after using it, simply wash it in hot water while scrubbing it with a nylon brush. The use of soap is not encouraged as it will degrade the non-stick surface faster than just the hot water. Always towel-dry the pan, as opposed to letting it air dry (this will promote rusting). Once the pan is dry, a thin layer of canola oil should be applied to both the inside and outside of the pan while it is still slightly warm. This will ensure that the non-stick coating remains intact. Eventually you may need to reseason the skillet following the steps detailed above, but as counterintuitive as it sounds, the more you use your cast iron skillet, the better maintained (and longer lasting) its cooking surface will actually be.
