Tips For Maintaining Your Cast Iron Cookware

I've read quite a few tips on keeping cast iron cookware in good condition, but here are a few things I've gleaned from my own experiences with it so far:

Image via Wikipedia1. Don't panic if it's not as nonstick as you'd like at first. Lodge makes great pre-seasoned pans, but even so, they'll probably need a little breaking in. Follow the manufacturer's seasoning and care recommendations (coat lightly with oil before storing, don't use soap on it or leave soaking, etc.), and for best results, cook some bacon! It'll come around pretty soon. Also for the first few months, especially if it's a little sticky, avoid making sauces, tomatoes, or anything acidic in the pan, as this will strip the beginnings of the finish off. I still cook bacon or ham in mine from time to time to re-season, especially if I've recently used it for something like tomato sauce.

2. Clean the pan while it's still hot, and DON'T use soap. I let it cool for about 5 minutes after using, then run hot water into it, and scrub with a plastic scrubber. It should usually clean up very easily if you clean it right away after using. Rinse well with hot water, and wipe with a towel or paper towel, until it looks dry. Then set on the stovetop and let dry for 10-15 minutes before storing. Because the pan is still hot, it will evaporate away any remaining moisture. (If the handle is too hot to hold while washing, use an Ove' Glove or similar oven mitt with grip.)

3. Beware of rust! Rust is the enemy of the cast iron pan, and it can be sneaky. This is another reason why it's important to wash the pan while it's still hot. if you forget, or don't get to it 'til it's cold, be sure to wash with hot water, and after wiping with a towel to remove any visible droplets, set on a stove burner on low heat for several minutes to make sure it dries completed. Also store the pan where it won't get wet.

Image via WikipediaWhen I first got mine, since the large one stays on the stovetop, it kept getting drops of water in it from other cooking endeavors, and I was always having to wipe it out or it would sometimes start to develop rust spots. I've since solved this problem by keeping a lid over it (once it's fully dry), but it's something to be aware of.

4. I don't know if this is a hard and fast rule, but based on my knowledge of other non-stick pans, I also try not to use metallic utensils in mine - I try to stick with plastic or wood - although occasionally I've (carefully) used a metal spatula for pancakes.

If you follow these tips, your cast iron cookware will probably become your favorite cookware, as mine has, and it can literally last you an entire lifetime (maybe even more) if properly cared for - all for a ridiculously cheap investment, compared to a lot of other cookware out there.

Try it - start with one skillet if you want to test it out - and see if you love it as much as I do!

For more of my favorite cookware and cooking utensils, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/cookingfromscratch.html.

Why I Love Cast Iron Cookware - Part 2

On Monday I shared how my love for my cast iron skillets began, but I didn't tell you yet, what is so great about them.

Here are some of my favorite things about my cast iron cookware:

Image via WikipediaCornbread: Nothing - and I mean nothing - cooks cornbread like a cast iron skillet. Crusty, golden brown, with the perfect rise in the center, it's how I am used to eating cornbread since I was a kid, and bearing almost no resemblance to the pale soggy stuff I once tried making in a regular baking pan (pre-cast iron skillet days).

Eggs: While the first few times I cooked scrambled eggs in my new skillets, I ended up with an egg-lining which had to be scrubbed off, now that they're well seasoned, they make absolutely perfect eggs in mere seconds. The trick is to make sure the pans is well-coated with butter (a very thin coating is fine - I probably use just over a teaspoon in the large pan), and that it is nice and hot before you add the eggs. Then wait a few seconds before stirring, until the bottom layer is cooked, and don't stir too much.

Pancakes: Pancakes are a bit heavy for me (I don't do well with a lot of grain, I've discovered), but I do make them once in a while. They always were just okay - sometimes they turned out doughy in the middle and other times they seemed to burn easily (or sometimes both).... Until I made them for the first time in my cast iron skillet - Wow! Perfectly risen, done all the way through, and lovely golden brown on both sides - not even a hint of sticking either, even when I added bananas (see pictures below for an example from my most recent batch). I may start making pancakes more often now, especially since I get awesome local maple syrup in my CSA share every month.

Pancake cooking in my cast iron skillet.

Yum! Banana pancakes with butter & local maple syrup.

Bacon: If you want to successfully cook the above items in your cast iron skillet, I would recommend cooking bacon in it from time to time. Other fatty meat (ham, etc.) would probably work too, but I've found bacon seems to be the best for seasoning the pan. Plus, for some reason it seems to spatter less than in a steel pan, and it doesn't leave any stuck on residue like it used to in my stainless steel skillets. (You've got to watch it though, as the cast iron gets so hot that it will burn pretty quickly.)

If you want to try out cast iron cookware for yourself, I've listed a couple of handy pieces below (you can find more at http://www.newholisticliving.com/cookingfromscratch.html), but you'll also want to check back next week when I'll share some tips for maintaining your cast iron cookware in good condition, and making sure you get the most out of it, so it will give you a lifetime of good service!

A Few Popular Pieces of Cast Iron Cookware:

Lodge 8" Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge 12" Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge L5MS3 5-Inch Miniature Skillet

Lodge 7 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven