Cooking With Cast Iron...

Remember your Mama's cast iron skillet? Of course you do! What would a country kitchen be without a cast iron skillet, I ask you! A very necessary and versatile tool it is.

Cast iron skillets are available in sizes ranging from 6 to 14 inches. Cast iron skillets are virtually indestructible and they are all non-stick. You just have to know how to use them, but that is another story.

Cast iron cookware is some of the best and most popular out there. It is definitely from an older school of design and use, but that definitely does not make it inferior to more recent models! Cast iron cookware is also available with porcelain enamel exterior and interior finishes. Cast iron is heavy, of course. That was the initial impetus for the development of aluminum cookware and then stainless steel cookware: making life easier for the homemaker.

Cast iron cookware is known for its durability and strength. It is not uncommon for cast iron cookware to be passed down through the generations. Cast iron cookware is still highly regarded for its even heating, versatility and durability. Many professional chefs choose cast iron cookware over modern pans because of its natural nonstick qualities and ability to withstand high temperatures without warping. Cast iron cookware is available for sale on the Internet, at cookery stores everywhere, economy stores, flea markets, tag and yard sales, the lot. If a cast iron pan is rusty or grease-coated, you can still buy it.

Cast iron cookware is non-toxic, and has outstanding heat retention and distribution properties. Long before quality brands like the cast iron Dutch oven by Emerilware from All-Clad or the wok set by Staub, bare cast iron vessels were used for cooking for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Cast iron cookware is slow to heat, but once at temperature provides even heating. Cast iron can also withstand very high temperatures, making cast iron pans ideal for searing . Cast iron cookware is widely sold in a range of department stores and kitchen supply stores. Lodge is a long standing and trusted company, however, there are many other manufacturers selling the cookware that are not as well known.

Cast iron cookware is a dream to take on a camping trip because you don't have to worry about scratching the surface and as long as it has been well seasoned, it has a virtually non-stick cooking surface. Whether you are using a Dutch oven or skillet, you can easily cook on an open
fire, but it is not recommended to actually put cast iron in a fire as it can crack and warp. Cast Iron cookware is some of the most versatile, inexpensive and rugged stuff out there. It has it’s drawbacks, namely that it’s heavier than hell and it requires regular maintenance.

Cast iron cookware is produced in a sand-cast process. Quality cast iron requires sand molds made under high pressure so that their shapes can be precisely controlled. Cast iron is considered to be non-toxic, and is easy to mold into a variety of shapes. It can cook most foods faster and more efficiently than other forms of cookware. Because of the fact that cast iron cookware will react with or stain many different types of food, you must season any bare cast iron cookware that you have. Rub a coat of cooking oil (peanut oil is a good choice) into the metal inside and out, place in oven at 250 degrees for 1 hour, turn off oven and leave till cool.

Seasoning at higher temperatures approaching the smoking point of the oil used will result in darker seasoned coatings in less time that aren't sticky or gummy. Seasoning a cast iron skillet is not especially difficult, but it does need to done right and often to maintain the natural non-stick qualities of the pan. If you've ever seen a cast iron skillet up close, you may have noticed a black layer on the cooking surface.

Clean your cast iron cookware by wiping off excess food and oils using paper towels. Wash them using plain hot water and a dishrag, and avoid the use of soap and steel wool or abrasive pads.

I'll bet that someone out there has a cast iron coffeepot! Now THAT'S something I'll have to look into! C'mon...let's go and have a fresh cup of coffee, my friend.