Cast Iron Cookware

Lower Left: 12-inch skillet  Lower Right: wedge pan
Upper Left: antique griddle pan  Upper Right: dutch oven

If you don't currently own a cast iron, start simple.  I suggest a 12-inch skillet to start.  I prefer the  Lodge brand, but I own a variety of brands and don't dislike any of them.  Lodge is made in America, comes preseasoned, and can be found for under $20 at stores like Marshalls and T.J. Maxx.

I've found some of my pieces at antique malls, but often they need to be restored.  I'll share more restoring cast iron at a later time.

Cooking with Cast Iron
Cooking on a cast iron is not difficult.  Any recipe can be made on a cast iron, but if you are new to cast iron cooking, I recommend making a skillet of scrambled eggs for your first time to get the hang off your new cookware.  Here are some items to keep in mind:

1. Cast iron stays hot even in the absence of heat.  Cooking in a cast iron dish is similar to cooking on an electric range - when you turn down the heat, it will take a while for the heat to diminish. Keep this in mind when you turn off the stove on your scrambled eggs.  They will still cook even  though you have turned off the source of heat!
2. Lubricate your cast iron before you cook.  Olive oil, cooking spray, butter, etc. will all help your scrambled eggs from sticking to the skillet, burning, and setting off the smoke detector.
3. Cast iron absorbs food flavors.  You may want to consider having a cast iron skillet for savory foods and one for sweet.  Your skillet chocolate chip cookie may not taste the best with lingering flavors of scrambled eggs, onions, and olive oil.  Just saying.

Caring for your Cast Iron
Cast iron care is not as complicated as some people may think.  I never washed my stainless steel pots in the dishwasher, so hand-washing my cast iron cookware is not much of an adjustment.  Here are some tips for caring for your cast iron:

1.  Clean your cast iron by hand washing in warm/hot water.  No soap! Remember how cast iron absorbs flavors?  Soap is not one you want to be absorbed.  A thorough hand wash is all your cast iron needs.  I use a stiff brush if I have to remove baked/cooked on residues.
2. Dry your cast iron and place on the stove over low heat to remove any moisture.  If your cast iron is moist in the slightest, it will rust during storage.
3. Season your cast iron with olive oil before storage to prevent rust and enhance flavor.  Simply rub a small amount of oil on the cooking surface of your cast iron.  Do not over-oil or your cast iron will have a gummy texture.