Cast Iron Cookware

Lodge cast iron
Lodge cast iron

Since we started talking about these guys with enamel, we now have to discuss in depth.  For regular cast iron with no enamel coating:

Pros:

  • All natural!
  • Adds iron to your food
  • Distributes heat evenly
  • Gets better with age – the more you season it, the more nonstick it will become. Make sure grandma leaves hers to you in her will!  I met a man whose family had passed theirs down for over 100 years – he couldn’t believe how “rough” new cast iron feels!
  • Hard to kill – if you accidentally wash it with soap, just re-season it!  My friend found some badly treated cast iron second-hand and happened to be an art student with access to a sandblaster, so she sandblasted it and re-seasoned it – good as new!
  • Lodge – the original cast iron, still made in the USA!
Rusty skillet can be fixed! Don't toss it out!
Rusty skillet can be fixed! Don’t toss it out!

Cons:

  • Heavy
  • Takes a long time to heat up/cool down
  • Not supposed to wash with soap (but if you do, just re-season) or dishwasher
    • This leads most people to have specific pans for specific things, and then they just don’t ever wash them, or rarely, at least.
    • You can use a mild soap but make sure to dry and season immediately!
Cast iron cornbread pan
Cast iron cornbread pan

Nowadays, brand new cast iron pans will come “pre-seasoned”.  This means that they put a bunch of pans in a giant oven and blasted them with vegetable oil.  You’re still going to need to season it!  Like I said, the older the better, so you’re going to need to break this baby in.  Lodge’s website has great use and care tips that I direct everyone to.

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One thought on “Cast Iron Cookware”

  1. You weren’t kidding about new cast iron feeling rough. I just got a square cast iron griddle. Its nothing like my Mom’s old cast iron. We can’t find Gram’s old frying pans 🙁

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