If you have cast iron in your kitchen, you know exactly how versatile it is. If you don’t have any, now might be the time to consider taking the plunge. Cast iron is an extremely useful tool for any cook and, if you take care of it the proper way, it can outlast any higher-priced cookware.

First of all, cast iron has numerous advantages over the cookware you’re currently using. If you care for it and season it the right way, it can be every bit as nonstick as the fancier cookware that costs much more. In addition, assuming there are no wooden handles, you can use it in the oven, on the stove, and even on the grill. Plus, it’s durable. Take care of it, and it will last a long time.

First and foremost, never place your cast iron cookware into the dishwasher. It will rust easily, which will affect not only the seasoning on the pans, but also the taste of the food, no matter how hard you try to clean it. All cast iron should be washed by hand.

Next, avoid using soap when you wash your cookware. All you really need is a little warm water and a steel wool pad. If you’ve seasoned your pans well, they shouldn’t stick anyway. Then just dry with lint-free paper towels. As excess moisture will encourage your pans to rust, make sure you always store them without their lids.

The more seasoning your pan has, the greater the chance it will last a very long time. Seasoning fills in the tiny pores as well as provides a protective coating. To season it, just rub it lightly with lard, oil, or shortening and bake it in a 300-degree oven for about an hour. Some cast iron comes “pre-seasoned.” That doesn’t mean you can’t add to the seasoning, particularly as the pans age, but they wouldn’t need it as much as unseasoned cookware.

Since cast iron is a reactive metal, don’t cook anything in it that is acidic, such as citrus or tomatoes. You don’t want the metal reacting with the acids, as this will ruin your seasoning.

Finally, never store foods in cast iron cookware. It’s okay to keep food in it while you’re eating, but when you’re done, move the food to another container and clean the pans thoroughly.

So if you currently are without quality cast iron cookware, I would suggest starting out with a good skillet and a Dutch oven. You’ll be amazed at the versatility of these pieces, whether you do a lot of pan frying, pan roasting, stewing, or deep frying. As long as you adhere to proper care and cleaning, your cast iron will be your friend for many, many years.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 at 3:41 pm and is filed under Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.