Reasons why you’ll throw out your non-stick pans and become a Cast Iron
Maiden.
If you follow us on Instagram you know we love to cook at home. Our number one choice when cooking is a Cast Iron
pan or Dutch oven for searing large pieces of meat before roasting or going into a crock-pot.
Why would you want to use a Cast Iron
pan/skillet vs a non-stick pan? Heat & Flavor! If used and cared for properly, your Cast Iron
can become your best friend. WAIT FOR IT! It can also be non-stick once you get the technique down.
Early on, I learned this from my grandmother Helen. She cooked everything in her cast iron. She’s the OG Cast Iron
Maiden.
#1 TIP: Making your cast iron non-stick!
-
Before turning on your stove or heat source put your choice of oil, butter or lard in the Cast Iron
skillet or pan (I prefer rendered Bacon fat).
-
Slowly heat up your Cast Iron
cast iron so that your oil/fat slowly melts and disperses into the Cast Iron
. Move it around and coat the whole cooking surface.
-
Bring it up to full temp
-
Start cooking
It seems people always say they have a hard time cooking eggs. You can make the best eggs you’ve ever had in your Cast Iron
skillet. This includes fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelettes and even a quiche if you prefer. The best way to cook an egg in cast iron is to keep your heat on a medium-low heat. By following the steps in TIP #1 your eggs will come out perfect.
#2 TIP: Keeping your Cast Iron
non-stick!
-
Don’t wash it with soap and water. THAT’S RIGHT, I SAID DON’T WASH YOUR Cast Iron
! When you wash it you start to strip off the perfect cooking membrane. Cast Iron
is porous and will take on the flavors of the soap. You don’t want that.
-
When you’re done cooking, if you followed #1, virtually nothing will be left in your pan. Let it cool and then wipe it out with a paper towel.
-
Be careful on this step! If there is some food residue stuck on the bottom or edges of your Cast Iron
, deglaze the pan with some fresh room temp water. Keeping the pan hot, turn off the heat and immediately fill a container with enough water to cover the bottom of your pan completely. Then pour the water in to fill the bottom quickly. Consequently it will bubble and boil for a few seconds and let off a lot of steam. But the end result is that everything will come off your Cast Iron
. Let if cool for a bit, dump the water in the sink and while your Cast Iron
is still warm, wipe if clean with a paper towel.
Interested in any other home cooking techniques? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll write those home cooking techniques into a future blog post.