It’s time to discuss all things cast iron! If you’ve been following along for any amount of time now you might be a little sick of hearing me rant and rave about my love for cast iron… well it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty details. Everything you need to know about cooking, cleaning, and caring for cast iron and what the benefits of it are. Feel free to leave me any questions you have in the comments or send me DM over on instagram! Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents:

Benefits

Cooking

Cleaning

Storing

Re-seasoning

Some of My Favourite Things to Make with Cast Iron

Benefits

Durable – Cast Iron pans are made of one solid material and are virtually impossible to destroy or wear out. If they get surface rust, it can simply be scoured off and re-seasoning, ready to be used again! Compare that with non-stick pans which are notorious for scratching and peeling, leaving you wondering if you’ve been eating the toxic coating or feeding it to your family, yikes!

Versatile – The solid metal design makes cast iron cookware extremely versatile, you can cook on any type of cooktop – gas, coil, glass top, induction, a campfire or grill, as well as baking or broiling in the oven. I love being able to sear a big cut of meat on the stovetop and easily transfer the whole skillet to the oven to finish cooking, worry free. You do want to be careful on glass top stoves, as any rough edges on your cast iron cookware could scratch the glass. I’ve been cooking with my cast iron pan on a glass top stove for years and haven’t had any issues, but I thought I better mention this just in case!

Affordable – The average 12″ non-stick skillet runs around $40-50 (CAD), and in my experience will last around a year or two with consistent use. You start noticing scratches and chipped coating and you’re off to buy a new one. My favourite 12″ cast iron skillet from Lodge retails between $50-75 CAD, (depending on when and where you buy it) and will last a lifetime, if not generations – you can pass it on to your children someday! Stack up the amount of non-stick pans you would go through in as much time and you start to really see just how affordable cast iron is!

Excellent conductor of heat – Cast iron takes longer to heat up than a typical frying pan because it is denser and thicker. However, once heated up, a cast iron pan offers incredibly even heat to give you that perfect deep sear on meats. Besides that, the pan will stay warm for long after the heat source is turned off, making it a great option to keep food warm in until eaten.

Non-toxic and a good source of iron – Non-stick cookware (Teflon) is notorious for its potentially harmful properties. Up until 2013, non-stick pans were made with the chemical compound PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), which “has been linked to a number of health conditions, including thyroid disorders, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and testicular cancer. It has also been linked to infertility and low birth weight” (source). Thankfully, PFOA was banned from production in non-stick pans in 2013, but if you have a pan made before that time, you should dispose of it. Another concern with non-stick pans is that the Teflon coating is not high heat safe. At 570 degrees F and above, the teflon begins to break down and release toxic chemicals into the air, which when inhaled can case flu-like symptoms and even lung damage (source). Seeing as I use my frying pans frequently at high heats to get a nice sear on meat and often transfer them to the oven to broil, I certainly don’t want to have to worry about my pan releasing toxic, dangerous fumes into the air my family and I breathe! Cast iron is high heat safe, you do not have to worry about dangerous fumes at any temperature. Instead of chipping and scratching and contaminating your food, cast iron cookware actually imparts a small dose of iron to the foods you cook in it (source). Iron deficiency (anemia) is a common issue, especially among women and mothers, and causes symptoms like extreme fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, and dizziness, to name just a few (source). If you suspect you are iron deficient, you should see your Doctor and treat it under the supervision of a medical/nutrition professional. However, it’s great to know that cooking with cast iron can be a small source of added iron in your diet!

Cooking

It’s a joy to cook with cast iron, that perfect sear just can’t be beat with the flat evenly heated cast iron surface. There are a couple of key things to keep in mind when cooking with cast iron that if you didn’t know before cooking, you may end up frustrated.

Always preheat pan before adding anything. Cast iron is a thick, dense material that takes a few minutes to come to temperature. If you add food to a cold pan it will inevitably stick. Make sure you turn on your burner/heat source a few minutes before you’re ready to cook. You’ll know its ready when you flick a drop of water in the pan and it sizzles.

Always add fat before cooking. Another culprit to food sticking to the pan is not adding fat. I always throw a tablespoon of coconut oil, butter, olive oil, etc. to the pan before adding anything and this ensures nothing sticks to the pan! Do fats scare you? They shouldn’t. Fats are an important part of our diet! They give our bodies energy, support cell growth, protect our organs, and help our bodies absorb nutrients and produce important hormones (source). Of course, moderation is key. It is generally recommended to keep the majority of our fat intake to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which include liquid vegetable/seed/nut based cooking oils like olive oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, flax seed oil, etc. Saturated fats like butter and coconut are considered less healthy than monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but are not currently linked with an increased risk of heart disease, as they once were thought to have (source). They are good choices in moderation! Trans fats, which are linked to an increased risk in heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, should be avoided as much as possible. Trans fats are found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as margarine and vegetable shortening.

Do not attempt to flip until food is nicely seared. If you go to flip something in your cast iron pan and it is sticking, leave it for another minute or two; it should lift easily from the pan once it is nicely seared! To prevent burning, you can always reduce the heat and add a splash of water or cooking liquid/oil to help loosen the food from the bottom of the pan. Adding a splash of cold water can also help slow down the cooking if your pan has gotten too hot too quickly, like when browning bacon. The water will quickly dissolve from the heat leaving you with nicely crisped bacon that isn’t burnt!

Seasoning gets better over time. A well kept pan (see cleaning instructions below) will become better seasoned and more “non-stick” the longer you use it. When you’re first starting out, avoid cooking delicate things like white fish and eggs, and stick to fool proof foods like sturdy cuts of meat and vegetables. As you get the hang of properly cooking and caring for your cast iron pan you will gain confidence to cook pretty much anything with success in it!

Use an oven mitt on the handle. Cast iron is lauded for its even heat – this extends to the handle! I just use a tea towel but a silicone handle cover or an oven mitt is a good option as well. It will only take one or two times grabbing a hot handle to make you learn this lesson 🙂

Cleaning

Cast Iron gets a bad rap as being hard to clean. If you don’t know the basics of caring for a cast iron pan, it can be a pain to deal with surface rust or stuck on food. However, if you follow this 3 step procedure you will soon find that it is quick and easy to keep your pan clean and well seasoned!

Storing

Water and moisture are the enemies of storing your cast iron pan – make sure your pan is completely dry before you store it. Layering a paper towel between your pan and anything else you want to stack on top of it will help prevent rust forming from any excess moisture between the pans. Personally, I keep my most used cast iron pan on the stovetop. I use it every single day so it’s easier to keep it stored on the stovetop than having to lift it in and out of the cupboard (cast iron is heavy!!), it stays nice and dry, and I think a well kept piece of cast iron is a worthy show piece to have on display.

Re-seasoning

If you follow the simple steps for cleaning your pan above, you won’t need to worry about re-seasoning your pan. The light oiling each time after you wash it will keep your pan nicely seasoned. However, if you have a pan that hasn’t been taken care of that you’re wanting to restore, you can always re-season it to get it back into working order. To re-season your pan:

Wash: Using warm soapy water and steel wool, scour off any rust or burnt on food. You don’t have to worry about using soap this time since you are re-seasoning the pan.

Oil: Apply a thin, even layer of cooking oil to the pan (inside and out) by spraying or drizzling the oil and wiping it in with a paper towel. You don’t want to add too much oil or your pan can become sticky.

Bake: Set the pan upside down on the top rack in the oven with a baking sheet or aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any oil that may drip from the pan. Bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat as necessary until your pan has the classic black patina and performs well for cooking.

Some of my Favourite Things to Make with Cast Iron:

Wrapping it up

Feeling inspired to dive into cast iron cooking? I hope you’ve found this post helpful to get you on your way. Please leave me any questions or tips you have on the topic in the comments below and be sure to tag me (@garnishathome) with any of your cast iron creations over on Instagram. Talk to you soon! 🙂