LOVING YOUR CAST IRON

A little while ago as I was in www land I stumbled across a website by a chef from Australia named Benjamin Chrisite.

Being the “foodie” that I am, I was hooked. His site is on Australian cooking, and fare indiginous to there. It was Chef Christie that first sparked the idea of writing about cast iron cookware. After speaking with friends and family members I realized that not everyone knew how to season or maintain cast iron. So I hope with this post I can try to pass on some information reguarding this. Dad, Mr. Chrisite, this one’s for you.

I love Cast Iron pans. In my humble opinion they are the great-grand daddy of all “non stick” cookware out there today. Unfortunately they aren’t widely used in a commercial kitchen but for home use you couldn’t ask for a better way to cook eggs, make a stew or just weight lift.

My mom has a full set of these things and although they are getting too heavy for her to use regularly (they must be at least 50 years old) she loves them. They are black, which will happen with age and use, and she lovingly cares for them like they were one of her kids. Heaven forbid that my dad should put them in the dish water and wash them like a regular pan, metal scrubby and all……….I actually think my dad is still in the dog house after having mistakenly done that.

SEASONING YOUR NEW CAST IRON PAN

1. Heat your oven to 250 F – 300 F

2. Coat your pan with lard or bacon grease… DO NOT use liquid shortening such as canola or vegetable oil as it will leave a sticky residue on the pan thus resulting in a pan that is not seasoned properly.

3. Place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and pour out any excess grease into an old soup can. DO NOT pour down your drain, or you will be placing a call to the plummer right quick.

4. Put the pan back into the oven and bake for at least 2 hours.

5. Remove from oven and let cool.

6. Try to repeat this process several times as it will help to create a stronger “seasoning” bond.

PANS THAT NEED RE-SEASONING

1. If your pan was not “seasoned” properly, or the seasoning has worn off, or if food is sticking, or if there is just rust, then it should be cleaned properly and re-seasoned.

2. To do this, remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a non-metal scrubby.

3. You can heat the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch which will help to open the pores of the metal and will make it easier to wash.

4. Dry the pan immediately with either a dish towel of a paper towel. Don’t let it sit and air dry as the rust will come back and you will have to wash it all over again.
5. Season the pan as if it were brand new.

CARING FOR YOUR CAST IRON

Seasoning you cast iron is a natural way to create a non stick piece of cookware. Take special care of your cast iron like you would your newer “non-stick” cookware, taking great care to not scratch the surface, lets your cast iron feel loved and special.
Clean your cookware while it is still hot by rinsing it under hot water and scraping when necessary. DO NOT use a scouring pad or detergents (soap) as it will break down the pan’s seasoning.
Never store food in your pans, as the acidity of the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will inherit a metallic taste.
Store your pans with the lids off. Leaving the lids on, especially in an area where there is humidity, will cause the pans to rust and then re-seasoning is a given.
When you purchase your new cast iron cookware, it will be either a medium grey or a light brown in color. They will turn darker with use.
Some of the cast iron cookware available is already pre-seasoned before you purchase it. It doesn’t hurt to re season it yourself.
I do hope this helps for those of you interested in cast iron. Take care of it and it will last you a life time.