Cast Iron Cookware

Have you ever cooked in a cast iron skillet?  If you have, did you notice the difference in the taste of the food cooked in a cast iron skillet?  I don't know why, but a properly seasoned cast iron skillet adds a touch of something magic to food.

Properly cared for, cast iron skillets last forever.

My husband and I invested in a cast iron griddle when we got married.  For over 20 years now, we have used it for pancakes, bacon, and eggs.  We've used it on campfires, the wood stove, and the electric stove.  A few years ago, my mother in law gave me her old, rusted, falling apart skillet that she used to run through the dishwasher on a regular basis.

Somehow, I never got around to seasoning the skillet.  I know how to season cast iron, and I know it takes time, I just chose not to do it.

And then.....

I went to a yard sale two weeks ago and found a cast iron skillet.  It was over 50 years old, well seasoned, and in perfect condition.  The asking price for said skillet?  50 cents.

I was flabbergasted.  You NEVER find cast iron, in perfect condition for 50 cents.

I asked the person running the sale if that was the right price, and she looked at me and said:
"Do you really want that thing?  It's heavy.  I use Calphalon pans.  Why anyone would want to use cast iron is beyond me.  You can have it for a quarter."

I was giddy!  I handed over the quarter, took my skillet, and hotfooted it out to the car before she changed her mine.

The first thing I made with the skillet was the roasted sweet potato recipe I shared yesterday.  I have cooked in it every day since then.

Over this past weekend, I dug out my mother in laws old, rusted skillet and spent the time seasoning it up.  While I might not use it on a regular basis, I do have a child graduating from college and moving into his own apartment next spring.  He might like to have a well seasoned cast iron skillet to take with him.

The skillet looks beautiful now.  We used it Tuesday night, when we made two batches of roasted sweet potatoes.

The oldest child might not get that skillet when he graduates after all...

 

 

How to season cast iron cookware:

Remove any rust with steel wool. 

Wash the cookware with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush.

Rinse and dry completely.

Apply a very thin, even coating of melted solid vegetable shortening to the cookware inside and out.  Too much oil will result in a sticky finish.

Set the oven temperature to 350*-400*F.

Place cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven to prevent pooling.

Bake the cookware for at least an hour.  After the hour, turn the oven off and let the cookware cool in the oven.

Store the cookware uncovered, in a dry place when cooled.

Repeat as necessary.

(source: http://www.lodgemfg.com/useandcare/seasoned-cast-iron)

 

After using your skillet:

Hand wash- dry immediately.
Rub with a light coat of vegetable oil after every wash.
How much oil?  Enough to make it shine, but not sticky.

(source: http://www.lodgemfg.com/useandcare/seasoned-cast-iron)