Cookware Guide - Are Cast Iron Items Right For Me?

We all have various pots, pans, skillet and tins in our kitchen. But did you know, the different materials used to make cookware can make a massive difference to the outcome of the foods we cook?

This isn’t just a case of ‘picking a side’. Many people will swear by cast iron cookware, or aluminum cookware…..or some other material.

But a savvy cook will have different materials in their kitchen, and will choose their cookware according to what they are cooking.

Today, we’re going to start a series of articles designed to give you the lowdown on each type of material, the pros and cons, and what foods this material works well with.

Today, we’re looking at cast iron cookware and bakeware.

Cast Iron

This has to be one of the most versatile materials around as you can use cast iron cookware and bakeware almost anywhere; in the oven or grill, stovetop, broiler, and even on direct fire.

A strong pro is that it conducts heat very well. Once a cast iron skillet is hot, it stays hot! This is brilliant for jobs such as searing meat.

Cast iron is also extremely durable. Many people have cast iron items in their kitchen because they were handed down from older family members, and these items are still being used today!

And yet, cast iron is inexpensive, so they represent good value for money.

Unlike a lot of other materials, you can use any type of utensils with cast iron. Even metal cooking accessories will not scratch or scrape these items. 

However, I do recommend you only use metal utensils if you commit to maintaining cast iron cookware (read on for tips on how to ‘season’ cast iron). If you don’t do this, metal utensils can chip away at cast iron.

In this case, it is best for you to use utensils made from nylon or silicone where there is zero chance of scratching and chipping.

A disadvantage of cast iron is that it doesn’t always heat evenly. It’s quite common to have ‘cool spots’. I get around this by heating a pan for about 10 minutes before any food goes in

Another drawback is that it can be quite heavy compared to other materials. Still, for many, this isn’t a disadvantage as they like how ‘sturdy’ their cast iron cookware feels.

Where cast iron gets a bad reputation is when you cook acidic foods, such as tomatoes or lemon juice.

Iron is a reactive metal, which means it can react with acidic foods and change the flavor or even the coloring.

For this reason, cast iron has fallen out of favor with many people apart from the older generation who still swear by them.

Another issue is the effort it takes to clean cast iron and keep it in good condition as it can be prone to rusting, cracking or chipping.

However, I really believe that cast iron is still a very good material. To stop acidic or alkaline foods reacting with it, minimize rusting, chipping and cracking, and to make it simple to clean, simply season it regularly.

All this involves is rubbing the cast iron with 1-2 teaspoons of oil using a paper towel, and then heating it up on the stove till it smokes.

Then, take it off the stove, rub the oil around using a paper towel, and allow it to cool. Do this 2-3 times and then store your pan away.

This will stop it reacting with acidic foods, so long as you’re not leaving food in there to simmer for hours upon hours.It will also protect it from rust, chips and cracks.

It will additionally create an almost nonstick surface which makes it easy to clean. All you need to do, after use, is let it cool, rub off the food residue gently using a plastic scrub sponge (don’tuse abrasive steel wool as this will scrub off the oil seasoning), and some soap and water. Then dry immediately and store.

You should choose oil that quickly polymerizes. Polymerization is the point where oil turns into plastic.

Essentially, when you season a cast iron pan, you are adding a protective, plastic layer. By heating oil in a cast iron pan, it breaks down into a plastic substance that bonds to the cast iron, and creates a slick, almost nonstick surface to cook on.

Oils that have a quick polymerization point are flax oil, soybean oil and canola oil (liquid, not the hydrogenated version)……all very easy to get a hold of.

I recommend seasoning after every second use.

I love using my cast iron cookware for searing (because of how well cast iron retains heat), baking, roasting and frying, as well as any recipes that involve moving food from stove directly to the oven.

My essentials are a 12 inch round skillet and a stove top grill pan, and they’re invaluable for helping me cook pan roasted chicken, skillet fried chicken and deep dish pizza.

Should I have cast iron cookware in my kitchen?

Here’s a roundup of the pros and cons to help you make your decision:

Pros:

• Versatility which allows you to use in oven, stove top and even on direct fire, such as a fire pit
• Conducts heat and retains heats, which is important when searing meat
• Durable and will not get scratched, even when using in conjunction with metal utensils
• Inexpensive
• Non-stick (as long as you regularly season)

Cons:

• Doesn’t always heat evenly
• Prone to rusting, chipping and cracking, if not regularly seasoned
• Can react to acidic foods, if not regularly seasoned
• Takes effort to clean, if not regularly seasoned
• Heavy when compared to other materials

Should you have cast iron cookware in your kitchen? It really depends on what kind of cooking you generally do. If you love searing meat, then make sure you have at least one cast iron skillet or pan.

I also love stove to oven recipes as you get all the flavor of oven roasts, but in half the time because of the quick start on the stovetop. 

If you’re also a fan, then you’ll love how you can use the one cast iron dish on the stovetop as well as the oven.

When it comes to cast iron, sometimes Grandma is right!

The Chef Remi 2 Piece Kitchen Spatula Set will eliminate foods getting spoilt or damaged when turning.

The solid spatula will turn unusual, grainy textured items, such as burgers, hash browns and vegetables, without any bits of food getting stuck in slots.

The slotted spatula will allow air to get under food items so you can turn fragile foods, such as crepes, pancakes or fish, without it sticking to the spatula surface.

And, as they are made from food-safe nylon, they will never scratch pans and skillets, even untreated, unseasoned cast iron cookware.

Add these indispensable kitchen tools to your collection today.