How to Use and Care for Cast Iron

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Learn how to use and care for your cast iron skillets in the easy step-by-step guide provided below. Just some basic tools and some elbow grease are all you need.

A little History

Cast iron cookware has been around for thousands of years. They are now making a comeback since everyone is a little more health conscious. Even being used in restaurants all over the world now. Cast is the way to go.

I have several different shapes and sizes of cast iron cookware, and this is all I use in my kitchen other than my stainless-steel pots.

When cooking with cast iron skillets you can go from oven to table and do some one pan skillet meals which are easy-peasy for busy weeknights. I’ll list some of my recipes at the end of the post.

Why you want to use cast iron?

One of the main reasons I and a lot of others have switched to cast iron are because of the health benefits. Today they offer a quick and convenient method of a non-stick aluminum pan with some kind of chemical filled coating. When these pans are heated to high temperature they can emit those chemicals.

Yuck!

Who wants that leaking into their food? Not me! Certainly not for my family either.

Cast iron skillets do not have any negative side-affects from high heat of toxic fumes and risk chemicals being in your food. Cast can be heated to really high temperatures with no risk at all.

Now, you may be thinking that’s all fine and well, but cast-iron cook ware is expensive.

Sure, it may be, but you can also use the option of thrifting to find wonderful cast iron skillets. These skillets/pots will be reasonably priced and even if they are rusted you can re-season them (more on this later) and make them like new!

I was lucky and had great-great-grandparents that also cooked with them. What a treasure to be able to cook out of the same pans my great-great grandmother used?

One day I’ll be able to hand them down to my children. If you want to buy them new, then as you can see the investment is so worth it.

Where to Buy a Cast Iron Skillet

You can go to a fancy cookware store and probably find high dollar cast iron. I would personally search thrift stores and find them at a steal! You can easily season them. Don’t be discouraged if the skillets are rusted. That can be fixed as well. Once you’ve done these steps listed below you’ll have a skillet that looks brand new!

One thing to note about cast iron is that the more you cook in the better they get. Thats why I would prefer old over new. Now there is nothing wrong with new skillets. You can find some here for reasonable.

How to Care for Your Cast Iron

How do you take good care of your cast iron if you want it to be non-stick and last for hundreds of years?

Well, you do something called “seasoning” the pan.

Now first let me tell you if you have a cast iron pan that is rusty, or you’ve found one from a thrift store with some rust here are the steps to making it like new again:

1. Use some steel wool to remove the rust spots from the pan until there aren’t any more rust spots.
2. Wash the pan with some mild soap and warm water.
3. Dry the pan completely.

You don’t ever want to store or leave your cast iron wet or else it will rust again.

How to re-season?

This is important to do every once and a while to keep the non-stick surface while cooking and to preserve care of the pan and prevent from future rusting.

1. Coat the inside/outside of the pan with cooking oil. Olive oil is good and what I suggest.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Place pan upside down on rack with some foil underneath to catch any drips.
4. Leave pan for 1 hour.
5. Turn the oven off after an hour and let the pan cool.
6. When the pan is cool it’s ready for use!

You can do this as often as you need to.

What to Cook in Your Cast Iron

The ideas of what to cook in your cast iron are literally limitless. You can cook anything from dessert to dinner and everything in between!

One of my favorite dinners to make is a one pan skillet. Less dishes and all cooked in your skillet. You can even top with your sourdough to create a bread layer over the top. I’ll list some of my favorite recipes used this way below for you to check out.

One Pot Sourdough Skillet

Roasted Chicken

Chicken skillet with Sweet Potatoes and Onions

Sourdough English Muffins

Sourdough Discard Pizza Crust

Creamy Peach Chicken

Bake Sourdough Bread

The list literally goes on and on! I love to bake in my cast iron. I use my cast iron daily for breakfast, also.

And as long as you are taking the steps necessary to keep your cast iron seasoned well and cook with it on low-medium heat you’ll always have success with it.

*Note: Cast iron doesn’t have to be cooked on high unless you plan to sear something quickly then turn the heat down. Cast iron is good at holding the heat once its hot. No need to continue to add more heat to the pan.