Cast Iron Cookware for your Country Cooking
A lodge lifestyle staple!
Cast iron cookware has been used in country kitchens for hundreds of years.
Its ability to withstand and maintain high temperatures makes it a great choice for searing or frying plus it has excellent heat diffusion and retention. We even use our skillet as a base under the broiler in the oven.
Because cast iron frying pans develop a wonderful, natural "non-stick" surface, they are also great for egg dishes, particularly fried or scrambled eggs - a great lodge breakfast.
You can get a variety of dutch ovens, frying pans, woks, and griddles.
Seasoning
Seasoning is a process used to protect your cast iron cookware from rusting, to provide a non-stick surface for cooking, and to prevent food from interacting with the iron of the pan. It's a three-step process:
- cleaning the cookware to expose the bare metal
- applying a layer of lard or other saturated fat
- heating the cookware to bond the fat to the metal
New cast iron is often sold with a wax or shellac coating. This coating must be removed (typically by scouring) before the pan is seasoned. For already-used (or abused) pans the cleaning process can be more difficult, involving rust removal and deep cleaning or burning in a campfire or self-cleaning oven to remove existing seasoning and build-up. (We recently acquired a rusty cast iron skillet and used a palm sander with 80 grit sandpaper. This was very effective in taking the pan down to the bare iron.)
Heating the cookware in a hot oven or on a stove top facilitates a reaction between the oil and the iron, essentially cooking the seasoning into the pan. Some users advocate heating the pan slightly before applying the oil to ensure that the pan is completely dry and to open "the pores" of the metal.
Place lard or other saturated fat in the pan with a thick enough layer to thoroughly cover the bottom. Bake for a couple of hours at 275° to 300°F. Then pour off any excess oil and let cool. Wipe pan with paper towel. It is best to repeat this process a couple of times, then try to use the pan to cook oily or greasy foods initially.
Newly seasoned cast iron cookware will have a dark brown coating. If the seasoning process is repeated, or after prolonged use, this coating will turn glossy and black, and the non-stick properties of the pan will further improve.
Caring for your cookware
After using cast iron pots and pans, wash them in clear water, but don't use soap or detergent which can ruin the seasoning (meaning you'll have to do it all over again).
If some food occasionally sticks to the bottom of your cast iron pan, boil some water in it for a few minutes. This will loosen the food and make it easy to clean. You can soak if necessary for very short periods although I don't recommend it as it will remove some of the seasoning and may cause the pan to rust.
Hand dry the pan immediately after washing. Cast iron should never be washed in the dishwasher.
Never dip a hot pan in cold water (it may crack)!
The Durability of Cast Iron
One summer, the pump for our well broke. My son and daughter-in-law were staying at the lodge when this happened and, in an effort to be helpful, they took a load of dirty dishes to the lake and scrubbed them with sand and rinsed them in lake water. Then the dishes sat in a big plastic bin until the next weekend when we had the well repaired.
One of our cast iron frying pans was at the bottom of the bin, and water had pooled in it. It had rusted terribly and when I saw the condition it was in, I truly didn't know if it would ever be usable again. I scrubbed it clean and re-seasoned it - and I'm happy to say that frying pan is just as good as ever!
Health effects
Cast iron cookware leaches small amounts of iron into the food. Anemics, and those with iron deficiencies may benefit from this effect, though those with excess iron issues (for example, those with an inherited metabolic disorder called hemochromatosis or iron overload disease, believed to affect as many as one million Americans) may suffer negative effects.
Family Heirloom
Well cared for cast iron cookware is a wonderful heirloom to pass on to your children or grandchildren. Not only will it give them years of pleasure, but it can be passed on for generations. It's that good!
Cooking with cast iron requires good oven mitts or potholders.
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| KatchAll 12-in. Kool-Tek Oven Mitt, Red | Le Creuset 14-in. Oven Mitt, Cherry Red |
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| Le Creuset Utensils and Accessories Double Potholder, Cherry Red | Le Creuset Utensils and Accessories Potholder, Cherry Red |
