How to cook with cast-iron pans – Old fashion way to cook fat-free



You can use a cast-iron skillet for just about any cooking task:

Bake a cake, sear a filet, roast or fry a chicken, fry potatoes, stir-fry vegetables, etc. One skillet is all you need, but because cast-iron cooking is lot of fun and makes the food you cook taste great. You will probably want more than one cast-iron pan.

Important tips to remember:

Always preheat your cast-iron pan before adding the food you want to cook.

With a cast iron pan, you can begin your recipe on the stove top, and then move it to the oven to finish.

Do not use a cast-iron pan in your microwave. If you do, you will ruin your pan and also your microwave oven. The fireworks display that will result will not be worth the cleanup and replacement cost.

The first most common mistake of why people do not like cast iron is that they say everything sticks. If food sticks to your cast-iron pan, your pan is NOT seasoned right and you need to re-season it. Cast iron is a natural non-stick surface and if your pan is seasoned correctly it WILL NOT stick!

Check out my web page on restoring and seasoning Cast-Iron Pots and Pans.

Remember – Every time you cook in your cast-iron pan, you are actually seasoning it again by filling in the microscopic pores and valleys that are part of the cast-iron surface. The more you cook, the smoother the surface becomes!

Cast Iron Dutch Ovens Before anyone ever thought of a crock pot, there was the cast-iron Dutch oven. Dutch ovens have been used for hundreds of years. Nothing will hold a good, even temperature better than the heavy metal of this monster pot, and it can go from stove top to oven to campfire without missing a beat. Check out this very interesting and informative article on Dutch Oven Camp Cooking.

Iron Griddles Want to make the greatest pancakes you’ve ever eaten? Want your French toast to have that crispy edge so prized at breakfast time? You need to get a cast-iron griddle pan and get it good and hot on the stove top. They work fine on electric or gas ranges, or over a campfire if you are so inclined.