These Cast Iron Skillet Recipes Will Give You New Respect for Your Pan (2024)

FAQs

What is the first thing I should cook in my cast iron skillet? ›

We recommend starting with vegetables as they are more forgiving than most proteins - they taste delicious and won't stick to your pan! Keep in mind that using a little bit of oil is necessary to help to keep food from sticking.

The cast iron skillet heats up very hot and retains heat better than a normal baking pan. It won't warp in the oven on high heat like some baking pans do. It also delivers a superior crunchy browned bottom crust without over-browning the top.

Cast iron pans are popular, especially for searing, and are generally safe to use. But they can leach iron, which is a strong pro-oxidant. Those genetically at risk for iron overload should learn more about cast iron safety. For well over a thousand years, cast iron has been used as a reliable cooking surface.

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface. And that'll turn into one messy cleanup! But once your skillet is reliably non-stick, cast iron skillet eggs will become your new go-to for weekend brunches.

Since olive oil is such a pantry staple, many people naturally wonder if they can use olive oil to season cast iron. You can use olive oil to season cast iron, but you need to choose a high quality extra virgin olive oil, which should have a smoke point close to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Yes, you can season the pans for frying, sautéing, or baking in cast iron cookware like pans, pots, or skillets with butter, but it's not the right choice to season it for the first time. Butter immediately starts to smoke when added to a heated pan because cast iron can withstand a lot of heat.

Never cook acidic foods in a cast iron skillet.

You can sauté cherry tomatoes in cast iron, but don't try making a long-simmering tomato sauce. If you recently purchased your skillet and it still needs to be "broken in," acidic ingredients can erode the seasoning and even make foods taste metallic.

Can you use a Dutch oven instead of a cast iron skillet? ›

Depends what and how much are you cooking. For just cookimg steaks or chicken, bacon you can go with cast iron skillet but if you are making a stew or soup, you need a Dutch oven.

The type of iron that comes from cast iron cooking is nonheme iron and is safe to consume. It is the same type of iron as found in plant sources such as beans, spinach and tofu. Children one to three years old only need 7mg iron daily, so if it's best not to cook every meal for children this age in cast iron cookware.

So, Is Cooking in Cast Iron Healthier than Cooking in Other Pans? In short: No. You'd have to be mouse-sized to see quantifiable health benefits from mineral intake exclusively with cast iron. Because mineral transfer happens at such a small scale, it's safe to say that cast iron is not any healthier than other pans.

When cooking in cast iron, you should add a little oil to the pan before adding your food. This helps ensure the food doesn't stick, and it helps build layers of seasoning. You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil.

Is There Anything You Shouldn't Cook in Your Cast-Iron Skillet? Experts Weigh In. While there's nothing that's technically off limits, the pros say you should be careful with acidic foods, like tomato or wine sauce, which can corrode the seasoning if left in the pan for too long.

And it's not just for steak: You can sauté, roast, sear, bake, braise, and more in these multi-functional pans, but they're also extremely durable and affordable to meet all of your cooking needs. Their ability to get—and then stay—really hot makes them ideal for cooking meats and stir-fries.

Never cook acidic foods in a cast iron skillet.

Acidic ingredients like tomatoes, lemons, and wine can be cooked in a well-seasoned cast iron pan for short amounts of time. You can sauté cherry tomatoes in cast iron, but don't try making a long-simmering tomato sauce.

You'll use less oil, avoid harmful chemicals, and get a little extra iron in your diet. The reasons why we love a classic cast-iron skillet include but are in no way limited to the following: Pizza. Burgers.