5 Tips You Need for Cooking with Your Cast Iron Skillet ~

One of the most effective ways to add flavor to your food is by cooking it in a cast iron skillet.

There is just something so magical about using one of these hardy pans. They are made by pouring molten iron into a mold, which is where they get their nifty names from. The pebbled surface of a cast iron skillet provides a texture for oil to bind to during the seasoning process, ultimately making it nonstick.

Your cast iron skillet will become your best friend in the kitchen if you take proper care of it. These skillets are almost impervious to damage and few alternatives can compete with the temperature retention these pans offer.

To cook with one effectively, you should follow these five steps below:

1. Preheat The Pan

Preheating your cast iron skillet will help to improve the overall flavor of the meal.

Cast iron has an impressively thick gauge, which means that it will take a bit of time to heat thoroughly and reach the desired cooking temperature.

Preheat the skillet over medium to high heat to prevent burning the food or waiting for ages. Once the pan has reached temperature, you can turn it down to maintain an even cooking temperature.

2. Do Not Be Afraid of Grease

Many people are ditching their old non-stick pans for a good reason.

The chemicals in the non-stick coating can leach into your food during the cooking process and potentially lead to long-term health issues.

That is where cast iron skillets come in.

They are great for frying foods such as steak or eggs, but they do need to be liberally oiled. If you do not want to use oils, you can use ghee, butter, or beef tallow instead.

3. Baking Magic

Your cast iron skillet is perfectly capable of creating baked perfection if you pop it in the oven.

A well-season Lodge cast iron skillet will offer a non-stick coating to a certain extent, but baked goods tend to have a higher sugar content – meaning they will need a little more lubrication. Butter is your secret weapon for perfect baking.

The butter provides a barrier against sticking, providing an effective method for transferring heat between the skillet and the food. That will result in a delicious and crunchy crust on the exterior of your dessert.

4. Avoid Acidic Foods

Acidic ingredients such as lemons, wine, and tomatoes can get cooked in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet, but only for a short while.

Acidic ingredients can erode the seasoning of a new cast iron pan – and even make the meal taste metallic. If your pan is new, allow it time to get broken in before making long-simmering pasta sauces.

5. Always Season Your Pan

Seasoning for cooking typically involves salt, pepper, and spices.

In this case, it involves none of those things and only a nominal amount of oil. Once or twice a year, after cleaning, add about a teaspoon of oil to every inch of the cast iron of the pan.

Use a paper towel to spread the oil, coating the pan thoroughly.

Pop it in an oven, preheated to 500 degrees F. Place it upside down and ensure you have a tray underneath it to catch the dripping oil.

Bake it in the oven for an hour, then switch it off, leaving the pan overnight to cool off.