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16 hours ago · One of cast iron’s biggest selling points is its versatility. It can comfortably reach very high temperatures, which makes it perfect for sautéing and searing – turn up the heat on the hob, be it gas, electric or induction, for a beautiful crust on your steak, or to brown beef or lamb before deglazing and popping in the oven for a gentle cook.
- Overview
- You don't allow time for the pan to heat u
- You use the same skillet for savory and swee
- You don't clean the pan quickly enoug
- You let your skillet soa
- You don't re-season the skille
- You store the skillet while it's still we
Show it some TLC and your cast iron skillet can last a lifetime—or more. Many families have generations-old cast iron that's been crisping up
But unlike your standard department store kitchen tools, cast iron requires a bit of special treatment. That does
mean it's extremely fussy; it just has a different set of care, cleaning, and cooking rules than something like a
or using mom's, steer clear of these common cast iron skillet mistakes and you'll set your pan on a plan to be passed down for decades.
While cast iron is prized for its ability to get—and stay—scorching hot, it has a tendency to get hot spots that can lead to uneven cooking and a less non-stick sear. To prevent this, first preheat your skillet in the oven whether you're baking, frying, or sautéing what you plan to cook in it.
Place the skillet in a room temperature oven, then turn it on to 400°F or so. Allow the oven and skillet to heat up together, and once the oven reaches the set temp, the skillet should be ready to move forward with the directions in your
One of the magical qualities of cast iron is that it's just as extraordinary at searing salmon as it is at crisping up the edges of brownies. But its semi-porous surface means that if you cook both of those foods in the same skillet, you might end up with fish-scented baked goods.
If possible, invest in a separate pan for uber-fragrant foods (say, garlicky sauces, seafood, anything with funky fermented ingredients) and everything else. A quality
Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet
runs just $30 at Target, if you need to add another to your kitchen arsenal.
For the best and easiest results when cleaning your cast iron, tackle the tidy-up mission while the skillet is still warm from cooking your meal. For a complete how-to, check out our step-by-step guide for
Rinse it with warm water, shake in some baking soda and/or salt, and gently dislodge any debris with a sponge, wash cloth, or
Soaking your cast iron skillet in your sink is a recipe for rust, as is washing it in the dishwasher. Instead, clean it ASAP, even using simple soap and water if you must. As long as you rinse off all of the suds and dry the pan thoroughly and quickly after washing, the soap shouldn't harm your skillet's seasoned surface.
Speaking of seasoning, it's why so many home cooks prize grandma's cast iron skillet. Cast iron gets better and more non-stick with age and with repeated use, although modern cast iron skillets come handily pre-seasoned. For the uninitiated, seasoning refers to the oil that's baked onto the cast iron's surface that makes food not stick and helps keep the surface from staining.
Still, either vintage or new skillets are best served by a simple re-seasoning step after each use. After cooking, washing, and drying your skillet, place it back on a medium-high burner and add a tablespoon of neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. Use a paper towel to evenly distribute the oil around the surface and interior sides of the skillet so each part is shiny. Once it starts to smoke just a bit, take the skillet off the heat, wipe it down once more with a clean paper towel, let it cool, and store until next time.
It bears repeating: Give that seasoned skillet one last wipe down before storing, if you can, since water is essentially iron's enemy number one—leading to rust, wear, and tear. While rust doesn't mean that you need to toss your skillet, it is a hassle to scrub, season, and re-season, so prevent damage before it happens by keeping your skillet dry.
If you don't have a hanging pot rack and you're worried about any scratching or scraping, layer a paper plate or kitchen towel between pans that you stack to store efficiently.
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Place the cookware in the oven upside down on the top rack and place aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any excess oil that may drip off the cookware. Bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat as necessary to achieve the classic black patina. Occasionally food may stick to your cast iron cookware.
- DO season your new cast-iron cookware before you use it. Even if a new pan is advertised as nonstick or preseasoned, you should give it a good seasoning before its first use.
- DON’T send cast-iron cookware through the dishwasher. Putting your cookware in the dishwasher or using harsh detergents or abrasive scrubs will break down the seasoning, removing the nonstick coating and flavor-enhancing properties of your cast iron.
- DO clean your skillet as soon as you’re done cooking. If you’re a “leave it in the sink to soak overnight” kind of cook, cast-iron cookware isn’t for you.
- DON’T let it stay wet. Cast iron is still, after all, iron, and iron rusts when exposed to water for too long. For that reason, leave wet tasks like boiling water to your other cookware, and let your cast iron tackle the searing, baking, frying, and other non-water-based cooking.
Apr 21, 2023 · 1. Wash the pan with warm soapy water. The first step of fixing a sticky cast iron pan is by wetting it with warm soapy water and scrubbing it with a metal chainmail scrubber. With that said. let us dispel a rumor: yes, you can use mild dish soap to clean your cast iron pan without it doing damage to the seasoning.
Jan 14, 2024 · Mistake #1: You’re Not Seasoning It Regularly. Seasoning is the be-all, end-all of cast iron. It’s essential for a slippery surface and what gives cast iron the ability to last for years without rusting. You should be doing this on a semi-regular basis and not just when you purchase a new cast iron pan. The process itself isn’t difficult ...
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Aug 4, 2021 · Every pan has its own quirks, but cast iron, in particular, has a reputation among home cooks for being high-maintenance. Don’t let that scare you off—a cast iron skillet can last a lifetime (or longer!) and is easy to maintain if you remember a few simple cleaning tips. If you ever mess it up, don’t worry: The great thing about cast iron is that it’s easy to restore.
