Let’s take a moment to talk about cooking equipment. We are firm believers in equipment that is meant to last a lifetime, or a few lifetimes, if it is taken care of correctly. Cast iron pans, pots, skillets are part of the foundation for any chef’s dream kitchen. They get HOT, they are versatile, they can withstand extreme cooking techniques, and they can take a beating.
One of the biggest mistakes people make while cooking at home is not letting their pan heat up enough before putting food in it. If you are looking for the perfect sear, wait until the pan is literally smoking before adding some oil. Let the oil come up to temperature for about a minute and THEN add your protein and don’t move it until it is ready to move. Let it talk to you. Wait until it stops sticking and then it is ready to flip or rotate. Cast iron pans will always give you a perfect sear because they allow you to get up to proper temperature without having to worry about damaging the pan. Any sort of coated, 3 ply, or lesser metal will warp under proper cooking techniques.
The next great thing about cooking with cast iron is that it is fast to clean. When you are finished cooking, take the food out of the pan and let it get ripping hot again. If it smells like it is starting to burn you have it hot enough. Turn on the sink, grab a hot pad or towel to grab the pan with, and a scrub brush. *Keeping your head away from the pan*, douse with water. It will create a decent amount of steam for a few seconds but once that dissipates, give it a quick scrub. All of the left over debris will come right off and you will be left with a perfectly clean pan. Put back on the fire to dry (this is important so that you don’t allow it to rust) and then rub down with a dab of oil.
Side note, if you are making something that will be de-galzed, then you are essentially cleaning the pan in the process. after you are finished with your dish, go ahead and just wipe the pan out and be sure it is wiped with clean oil before storing again.
A lot of people ask about curing the cast iron and get turned off from using them because they feel like they are too much work. The curing process is simply seasoning the pan and coating the pours. When you first get a new pan, rub it down with a generous amount of vegetable oil, put on a sheet pan upside down, and then put in a 400F oven for an hour. This will seal the pan and make it relatively non stick. It is good practice to do this about once a year to keep the integrity of the pan in tact.
Does your grandma have a pan that has been sitting in the garage for the past 40 years? Amazing! With a little work, you can bring it back to life. Take vegetable oil, kosher salt, and half a lemon, and scrub. Scrub, scrub, scrub until the rust is removed. The acid in the lemon will break down the rust without harming the iron. once it is clean, cure the pan as mentioned above and enjoy using it for the rest of your life.
If you don’t have a good cast iron pan, dutch oven, or skillet, you are missing out. It will change your cooking life forever and is worth the investment. You will be searing, frying, baking, and grilling like you have always dreamed you would!
Cheers!
