Cast Iron Skillet Dos and Don’ts

A well-seasoned cast iron skillet takes time, patience and care. However, this does not mean that you need to coddle it like a newborn or tuck it into bed every night. Cast iron is a tough, versatile material that is exceptional at conducting hot, even heat, but it does require some maintenance. A new cast iron skillet is raw natural metal and, just like our skin, it has pores. When you heat this material, the pores open and absorb the oils and fats from what you're cooking. Over time, these oils combine with the porous surface and create an easy-release surface that is harder and smoother than cast iron is on its own. This process is called seasoning and it is much easier to do at home than it sounds. To help you get the most out of your pans (and keep them in good cooking shape), here are a few dos and don’ts to live by when it comes to cast iron.

Dos

• Use dish soap—really! A soft sponge and dish soap are not abrasive enough to scrape off all of the hard-earned seasoning on the surface of your pans. If you only rinse your skillet, bacteria can grow or grease residue can go rancid. For tough foods that a soft sponge can’t clean, try scrubbing your cast iron with a few tablespoons of oil, kosher salt and a paper towel. When the salt looks black and dirty, then rinse and dry well.
• Rub the cast iron skillet with oil before storing. After washing and carefully drying your cast iron skillet, use a paper towel to apply a very thin layer of neutral oil like soybean, flaxseed or vegetable oil. Store it until ready to use again.
• Season your pans twice a year. In addition to keeping your pans well-greased after cooking, it’s a good idea to give your pans a full seasoning twice a year. Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 400°. Drizzle a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in your skillet and then use a paper towel to spread it evenly across the insides of the pan. Bake upside down on a rack for 1 hour. Let it cool completely in the oven.
• Use it on your grill. For the best crusty sear on a steak or a burger, you need surface area. Let your cast iron skillets preheat on your grill grate until they are nice and hot, then use them on the grill just as you would on your stove top. The cast iron’s flat, even surface will give you that perfect char while still getting the smoky flavor from the grill. Don’t have a grate? You can lay it right on top of the coals or burning campfire logs! Just be sure to have a long spatula and tongs.
• Use metal utensils. It's OK to use a metal spatula or tongs on cast iron—the seasoned surface protects the metal. The only exception is if you are cooking in an enamel-coated skillet. A metal utensil can scratch the porcelain.

Don't

• Put your pans away wet. This is a big one—water will gather in the bottom of the skillet and rust. This also goes for letting your pans air-dry on your stove top. If the cast iron is still damp after drying with a towel, set it over a low flame to dry out. If your pans do rust, gently remove the rust with a fine steel wool pad. Then rinse, dry and proceed with the seasoning process mentioned above.
• Put your pans in the dishwasher. A dishwasher is too harsh and can potentially strip the surface of your skillet.
• Let your pans soak. Keep your pan out of the sink until you’re ready to clean it. Excessive soaking can cause rust.
• Use it to cook acidic foods. According to Lodge cookware, acidic foods like tomatoes, beans and large amounts of citrus juice can potentially strip the surface of a skillet that is not heavily seasoned and make the food taste metallic. If you have a relatively new skillet, save these cooking jobs for your stainless steel or enameled pans.
• Let your pan get sticky. If the surface of your skillet feels sticky from oil, then the skillet isn’t properly seasoned and it can cause the fat on the surface to flake off. To fix this, lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven. Preheat the oven to 400° and bake the skillet upside down for 1 hour. Let cool completely in the oven.

Above first posted on Food & Wine Blog - 2020

My Recommendation: The Best Cast Iron Skillet - Lodge 12" $25.00

Lodge skillets are affordable and durable—with good care, they will last you a long time. These skillets come pre-seasoned, but I highly recommend washing and seasoning them before use. Bonus: They also come in all sizes. The 12-inch is great for roasting a whole chicken, but also stock up on the 3.5-inches for individual baked eggs or fruit crisps with a scoop of ice cream. Yummy!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge

Sunday Stealing...

Welcome to Sunday Stealing. This feature originated and published on WTIT: The Blog. Here we will steal all types of questions from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent questions. (Past hosts include: Our first - Judd Corizan, Mr. L, Kwizgiver and Bud) Cheers to all of us thieves.

1. Do you think animals dream? Yes. I don't know if they dream like we do, but our dog moves and barks in her sleep.

2. Have you ever been to a fortune teller or psychic? Yes, I went with my BFF to Cassadaga, FL; well know for having many psychics and mediums, and has been named the "Psychic Capital of the World". All in good fun!

3. How important is it to have a low stress job? I work well under stress, but would prefer less in my job.

4. Do you always lock your house? Yes, always.

5. What do you do if you feel lonely? Take a road trip to visit friends.

6. Have you ever driven a sports car? Yes, Nissan Z300

7. Have you ever fallen down the stairs? Yes, and I have fallen UP stairs too!

8. What do you think about the death penalty? Yes, in most cases,  I am an "eye for an eye" person.

9. What do you think about animal testing? Totally against it. I worked at a sanctuary for Chimpanzees retired from research and saw the lasting impact the testing had on the chimps. This is Kareem, my favorite chimp in the Sanctuary.....

10. What are your neighbors like? We have great neighbors. Mountain folk tend to take care of one another. Much better than when we lived in the city.

11. Do you turn off the water when you brush your teeth? I try to remember to do that, but some bad habits are hard to break.

12. Are there any foods that you wouldn’t eat as a child that you now like? Beets and brussel sprouts. As a kid I only had the canned varieties, fresh is so much better.

13. Is it important to always tell the truth? Yes, but I sometimes lie by omission to save the feelings of others.

14. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Poi, I just don't understand the need for this starch.

15. Do computers really help us save time? Yes and no. I can waste a lot of time surfing.

16. Do you have any tattoos? No... Not because I don't like them, I just have a hard time trusting the artist's skill with a forever work of art.

17. How do you feel about changing your nationality? Ask me this question again in November.

18. Would you ever buy a used car? Yes, I've had several gently used cars.

19. Have you ever gone on a blind date? Yes, several times, but it never got past the first date. Some were actually awful!

20. Do you believe there is life after death? I'm counting on it. There are a lot of people and pets I am hoping to see again.

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge