Cast Iron Cookware - A Healthy Choice!

Cast iron cooking has been around for ages and you can say it is a classic. Most cooks and professional chefs use cast iron cookware until now not only because it’s tradition but mainly because it has been tried and tested for several years and has proven its worth.

It is also believed to be the cheapest and healthiest cookware available today (which has been available for ages). Time and time again people have raved about the different qualities of cookware. One of the most notable is that it actually mixes a little iron your food which makes it healthy. It’s not going to be toxic to your body but it is also not enough to supply the daily required iron in your food so you still have to eat iron rich foods. But it’s something, isn’t it? Instead of getting chemicals mixed into your food from non-stick pans, it’s better to get a healthy mineral instead.

The durability of the cast iron cookware is hard to match. Cast iron is even used for engineering materials because it’s easy to mold but it’s very durable. However, due to its make you might find it a little heavier than your regular pots and pans. You can cook lots of dishes in your cast iron as you can fry, sear, bake, saute, braise, grill, etc. It’s so easy to transfer from your stove top to your oven when cooking a casserole. It’s very flexible. One great thing with cookware is it becomes better as it age just like a wine. If wine’s flavor improves as it ages so thus the cast iron cookware because it becomes darker and more nonstick due to prolonged use.

Unseasoned cast iron is very cheap. However, it takes a little bit of seasoning for it to be ready to use. There are several sites which gives you instruction on how to do that with your cast iron. Basically what you do is to cover your cookware with lard and cook it in the oven. If you’d prefer to skip that process you can buy pre-seasoned cast iron cookware.

But be mindful when using cast iron make sure that you do not cook acidic foods with it because it will give your food a metallic taste because acid reacts with the iron. Acidic food also strips of the seasoning on your cast iron cookware.

The enamel cast iron cookware solves that problem. It has the characteristics of a regular cast iron cookware like durability and heat retention but you can cook acidic foods in it because of its the enamel coating which prevents the acid to react with the iron. However, it is more expensive and you need to handle this more carefully than its counterpart to prevent the enamel from crackling, chipping, and scratching. When cooking with it, make sure that you use wooden, plastic or silicone utensils. You should also not use abrasive materials to clean it. Nevertheless, it is easy to clean because of the enamel coating.

During our research we visited many online vendors and discovered that the best prices are typically found on Amazon.

	Lodge Logic L14SK3 15-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet List Price: $48.99 Sale Price: $31.09 Used From: $33.55
	Start your own family heirloom. The do everything, use anytime skillet is built to last several lifetimes.. Full 15 inch diameter so you can really load it up. Cast Iron is a fantastic cooking medium. It conducts heat evenly with no hot-spots and maintains heat for efficiency and cooking control...

	Lodge Pro Logic 14" Cast Iron Wok, Black List Price: $80.00 Sale Price: $45.99 Used From: $47.47
	Seasoned ready to use 14" wok with loop handles features even, fast heating and excellent heat retention. All important factors in successful stir frying, simmering and braising. This unique flat bottomed cast iron wok allows you to use an electric or gas range without a ring to hold the work steady and transfers the heat rapidly from the burner to the wok.

	Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned 8-Inch Cast-Iron Meat Rack/Trivet List Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $8.79
	Unique Camp Dutch meat rack is sized to fit most skillets, dutch or camp ovens. Makes an ideal trivet too. Seasoned and ready to use. Purchase skillet separately.

	Lodge Pro Logic Cast Iron 14" Pizza Pan, Black List Price: $56.00 Sale Price: $34.97 Used From: $33.22
	Seasoned 14" round pizza pan with loop handles features even, fast heating and excellent heat retention. Golden pizza crust every time. Great for roasted vegetables, pork chops, chicken and beef. Not even the most expensive stainless or aluminum cookware can rival the even heating, heat retention, versatility, value and durability of Lodge Cast Iron...

	Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Rectangular Cast-Iron Grill Press List Price: $21.99 Sale Price: $14.97
	Seasoned and ready to use rectangular grill press is designed to improve your stovetop and outdoor grill favorites. Great for eliminating curl from bacon or ham and improve the presentation of many other foods...

	Lodge Logic L5SK3 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron 8-Inch Skillet List Price: $12.99 Sale Price: $10.16 Used From: $12.34
	The American-based company Lodge has been fine-tuning its construction of rugged, cast-iron cookware for more than a century. No other metal is as long-lasting and works as well for spreading and retaining heat evenly during cooking...

	Lodge Logic, Seasoned Cast Iron Cookware Muffin/Cornbread Pan List Price: $15.99 Sale Price: $13.99 Used From: $13.70
	Seasoned and ready to use straightsided muffin pan with 6 impressions. Old fashioned muffins are always a treat. Cast Iron cooks best. The even heat control allows for a perfect bread crust every time...

	Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Round Cast-Iron Grill Press List Price: $27.99 Sale Price: $17.99
	This seasoned and ready to use round grill press is good for keeping bacon from curling, also chicken breasts, pork chops, steaks. Nice and heavy to do the job right. Holds heat in grilled sandwiches and "presses" out unwanted fats...

	Lodge Cast Iron Scrubber Brush List Price: $8.64 Sale Price: $3.64
	This stiff bristled brush is designed with wood handle, synthetic bristles, and the Lodge skillet logo burned into the brush head. Great for cleaning your cast iron pieces.

	Lodge LCC3 Logic Pre-Seasoned Combo Cooker List Price: $41.99 Sale Price: $34.99 Used From: $26.13
	It's a deep skillet, a fryer, a Dutch oven, and the lid converts to a shallow skillet or griddle. This versatile piece of cast iron cookware allows the preparation of almost any recipe. Great for kitchen and outdoor cooking...