Cast Iron Cookware - Tips For Beginners

Here’s a little taste of history for you. Do you see any black metal cookware lying around in your grandparent’s house? More often than not that’s a cast iron cookware. You can ask your grandmother how long she has that pot or pan. If it’s made of cast iron, it might be with her for several decades already or probably it was even passed down by your great grandmother. These cooking utensils have been used way back by early settlers. However, nowadays lots of great chefs and cooks still them a few lying around in their kitchen ready to be used.

Cast iron is made by mixing a combination of iron, silicon and carbon where iron consists of 95% of its weight. A testament to the durability of this alloy is its vital role as an engineering material. It is favored because of its low melting point, fluidity, castability and machinability which allow it to me molded into different shapes and sizes. The outcome is a metal that is resistant to deformation and wear. Your cookware is also made this way and then molded to form your skillet, pans, pots, and many others which will be very durable and will last for a long time.

There is bound to be a cast iron equipment for your every need. When you want to cook bacon and eggs or perhaps blueberry and strawberry pancakes for breakfast, there’s the cast iron skillet. If you want to eat fried pan oysters of cherry fillet mignon for lunch, you can use a cast iron pan. And for dinner if you opt for a savory beef stew then you should cook it in a cast iron pot. There are also baking utensils that are made of cast iron where you can make a homemade bread, brownie or cookie.

Cast iron cookware can withstand for several decades and still has a place in every kitchen. There are new designs and new alternatives out there which are very enticing but most cooks and chefs prefer the dependable cast iron utensils because of its ability to distribute heat evenly which cooks the food just right. That is why it is worth investing in them. You won’t need a fortune to do so because they are usually more affordable than their current counterparts like the gleaming stainless steel and the silvery matt aluminum which usually get burnt marks in them even when you regulate the heat. Did you know that in some families especially those with parents who love to cook hands down their cast iron equipments for the younger generation to enjoy?

You must season your cast iron utensils before you use them because this will make cleaning it easier as well as make it last longer. To season it, you must coat it with a thin layer of grease or lard. We highly discourage using a vegetable oil to coat your cast iron because it will end up with a sticky texture. Put it in a 250 to 300 degrees oven. After fifteen minutes, you need to remove the excess grease and then place it inside the oven again and bake it for two hours. It is also recommended to repeat the process as you seem fit to make sure that the cast iron cookware is seasoned well. When you are going to give your utensil a test run, you have to cook foods which are rich in fat to strengthen the bond of the grease and lard. Avoid acidic foods as this will break it. Do not use a scouring pad or detergent when washing it. It is best to use clean it by rinsing it with hot water and scrape if needed with something that will not break down the seasoning you did.

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...

Cast Iron Cookware – Tips For Beginners