How To Cook Everything You Need To Know About Cooking In A Cast Iron Skillet - Recipe

The cast iron skillet is used by people who really like to cook. They are virtually indestructible, often sold with a 30-year warranty and for life. And many of us have inherited such vessels from our parents or grandmothers

Cast iron dishes are really a bit capricious, but if you take good care of them, they can last a lifetime. By following these rules, your pans will be in good condition for a long time.

What is so special about cast iron cookware?

Apart from being indestructible, as we have already said, many different dishes can be prepared in them. You can prepare vegetables or meat, and even bake a cake. The more you use a cast iron pan, the better it gets.

Hardening

You can harden your cast iron vessel whether it is old or new. New cast iron usually has a coating that protects it during transportation and storage. But old rusty cast iron can also be restored by hardening. Either way, you need to harden your pan before using it for the first time, or if there is any damage to it.

If this is not your first frying pan, skip steps 1 and 2 and start with step 3.

First, clean the cast iron with warm water, soap and household wire. Rub both the inside and the handle, bottom and walls on the outside. These pans are actually a whole piece of cast iron, which is good to be hardened not only from the inside.

After you finish rubbing, rinse with warm water and wash it again with faith, but this time use the hard side of the kitchen sponge.

* The new pans come with a protective layer, if there is no rust on it, it is better not to rub it with the wire. Go directly to point 2.

Dry with a towel and place the pan on a hot plate or in a hot oven, this will ensure that the moisture in it has evaporated and the cast iron is guaranteed to dry. This is the most important step to prevent rust.

Pour some fat into the pan and spread it with kitchen paper, again all over the pan - including the handle and the outside. Then take a clean piece of paper and repeat to remove excess oil. Cast iron pans are porous and the oil works by filling these pores to create a smooth, non-stick surface. It is important to dry well, leaving grease on the pan is a common mistake that will make the dish sticky.

Flaxseed oil is very suitable for this purpose, as it dries harder and creates the best and longest lasting layer, but it is quite expensive, so you can replace it with sunflower or something else of your choice. 

After greasing, it is time to put the pan in the oven at the highest temperature that can reach your appliance. The high temperature prevents the oil from leaking and helps to create a connection between it and the cast iron. This process takes about 1 hour, then allow the dish to cool inside the oven.

Hardening will give your pan a good look and give it a non-stick coating, thanks to the grease. The more often you do this, the better the condition of your pan will be, and the more often you use it, the more these processes will happen on their own.

For regular maintenance, do this twice a year, and if this is the first hardening, it is good to repeat the procedure twice in a row. In case you just want to maintain the condition of your pan, grease it directly and heat it in a very hot oven.

Cooking in a cast iron skillet

If you have successfully hardened, your pan will be non-stick and easy to operate.

You should always reheat the pan before putting food in it. If you put cold food in a cold cast iron pan, it will become stiff and definitely tasteless.

The cast iron skillet heats as evenly as the steel ones, but retains heat much better. Therefore, heat the pan on low for at least 5-10 minutes. You can gently hold your hand on the pan to determine if it is hot enough.

Once you have heated the pan, add a little fat and then add the food. When preparing a steak, for example, do not give in to the urge to turn it over, wait until a thick crispy crust forms and turn, then the meat itself will be separated from the dish and will be easy to turn.

Other tips

Start cooking on high heat and then transfer the dish to the oven. This allows you to get the delicious caramel crust of your food and still benefit from the gentler treatment in the oven.

People often think that they cannot use cast iron pans to prepare more acidic foods, such as tomatoes, lemons, wine. In fact, it is not a problem to add in small amounts if you have a good layer of fat obtained during hardening.

Most people think that cleaning is impossible because there is a lot of food left on the bottom. But cleaning can be very easy.

Just clean the pan while it is still warm to avoid food sticking to it.

An easy and effective method of cleaning is to rub the pan with salt and hot water. Cleaning the pan with salt and hot water and using a sponge is a very effective way to clean. Salt works as an abrasive and removes sticky food without disturbing the greasy layer on the cast iron, then pour water.

You can also use faith, although it is not recommended, but if your pan is hardened properly, faith will not cause any damage to it.

After washing the pan you need to wipe it with a towel. Then heat it on the stove or in the oven until all the moisture evaporates from it. This step is very important to prevent rust.

When the pan is completely dry and still warm, carefully apply a very thin layer of grease on the inside. This will strengthen the protective layer. Then reheat the pan until the fat is clogged to prevent it from turning.

The care of the pan is not small, but by maintaining it properly you ensure a strong and reliable dish for life.