CARING FOR CAST IRON

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CARING FOR CAST IRON

The best-cast iron skillets are a thing of tradition, passed down to generations; with memories of grandma’s fried chicken or pineapple upside-down cakes that seasoned the pan you inherited to perfection.

Ingredients

• SEE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW

Instructions

1. They are to be treasured much more than the basic skillet and with a little bit of care, kept for decades to come.
2. If you buy a new cast iron pan it comes pre-seasoned, but caring for the historical pan you treasure takes a little extra effort.
3. Some cooks and cast iron diehards don’t dare let their pans near water, to resist rust, but if you have a pan that needs a little love, here are a few tips to restore a rusted gem…
4. SEASONING: Traditional cast-iron skillets need seasoning to keep them healthy and usable for years to come. If you find some rust on a pan you have or one is passed down to you, I recommend that you “season the pan” right away. Seasoning is what it’s all about; the act of coating the skillet with cooking oil and baking it in a 350°F oven for an hour. Let it cool, then dry it with paper towels and it will be ready to use. You'll reinforce the nonstick coating every time you heat oil in the skillet.
5. CLEANING: For best results, rinse the pan with hot water immediately after cooking. If you need to remove burned-on food, scrub with a mild abrasive, like coarse salt, and a nonmetal brush to preserve the nonstick surface; you can also use a few drops of mild dishwashing soap every once in a while. If the pan gets a sticky coating or develops rust over time, scrub it with steel wool and reseason it. To prevent rust, dry the skillet thoroughly and lightly coat the cooking surface with cooking oil. Cover the inside of the pan with a paper towel to protect it from dust.

CHEF’S TIPS:

1. If you’re buying a new cast iron skillet, nothing is more versatile than a 10-inch or 12-inch basic skillet.
2. There's only one thing you shouldn't attempt in cast-iron cookware: boiling water, which will cause the pan to rust.
3. Cast iron takes longer to warm than other surfaces but retains heat remarkably well and diffuses it evenly.
4. Cast iron remains hot long after you remove it from the stove. As a reminder to be careful, drape a thick towel or a mitt over the handle.

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