Cast Iron Cookware

Before you go out and purchase a new piece of cast iron cookware, it's important that you understand a few things about this wonderful material.

The advantages of cast iron are myriad. It retains heat better than any other metal on the market. It heats up evenly, which means that you won't have any hot spots to burn your food. Seasoned cast iron, when treated correctly, can be as easy to cook with as a modern non-stick pan, but will also allow you to get a far better 'crispy' texture when sauteeing or frying.

Unlike most metals used for cookware, cast iron is porous, that is, it soaks up liquids. Now, this might seem like a bad thing when cooking, but in fact, it is this property that allows cast iron to work much like a modern non-stick surface.

When heated and coated with cooking oil, cast iron will absorb it, this creating a waterproof and non-stick barrier. This process is called seasoning, and almost all cast iron cookware comes pre-seasoned.

Because oil is absorbed during the seasoning process, cast iron cookware has one deadly enemy; soap. Soap breaks down the oils in the metal, and will quickly destroy the non-stick properties, and thus the usefulness, of cast iron. This means no dishwashers, and no detergent. So get yourself a scrubbing brush.

Cast iron cookware also needs to be thick so that it will conduct heat evenly. Cast iron is perhaps one of the best materials on the market today if you want a pan or pot that heats up evenly and holds it's temperature. However, because cast iron holds it's temperature so well, heating it up and them immersing it in water will often cause it to crack. So be careful.

So, without further ado, lets take a look at some of the best cast iron cookware available today.

Possibly the most popular use of cast iron in cookware is to manufacture skillets, or sautee pans. With it's superior heat retention, and wonderful crisping ability, cast iron is -the- choice for frying eggs, cooking cornbread, or sauteeing meat.

The Lodge Logic skillet is, in my opinion, and that of cook's illustrated magazine, perhaps the best skillet on the market at the moment. It passed all of their tests with flying colors. The preseasoning that Lodge uses is the equivalent of 200 applications of oil, and let me tell you, it works. What's more, the price is astoundingly good.


Lodge Manufacturing Co. 12-in. Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet




I could rave about this skillet for days, but perhaps it's best to let you try it for yourself. Moving on then....

Another cast iron favorite of mine is the classic square grill pan. Similar to a skillet, a grilling pan has raised ridges running across it. This allows you to grill and sear meats (like a big slab of steak) and poultry to perfection.


Lodge Manufacturing Co. 10.5-in. Enameled Seasoned Square Cast Iron Grill Pan




Moving from the stovetop into the oven, another classic use of cast iron is in the construction of dutch ovens. Heat retention is the name of the game when cooking with a dutch oven. The longer a dutch oven can hold it's heat, the less turning on-and-off is required by your oven oven. Superior for cooking stews and baking breads, these little beauties are the perfect choice for cooking dishes that require a long period in the oven.


Lodge Manufacturing Co. 7-qt. Enameled Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven






Calphalon 8-qt. Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Cabernet




I'll be back later with more reviews and suggestions for cast iron cookware. Next week, look out for tea pots and infusers!