30 Cozy Cast-Iron Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less (2024)

FAQs

Why is cooking in cast iron so much better? ›

The natural nonstick surface and sturdy nature may be cast iron's most notable benefits, but the perks of the cookware don't stop there. Some other notable benefits of cooking with cast iron include: Holds heat well. Once cast iron has warmed up, it stays warm which helps keep food hot.

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil. Olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and grapeseed oil are all great multipurpose cooking oils—you can use them for everything from sautéing to baking.

We recommend starting with vegetables as they are more forgiving than most proteins - they taste delicious and won't stick to your pan! Keep in mind that using a little bit of oil is necessary to help to keep food from sticking.

Yes, you can season the pans for frying, sautéing, or baking in cast iron cookware like pans, pots, or skillets with butter, but it's not the right choice to season it for the first time. Butter immediately starts to smoke when added to a heated pan because cast iron can withstand a lot of heat.

Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.

Prone to Rusting – Being composed primarily of iron, the material is prone to rust and eventually it will get harmed by continued rusting. Frequent contact with moisture will only speed up the process but the damage is inevitable. Heavy – Cast iron is heavy and it can make working with it a bit difficult.

Can I use soap to wash cast iron? Contrary to popular belief, you can use a small amount of soap to clean cast iron cookware! Large amounts of soap can strip the seasoning off your pan, but you can easily re-season your pan as needed.

Wash while it's still warm.

The water should be warm too, as you never want to shock cast iron with a sudden and drastic temperature change from cold water, since this could cause warping and even cracking. Wash with something that will scour but not scratch.

Water! You don't need (and should not use) soap to clean a cast iron. Simply use water and a scrub brush, or for a big mess use some course salt and oil to scrub away to residue and then rinse with water.

How to keep food from sticking to cast iron? ›

Add enough oil to the pan before adding food. You'll want to use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Foods that are prone to sticking, like eggs, may require a bit more oil, while fatty foods, like chicken thighs, don't need quite as much oil to keep from sticking.

When cooking in cast iron, you should add a little oil to the pan before adding your food. This helps ensure the food doesn't stick, and it helps build layers of seasoning. You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil.