The Wonders of Cast Iron

I remember growing up and my mom using her cast iron skillet and raving about how wonderful it was. I would look at that thing and think, how could that possibly be wonderful? It looks horrible, weighs a ton, and everything bloody well sticks to it!

But now I know the wonders of cast iron. It is the ultimate non-stick surface. My mom's mistake? Washing it with soap.

My recent flirtation with cast iron (and this is not a food blog so I don't know why I'm talking about it. I just felt like it. It's my blog. I can do that.) began recently when I was browsing some links at FrugalForLife (www.frugalforlife.com). One of the links is for products sold to the Amish. And one of those links then led me to an article about why cast iron is awesome.

I was also excited when I went to a local kitchen products store and found a universal pan lid! It fits any pan from 10 inches to 12 inches! Very cheap too. I think it was something like $10.00.

The Wonders of Cast Iron
1. Cast iron is cheap.
2. Cast iron lasts forever. My experience bears this out - my mom has cast iron that's older than me.
3. Cast iron might just stop a bullet if held in front of your chest or other appendage at the proper moment. Useful if you live in the hood.

4. You can use any utensils you want with it. No babying this stuff!
5. It is the ULTIMATE 'non-stick' surface. You season it with vegetable oil by giving it a light coating and then baking your pan at a high temp in your oven for a while. Poof! Non-stick. To keep it that way, don't use soap when you wash it. That's right. No soap. No, it's not gross. When you store it, give it a light, light coating with non-stick spray. Also, do not put it in the dishwasher. The non-stick chemicals never flake off into your food, and if it loses its seasoning, it's easy to re-season it.

6. A cast iron skillet applied with force to the head of burglar or other perp will stop them in their tracks.
7. I mentioned it lasts forever, right?
8. No non-stick chemicals seeping into your food.
9. Can be used on the stove AND in the oven!
10. Will not warp easily. Ever had a pan get warped? Pain in the a*s.
11. Even heat distribution.
12. Uses less energy! What you used to have to use 'high' for on your stove with a normal pan, you can use 'medium' for with cast iron.

I guess I have to mention the cons…
1. it's heavy.
2. doesn't heat quickly or cool slowly. Better get to know your skillet and your stove.
3. Yeeeeah….no dishwasher for this one.
4. Not a very substantial handle -- Bit of a problem when your skillet weighs that much. Solution - Kitchenaid's silicon handle grabber things.

That's about it. Not bad for something that'll outlive YOU.