Bare cast iron
Cast iron's ability to withstand and maintain very high cooking temperatures makes it a common choice for
searing or
frying, and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews or
braised dishes. Because cast iron skillets can develop a "non-stick" surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. Other uses of cast iron pans include baking, for instance for making
cornbread,
cobblers and cakes.
Most bare cast iron pots and pans are cast from a single piece of metal in order to provide even distribution of heat. This quality allows most bare cast iron pans to serve as dual-purpose stovetop fryers and oven baking dishes. Many recipes call for the use of a cast iron skillet or pot, especially so that the dish can be initially seared or fried on the stovetop then transferred into the oven, pan and all, to finish baking. Likewise, cast iron skillets can double as baking dishes.
Cornbread in particular is seen as a food item that is best prepared in a cast iron skillet: the iron pan is heated beforehand in the oven, the ingredients are combined in the heated pan, and the dish is then placed directly into the oven for fast baking. This differs from many other cooking pots, which have varying components that may be damaged by the excessive temperatures of
400 °F (204 °C) or more.
Cast iron is a very slow conductor of heat and forms hot spots if heated too quickly, or on an undersized burner;
[3] however, it has excellent heat retention properties, and the entire pan will eventually become extremely hot, including the iron handle or handles.
Health effects
An American Dietetic Association study found that cast iron cookware can leach significant amounts of dietary iron into food. The amounts of iron absorbed varied greatly depending on the food, its acidity, its water content, how long it was cooked, and how old the cookware was. The iron in spaghetti sauce increased 2,109 percent (from .35 mg/100g to 7.38 mg/100g), while other foods increased less dramatically, for example the iron in cornbread increased 28 percent, from 0.67 to 0.86 mg/100g.
[4][5] Anemics, and those with
iron deficiencies, may benefit from this effect.
[6]
Seasoning
A
seasoned pan has a stick-resistant coating created by polymerized oils and fats. Seasoning is a process by which a layer of animal fat or vegetable oil is applied and cooked onto cast iron or carbon steel cookware. The seasoning layer protects the cookware from rusting, provides a non-stick surface for cooking, and prevents food from interacting with the iron of the pan. Enamel-coated cast iron pans do not need seasoning, as the enamel coating prevents rust in most instances. Television chef
Alton Brown advocates re-seasoning cast-iron cookware yearly to ensure a non-stick surface and to protect the surface from rust.
[7]
Cleaning
Because ordinary cookware cleaning techniques like scouring or washing in a dishwasher can remove or damage the seasoning on a bare cast iron pan, these pans should not be cleaned like most other cookware. Some cast iron aficionados advocate never cleaning cast iron pans at all, simply wiping them out after use, or washing them with hot water and a stiff brush.
[8] Others advocate washing with mild soap and water, and then re-applying a thin layer of fat or oil.
[9] A third approach is to scrub with
coarse salt and a paper towel or clean rag.
[7]
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