Once you start cooking with cast iron, odds are you’ll end up loving it. For starters, it’s a true culinary work horse able to go from cooktop to oven to outdoor grill to blazing campfire with ease. No matter what’s on the menu, you know it’s going look and taste better when you use your favorite cast iron cookware.
1 – It’s Versatile
Cast iron cookware can be used in many different ways: on top of the stove, in the oven, under the broiler, on the grill, or even over an open campfire. This versatility saves you both time and money because you don’t have to buy or wash a bunch of extra pots and pans.
For example, to make a big pot roast in a single pan, pull out your cast iron Dutch oven to brown the meat, then add the remaining ingredients before placing in the oven to cook.
Who needs a big roasting pan? Just take out your largest cast iron skillet and roast a whole chicken in it. You can also sear steaks on top of the stove and then put it them in the oven to finish cooking without needing to dirty another dish.
2 – Economical
A basic piece of cast iron cookware is usually a steal, whether you buy it new or at a yard sale. The simplest form, called ‘raw’ cast iron (the black color), is what you might envision on a campfire. There are also more colorful enameled varieties, but they tend to cost a lot more. Fortunately, some well known lines of old-fashioned cast iron cookware have come out with their own enameled versions that rivals the designer labels.
For the most part, if you want a good, solid piece of cookware without spending a lot of money, cast iron is the right place to start.
3 – Durable
This old-fashioned cookware is nearly indestructible. Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t damage the seasoned finish, but even if you do – it can be fixed in most cases. First, try cooking some bacon or other fatty food in it. If that doesn’t give the results you want, you can always re-season the pan to restore the finish to its previous luster.
Know you know why cast iron cookware is handed down for generations – it lasts forever!
4 – Practical
Have you ever started cooking a dish on your cooktop only to realize you need to pop it under the broiler to finish it?
If you have ever had to transfer food from one piece of cookware to another just to complete a recipe, you know what a pain that can be. If you are using a regular skillet, you need to worry about whether or not the handle will melt or if the whole thing will crack from the heat.
Unlike regular pots and pan or fancy specialty cookware, cast iron is no-nonsense. Which means you don’t have to think about anything but your recipe and gathering everyone around the table.
5 – Sentimental
Cast iron has been a mainstay in kitchens for generations. As a result, cast iron is often associated with warm, happy memories of delicious meals shared with close family and friends. Perhaps you have fond memories from your childhood of delicious Sunday breakfasts at grandma’s house or of your mom’s favorite comfort foods hot from the oven. Or maybe you had the chance to hang a cast iron pot over an open fire before enjoying a hot bowl of chili or stew.
Whatever your personal memories of cast iron may be, chances are your own frequently used pieces will become a treasured part of your family’s history, which is truly something to love.
