Invest in Cast Iron Pans

When Joe and I got engaged, I was given a set of well-seasoned cast iron pans by his grandparents. At the time, I thought that a bunch of used heavy old-fashioned skillets and pans were just about the last thing I’d ever use in the kitchen, especially after the admonition never to use soap on them. What?!

As it turns out, cast iron pans are the ones I value the most and I have come to see them in a whole new light. I think you will too.

Well Regarded For A Long Time For Good Reason

Cast iron has been used for hundreds of years in cooking for good reason. After years of use, they provided the first non-stick pans. They can be used nearly anywhere too- range top, in the oven, over a campfire, on the potbelly stove,… And they are simple to clean. What more could you ask for?

New Isn’t Always Better

If you do a little research on new non-stick surfaces added to new cookware, you quickly find that there is a good bit of evidence to suggest that it is not safe to use, much less to prepare food in. As it heats up, scientists have found that toxic vapors are given off that are harmful to breathe. Further, as you’ve probably experienced yourself, the coating on the pan eventually degrades or scratches off and you have to get a new one in a few years. Any guesses where the coating went?

Iron, on the other hand, is a mineral that your body needs and many of us don’t get enough of it. If you scrape some tiny bit of the iron into the food as you stir, so much the better.

A Good Investment

With all these benefits, why don’t more people use cast iron pans? I think mostly because they just don’t’ know their value. We’ve grown up in the age of aluminum and throw-away items. We are accustomed to the idea of buying a cheap item and using it for a little while, then replacing it with another. This is not really economical, nor does it provide a durable item that will serve you well for a long time. It also assumes an endless supply of new items and low prices.

I argue that the investment in a quality skillet, Dutch oven, and a few other pans will more than pay for themselves. In the time since Joe’s grandparents first began cooking with the ones they eventually gave me, I’m sure most other people have thrown away at least 10 inferior quality ones of questionable safety.

Recommendations

There is a very reputable brand called Lodge that sells high quality cast iron cookware. They are available online, in many Cracker Barrel restaurants, and even in farm supply stores sometimes. Most come “pre-seasoned,” though I always give new items an additional treatment for good measure. Other brands may be alright also.

A few years ago, we bought a set of unseasoned American Camper brand pans exactly for that purpose. We didn’t want to take along our “good stuff” and risk it rusting or being lost, so we took a gamble on those instead. They didn’t feel as smooth or well-made as some other brands, so we weren’t sure how they would work. As it turns out, they took “seasoning” even faster than some others and have turned out to be some of our best pans.

More To Come

In a future posting, we will give information about how you can successfully season your own cast iron dishes and start a collection to pass down to your grandchildren.

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