Cast Iron Cookware

How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet (includes recipes)
By: Charlene Davis

Some of the best meals Ive ever eaten were made by my grandmothers in their cast iron skillets. Tender flaky catfish; fingerlickin chicken; and mouth watering cornbread were the traditional scrumptious fare. Today we have a new generation of cooks and they are conjuring up all sorts of new and tempting recipes to cook in cast iron skillets that have either been handed down through generations or picked up brandspankingnew at the local WilliamsSonoma store. But before I share some of those unusual recipes with you I would like to first educate you on how to care for your skillet.

First rule: Dont ever wash your cast iron skillet! Doesnt that just blow your mind I was positive that my mother was slipping into early dementia when she told me that years ago. But I soon found out she knew what she was talking about as always. Actually you should wash your skillet the first time but afterwards put away the soap when it comes to cleaning your skillet. And never put it in the dishwasher.

If you have a used skillet that was handed down or picked up at a garage sale you can clean the rust and crud off with a steel wool pad. Then wash it with mild soap and water dry thoroughly and prepare to season it as follows:

SEASONING YOUR SKILLET

What is seasoning Its a process that you go through to break in your skillet giving it a smooth nonstick surface. And the more you cook in it the better it becomes seasoned. You cannot overuse a cast iron skillet.

The seasoning process is applicable for both new and used skillets that you are breaking in. Generously grease the insides with shortening oil or bacon grease and heat in the oven for a couple of hours at 300 degrees. Allow it to cool completely then drain off any excess grease wipe completely dry with a paper towel and store. This procedure may need to be repeated a few times until your skillet has been completely broken in. And from time to time you may still need to repeat seasoning sessions to maintain a good surface; especially if you cook acidic foods like tomatoes in it.

CLEANING YOUR SKILLET

Seasoned cast iron skillets can be cleaned up nicely with boiling water and a stiffbristled brush. Brush the skillet vigorously with the brush rinse it out with clean water and completely dry it to prevent rust spots. Some people reheat the skillet again on the stove to make sure it is thoroughly dried. Remember no soap and no dishwasher.

Another bonus when using cast iron cookware is that it can also enhance the iron content of food. Scrambling eggs or simmering spaghetti sauce in an iron skillet can double or triple the iron absorbed in a meal. To this day many doctors still recommend that a person with an iron deficiency have their food cooked in a cast iron pot or skillet.

RECIPES THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF COOKING IN A CAST IRON SKILLET

Okay here are some of those recipes I promised that you can stir up in your nicely broken in cast iron skillet:

CAST IRON GERMAN POTATO SALAD

4 slices bacon

1 medium red onion diced

1 pound red potatoes precooked and cut in half

3 tbsp. white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the slices of bacon in a cast iron skillet. When done remove bacon with a slotted spoon and add onion to bacon drippings cooking and stirring until onion is clear. Add potatoes and sear for 1 minute cut side down until brown and crisp. Remove from heat and pour the contents into a large mixing bowl setting the skillet aside. Crumble the bacon and add to potatoes along with the vinegar salt and pepper mixing thoroughly. Chill and serve.

MADIERA TUNA STEAKS

4 tuna steaks

(3/4 to 1inch thick)

1 cup orange juice

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

1/8 teaspoon onion salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup allpurpose flour

Salt to taste

Extravirgin olive oil

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup Madiera

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon horseradish or to taste

Marinate the tuna steaks in the orange juice for 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook combine celery salt onion salt white pepper flour and salt in a large bowl. Remove the tuna steaks from the orange juice and dip in the flour mixture lightly coating both sides.

Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet on high and add the tuna searing for one minute before turning over and searing for another minute. Reduce heat to medium and cook for one extra minute being careful not to overcook. Remove tuna steaks to a warming plate and reduce heat to mediumlow.

Add soy sauce Madiera cream and horseradish to skillet and stirring until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and pour sauce over tuna steaks. Serve immediately.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDEDOWN CAKE

1 20 oz. can sliced pineapples in syrup

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

10 maraschino cherries

1/4 cup chopped walnuts pecans or nut of your choice

1 16 oz. package pound cake mix

Drain the pineapple and reserve the syrup. In a 10 or 12 cast iron skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar to the butter and stir until dissolved then remove from heat. Arrange the pineapple slices in the sugar mixture placing a cherry in the center of each slice and sprinkling the chopped nuts in the remaining spaces. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions using the reserved pineapple syrup in place of milk. Pour the batter over the pineapple in the skillet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes then loosen the edges and invert onto a serving plate.

CAST IRON SKILLET CARROT CAKE

1 3/4 cups flour

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. grapeseed oil

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

1 cup raisins

In a large bowl beat the egg then add the sugar and buttermilk stirring together thoroughly. Then add the two kinds of flour baking soda cinnamon allspice nutmeg and salt. Once these ingredients have been thoroughly blended add grated carrots and raisins. Next coat the insides of your cast iron skillet wi