The Search for Cast Iron Knowledge
This is part 2 of a 7 part series on my exploration of past-iron. Its best to read them in order:
Part 1: Return of the Cast Iron Cookware
Part 2: The Search for Cast Iron Knowledge
Part 3: A Steak Pun is a Medium Well Done
Part 4: Rare Stake or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cast Iron
Part 5: Cast Iron Politics?
Part 6: A Brief Walk Through the History of Cast Iron Cookware
Part 7: Heritage
For someone who can’t cook well, cast iron cooking can seem daunting. You hear stories about how you have to treat your pan like a baby: don’t use water, don’t use acid, don’t let it rust, etc, etc. Then when you get to the cooking, you have to pre-heat, you’ve got to worry about the seasoning of the pan. So before I start my journey of crafting food with cast iron skillets, I’m going to explore just how to properly do it.
Of course one needs a cast iron pan if they wish to cook using cast iron. Thankfully, as I mentioned in the previous post, it just so happens I have one. And of course having some food to cook in said cast iron would also be useful. But where do you find out how to properly use the pan? My first steps were pretty easy, since the pan I got came with some handy instructions.
The seasoning of cast iron is vitally important. The pan I acquired came pre-seasoned with two coats, but it still recommended to add another round of seasoning. I used some flaxseed oil. This has helped it get that non-stick good taste.
The sheet also gives some good info about cleaning too. The important thing about cast iron is that it can of course rust. That’s not good for your pan (or your food), so water should almost never be used. Instead, using some elbow grease and scraping out the pan is recommended. And never, ever, ever, use a dishwasher.
But how about actual cooking part? That’s where the instruction sheet can’t help me out. Thankfully, as mentioned previously, cast iron is becoming popular again. As a result of this, there’s a lot of info on how to cook with cast iron, and from a lot of different sources, from the manufacturers to cooking magazines and even Buzzfeed (just in case you want gifs on how to cook). Cast iron cooking has really fostered a community, and there are lots of people who enjoy crafting with cast iron. Although there is a steryotype about cast iron users as obsessing foodies (as the xkcd pokes fun at), more and more everymen are joining in on the fun. There’s even an active online forum for cast iron enthusiasts.
Thanks to my research at a number of these different sites, I’ve picked up some good tips. Although cast iron retains heat well, it takes a bit to actually heat up. It is always a good idea to let the pan heat up before putting the food in. Additionally, its a good idea to just let whatever meat you’re cooking to sit, don’t move it around. With steaks, for example, this allows the meat to caramelize, making it taste amazing. In addition to searing though, you can also bake, braise, and even fry. I originally didn’t know it had that many uses (it really is versatile)!
Now I’ve got some information about cooking, and I know about the online community of cast iron enthusiasts. I’ve got the knowledge, and I’ve got the resources to get help if I need it. Looks like I’m ready to start cooking, let me go get those steaks out of the freezer.
