Articles in the Cast Iron Category
Posted in Cast Iron on 31 January 2010
Lodge cookware is synonymous to tradition. Lodge has been in this industry for more than 100 years. Having said that, it is an understatement to say that it is “seasoned”. We will get to “seasoning” later. First, we will talk about cast iron cookware. Cast iron is best known for its heat retention. Both non-stick and stainless steel pans are known to have hot spots, explained as areas that are hotter than the rest. These areas sometimes lead to burning or uneven cooking. That would never be a problem for cast iron pans because it distributes the heat evenly.
Cast iron needs to be seasoned. Seasoning is applying a thin layer of oil and allowing it to be baked into the pores of the cookware. This is to avoid rusting and, in time would lead to non-stick properties. Unlike other cookware, this feature comes after you have used and cast iron cookware many times. Thus, the more you use it, the better it gets. Unlike synthetically-coated pans, the non-stick feature can be restored. If there is rust in your cookware, there are ways to save it by following simple steps depending on its type of rust. However, it does not have to be that cumbersome if you remember to replenish seasoning especially after every cleaning.
Though some people say that cast iron cookware is not easy to maneuver particularly because it is heavy, this quality also has its advantages. These items could be used in different heat sources provided that it would only be used until it reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Live the tradition and live a healthy lifestyle with tried and tested pans of Lodge Cookware.
Posted in Buying Guide, Cast Iron, Le Creuset, Rachael Ray, Specialty on 24 January 2010
For hundreds of years, unclothed cast-iron tools have been used for cooking appetizing foods. Why is this so? Because cast iron can hold up and at the same time retain extreme high cooking temperatures. Enamel coated cast iron cookware is primarily made form cast iron that has glassy, enamel, thin, smooth and shiny coating. This cookware is very cool for the reason that it impedes rusting, and no need for continuous seasoning of metals. But unfortunately, enamel coated cast iron cookware does not have all the benefits that bare cast iron has. These benefits include withstanding severe critical hotness and the draining of dietary iron.
To maintain your enamel coated cast iron cookware, what are the procedures that needs to be done? Here are the step-by-step instructions how to season your cookware before using it for the first time.
- Preheat to 300F your oven. Then, put aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven to guard it from oil spills.
- You need to wash thoroughly your cast iron cookware, if it is new. Cleanse it with warm water and soap, and then scratch it to take away rust coatings.
- After that, dry the cast iron cookware carefully.
- The cookware should be coated inside and out with bacon grease.
- For about sixty minutes, put the pan and the lid on the upper portion of your oven.
- Repeat the procedures from one to five times for best results.
In obeying this process in seasoning your enamel coated cast iron cookware, you will surely have non-stick, non-greasy surface to cook on.
Posted in Cast Iron on 26 November 2009
Cast Iron Cookware is very versatile as well as very economic cooking options when compared to the expensive copper or copper clad cookware. Besides being inexpensive, cast iron cookware also has several other advantages over the other types. This kind of cookware has excellent heat conduction as well as retention. This means that the heat is spread evenly throughout the entire surface of the pan. If the ones you have have no wooden handles then you can also use it in the oven. Another important thing to note is that when it is well cared for, a cast iron pan can become just as non-stick as the other fancy pans. I’m sure you already know about how durable a cast iron pan is, in fact, most of you might have some that were handed down from your grandmother’s kitchen that still work like brand new. That’s how durable these things are.
But of course, there are always two sides to a story and where there are advantages there would also be disadvantages. A cast iron pan or skillet can be very heavy and if they are not cared for properly they are very prone to rusting. They are also not dishwasher safe which is a huge downside for people who don’t really have the time to hand wash their cookware. It might seem that they require more maintenance compared to other pans which is true but not by much. Another thing to remember is to never cook foods that are acidic in a cast iron pan. This is because cast iron is an extremely reactive metal and will definitely react to the acid in the food.
