What cookware is cheap, produces magazine-spread worthy results, is nearly indestructible, and is beloved by little old ladies everywhere? Cast iron. This kitchen wonder combines the qualities of nonstick with the browning and searing power of stainless. It conducts heat evenly, and retains heat well — a great advantage to any cook (especially those with an electric stove-top). A well-seasoned pan is a true secret ingredient, yielding a complexity and depth of flavor that no other can match.


This omelet was so easy to remove from the pan!

If you’re like me, you might already be jumping up and down at the fact that entry into the cast iron cooking club can be had on the cheap. Your entry fee will probably be less than $30, which for a piece of long lasting cookware is a pittance. Unfortunately, it is fairly rare in cooking that the cheapest option yields the best results, but in this case, it’s completely true. You will be able to make grill marks like a pro, slide omelets easily onto waiting plates, and sear meat to perfection.

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And did I mention it’s a healthy option? Cooking with cast iron can actually add iron back into your food as you cook. This is great news from anyone who suffers from anemia. Don’t believe me? Ask http://paleodietlifestyle.com/cooking-with-cast-iron/. It is also a very stable cooking medium, and works a treat if you are looking for a non-stick alternative to Teflon.

Cast iron will make the transition from stove-top to oven with ease, unlike many of its non-stick brethren which are not oven-safe, or might have limited oven usage. So you can rest easy knowing that whatever the cooking task you have in mind, your cast iron can totally take the heat. This does bring up an important point, though, which is that when you are seasoning your cast iron, or coating it between uses, you are going to want to use a stable fat like coconut oil, ghee, tallow, lard, or bacon grease that can also stand those higher temperatures!


The line-up

So what are you going to use your new favorite cookware for? Well, pretty much anything. At our house we use ours for making pancakes (dual burner grill/griddle combo), indoor grilling (small grill pan, or dual burner grill/griddle depending on quantity), browning meat (10 inch skillet), frying eggs (11 inch flat pan), making omelets (10 inch flat pan), making hash browned potatoes (10 inch skillet), and roasting veggies (11 inch flat pan or 10 inch skillet). I also love using cast iron for any type of breaded cutlet because it browns the breading beautifully.

Here are some care tips. First, let me say that you should never fear your cast iron. You can’t hurt it. It is totally like all those dead pets from Pet Cemetery that come back to life. Only not creepy. Or dead. And… nevermind. My lovely 10 inch flat pan came out of our scrap heap and was a present after Mr. T had it sandblasted. It sat outside in who knows what all sorts of conditions for years, and now is one of my favorites to cook with. This indestructibility makes cast iron a great choice for anyone from casual chefs to pros because it is nearly impossible to ruin. You can repay your cast iron for its loyal service by not using soaps or detergents, but merely using a scrub pad or bristle brush and water to clean the inside.

When my cast iron has cooled, I place it in the sink under running hot water. I use a scrub pad like this, or for my grill pan I use a brush like this to get in all those crevices. When the water starts to run clear, I place the pan on the stove-top over high heat. I wait for any water droplets to evaporate, then turn off the heat and coat the pan with the fat of choice. Around here it’s bacon grease, but you can use any stable fat you prefer.

Cast iron is fun, easy, and cheap. And no, I will not make any bad jokes following that statement (you may make them amongst yourselves if you must). It is also one of my favorite kitchen discoveries of all time. It just really is that awesome. And if you get completely addicted you might not even go broke. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.