Cast iron cookware has a bad rap. “It's heavy. It's hard to take care of. It rusts. Wah, wah, frickety-WAH.” Some of this is partly true, but only if you suck at taking care of things. There are also fables about cast iron that don't help its cause when people expect the impossible and end up disappointed. It's not completely non-stick, especially at higher temperatures or if you use it wrong, just easier to clean than aluminum/steel/enameled cookware. You can’t cook every last thing in it, as certain uses degrade the seasoning. It doesn’t conduct heat well, just holds a buttload of it fairly consistently. I’ll address these points over the course of the post, but needless to say, cast iron can be rather particular about how it’s used. But the rewards brought by a well-seasoned, properly used cast iron pan are legion.
Teflon and steel, aluminum, or copper pans have almost universally replaced cast iron in the kitchen. But cast iron is perhaps the most versatile pan you can own compared against these allegedly superior competitors. All have things they all do well, but cast iron compares favorably in most departments, and frankly, is more durable. This may sound like a “jack of all trades, master of none” situation. While there is a grain of truth to this, the shortfalls in performance are mostly negligible when you learn to use cast iron correctly.
Copper is, I’m told, superlative, and aluminum and steel pans also perform well when used correctly. Cast iron is far more non-stick than any of these, though it lacks fine temperature control -- it has relatively poor thermal conduction properties, and is better for cooking applications where you need to hold something at a constant temperature. It cleans up more easily than most of these too, though the seasoning finish itself is not as durable as the metal in bare-metal pans. Another advantage is that cast iron can go directly from stovetop to oven (unless you find one of the rare, stupid ones with wood on the handle), wheres some metal pans have plastic handles that are not oven safe. As far as I'm concerned, modern metal skillets and cast iron are equally valid in the domestic kitchen, and your specific choice will have much to do with personal preference and specific circumstances. I like and own all of the above except copper, which get crazy expensive in a hurry.
Teflon skillets, on the other hand, are a dumpster fire of awful. Cook your muffins and cakes in the specialized baking pans if you must, fine (though these kinda suck too), but teflon has no place on a cooktop. There’s simply no excuse for having one in your kitchen unless you’re a lazy muppet who can't be bothered to clean it and shells out the cash to replace their skillet every couple of years. Granted, a teflon pan will marginally edge out a well-seasoned, properly utilized cast iron in the non-stick department, but it’s a slim edge in most cases. In my opinion, the negatives bury this one positive. Frankly, teflon pans aren’t very versatile or practical: they can’t cook over truly high heat without ruining the finish or throwing off toxic gasses, they only last a few years, you don’t get a nice fond for making sauces, you can't use them in the oven, etc., etc. There’s almost nothing a teflon pan can do that a cast iron one won’t do better, all while lasting forever.
The reality is that cast iron pans are excellent, first-class cooking tools when used properly and cared for diligently. Like any piece of cookware, they serve certain functions in the kitchen. Attempt to push them outside those limits, and things will not end well. Use the right tool for the job. Cast iron’s a bit like a good woman in that if you take care of it, pamper just it a little, and treat it with respect? It will reward you far beyond your investment for years. Unlike a good woman, though (I really, really hope...), you can pass it on to your kids and grandkids. Nearly indestructible, this cookware will handily outlive you. It's an investment that will last several lifetimes.
These unique cooking vessels were born to sear meat and cook breakfast. Steaks and most meats, potatoes, most vegetables, cornbread, and eggs all cook brilliantly. Fried eggs sunny-side up are a beautiful thing to behold, sliding effortlessly around a well-seasoned pan. Pre-heat your greased skillet and pour in cornbread batter for a crispy and delicious caramelized crust. Sear a whole chicken on the stovetop, then move the pan to the oven to roast. Same for a steak! And the better the seasoning gets with time and frequent use, the better it will perform and the more it will be able to do.
Proper use
Cast iron is great for any cooking method that requires the pan to get hot and stay hot (except boiling water, not good for the seasoning of the pan). Get it the the temperature you need it, and expect to keep it there, as the material won’t transmit heat fast enough for fine control or rapid changes. Different foods will cook best in optimal conditions: for instance, use too little oil and anything will stick. Cook at the wrong temperature for the food and desired outcome, and shit will stick -- try to scramble eggs at the temperature you’d sear a steak, for example, and it’s not going to go well. You’ll be chipping carbon out with a chisel. With experience with your recipes, you’ll find cast iron a reliable and faithful companion, though there will be a learning curve. Don’t give up, and your patience will be rewarded.
There are two fundamental guidelines:
1: Pre-heat your skillet over moderate heat, say a medium burner setting for five or ten minutes until you hit the desired temperature. You’ll get far more even heating of the whole pan than if you set it on a high burner right away, which also risks damaging the seasoning. Seasoning starts to burn away somewhere over 500F. I don’t know the actual limit, I just stay the hell away from it. Don't exceed the smoke point of your oils, and you'll never find yourself in the ...
Source: thinkgeek.com
You’ll also probably want to use a lower burner setting than normal in general, as indeed you will for any fine, heavy-bottomed cookwear. I rarely use my cast iron over about 3/4 the max setting, and this only once food is in the pan. I hardly ever perform the initial heating at higher than the 50% setting. If the pan needs to get blazing hot, I pre-heat over medium then crank it up once the whole pan is more or less evenly heated.
But stoves all perform differently. Err on the lower side to start with, and you'll quickly come together. Besides, this isn't unique to cast iron. ANY pan overheated, especially empty, is going to get messed up.
2: Always use a little oil/butter. Less than you would use cooking in steel/aluminum pans, but a little more than you would use in non-stick. Be sure to get up the sides of the pan at least a little. No matter how good the seasoning may be, no oil = sticking. And don't use cooking spray in any pan but teflon... but since you don't own any of that trash, just never use cooking spray in pans. Propellants and additives just burn onto pans. If you afraid of the extra calories from fat, get over it. Your body knows how to deal with natural fats in a perfectly healthy way. You just need enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, not shallow fry things. The oil aids with lubricity and heat transmission in ANY pan.
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There you go. Use oil and cook at the proper temperature. It's true of ANY pan regardless of the material, but perhaps slightly more important with cast iron. Used this way, cast iron is indeed remarkably non-stick for lower temperature applications like eggs and vegetables, assuming the seasoning is in good shape. Stuff really will wipe right out, though starchy and sugary items can stick at times. Cinnamon buns are a real pain in the ass this way, though over time this problem diminishes as the seasoning improves. Searing meat leads to a fond stuck to the bottom of the pan, and indeed this is usually desirable. A quick deglazing usually takes care of this, though be careful not to scrape too aggressively lest you damage the seasoning.
And there are exceptions to the rules, of course. Start a fatty piece of meat like bacon or skin-on chicken in a cold pan and heat it slowly, and it will release its own fat.
Still, even if you badly screw up a pan, it can usually be cleaned, re-seasoned, and put back into circulation with no ill effects unless you crack it or warp it so badly that you can’t use it. It’ll just take a while for a really solid coat of seasoning to build up to previous performance levels. And when re-seasoning a used or vintage pan, expect that it will take time for regular use and good care to bring the seasoning to its peak performance. You’re making an investment here, but it will pay off.
Finally, be careful with the handles. They heat up too, more so than any other style of pan, so a towel or pan handle protector is a good idea. I’ve grabbed a blazing hot skillet that had been in the oven. I don’t recommend that.
Dont’s: Large amounts of acidic ingredients like tomatoes or wine can strip seasoning, especially over longer cooking times. I have a friend who dedicates a specific cast iron pan to these tasks and commits to more frequent re-seasoning. A quick deglazing or pan sauce is no problem though. Boiling large quantities of water is also not recommended for the same reason, but soups or gravies are fine. Never put anything in a hot skillet without an appropriate amount of oil to lubricate the pan and food. And don’t scrape like mad with a metal implement. Nothing wrong with using metal spatulas and such to manipulate food in the pan, but I’ve had scratches while deglazing too aggressively.
Even these aren’t deal breakers, though. If a little seasoning comes off for some reason? It happens. Re-season in the oven and proceed as normal. The pans are practically indestructible, and the seasoning easily replaceable if something goes wrong.
And like any cookwear, don’t run lots of cold water in a empty, hot pan when cleaning, or plunge the same into a sink of cold water. You might warp or crack it via thermal shock. And just in case it isn’t obvious, soaking cast iron in water for any reasons is a shitty idea. Say hello to rust and an irate spouse who owns the pan (voice of experience...).
Seasoning care
Which leads us to the seasoning. If, all this time, you thought I was referring to salt and pepper...?
Source: ‘Press Your Luck’ game show. Recognize this, and you’re a billion years old, like me.
The seasoning on a cast iron pan is the black finish. It’s oil that has been partially carbonized, partially polymerized to the bottom of the pan. Before you vomit your guts out, realize this stuff is inert and fairly well bonded to the underlying metal. It ain’t teflon, which emits nasty gasses at high temps. This protective and slippery layer of former oil needs to be maintained in the form of periodic re-seasonings, and touch ups after every use. I could say a lot about this, but I’m no expert. Instead, check out Jeff Roger’s site. His advice has always served me very well, especially the bit about the touch ups after each use upside down over a hot burner. This really kept my skillets in fighting trim. There are lots of competing opinions about care, seasoning temps, and oil choices, but I think this is a nice solid place for a cast iron newbie to start.
It’s also helpful to remember that your seasoning is always in flux; it’s not a set-in-stone thing that lasts forever. Each time you cook, some gets stripped away and new is re-deposited from the cooking oil. This is why a stovetop touch-up after each use is important -- it keeps the seasoning in the best possible shape. By the accumulation of new seasoning over time, the non-stick qualities and cooking surface flatness continue to improve. The surface of even the smoothest pans is not perfectly smooth, especially at the microscopic level, and as you use the pan the peaks get worn down a smidge, and the valleys get filled in:
Source: richsoil.com
Cleaning up after use
RULE # 1: NEVER. USE. SOAP. EVER. There’s never a reason, and it will always strip your seasoning. You're a complete fuck-off DONKEY if you allow soap to even cast a sidewards glance at your cast iron.
Wipe out the pan, gently scrape/scour away anything that’s left (appropriate tools and procedures below), and do a touch-up seasoning as per Jeff Roger’s site above. That’s it. Any minor contaminants remaining will be sterilized quite handily under the ca. 450F re-seasoning temperature. If you can’t get around not using soap, then, well, don’t use cast iron, or prepare to be endlessly disappointed by its subsequent performance, which soap will fuck up faster than most anything else short of a Tunguska-sized meteorite leveling your whole town.
Most stuff from lower temperatures will wipe out with a rag or paper towel. The sooner you do this after cooking, the easier it will be, just take appropriate precautions when handling a blazing hot pan! Only go for the low hanging fruit at this point -- get the leftover grease/oil and loose particles of food now, and plan to scrape or scrub out anything that remains once the pan cools. There are several ways of dealing with cooked-on stuff, and they're all fairly benign. The first and best are these plastic scrapers made by Lodge:
Source: rei.com and Lodge
Great tool, and my personal hands-down favorite way to clean cast iron pans. The crenellated one is, I think, for griddle pans, of which I own none. Cheap as hell (ca. $6 for a smooth pair, shipped via Amazon Prime), these doodads get most stuff off with a little elbow grease. Works well for other surfaces too, like cleaning gunk off the glass-top stove I’m cursed with... for now.
Other options include adding a little hot-as-you-can-stand water and a lot of salt, then scrubbing with a towel or paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive. I don’t care for this, as it’s messy and wasteful. A NON-SCRATCH kitchen scrubber and a little water is a better option, though I reserve it for spot cleaning as slightly dulls the seasoning. The regular yellow-and-green scrubbies WILL take seasoning with them. Whatever you choose, wipe out all grease or other stuff beforehand, lest it quickly turn into a disgusting, greasy sludge... which you’ll have to wipe out ANYWAY, so why not do it first?
There are well-reviewed little squares of chain mail that some folks use, but I always found them to scratch the hell out of my seasoning. Salt, the Lodge scraper, and non-scratch scrubbies appear to be softer than the seasoning. Stainless steel chain mail is not, and easily scratches it. Basic Mohs Hardness test. Still, many love them, and naturally your mileage may vary.
Vintage vs. Modern
Vintage. Hands down. There’s nothing wrong with the modern stuff, it’s just my opinion. Modern pieces are quite heavy (being much thicker)compared to their older brethren, while having a pebbled finish I think reduces the non-stick qualities and makes it harder to clean. They do have the advantage of being relatively inexpensive (especially in larger or unusual sizes/configuration) and are very flat compared to vintage pieces -- no decades of wear and tear!
Vintage skillets that need to be restored (easy for anyone if it’s not too far gone) can usually be found for anything from $10-30, and I would consider such prices reasonable. Pieces in mint or near-mint condition can cost over $100, so much I would never consider paying for them unless I won the lottery. Why do I like vintage better than contemporary manufacturers’ products? The old makers ground their pans smooth to provide a very slick cooking surface, and they tend to be noticeably lighter without impacting performance (thinner iron). For a guy who’s had double carpal tunnel surgery, I have to be careful with my wrists, and one-handing a big lodge pan full of stew is pretty taxing -- even before I had hand problems.
Check out the difference in this picture borrowed from the Field Company’s cast iron skillet Kickstarter page (a modern company looking to revive historic methods of manufacture):
Here’s their website. If you want a modern pan that mirrors the classics. keep your eye on this company, though if they (hopefully) go into commercial production the skillets will probably NOT be cheap, over $100. But you get what you pay for. I’ve got one on ‘order’, as much as you order anything on Kickstarter. The finish on the top pan is normal for modern manufactures, and the bottom one characteristic of most older pieces. Which do you think will be a smoother cooking surface? I was never able to get those pebbled skillets to cook as well, but maybe that’s just me.
Factors to consider when shopping for used (and especially vintage) cast iron.
The problem with vintage pans is that they’re not often in the best of shape. Cast iron rusts easily, and eighty years of neglect is a long time to get wet and rust -- even from just atmospheric moisture! All it takes one person to do one really stupid thing over the decades to warp it or otherwise damage it. Just like houses! Also, the internet has totally ruined antique stores and junk shops in that most everyone know what they have and will charge appropriate prices for it. That sounds shitty of me, but I don’t care. The whole appeal of these shops is stumbling across incredible DEALS!
Where to find them: Local junk/antique shops tend to be excellent sources if you live in an area with a big enough population to support good ones. You might get lucky at garage sales, but 99% of those are just clothes, 1980's VCRs, and nasty furniture. Ebay has a lot of good options, though it's difficult to assess the condition on your own terms unless the seller is scrupulous and accurate in their descriptions... and evaluations. As usual, look for folks who sell cast iron regularly and have good reviews. You can buy restored pieces at sometimes-reasonable prices to remove some of the risk, but not all.
Thick layers of seasoning or rust (which you WILL want to strip so you can re-season fresh) can hide defects, warps, and cracks. The latter is easiest to identify: hold a pan lightly by the handle and give is a solid smack with the knuckles of your free hand. It should ring like a bell. Dull or muted sounds usually indicate a crack, though this test is not 100% accurate. It's just a general bellwether. Even if a used pan passes this test, I still think it's a good idea to strip the seasoning and re-season to your own specifications, mainly for potential hygiene reasons.
Warping: Old pieces are rarely dead-flat any longer, and rust or caked-on seasoning can disguise minor warping. I have a glass-top stove, and it’s the worst. The WORST, Jerry! Since even slightly warped pans won’t sit flush with my glass cooktop, there are obvious hot spots in some of my pans. Coil electric surfaces are slightly better, as there is some flexibility to them. Gas would, I think, be ideal, as the flame doesn’t HAVE a surface. But I wouldn't know. Still, warping means extra oil to hit more of the pan surface while cooking. It's difficult to find a vintage pan that doesn't have some degree of warp... at least at a reasonable price. The degree of warping you're prepared to deal with is up to you. I cook food just fine in my skillets, all of which are slightly convex or concave. But it would be nice to eliminate that problem!
Pitting: With all but the most immaculate pieces, there WILL be pitting of some sort on old skillets. Rust and dark corrosion are invasive beasts, and they rarely wear the entire surface evenly. If it’s relatively minor, no biggie. But you don’t want it looking like a teenager’s face or a topographic map of the Himalayas. If the pitting isn't too severe it probably won’t degrade the cooking or non-stick properties much at all. Over time, any pits or imperfections will start to fill in (even with modern pans), though it will take a long, long time to completely go away.
Some people like to use a metal spatula to help this process, reasoning it helps to scrub down high spots. Maybe it does. My pans are smooth enough, and I’ve scratched my seasoning with metal implements under aggressive use (not normal use, but still, why take chances?). Cast iron seasoning is sturdier than teflon for sure, but wood or silicone are my choices.
Silver skillets: Sometimes you'll find a silver-colored cast iron piece. I believe these are zinc/nickel plated, but that's just what I've read. I've seen them, but never cooked with them. Google is your friend. And shiny is key here; dull gray is the natural color of raw cast iron.
Reddish metal: I've read that if you see bare iron that is a reddish color, them metal has been badly overheated and is ruined. It won't accept seasoning. I have never seen this, so I can't say if this is true or not. Google and such.
Brands: Anything old-looking and smooth will probably work just fine, provided it falls within your personal limits of warpage and general condition. As I said earlier, in the internet age it’s rare to find objects at artificially low prices. Generally speaking though, fully restored pieces cost a LOT more than those needing work, usually an order of magnitude.
The two most recognizable brands you’ll come across are Griswold and Wagner Ware, with Wagner healthily predominating for whatever reason. Brand name are usually found on the bottom of the skillet.
Wagner ware was made in Sidney, OH, literally thirty minutes down the road from where I grew up. Although more than a century of manufacture cannot hope to encompass every logo in their history, for the most part you’ll find marks that look like this:
Source: cooking.sundown360.co
Griswold is somewhat more rare and for some reason more desirable. I don’t know exactly why, but from what I've seen their pans are 'prettier', with more elegant lines and more interesting maker's marks, especially on the older pieces. Their cookware was produced in Erie, PA. The Griswold logo has gone through more variations over the years compared to Wagner Ware, but all have some combination of the name, a cross in a circle, and the word ‘Erie’ somewhere. If you see a Griswold pan with a small cross on the back and no word ‘Erie”, there’s a pretty good chance it was made by Wagner in Sidney after the brand changed hands. One variation of the logo:
Source: ebay.com
And of course, because some people are shit-faced asshole criminals, counterfeit skillets have started turning up. The Griswold above is in great shape and was going for $150 on ebay as a starting price. You can understand why criminals might find this racket attractive. I'm no expert in spotting these, but crumbly-looking spots that look like a bad casting job are a dead giveaway.
No-name skillets are usually great too. One of my friends bought a no-name, crusted-to-hell rusty skillet at a garage sale for pennies and it cleaned up into a great cooker. Just remember, the worse it looks, the more of a risk you are taking that it might not work out because serious problems might be obscured -- but the less you should be paying for it! Do the tap-ring test, eyeball it the best you can, and see if the asking price is worth it. As I already said, $10 is a great deal, $30 starts to push what I’m willing to pay unless it looks really good, and the risk-reward scale is a sliding one in between. And of course, larger sizes (above #8, a good general purpose size) go for more, sometimes a LOT more. Check out the internet for more detailed articles on brands, logos, restoration tips, etc.
Still, you’d be surprised how much abuse cast iron cookware can take, yet still be rehabbed with complete success.
Restoration of old pieces
This isn’t a detailed how-to guide, just an overview of the process so you can know what you’re getting into before you start in on a rusty vintage skillet. Check more experienced people’s opinions, like Jeff Roger’s site for more specific processes.
Remove the old coating or rust down to bare iron (dusky grey in color), which is most easily done by placing the skillet in an oven on the self-clean cycle until the oven vent stops smoking, at which point you let the skillet cool in the oven. This method does risk warping and cracking due to the extreme temperature range, but it's worked quite well for me so far. Slow heating and cooling are key. Alternatively, you can spray the pan with lye-based oven cleaner and let it soak in a closed trash bag outdoors for a few days. Also works very well. This method doesn’t risk the warping and cracking oven cleaning does, but takes longer (sometimes multiple cycles of soaking and scrubbing). You’ll also be dealing with some particularly nasty chemicals. I’ve used both methods, and both have worked fine so far. Some people use mechanical sanding, but I’m leery of that. I want to remove rust and seasoning, not healthy iron. Electrolysis is without a doubt the best and safest (for the pan) way to strip finishes, but most of us don’t own a tool and dye shop, so is out of the question.
Once the pan is stripped of all seasoning, clean and scrub really, really well with a non-scratch sponge using dish soap and the hottest water you can stand. Get it perfectly clean, though there may be some rust left. Physically remove as much of that as you can. This is the only time soap will EVER touch your pan. NOTE: Once the seasoning has been completely removed by whatever method you choose, the following steps must be done immediately all the way through to the re-seasoning. Allow enough time unless you want to start over!
Soak the pan in a 50/50 water/vinegar solution to remove any remaining rust and corrosion. This will also neutralize any remaining oven cleaner if you decided to strip using this method. Anywhere from an hour to two, even three. It should bubble lightly during this step, though it may take a little while to get going. The vinegar is eating iron as well as rust, so don’t leave it too long.
Drain, scrub, and rinse the pan. Dump in enough washing soda (usually in the laundry section of stores) to healthily cover the bottom, and a little of the hottest water you can stand to moisten the powder into a paste of sorts. Scrub WELL all over to neutralize the vinegar. Non-negotiable step, and you want to be careful with this stuff, as it can be an irritant. Read and take notice of all box warnings. I recommend kitchen gloves. Leaving traces of vinegar when you re-season can cause seasoning failure. If you can't find washing soda, you can always spread some baking soda on a tray and bake it in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes. Watch for a texture change; it will seem slightly more grainy. The heat is basically forcing a chemical transformation. Done this, it works.
Rinse well with hot water, dry immediately with a towel, then move equally immediately to a 220F pre-heated oven for twenty minutes or so to thoroughly dry it. A faint haze of flash rust may appear on the surface during this process, but it will wipe away when the first layer of seasoning oil goes in.
Immediately proceed with re-seasoning of the hot, dry pan. Your method of choice, and if you're curious for a place to start there are great videos here.
Done. See? Simple enough, though it is work some may prefer not to do. Just take appropriate and sensible precautions if using chemicals of any type, and for handling superheated pans. Also be prepared for any risk to the pan if you choose to clean it in the oven. Repeat the seasoning process once or twice to kick-start the long-term seasoning process, or just start cooking and let nature take its course. There WILL be a ramp-up time until the seasoning reaches truly excellent performance, probably a few weeks of consistent use at least. And over time, it will continue to improve still more as you use it and care for it.
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That’s all I’ve got. There’s something really great about using a vintage pan you’ve rescued from a cobwebbed, smelly junk shop and restored into a high performance kitchen tool. Cast iron is ridiculously versatile, damn near non-stick at lower temperatures, easy to clean, and virtually indestructible. With care, you grandkids will be cooking with your skillets. I find that really cool.
And... they’re quite beautiful. Look at this great vintage restoration and tell me it doesn’t look awesome. That’s some shiny, shiny shit, and I’d almost feel bad cooking with it. Almost.
Source: fourmileridge.com
'USA in cast iron skillets' pic at top source