Cast iron skillets are excellent for cooking a variety of foods.
Why do we love cast iron skillets?
They last forever, cast iron only gets better with time, excellent heat retention, they have a naturally nonstick surface and you can season it to your liking,
How to care for your cast iron skillet?
“Season” your skillet with flaxseed oil which oxidizes and polymerizes faster than vegetable oils but sunflower and soybean oil are also good alternatives.
How do you know if your cast iron skillet is well seasoned?
Fry an egg on the skillet by heating 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat for 3 minutes then add the egg. If the pan is well seasoned there will be little to no sticking – very minimal sticking.
How to maintain your cast iron skillet?
Clean after every use by wiping the surface of your still warm skillet (not hot, be careful!) with paper towels to remove any excess food or oil. Then rinse your skillet under hot running water and scrub with a nonmetal brush – you can use a very small amount of soap if you choose – a common misconception is that you can’t use soap on your cast iron skillet but you can just don’t put that elbow grease into it when you clean it with soap the way you would other pans or skillets.
As we know, cast iron skillets last a long time, as your skillet ages you can also maintain it by heating it over medium high heat and using paper towels dipped in 2 tbsps of olive oil (held with TONGS) wipe the surface until the oil smokes and there is no more remaining oil residue.
You can also do this by placing the skillet in the oven at 500 degrees for 1 hour. Rub 1 tbsp of oil over the surface then using clean paper towels thoroughly wipe out oil then place in oven.
