You know the way you get when you have a dream about your crush the night before and the next day you replay it over and over again in your head...well, that’s how I feel about cast iron.
Before I share why cast iron cookware is the way to go I want to tell you a little bit about what I grew up using.
At home, my mom prefers using stainless steel and copper pans because of their durability and heat conductivity. Her collection ranges from big pots for cooking stews, frying pans to prepare all sorts of Iranian side dishes, and deep dish pots for when she cooks her signature spaghetti that has a potato tahdig crust, and my all time favorite rice dish called Lubia Polo, which I will share with you in another post (because I still need to learn how to make it). If you read my other post about tahdig you'll know that my mom likes to give me kitchen hand-me-downs, so I've also received many cookware items from her.
I’ve enjoyed all the pots and pans I’ve used, but after switching to cast iron it was like something clicked..and everything started to make more sense in the kitchen. After that I picked up a six-inch diameter skillet for my mom to try out too!
"Something clicked...and everything started to make more sense in the kitchen."
Over time I’ve compared it to other cookware and cast iron takes the lead. Investing in cast iron is not nearly as expensive as other cookware types, but does take some practice to learn how to care for it properly. The most you’ll spend on a trio set is about 50 bucks on Amazon or if you're in the mood for bargain hunting I'd check out Target's sale cookware section. I've picked up a few at Target that were actually on sale for half the regular price! You can properly care for your cast iron by seasoning it to help maintain the integrity of the pan. My boyfriend introduced and taught me how to care for cast iron so I’ve been learning as I go. You can also find youtube videos that will show you step by step instructions for care.
The way cast iron landed in my heart was when I made my first egg in it. I used a 6 inch diameter skillet that has been well seasoned to test it out. First I waited a couple minutes for the pan and oil to heat up. Then, added my egg with a pinch of salt and pepper, and had my sunny side up egg ready to go in three minutes. The result was an egg that was crispy on the bottom and when removed didn't leave any residue in the pan. Yes. Something as simple as cooking an egg got me yoked and I never looked back. It's been with me through a year of cooking eggs and much more and it's never disappointed a meal. Never.
The way cast iron landed in my heart was when I made my first egg in it.
Once you get the hang of using cast iron I recommend trying out some classic cast iron recipes that you can find easily by searching the web or by checking out cook books. Some of my favorite dishes I've made are deep dish pizzas, breakfast skillets, shakshuka, and all types of pasta dishes. The best part is if I need to bake or broil the top of my dish I'm able to transfer anything I'm making directly from the stove to the oven. Did I mention that it's amazing for making deserts as well. I love how the crust of my peach cobbler, apple pie, brownies or cookies turn out just right and don't burn.
I promise you, if you invest the time, commit to caring and learning about what makes cast iron different you'll want to use it every time you're in the kitchen. Those of you who are cast iron fans I’d love to hear your about your experience. If you’re trying out the egg test in your cast iron let me know how it goes in the comments section below.
Comments