I’ve heard a lot of people give reasons that they wouldn’t use cast iron to cook with. They say things like “it’s dirty” or “it’s too hard to clean”. While these things couldn’t be further from the truth, they do stand out to people that don’t know any better, or just haven’t taken the time to learn. Let’s take a look at just a few of the many reasons that you should consider cast iron in your kitchen.
It’s Non-Stick
Regardless of what some folks would have you believe, cast iron cookware really can be non-stick. With proper care and use, it can be even better than many of the various products that are out there today. The best part is that, with use, it just gets better! Imagine that, something that just gets better the more you use it!
It Handles The Heat
Most cookware is only good to 450-500 degrees, even some of the best stainless on the market. Cast iron? Sure, at some point it’ll melt, after all, it was made with liquid iron. If, however, you’re melting your cast iron pan while cooking, you may want to think about ordering out instead. Cast iron can handle temperatures far above what is used in even some of the most extreme cooking methods. It easily transitions from the stove top right into the oven.
Even Heat Distribution
One of the best features of a cast iron pan is its ability to evenly distribute heat throughout the entire piece. This means no hot spots, no cold spots, and never having to rotate your food in some sort of a culinary merry go round!
It’s Versatile
Not only can a cast iron skillet go directly from searing over a flame to baking in an oven, it can handle more dishes than I have time to type. From sauces to cornbread, steaks to mac and cheese, eggs to fried chicken, one skillet can handle it all.
It Doubles as Defense
This may sound a bit silly, but your cast iron pan can even double as a weapon. Imagine someone broke into your house, and within your reach, you could grab a 14 ounce aluminum pan, or your 6 pound solid iron skillet to fend off the would-be attacker. Which do you choose? My money is on the skillet. All that money you spent on the fancy Teflon coated infomercial pan doesn’t seem so powerful now, does it?
Like I mentioned, we could probably go on for days with the benefits of cooking with cast iron. That’s enough for now though.
What are some of the other benefits you see to using cast iron over more “modern” cookware?