Benefits of Cooking with Cast Iron

My Favorite Cookware is My Cast Iron Skillet

My cast iron skillet is my favorite piece of cookware. In days past, every cook had a cast iron skillet on her stove but after World War II, other types of metal began to be used in the kitchen. The newer metals seemed easier to clean and soon non-stick cookware made an appearance. I own pans made of all kinds of metals and glass, but cast iron is the pans I use the most.

Cast iron skillets provide even, consistent heat and can be used for frying, browning, sauteeing, baking, searing and more. They are so heavy and well-made, they could be passed down as family heirlooms! With proper seasoning of your cast iron skillet, you'll have no trouble with food sticking to it either.

Other Benefits of Cast Iron

• Cooking with cast iron introduces traces of iron into your food. This is one way our ancestors got necessary iron to keep from getting anemic.
• Cast iron cook ware is eco-friendly. Cast iron is well made and can last virtually forever. Even in the production stages, companies like Lodge, use eco-friendly manufacturing techniques with very little waste and impact on the environment.

• Cast iron can be recycled by passing it along to the next person or handing it down to a family member.

• Cast iron is multi-use. Use it for all types of cooking and even take it camping.

• Cast iron is non-toxic, unlike Teflon cookware which can give off very tiny, toxic particles when heated.

I once worked in a farm and garden store. One of our customers raised birds and she said that fumes from Teflon cookware could easily kill a bird. I gave up cooking with Teflon that same day.

With proper seasoning, your cast iron cookware can offer a lifetime of cooking pleasure.

Learn how to season your cast iron cookware.

Wonderful recipe book for cast iron cookware that proves you can cook just about anything in your cast iron skillet:

The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen