Here are a few tips that can make your cast iron cooking easier.
Always preheat the pan before you use it!
Cast iron works better when you put your food in a pan that is already hot. Just leave the pan on a low / medium heat for 5-10 minutes before use.
Remember, cast iron is not great at dispersing heat so it will develop a hotter spot directly over the burner. If desired, the whole pan can go in the oven to bring it up to temperature. This is especially handy when you want your steak to get a good even sear. For searing meat, preheat the pan in the oven to a pretty high temperature – say 450 degrees F. Take the pan out and put it on your stovetop for cooking. Remember to turn on the ventilation in your kitchen because your steak will quickly sear across the whole piece of meat generating sizzle and steam.
Use a sufficient amount of butter or oil when cooking!
Use plenty of oil or butter, especially in the first several uses after initial seasoning. Remember, the seasoning will improve just by using the pan normally. Use your oil or fat of choice here. I mostly use butter, canola or olive oil depending on what I am cooking (be aware of the smoke points for your oils). You will gain experience the more you cook and you will learn the correct amount to achieve the perfect results.
You rarely use the pan dry – but I have seen a few recipes that call for a no-oil pan. But you better have built up a good seasoning on your pan before trying that!
Don’t flip the food right away!
Let your food cook before you start trying to flip it. Chemically speaking, there is a lot going on when the food hits the pan. For instance, Maillard reactions (browning), caramelization of sugars, and a release of water all occur over time. Experiment with this on your own. You will find the correct cooking time for your favorite foods.
The Fried Egg Test
Fried eggs are a perennial favorite and an excellent seasoning test. If you cook them sunny side up that means the egg is fried with the yolk up and not flipped. If you like the egg over easy that means the egg is flipped once and the yolk is still soft and runny. Personally, I like mine over medium (not too runny).
Use a lot of butter at first as you learn how to get those eggs on your plate. Eventually, the eggs will come right out and the pan will be almost as clean as when you started.
Remember, the seasoning will improve the more you use it!
You will enjoy your cast iron more if you follow these easy tips as well as the suggestions on the Care and Maintenance page. If you would like Care and Cooking Tips on one helpful sheet – CLICK HERE for the information you need!
There are some fun tools to use as well and I will highlight them throughout these pages. In Christmas 2020, I received a great pair of leather handle covers. Click here to see pics and a review in the blog post.