Morgan Goes Solo.
For the first time, Morgan goes solo on the podcast. Grab the tissues and Don’t miss it!
Cast Iron
You might have noticed that I have an affinity for heirlooms and items that have a strong potential to be heirlooms. I’ve thought about why it is that this is so.
When I peel back the layers, I get the sense that my affinity for family heirlooms is connected to my desire for being a part of something larger than myself. A part of a story that didn’t begin with me and also won’t end with me. Perhaps it is also that I want to be remembered. And perhaps it’s a sense of belonging, purpose, and pride that I feel when using or seeing an heirloom.
This brings me to cast iron cooking pans. I’m in love. Not only are they great heirlooms, but they make excellent cookware and are fun to cook in. Morgan and I use cast iron pans and dishes every day. A couple pieces are heirlooms from our family. I get such satisfaction in taking care of our cast iron and seeing it perform at a high level. Is this odd? I don’t know… You tell me.
It was only a few years ago that I learned how to properly care for cast iron cookware and fully realized its potential.
In this newsletter, I’d like to share my affinity for cast iron and offer insight to anyone who is unaware of how to properly care for it.
Here we go:
What Is So Great About Cast Iron?
🥇 First, cast iron is a common family heirloom. Humans have been using cast iron for thousands of years and if you properly care for it, it can be passed down for multiple generations.
🥈 Second, cast iron does an excellent job at evenly spreading heat out and therefore cooking evenly. It also holds heat really well and doesn’t lose it’s temperature when you add additional ingredients. This is important because consistent temperatures means you are less likely to burn your food and more likely to get that crispy, browned look (and taste) you are aiming for.
Without nerding out too much here, I want to introduce you to the Maillard Reaction. I asked Chat GPT to explain the Maillard Reaction to me like I am a 10 year old and this is what I got:
“Sure! Imagine you have two friends named Sugar and Protein, and they decide to have a little party when you're cooking something tasty, like bread or cookies.
Sugar is sweet, like the sugar you use in recipes, and Protein is like the ingredients that have protein in them, such as eggs or flour. When you start cooking, these two friends get together and start having a dance party, but it's not just any dance party – it's a special one called the Maillard Reaction.
During this dance party, they create all sorts of yummy flavors and smells that make your food taste really delicious! It's like magic happening in your oven or on your stove. The Maillard Reaction is what gives things a golden-brown color and makes them taste so good. So, next time you smell something amazing coming from the kitchen, you can think of Sugar and Protein having their fun Maillard Reaction dance party!”
Pretty neat eh? So, this reaction, the Maillard Reaction, is often what we are aiming for when we cook. We want this dance party to happen! And cast iron pans make excellent dance floors! Why? Because, they hold and disperse heat so well. You see, the ideal temperature range for the Maillard Reaction to occur is 284 F - 329 F. Below that range the reaction will likely not occur and your food will taste bland. Go above that range and your food will likely burn. Cast Iron skillets, because of their density, make holding that ideal temperature range much easier, and therefore easier to get your desired browning.
“Great Taylor, but it’s miserable cooking in cast iron pots because everything sticks to it.”
I get it. This was me! And below, I am going to share with you all what I do to prevent sticking in my cast iron. A well seasoned, properly cleaned cast iron, should not have food stick to it. Maybe a little here and there, but overall it shouldn’t stick.
This is what I do and how I think about our cast iron. My cast iron education is on-going and it’s been as recent as a few months ago that I changed how I cleaned my CI cookware and their performance improved. So you may find different information online and if so, I encourage you to experiement and find what works best for you. Just know, that non-stick CI cookware is possible.
Let’s dive in:
The key to non-stick cast iron and therefore a postive cooking experience, is maintaining a good “seasoning” on the pans. Seasoning, in this context, is a layer of oil that has been heated to form a protective, solid layer on the surface of the pan. This seasoning is vital to producing the non-stick cooking experience we want as well as protecting the iron from rusting and also leaching into foods.
So how do get a good seasoning on our cast iron? Most people use a method that includes the oven. Not me. This is what I do to maintain my seasoning, but also do this to season a pan that is rusty or really sticky.
Make sure all burnt food is off of the pan. I use a metal spatula to scrape the flat bottom of the pan. I rub the pan/skillet with my fingers and feel for any inconsistencies or raised areas. This is usually an indication there is food residue lstill present. When cleaning my cast iron, I usually take it to the sink, rinse out the skillet, and use a sbristled brush to help get any food out of the dish. Then I will return to using the spatula and ensure its clear of any food residue.
⚠️ A common mistake people make is thinking that carbonized (burnt) food is seasoning. It’s not. ⚠️
Once I am sure the pot is clean and no food residue is on the inside, I rub the inside of the skillet down with bacon grease. If you don’t save bacon grease, you can use other oils. Be sure to use oils that don’t smoke until they reach very high temperatures. Butter for example, will smoke at low temps as will olive oil. Vegetable oil isn’t a bad option.
Next I put the skillet on the stove top eye and crank it up to it’s highest temp. I watch closely until I notice the pan begins to smoke. As soon as it begins to smoke I turn the eye off and let the skillet rest on the eye until it is cool.
As it cools down, I will wipe the pan clear of oil with a paper towel. This can be annoying if your paper towell leaves behind residue. If it does, it’s not the end of the world. You can leave it and wipe it out later.
Before storing, I will usually add another very small dab of oil and wipe it down. This just depends on the look and feel of the pan. If it seems particularly dry, Ill add a dab. If its still a little glossy, I’ll let it be.
I try to do this cleaning/seasoning process after every use. Sometimes I am unable. In those instances I always clean them, then rub a little oil all over the pan, and then wipe it out. If I use water to clean my CI I always dry it off really well and put it on an eye to make sure no water is left on it. Remember: Water is not your friend when it comes to CI. We do not invite water to the dance party!
When I cook in my cast iron I try to cook between med and med-low temps; unless of course I am searing and then it’s a full send. The CI will heat up slowly, but once they are hot, they stay hot.
Inevitably, some sticking will occur. To help with this, use butter and oil when you cook. I heat the pan before adding any oils. This helps prevent adding too much because heated oil expands.
🚫 Never boil, steam, or cook watery sauces in your cast iron. This will soften the seasoning and cause it to fail. I avoid adding water to any dishes that I’m cooking in my CI.
🚫Never use soaps that have lye in them. The lye will eat away at the seasoning. I generally avoid all soaps as a precaution.
The more you use it, the better it performs! Lately I have found such gladness in my well-seasoned cast iron skillets. Its a good feeling when I cook an over-easy egg, flip it, and not a speck sticks.
It hasn’t always been this way. It’s taken a few years of learning how to properly care for cast iron to get here. But once you know how, it’s not difficult to keep a CI skillet seasoned well.
Now that you do know how, let the dance parties commence! 🕺