Care and use of a cast-iron skillet

Care and use of a cast-iron skillet

The best nonstick surface for frying, in my opinion, is the cast-iron skillet. They are not expensive, although they do require some maintenance.

Choose a size that is right for you. Some skillets are huge. This could be a problem if your burners are not also huge. I like my 12" pan because it sits neatly on the larger size burner on my range. If you can find one this size, that is also very deep, you're in business. What might start out as simple sauteeing of onions and garlic may end up being a lot of spaghetti sauce, and you don't want to have to pour your dish out into a much deeper pan mid-way through your preparations.

Follow the instructions for forming an "oil seal" on the skillet surface. The first time around, this involves preheating the oven, wiping the entire surface of the skillet with oil (I'd go with canola, for neutral flavor), and baking it until the metal turns from battleship gray to deep brownish-black.

Some recommend that a cast-iron skillet should only ever be wiped out with a cloth or paper towel in between uses. I don't subscribe to this idea, because I don't want my pancakes tasting like yesterday's garlic. Also, some foods will inevitably stick and require scrubbing. After each use, I soak my pan in very hot soapy water for as long as is needed depending on what's on the surface, then scrub it vigorously with a plastic scouring pad. I wipe off excess water, then put it on a burner on 'high'. When the water has evaporated from the inside of the pan, I pour about 1 Tbsp of canola oil into it and spread it around evenly with a wadded paper towel. I then remove the pan from the burner immediately, before it starts smoking.

This technique re-establishes the oil seal, which is how the skillet gets its non-stick property. The oil also prevents rust.

The cast-iron skillet provides significant dietary iron, a beneficial side effect.

I keep a sharp, strong, flat metal spatula nearby to use with the skillet. I haven't yet seen a 'perfect' non-stick surface. I find Teflon coatings disappointing, in that they are easily damaged and it can be hard to get frying things to become crisp. The cast-iron skillet can take heavy scraping and grinding with the metal spatula, and you can always get that non-stick finish back after each use.