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If you had told me 10 years ago, that at 34 I’d be cooking on cast iron and learning how to homestead, I’d have said you were full of it and there’s no way I’d have believed you. 10 years ago my husband and I were both learning how to cook on our brand new stainless steel set from JC Penny. I mean, its what all the cooks on food network used so it must be the right choice right? Oh how young and dumb we were.

For the longest time Cast Iron has been intimidating, and a skill I had no interest in learning. Seemed like you had to do all these extra steps, and I just wasn’t about that. Over the years I might read something about it, or maybe one of the chefs I watched would touch on it a bit, and bit by bit it started to get less and less intimidating and scary.

What finally drew the line for me is when my husband got cancer. We both started looking into the health benefits of ANYTHING. Then we found out that by cooking in cast iron, you also get a bit of an iron boost. That was enough for me to add to my Christmas list.

Why Cast Iron?

Cast Iron has many benefits to it, and for me and my family, the pros outweighed the cons. Just a few of our Pros were:

• Naturally non stick with proper seasoning

• Last forever when properly maintained

• Versatile, can go from stove, to oven, to campfire

• Holds Heat well

• Iron Boost

• Great for High Heat Cooking

How to maintain?

Cast iron is actually rather simple to maintain. Many of the ones available for purchase now, including the set I was given (available here: https://amzn.to/4jRELOx) came pre-seasoned, so you can use them right away. When properly seasoned, most things should just wipe off easily with a paper towel. I know when my cast iron needs to be seasoned because foods will start to stick a bit more.

To season your cast iron, simply wipe a little bit of lard/oil evenly around the entire cast iron, inside and out. You only need a thin layer, and it needs to be evenly spread through the entire pan. After that, put it in your 450 preheated oven upside down, with a baking sheet to collect any drips. Leave it there for 30- 60 minutes, and for best results, repeat process 2-3 times.

Do I use Soap on Cast Iron?

I can remember older women saying not to clean your cast iron with soap. And that’s totally true- back when they were likely learning how to cook- the soap would 100% wipe away the seasonings. These days, our soap will not do that, thus making soap on cast iron safe in todays day and age. However, often times your cast iron doesn’t necessarily need to be washed with soap after every use. Some times you may want to use soap however:

• After frying chicken
• After frying Fish
• After making a glaze, or something sticky

And the most important thing, DO NOT:

• Soak your cast iron
• Leave to Air dry (RUST!)

TIP: Salt can also act as a good abrasive for stuck on bits. Scrub with salt, rinse off and towel or heat to dry.

What all cast iron do I need?

Personally, the set I was given gave me everything I needed and was a very reasonable price considering if I take care of it, I’ll never need anything else. It comes with a griddle, two sizes of frying pans, and a Dutch oven. And at only $100 for a set that will last forever is very worth it in my book.

The only other thing I could see myself getting, would be a bigger griddle. The one I have is working perfectly, but I could see where my family could benefit from a bigger one. But again, for someone just starting out in the cast iron community, this set is the perfect starter.

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4jRELOx