How to Buy, Use and Care for a Cast Iron Frying Pan

People love to be surprised by cast iron skillets. Some are afraid of them, others fetishize them, but everyone has their own opinion about them. Fear not: cast iron is cheap and difficult to damage and cannot be repaired. With a little know-how and sensible care, this is one of the easiest (and most useful) frying pans to use for cooking.

What is cast iron?

Cast iron is an alloy of iron—a metallic material composed of two or more substances, at least one of which is a metal—that contains 2–4% carbon (which is not a metal), as well as some silicon and manganese (and other substances). traces of impurities).

Lodge, a popular manufacturer of cast iron cookware, makes it by adding “a mixture of cast iron, recycled steel, our foundry castings and alloys” to an electric induction oven. This furnace operates at over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and can hold 10 tons of liquid iron. It takes 45 minutes to liquefy a 22,000-pound charge of metal.” The molten level is then poured into molds made of sand, water and clay. Sand has a surprisingly high melting point—even higher than iron—which allows it to retain its shape as the iron solidifies. Once cooled, “the castings move along a vibrating conveyor to shake off the molding sand,” which Lodge recycles.

Vintage cast iron has a different texture than most modern cast iron.

If you inherited an old cast iron cookware, you’ve probably noticed that it is very smooth. This isn’t the result of perfectly prepared seasoning, although that certainly helps; old cast iron was made using a slightly different process. In a 2022 interview with Food & Wine, cast iron maker andButter Pat Industries founder Dennis Powell Jr. explained that “up until the ’50s, every cast iron skillet ever sold in America was created without pre-seasoning.” said. “Then Lodge started selling their pans pre-seasoned because they knew people no longer insisted on adding the seasoning themselves.” He further added that while modern cast iron can be produced in as little as 90 minutes, “…at the turn of the 20th century, cast iron was left in the molds for over 48 hours and then tumbled for 24 hours. » This gave the pans a smooth finish, which Powell believes makes a superior pan (the type of pan made and sold by Butter Pat Industries).

If you buy a Lodge pan, you’ll immediately notice its rough texture. According to a representative I spoke with through their online portal, it is “the result of the sand casting process that Lodge uses. It creates a surface texture that allows seasonings to stick to it. As you use the pan over time and continue to season it, the pan will become smoother.” Buy an antique frying pan if you can find one, but don’t panic if you can’t. A well-maintained modern frying pan will perform great with regular use and proper care.

What does “pre-aged” even mean?

Seasoning is a thin layer of fat that is heated and breaks down into a polymerized, plastic substance that adheres to the surface of the pan, giving it a nonstick coating. But even with pre-seasoned pans, you still have to season the pan quite a bit before it’s truly nonstick, which is why Lodge and all cast iron pans get “better” over time.

Lodge was the first company to sell pre-seasoned cast iron back in 2002. According to their website , prior to this, all cast iron was sold unseasoned, “with a thin layer of carnauba wax to prevent rust during storage and sale. The water-soluble wax had to be washed off at home, then the dishes had to be oiled and baked in the oven before they could be used.” Lodge pre-seasons the pans by spraying them with soy oil and baking them at high temperature. All you have to do is do a quick wash and start cooking.

How to buy your first cast iron frying pan

Your first cast iron skillet doesn’t have to be expensive. I never bought a new one. In addition to the frying pan my stepmom gave me, I buy cast iron at Goodwill. If you don’t feel like rummaging through the used racks, I recommend the Lodge as a starter pan. Butter Pat pans are great, hand cast and polished, but the price they will cost is just as good. At the time of publication, their eight-inch skillet was $160; The Lodge 10-inch skillet was $31, and the 10-inch size is the perfect size for all your sautéing, baking, and roasting needs. Buy a cheap skillet from the Lodge or a thrift store, then upgrade later if it fits your budget. (To be honest, you probably won’t need or want this.)

How to use a new cast iron skillet

Cast iron doesn’t require as much care as some people tell you; it is an incredibly durable material. Even a rusty, rusty, dirty piece of cast iron can be restored if you put in the effort. (Don’t believe me? Read Kat Kinsman’s iconic article about restoring a saucepan she found in an old chicken coop.)

Before using a new pan, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for first use. If you’re using an economy or vintage pan, give it a quick rinse with warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Once dry, place it on the burner over high heat to evaporate any remaining moisture, then apply a thin layer of neutral vegetable oil using a paper towel, keep it on high heat for a few minutes, then turn off the burner and let cool. Now you are ready to start cooking.

How to cook with cast iron

Cast iron does not heat up quickly or particularly evenly, but once heated, it retains this heat with every atom of its being. For best results, preheat the pan for five minutes to ensure it heats evenly, and always add a thin layer of oil before adding food. For oily foods, a quick wipe with an oily paper towel is sufficient. If there is something more prone to sticking, such as eggs, drizzle in enough oil to just coat the bottom. You want the oil to shimmer but not smoke. Once the pan and oil are hot, reduce the heat slightly and add the ingredients.

As for cookware, you can use anything, even metal. As long as you don’t dig into the seasoning with the tip of a fish spatula, it’s unlikely that you’ll “scrape” the seasoning; A fish spatula is actually my favorite tool to pair with a cast iron skillet; it slides under eggs and steaks like a dream.

How to clean a cast iron frying pan

I don’t wash the pan until it’s dirty—wiping the hot pan with a damp paper towel is usually enough to remove any remaining steam—but there’s nothing wrong with using soap and water. Again, the seasoning is an oil polymerized onto the metal and will require quite a bit of soap to remove. If I need to wash it, I take Lodge CEO Mike Otterman’s low-key approach :

After dinner I will scrub it in hot water. I’ll use soap and wipe the inside with it, especially if I’m cooking salmon or something like that. Then I put it back on the low burner and tidy up the rest of the kitchen. When it gets to a nice warm temperature, I spray it with oil, turn off the burner, wipe it with a paper towel, leave it on the burner until it cools, and then obviously never put it away. When I finished cooking it looks better than when I started.

However, you should avoid soaking the pan. This is how rust occurs (although rust can be treated, these pans are very difficult to ruin). If you have a lot of gunk in there, use a stiff-bristled brush to clear it out, or try one of these chainmail-style scrub pads . (I’ve never had to use it, but I like the concept.)

The best way to keep cast iron in shape is to use it boldly and without reservation. (They say it can smell fear.) The more you cook with it, the more seasonings you’ll accumulate and the closer it becomes to nonstick. Start with naturally fatty foods such as bacon, duck or skin-on chicken thighs that are unlikely to stick to anything, but the most important thing to do is to relax. The only type of food you should actively avoid cooking in cast iron is acidic foods such as tomatoes or vinegar-based sauces, as they can introduce trace amounts of the metal into your food over a long period of time. With enough use, you’ll be frying eggs and baking cornbread in a cast iron skillet in no time.

What about rust?

Cast iron, like many other metals, is prone to rust if not handled correctly, but rust doesn’t mean it’s game over. To restore your pan (or found pan) to its sparkling shine, start by scrubbing off the rust with a sponge and warm, soapy water. Dry thoroughly by hand, then apply a thin layer of vegetable oil using a paper towel to the entire pan, including the bottom and handle. Place the pan upside down in a 450 degree oven with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Bake the pan for an hour, then turn off the heat and let it cool with the oven. Repeat as needed.

Be patient with your pan (and yourself)

While cast iron skillets can be used on any type of stovetop, each type of burner will heat the pan at a different rate, and there’s always a bit of a learning curve when cooking with a new type of cookware. Be patient with yourself, start with forgiving foods like bacon (instead of eggs), and don’t worry if things stick at first. The more you cook in a cast iron skillet, the better it will perform. And if all else fails, you can always rinse (or scrub) and repeat.