Cast Iron is the traditional cookware used in Southern cooking. It retains and transfers heat like no other material. If you are unfamiliar with cast iron cooking, this page will help you get started. And if you are a long time user of cast iron cookware, you are familiar with some of the drawbacks, especially curing (seasoning) your cast iron.
The Bad
1. Cast iron tends to stick and rust.
2. The entire skillet, including the handle, stays hot a long time. Burnt fingers are a concern.
3. It is heavy
4. Food continues to cook for a period after removed from heat
The Good
1. It is practically indestructible. It will last a lifetime.
2. It fries food and bakes bread better than any other material.
3. Cast iron is less expensive than other quality cookware.
4. It is the traditional way to cook Southern.
Cast iron cookware comes in every style. Skillets, pots, pans, grills, deep fryers, whatever you need. Most Southern cooks have one special skillet for their cornbread and separate skillets for other food. The cornbread skillet is the pride of the kitchen and is never used for anything but cornbread.
There is much debate over using soap on your cast iron to clean and the method of curing. Some of the controversy is due to the age of the cast iron. If you have cookware that was manufactured in the last 5 years or so, it is probably pre-cured by the manufacturer. In theory, this cookware does not need to be cured and using soap and water is no problem. Older cast iron must be cured to prevent food from sticking and rusting. Some insist that using soap will, over time, destroy the cured surface. Our belief is that all cast iron should be cured and the use of soap and vigorous scrubbing should be limited.
CURING / SEASONING
This is not the method recommended by cast iron manufacturers but our experience has been that it works better. Be aware that these instructions are not cast in stone, i.e., you may need to adjust time and temperature for your individual oven. Also, if you cure more than one item at the same time it will take longer to cure. Some different brands of cast iron tend to cure faster or slower. And the type oil used in the process tends to vary the time and temperature required. If you have trouble obtaining the tacky surface or final sheen mentioned below, increase oven temperature and allow more time. Don't be discourage, you can do it.
Step 1: Wash the skillet with hot soapy water. Dry thoroughly.
Step 2: Rub a liberal coat of cooking oil over the entire skillet, inside and out, including the handle.
Note: Different types of oil will vary the time required in the following steps. We have used Crisco, peanut oil, safflower, bacon drippings and no-name cheap vegetable cooking oil. We do not recommend bacon grease; it does not work well.
Step 3: Place the skillet in the oven set on low temperature (about 250-300 degrees). Position the skillet upside down in the oven with aluminum foil under it to catch any dripping.
Step 4: Check the skillet in about 10 to 15 minutes. The oil should be tacky to the touch over the entire inside surface. If you have wet spots, smooth them out with the back of a spoon. If you have spots that are not covered with a tacky surface, add oil to those spots. Place back in oven until you have the entire inner surface covered with a tacky oil coating. If you have trouble with this step, increase oven temperature and allow more time.
Step 5: Once this is accomplished, turn up the oven setting to 500 degrees. Allow to cure for one hour in the oven.
Note: Your kitchen will be smoky from the oil so do this on a day when you can ventilate the kitchen.
Step 6: Check the skillet after one hour. When properly cured, your skillet will have an even, black, shiny sheen over the entire inner surface.
Step 7: If you have the shiny sheen, you are finished. If not, put back in oven, raise the temperature to 550 degrees and continue cooking as long as it takes to get the sheen. Since oven temperatures vary, the time required for this step will not be the same for all ovens.
CAUTION : Always use protection for you hand when handling hot cast iron. Remember it stays hot for a long time after being removed from heat. Touching with a bare hand will produce severe burns.
When storing, make sure the cookware is dry and rub a light coating of vegetable oil on the skillet. When cleaning, avoid soap and vigorous scrubbing if possible. In most cases hot water and a sponge or plastic scouring pad will work. Sometimes you will have to use soap and hard scrubbing. This will, over time, undo your cured surface and you will notice food sticking more. Simply cure the cast iron again. The second time through will be easier since you will know how your oven works and time required.
That's it. Follow these guidelines and you will have the perfect cast iron cooking skillet that you can pass down to your children.
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