Cooking With Cast Iron

By Divina on Mar 2, 2010

I've been wanting to buy a cast iron pan but haven't because it was too heavy. Every home should have one including me. It looks light when you carry them. I love your pantry at the back.

By Divina on Mar 2, 2010

One more thing, so I assume it doesn't need to cool down before washing?

By Anne S. on Mar 2, 2010

Great video with good info. We have an electric glass cooktop and my understanding is you shouldn't use the rough cast iron on the top. You use gas, so it's not an issue. I think I've heard you can use Le Creuset because of the enamel. Do you know anything about that? Then — I'm not sure if the cooking is the same because of the enamel. Such a conundrum. Thanks. I really enjoy your videos as they are so informative! Good luck with your new column too.

By pekmez on Mar 2, 2010

Where did you get the pan you cooked the salmon in in the video? We have 2 cast iron pans (which we inherited when we moved into our house! either the cheapest or most expensive cookware we own!) and a cast iron griddle. I bet I could easily fall in love with a small rounded saute pan like that one, the size & shape I use for scrambled eggs, but right now we do them in a teflon coasted nonstick (that's at least solid enough to hold heat well.)

(Also – do your eggs stick in a well-seasoned cast iron pan? I never do it but it's more because scrambling eggs in a 12" flat sided frying pan is not so practical unless you're feeding a crowd…)

By C. Scot Giles on Mar 2, 2010

Totally agree. I threw away all of my All-Clad years ago and switched completely to Le Creuset cast iron. I love the cooking properties. It's more expensive than Lodge as these pans have an enamel coating that will let them go through the dishwasher. I find the convenience worth the extra cost–especially as these pans will last forever! These days my whole pan collection is Le Creuset iron and I love them.

By Rob on Mar 2, 2010

A nice orientation to cast iron. Been using a non-stick for a lot of pan frying recently but when it gives out I'm going with cast iron. And good tip on finding it cheap. I will be keeping an eye out for garage sales! If it's rusted or otherwise not smooth black is there any refurbishing trick or is it toast? BTW – the little 'breakaway' segueys are a nice touch between steps. Be careful not to use too many in a clip. Nice blend of establishing shots and close-ups. When you slipped in the salmon it might have been nice to hear the sizzling sound you talked about before cutting into the music.

By Natalie Sztern on Mar 3, 2010

I see your pans are gorgeous black and shiny. Mine are not black and they are grimy: seems I can't 'season' them properly…and believe me I have tried every method possible…my pans remain with a grimy shine and sticky. I n'eed a 'how to season cast iron pans for Dummies' for sure.

I am amazed you can actually touch the handle with your hands when it gets hot cause I know it can get really hot.

BTW as much as I could see…that baby picture should be in a magazine )

By dick on Mar 3, 2010

I bought a hand hammered cast iron wok when I got into Chinese cooking and have been very pleased with it. I just clean it with the bundle of bamboo sticks to loosen anything under hot water, wipe it with a paper towel, heat it over the burner on the range and then put a little oil in it and spread it around. I have been using it for about years now with wonderful results.

I also have a cast iron Lodge bread loaf pan that I use when I bake my sandwich bread. works great. Of course there are the cast iron skillets and the one cast iron Dutch oven that I use all the time. I have primarily stopped using my teflon pans except for when I cook rice.

My other latest pots and pans is clay cookware. I got a tagine because it looked like a cool pan to cook with and found that I love the taste of food from that pan. It just seems to do such a great job and so long as I watch how I handle it it is easy to keep clean.

Nothing, however, takes the place of cast iron.

By Wok Star on Mar 4, 2010

Great to know there's more cast iron advocates. I love using cast iron as well but mine is a lightweight, thin walled wok which heats faster and cooks beautifully. Many tell me they cannot lift those heavy cast iron pans, it's a workout. I couldn't see your video, think my player needs upgrading.

By Deana Gunn on Mar 5, 2010

I love cast iron. Natural non-stick and such great heat retention. What brand is the one you were using in the video? The two I have are Lodge – they're great.
PS- the hair looks great!

By @breakawaycook on Mar 5, 2010

Divina: it doesn't really need to cool down before washing, but: you might need a potholder! I usually cook, eat, then wash up….

Anne S and glasstops: my understanding is that it's fine to use cast iron, but that the heavy weight can sometimes result in accidents of smashed glass — you just have to be very careful when setting them down. Don't let it stop you, just be mindful!

pekmez: I got that pan from amazon, $17: http://bit.ly/bIIyQv Also, I tend to cook eggs in a GreenPan, which I picked up in Amsterdam and just adore. Apparently Target now sells GreenPans but I've been told the quality is not as good as the European ones.

Rob: thanks! You can indeed bring a rusted one back to life, as long as it's not a total trainwreck. Just scrub under very hot water with a scrub brush, and start the seasoning process (wiping the heated pan with canola or other oil, using a paper towel; something you have to do every time you use it). And thanks for the production warnings of too many segues…

Dick: love clay cookware. I should do a post on that soon! Where did you score your hammered wok?

And style advisor Deana: thank youuuu! We need you on set!

By Maya on Mar 7, 2010

One of my favorite cast iron pans is a spider that I found in an antique store in Reno for $2. I wouldn't even dream of making upside down pineapple cake without it and it's also my pick for baking dutch babies.

By @breakawaycook on Mar 8, 2010

"I bought a spider in Reno for $2," gets my vote for most memorable phrase ever uttered here.

LOVE Dutch babies! I make mine in the Lodge "chicken fryer."

By Louise on Mar 8, 2010

Thanks for the video! Please don't be so hard on yourself in your introducing the video (eg. hair etc)!
I have already rewatched the cleaning of cast iron section for finessing my cleaning process (your cast iron pans look great).

By maya on Mar 9, 2010

Best looking manhole covers I've ever seen. So Mr. Eric, when do I get to interview you about your recent successes?

By @KitchenM on Mar 10, 2010

Great demo Eric! You should have your show on PBS!
I gave away a brand new set of cast iron pans to a friend a few years ago and I regretted so much that I ended up buying new ones recently. Watching this video made me even more excited about using them. Oh my gosh, the salmon looks so good!

By Scott on Mar 14, 2010

Hammered woks can be found at the Wok Shop on Grant in San Francisco. I got a wonderful cast iron one there.

By @breakawaycook on Mar 14, 2010

Maya — ready and waiting for your call!

And thanks for the tip, Scott — love that place.I actually need a cast iron hammered wok .

By Signe on May 25, 2010

I cook a lot in a cast iron frying pan and have found that if you leave food in it to cool, it will be harder to clean up and may affect the finish. So, the secret, I have found, to keeping cast iron pans well-seasoned and to easy clean up is to remove the food from the pan as soon as it is cooked, and then immediately – while it is hot – rinsing the pan under running hot water while brushing it with a kitchen brush (since it is hot I don't use a dishcloth or scrubber), then putting it back on the heat until the water evaporates (about 30 seconds). It takes all of 15 seconds to clean the pan and the finish remains perfect.

By breakawaycook on May 25, 2010

Thanks Signe. Yes, I don't normally leave cooked food in the pan, I eat it! I do as you do, except at the very end, I give it a few drops of oil and swish it around with a small piece of paper towel. Easy.