My top 10 reasons why you should cook with cast iron

I love cooking with cast iron! As a matter of fact, if you'd notice, I cook with cast iron on the In The Kitchen With Queen cooking show! I remember being a young girl and watching my grandmother cook cornbread on this black dirty looking thing but knowing that the cornbread came out tasting greater than the time before! No one's corn bread could beat her's. Well, today as an adult, I have come to love all things cast iron, and here are my top reasons why

5. It doubles as a weapon! lol! No seriously, it is the heaviest thing Ive ever felt and if, just if, someone went to attack you, put your cast iron on them!

4. It is one of the "greenest" choices when cooking.

3.It has a health benefit! Cast iron releases a small amount of iron when you cook with it which means that you get an added benefit which is very important for women! Especially in their child bearing years!

2.Its naturally non-stick! One thing I hate is a skillet that sticks! Say goodbye to the rice with black speckles in it that you think my be pepper but then you realize, you didn't put any pepper in it and that it is your non-stick coating peeling! When properly seasoned, nothing, I mean nothing will stick to it!

1. It last forever! No, I'm not exaggerating! It literally lasts forever! Looks a little rusty? Clean it off and re-season it! It literally will last for centuries. Say goodbye to the years of re-buying kitchen sets every few years! This is all you will ever need!

How to properly season your cast iron.

First, wash your cast iron cookware. This is the only time you will need soap to clean it, but you want to be sure you remove any dust or dirt. If you have a brand new cast iron piece, you will need to do this to remove the wax coating that is on it to keep it from rusting until it’s seasoned.

Coat your piece in some type of oil. Cast iron has a porous surface. The seasoning process will fill and smooth the surface to make it non-stick. Some type of oil is used to facilitate this process. I use Crisco vegetable shortening. Traditionalists would use lard. You can use plain old cooking oil, too, but you will get better results with Crisco. You want to coat the entire cooking surface with the shortening. Don’t glob it on, but every nook and cranny should have a nice, medium layer of shortening. Use about as much as you would use to coat a cake pan for baking.

Bake it in the oven. Next, you just pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and put your cast iron pan in for an hour or so. After heating, turn off the oven and let it cool completely while still in the oven. Then it’s ready to go!

Heating the cookware creates the oxidation that prevents rust and makes the surface non-stick. Some cast iron users advocate heating the pan slightly before applying the Crisco to ensure that the pan is completely dry and to open the pores of the pan before seasoning. Not a bad idea, but remember cast iron gets HOT. Use oven mitts.

Newly seasoned cast iron will take on a dark brown coating. After long use, it will become glossy black. The non-stick properties of the pan will increase with time and use, so use your cast iron often. Remember, seasoning is a process. Even though cast iron can be used immediately after the first seasoning, your cookware will get better and better over time.

How do I re-season a used cast iron piece? If you buy a cast iron piece second hand, the process is still basically the same to re-season it, with one exception. First wash it in hot soapy water, as above. Then I put it in my oven on the highest setting (or on the self-cleaning setting if you have one) and let it bake for a few hours without any oil or shortening. This will remove any rust and the old seasoning. Let it cool, then follow the steps above to re-season.

How to properly clean your cast iron

After each use, clean your piece with very hot water and scrub with a stiff brush to remove any particles left behind. Don’t use soap, it will remove the seasoning. After you scrub the pan, give it a light coating with some Crisco or vegetable oil and store it in the oven. Why? Because the oven will have less moisture, this will help keep your cast iron from ever rusting. Plus, each time you use your oven is an opportunity to further season your pan. Even if you take your cast iron pan out while using your oven, give it a light coating of shortening before putting it back in the warm oven. Especially if it’s a new piece, this will help develop the seasoning further.

Questions on where to purchase good quality cast iron? I use Lodge Cast Iron! Here is the link http://www.lodgemfg.com/