The Atlas Gourmet

You have a pan that came from your mom, and before that your gramps, and has now fallen into your hands. I adore my cast iron cookware passed down from my Mom ; I remember her using them to make tasty fried chicken dinners, cornbread to go with our Great Northern beans and the best popcorn. The one thing I did not remember is just what she probably did to keep those skillets nice. I do remember her drying them slowly on the stove and then coating them with some kind of grease. Now we’d employ a thin coat of cooking oil or a pan spray. That is known as seasoning and is a crucial step in caring for cast iron cookware to stop rust and make a natural non-stick cooking surface. Even if your inherited skillet or Dutch range has been neglected and rusty, you can revive it by seasoning it again.

The more you use your forged iron the better seasoned it becomes.

A black glossy pan is a well-seasoned utensil and the one which will give the best flavour. Seasoning is done both for the within and the exterior of your cast-iron, and even the lid must be seasoned. Here is a hint to make your solid iron glossy again is to cook bacon and similar greasy meats.

It’ll help it become seasoned quicker and give you that glossy black non-stick interior you are working for. Here are the steps to seasoning your solid iron utensils. Apply a thin coat of shortening both within and out. Heat stove to 350 degrees and line oven rack with foil to catch drips.

Caring for Cast Iron Cookware Top Tip:

Put cookware upside down on the higher rack of your range and heat for sixty minutes. Let the cookware cool before taking it out of the cooker. Store it in a cool, dry place and permit air to circulate around it. Dry it totally and coat it with a think coat of cooking oil, shortening or pan spray.