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Cast Iron Cooking. I love cooking on cast iron. It’s old. Dependable. A wonderful conductor of heat. It goes from stovetop to oven, plus it gives traces of iron to your food, which is just a bonus! Below are a few of my favorite Cast Iron Recipe Ideas.
In this post, I want to give a little history on how I began my cooking journey with cast iron, as well as share some of my favorite recipes. Mostly these will be skillet recipes, but I’ll throw in some griddle recipes as well. Also, please read to the end for a few Cast Iron Maintenance Practices to follow.
Cast Iron Cooking – And So It Begins
Years ago, I received my first cast iron skillet (two of them–one large and one small) as a Christmas present from my husband. The UPS man delivered them at 8 PM on Christmas Eve. Talk about a dedicated worker. And in a BLIZZARD! I wanted to give the man a hug! I was so excited. I knew they had been ordered, but I just assumed they wouldn’t arrive in time for Christmas.
The skillets came from Amazon. I had read a few reviews where some skillets arrived chipped or broken from poor quality shipping. Not mine. They arrived in perfect condition. And I cooked in them the next morning! I made eggs and bacon! And I’ve been cooking on them ever since.
A Few Tips on Cooking with Cast Iron
Some people are afraid of using cast iron, or they think there is some big mystery in cooking with them or cleaning them. There really isn’t. When cooking, make sure your skillet gets good and hot before adding eggs or meat to it. It may very well become your new best friend for nonstick cooking.
Seasoning Your Skillet
Make sure your cast iron cookware has been seasoned. If not, take the necessary steps to season your skillet before using.
If you buy a Lodge Cast Iron skillet, it will be pre-seasoned, so these next steps may be optional for you. However, use these steps if you ever need to re-season the skillet.
- Wash item with soap and thoroughly dry.
- Lightly coat with thin layer of oil or melted shortening.
- Place upside down in a 375 degree oven on the middle rack. You can place a sheet of tinfoil below it to catch any drips.
- Bake for one hour. Cool in oven.
Cleaning and Caring Tips
When it comes to cleaning, it’s easier than you might think.
NEVER WASH YOUR CAST IRON IN SOAPY WATER – It will ruin the seasoning that you worked so hard to get.
To clean, simply discard any food remains that are in the skillet. Pour water in the skillet and place it on a hot burner to boil. Then using a long-handled sturdy brush, scrub the skillet along the bottom and sides until food particles or oils are gone. Discard the water in the sink and rinse skillet with hot water, giving the skillet another good scrub with your brush. Be sure to dry the skillet soon after.
Drying your skillet after it has been washed is very important as water will cause the cast iron to rust.
Finish with a light spray of cooking oil or rub with vegetable oil on a paper towel. I store my cast iron on top of my stove and in the bottom drawer of my stove.
More Cast Iron Recipes
Now that I’ve convinced you to cook with cast iron, here are a few more recipes to make in your Cast Iron Skillet.
Skillet Recipes
Pan-Seared Ribeye with Garlic Butter is a delicious and easy recipe to try when you want a special melt-in-your-mouth steak. My husband gave this 5 stars!
I make Pan Fried Country Potatoes a lot for our family in the summer. Crispy, tender potatoes, seasoned just right with onion, bell pepper, and salt and pepper. So easy to make.
You can’t get more down-home cooking than Chicken Fried Steak. Perfect for hearty, Meat-and-Potato food lovers. Comfort food deluxe!
This Cottage Skillet Pie with Stout is a wonderful dish that is rich and savory…and easy to make as a one-pot meal. It’s especially nice when you have leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge.
Cast Iron Skillet Frittata is an easy, delicious, and very colorful recipe to make for your family for breakfast. Loaded with lots of vegetables and topped with cheddar cheese. So yummy. Perfect for the holidays, or anytime you’re looking for a filling breakfast.
This Baked Gruyere Cheese Dip is a delicious recipe I tried for a wine and cheese tasting party I had with my hubby. Of all the dishes I experimented with that evening, we both liked this one best.
I like making Fried Apples in my cast iron skillet. Because of that, they also remind me of something a cowboy might eat, so you could also call it chuck wagon food!
Griddle Recipes
These Country Pancakes are nearly perfect–as far as pancakes go. So tasty you can eat them as a snack. And tender enough to soak in thick maple syrup. But not so fluffy that they fall apart. Truly wonderful.
Here’s a Flour Tortilla recipe you can make for your family that will rival store-bought tortillas. They’re actually so easy to make, you may never buy more, ever again.
Chicken Quesadillas is a yummy recipe I like to make for our family when I don’t have a lot of time. Quick and easy and so delicious!
See more Cast Iron Recipes Here. Browse Entertaining Ideas Here.
