Blog Post Title 4
Cast iron cookware is an old fashioned form of cookware that still has a place in today’s world of modern cooking. You will find all types of cast iron pots, pans, skillets, tea kettles, and even large dutch ovens. Those who routinely use cast iron swear by it’s versatility and durability. I personally think that a good set of cast iron cookware is hard to beat.
There are a few conditions that you do have to meet when using cast iron. One of these is seasoning the new cast iron items that you buy or maintaining the seasoning of the ones you already own. Seasoning of cast iron is required to promote a non-stick surface on the cookware and make it easier to clean. Another consideration when dealing with cast iron cookware is maintaining the items in an environment where they will not begin to rust. Rust is one of the true enemies of the otherwise durable product. If these two conditions are met, then the cast iron cookware that you buy today, could still be in everyday service a hundred years from now.
The first aspect of seasoning cast iron is to start with a clean pan. Take the newly purchased item and remove any adhesive from stickers, and any other foreign material that does not belong. Washing the pan with warm soapy water and then drying it completely is normally sufficient. Next, pre-heat your oven to about 250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The next step is to use lard or some other animal fat like bacon grease to start the seasoning process. Avoid vegetable oils as they tend to get very sticky and can ruin a brand new pan. Coat the inside of the pan with the lard and place it into the pre-heated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes. You will want to keep an eye on it to make sure the grease doesn’t get too hot and start to smoke during this process. Once time has passed remove the pan and get rid of the excess grease inside the cast iron pan.
