Cast Iron Cookware
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Cast Iron Cookware | Cast Iron Casserole | Cast Iron Frying Pan | Cast Iron Griddles | Cast Iron Kettle
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Cast Iron Cookware

Welcome to our cast iron cookware website, where you will find information on several of the highly popular items of cast iron cooking utensils.

Cast iron has been used for the manufacture of cooking utensils for many hundreds of years. One of the properties that make it an ideal choice is its ability to both withstand and maintain exceedingly high temperatures, making it the ideal choice for frying and searing.

Health Issues

Before choosing to use cast iron cookware, you should be aware that it can leach tiny amounts of iron into the food that is cooked in it. Anyone with an iron deficiency problem could benefit from this. However, if your body already has excessive iron, you could suffer detrimental effects.

Why and How to Season Cast Iron Cookware

It is necessary to season cast iron cookware to protect the bare material and prevent it from rusting. It also provides a non-stick surface and prevents the food from interacting with the iron.

Seasoning is carried out using the following three-step process:

  1. Clean thoroughly to take the item down to the bare metal
  2. Apply a layer of vegetable oil or animal fat
  3. Heat the item to bond the fat to the metal

Seasoning will also be carried out naturally just by using the utensil to cook any foods that deposit fat or oil on the pan.

Cleaning Cast Iron Cookware

Any form of cleaning, such as scouring or using a dishwasher, which could damage the seasoning, needs to be avoided. Some users of cast iron suggest that it should never be cleaned, but simply wiped out after use or, at the most, cleaned with hot water and a stiff brush. However, any grease left on a pan will eventually become rancid and could pose a health risk, so it is probably best to wash them using a mild soap and water. After washing, a thin layer of oil or fat should be applied.

Enameled Cast Iron Cookware

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a vitreous enamel glaze was applied to the cast iron. This practice has largely been replaced by the use of modern metal alloys, but it still remains popular in the manufacture of Dutch ovens.

This enamel coating replaces the need for seasoning of the metal, thereby allowing for more thorough methods of cleaning to be used. It can also be produced in more vibrant color schemes, making it more attractive to some users. However, the enameling process can be several times more costly than the bare cast iron utensils.

Among the manufacturers of enameled cast iron cookware are Staub, Lodge, Le Creuset, Le Chasseur, John Wright and Descoware.