Cooking with Cast Iron

I was never a fan of non-stick cookware. But the ease of use and the regular arrival of gifts of non-stick cookware made it economical for us to use them. My maid also found them quite convenient to use.

I was already aware of the dangers involved if the teflon coating on the non-stick cookware came off and was very strict about how my live-in maid handles the cook ware. Despite that I saw these cookware losing the teflon coating over the years.

Frequent replacement of the non-stick cookware is the only solution if you want to avoid poisoning due to teflon. But then are they really safe? The more I researched, the more I was convinced that it is better to decrease the use of non-stick cookware as much as possible. There comes in cast-iron option.

Cast-iron cookware is pretty rare and expensive in India. I tried different options but the size and prize didn't make it worth while.Then one fine day, Amazon India started giving a good deal for Lodge cast iron skillet and I purchased one for around 2750 INR.

My Experience with Cast Iron Cooking

~Cast iron cookware is very heavy. My 10.5 inch Lodge cast iron skillet weighs around 2.8 kg. So handling a hot cast iron skillet is not an easy job.

~ It is better to purchase the rubber handle which can be bought separately for better handling of the skillet.

~The Lodge Skillet comes seasoned. So it can be used right away for cooking, though acidic foods are not recommended initially. 

~We need to treat the skillet with love and keep them in good conditioning.

~Keeping the cast iron skillet dry is an important thing to be done after each use. Better to put them back on stove and heat them up a bit if it is not used regularly. Once dried, rubbing a bit of oil helps to keep the rust away.

~Can apply some oil and keep it on the stove for 10 minutes to safeguard the seasoning. This can be done occasionally to protect the seasoned layer.

Going Forward

I just love this new tool that I purchased and I am very much happy knowing that I can use this skillet for years to come. Throwing out/donating used cookware which has Teflon coating all scratched has been a painful experience.

I plan to stop using non-stick and other unsafe cooking vessels in my kitchen in the coming years and go back to eco-friendly and healthy cooking options.It is not an easy task, nevertheless I am going to give it a try.