How to Cook in a Cast Iron Skillet
Sear meat in your skillet., Roast or char veggies perfectly., Fry eggs in your cast iron., Bake the perfect crust.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Sear meat in your skillet.
One of your skillet’s greatest assets is its ability to give meats a high sear without scorching them.
For instance, steak and roasts come out great.
Slowly heat the pan over a constant flame by turning a burner on low, and periodically increasing the flame size every few minutes.
Once the burner is on high, add a piece of steak and cook until its surface is deep brown.
This will happen before any burnt, black bits accumulate in the pan.
Searing times will vary based on the type of meat you're cooking.Similarly, sear the outer edges of a meatloaf before depositing the skillet in the oven to bake, per a specific recipe.
Burgers cooked on cast iron will also develop a crispy, delicious crust along the entire outer surface
- not just the grill rack.
Larger steaks will admittedly fit better on a grill, but you can cut them into smaller portions to fit into your skillet. -
Step 2: Roast or char veggies perfectly.
You can use your cast iron as a small wok, another type of dish prized for the ability to retain heat.
The key to a great stir-fry is a hot enough skillet to crisp the rice and meat, but doing so in a time frame that allows the veggies to retain a desirable crunch.
Cook to whatever level of roast or char your prefer.More specifically, your veggies will get that perfect, golden hue and crispy exterior layer by coming into direct contact with the steadily high heat of a cast iron surface. , Once your skillet is well-seasoned, it will cook some prime fried eggs.
However, hold off on eggs until you can easily clean your skillet simply by wiping it with a towel.
This indicates it is seasoned well enough to cook eggs and prevent them from sticking.Watch out cooking scrambled eggs or frittatas on cast iron, as they are more likely to stick than other dishes. , Frankly, proper corn bread should only ever be cooked on cast iron.
As with all cast iron dishes, preheat the skillet first over a slowly increasing flame while the oven gets up to temp.
Note the sizzle of the skillet as you pour in the batter
- that’s the sound of crunchy golden crust developing quite nicely.Since cast iron excels at evenly distributing heat (once heated), the surface is perfect for creating an evenly-textured crust on baked goods generally. -
Step 3: Fry eggs in your cast iron.
-
Step 4: Bake the perfect crust.
Detailed Guide
One of your skillet’s greatest assets is its ability to give meats a high sear without scorching them.
For instance, steak and roasts come out great.
Slowly heat the pan over a constant flame by turning a burner on low, and periodically increasing the flame size every few minutes.
Once the burner is on high, add a piece of steak and cook until its surface is deep brown.
This will happen before any burnt, black bits accumulate in the pan.
Searing times will vary based on the type of meat you're cooking.Similarly, sear the outer edges of a meatloaf before depositing the skillet in the oven to bake, per a specific recipe.
Burgers cooked on cast iron will also develop a crispy, delicious crust along the entire outer surface
- not just the grill rack.
Larger steaks will admittedly fit better on a grill, but you can cut them into smaller portions to fit into your skillet.
You can use your cast iron as a small wok, another type of dish prized for the ability to retain heat.
The key to a great stir-fry is a hot enough skillet to crisp the rice and meat, but doing so in a time frame that allows the veggies to retain a desirable crunch.
Cook to whatever level of roast or char your prefer.More specifically, your veggies will get that perfect, golden hue and crispy exterior layer by coming into direct contact with the steadily high heat of a cast iron surface. , Once your skillet is well-seasoned, it will cook some prime fried eggs.
However, hold off on eggs until you can easily clean your skillet simply by wiping it with a towel.
This indicates it is seasoned well enough to cook eggs and prevent them from sticking.Watch out cooking scrambled eggs or frittatas on cast iron, as they are more likely to stick than other dishes. , Frankly, proper corn bread should only ever be cooked on cast iron.
As with all cast iron dishes, preheat the skillet first over a slowly increasing flame while the oven gets up to temp.
Note the sizzle of the skillet as you pour in the batter
- that’s the sound of crunchy golden crust developing quite nicely.Since cast iron excels at evenly distributing heat (once heated), the surface is perfect for creating an evenly-textured crust on baked goods generally.
About the Author
Michael Lee
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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