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Cast Iron Cookware Sets: Woks, Pots, Pans And Skillets
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Published: June 6, 2007
Modern cooks have every spice, utensil, and seasoning they could ever want at their fingertips, not to mention the ease of acquiring any food or recipe they desire. But cast iron cookware remains a staple, even among all of the new cooking tools. Cast iron pans were used generations ago; the pioneers depended upon them.
The pans heat evenly and consistently, will not warp, last a lifetime, and, when properly seasoned, are completely stick-resistant.
Cast iron cookware is often passed on from parents to children. For those not fortunate to be a recipient of cast iron pans, a cast iron skillet or a cast iron wok, they are not difficult to find. Cheap pots can be found at yard sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. Even if grease or rust coats the pan, it should still be purchased. As long as the cast iron cookware contains no cracks or nicks, all one needs to do is clean and season the pan. A number of techniques exist for restoring old cast iron pans to their original glory, including sandblasting, sanding, or using ammonia, hot fire, or salt. Each technique works differently, and the owner of the cast iron cookware can decide which method works best.
New cast iron cookware can be purchased online or from any cook store. The 10 inch cast iron skillet is usually considered the best size, as it has the best trade off of size and weight. At Pans.com, which stocks a wide range of cast iron cookware, a basic square 10½ inch skillet costs $18.50. A fancier, Rachael Ray brand, 11 inch skillet is considerably pricier at $44.99, while a 10 inch skillet with pour spouts by Kinetic costs $43.65. If the pan contains more features (such as the pour spouts) or is made by a well-known cook's company (such as Rachael Ray), than the cost rises considerably. The same rules generally follow for all cast iron cookware. Cast iron skillets and pots can be purchased at Pans.com, but the website does not carry a wide variety of woks. A new 14 inch cast iron wok costs $16.95 at The Wok Shop, which, not surprisingly, offers a great array of woks.
It is important to know that new cast iron cookware comes with a protective coating that must be washed off. American companies tend to coat the pots with a food-safe wax, while imports are often covered with a water-soluble shellac. To remove these coverings, which must be done before the cast iron cookware can be used, the cook must scrub with a stainless steel scouring pad while using soap and very hot water.
Cast iron cookware will never rust and food will never stick to it as long as it remains properly seasoned. Seasoning means filling the voids of the cast iron with some kind of grease, which then gets cooked into the cast iron cookware, leaving a smooth surface. One can season their cast iron cookware set by rubbing each piece with a thin coat of neutral oil such as vegetable oil, shortening, or lard. Then place the pan upside down in the oven with foil on the bottom to catch drips. In a 300 to 500 degree oven, heat the pan for 30 to 60 minutes, and then let it cool. Repeat this process to make the seasoning bond stronger.
Anyone can find a recipe for pancakes, stew, toast, catfish, or almost any other dish and prepare it to perfection on a properly seasoned cast iron pan. The versatility of cast iron cookware makes it ideal for beginning cooks all the way up to experts. And thanks to the durability of the pans, one cookware set can last a lifetime and beyond.
Sources:
Stradley, Linda. “The Irreplacable Cast-Iron Skillet.” What's Cooking America. 2004. 5 June 2007.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastI ronPans.htm
Cast Iron. Pans.com. 2007. 5 June 2007.
http://www.pans.com/categories/cast-iron-cookwar e.html
Woks. The Wok Shop. 2007. 5 June 2007.
http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/woks/woks_c i_classic.html
Related Articles
Cast iron cookware is often passed on from parents to children. For those not fortunate to be a recipient of cast iron pans, a cast iron skillet or a cast iron wok, they are not difficult to find. Cheap pots can be found at yard sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. Even if grease or rust coats the pan, it should still be purchased. As long as the cast iron cookware contains no cracks or nicks, all one needs to do is clean and season the pan. A number of techniques exist for restoring old cast iron pans to their original glory, including sandblasting, sanding, or using ammonia, hot fire, or salt. Each technique works differently, and the owner of the cast iron cookware can decide which method works best.
New cast iron cookware can be purchased online or from any cook store. The 10 inch cast iron skillet is usually considered the best size, as it has the best trade off of size and weight. At Pans.com, which stocks a wide range of cast iron cookware, a basic square 10½ inch skillet costs $18.50. A fancier, Rachael Ray brand, 11 inch skillet is considerably pricier at $44.99, while a 10 inch skillet with pour spouts by Kinetic costs $43.65. If the pan contains more features (such as the pour spouts) or is made by a well-known cook's company (such as Rachael Ray), than the cost rises considerably. The same rules generally follow for all cast iron cookware. Cast iron skillets and pots can be purchased at Pans.com, but the website does not carry a wide variety of woks. A new 14 inch cast iron wok costs $16.95 at The Wok Shop, which, not surprisingly, offers a great array of woks.
It is important to know that new cast iron cookware comes with a protective coating that must be washed off. American companies tend to coat the pots with a food-safe wax, while imports are often covered with a water-soluble shellac. To remove these coverings, which must be done before the cast iron cookware can be used, the cook must scrub with a stainless steel scouring pad while using soap and very hot water.
Cast iron cookware will never rust and food will never stick to it as long as it remains properly seasoned. Seasoning means filling the voids of the cast iron with some kind of grease, which then gets cooked into the cast iron cookware, leaving a smooth surface. One can season their cast iron cookware set by rubbing each piece with a thin coat of neutral oil such as vegetable oil, shortening, or lard. Then place the pan upside down in the oven with foil on the bottom to catch drips. In a 300 to 500 degree oven, heat the pan for 30 to 60 minutes, and then let it cool. Repeat this process to make the seasoning bond stronger.
Anyone can find a recipe for pancakes, stew, toast, catfish, or almost any other dish and prepare it to perfection on a properly seasoned cast iron pan. The versatility of cast iron cookware makes it ideal for beginning cooks all the way up to experts. And thanks to the durability of the pans, one cookware set can last a lifetime and beyond.
Sources:
Stradley, Linda. “The Irreplacable Cast-Iron Skillet.” What's Cooking America. 2004. 5 June 2007.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CastI ronPans.htm
Cast Iron. Pans.com. 2007. 5 June 2007.
http://www.pans.com/categories/cast-iron-cookwar e.html
Woks. The Wok Shop. 2007. 5 June 2007.
http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/products/woks/woks_c i_classic.html
