As a few of you already know… I Love Cast Iron! This wasn’t the case until just a few months ago.
I’ve read about cast iron for years. I’ve thought about buying a cast iron Skillet for just as long. I also knew all the advantages of cooking with cast iron. I already had a great set of Calaphalon Stainless Steel pots and pans, so whenever I was in a store I never really thought to go down the pots and pans isle. The desire just wasn’t there… Yet!
That was until my family’s beach trip to Sandbridge, VA this past year. We rented a house for the week that was fully furnished. The houses are always well furnished, but often lacking in the culinary department. You’re usually lucky if you have a full complement of Aluminum Wal-Mart Specials. I don’t blame the homeowners… would you leave your cast iron heirlooms or $500 Calaphalon One pots and pans for renters to destroy. One misguided trip through the dishwasher would destroy either of the previously mentioned pans. This house was no different. First inspection of the kitchen revealed nothing but aluminum pans and these were particularly bad. Later on the first day I opened a drawer and there it was… a 10” lodge cast iron skillet. It was not in the best shape but could be cooked on. The next morning it was time to whip that pan into shape- BACON! After cooking two pounds of bacon at high heat, the pan really started looking good, and cooked better than anything I had ever cooked on before. By the end of the trip I was on fire for Cast Iron! I had serious thoughts about taking the pan I had grown so fond of and leaving a twenty behind. In the end, I left that pan, but not without a hug and a prayer that the next renters treated it as well as I.
Before I go on I would like to elaborate on my last thoughts. I know you non-cast iron using people out there think I’m crazy right about now. I would have thought such an emotional bond to a pan was crazy as well. Ask any chef and they will tell you that they develop strong bonds to certain cookware, particularly to specific pans. Just like with a musical instrument, you have to learn the nuances of the pan… cast iron takes that feeling a step further.
With cast iron you can’t just buy a piece and start cooking on it. Well you could if you like a big burnt mess!!! Before you cook with cast iron you have to season the pan. Iron is incredibly porous; before you can cook in it you must fill those microscopic holes… with Carbon. Carbon is the PERFECT non-stick surface, better than Teflon or anything else on the market. You might be asking yourself, “Why don’t they make Carbon pans if it’s soooo great?” The answer to that question- Carbon is Brittle; the pan would shatter if you looked at it funny... In comes Iron. Iron is strong but due to its porous nature everything sticks to it. Wouldn’t you know it Carbon requires a porous surface (such as iron) to stick to and build up on.
Chemistry Time: Now how do we get old black carbon into those microscopic holes in the surface of Iron? Do we rub a lump of coal against our Iron? No, when working at the microscopic level we need to form chemical reactions. This one’s easy. When oils and fats, from vegetables or animals, are heated to high levels the long strands of hydrocarbons begin to snap into smaller strands. This happens over and over again in the heat until all you’re left with is Carbon.
Now here’s how we "season" a cast iron pan. First, warm the pan up in the oven at the lowest setting. You want it to be uniformly warm, but not to hot to handle. Metals expand in heat; your simply trying to open the microscopic holes up as much as possible. Next, rub vegetable shortening (Crisco) all over it and stick it in the oven at about 300 degrees. The Crisco, after about an hour, will have turned into carbon. Your pan now has the ultimate non-stick surface. There is a lot more “technique” involved, but that’s the down and dirty.(Note: more layers means more durability, don't cook acidic foods after only one or two seasonings... you'll end up with a metallic taste.)
Why Crisco and not Bacon (Like grandma used to use) for seasoning. Well, animal fat will go rancid if left in open air for a while. With out using an electron microscope we can't tell if the chemical reactions are complete and the fats are completely broken down. If you use the same cast iron pot or pan everyday, there is no problem. If you can't commit to using your pan everyday stick with vegetable oil. It's won't go rancid if you don't use it everyday and it won't add subtle flavor to your recipes. (Note: Olive oil is not a good choice for seasoning because of it's high heat tolerance. It makes a great protective coating after the seasoning process, plus it leaves your pans black and shiny, but for seasoning you'll end up with a sticky mess.)
After a cast iron owner buys/finds/inherits a cast iron pan, does the research on how to take care of it, and seasons it just the right way, it’s no wonder why we get so attached to these utensils.
Now, were was I? Oh, yes, I had to say good-bye to the skillet at the beach house… A few weeks later Angela and myself were at AAFES and found a 10” Lodge cast iron skillet. I believe my senses were heightened to the presence of cast iron due to my recent encounter at the beach. We bought it and I, again, had the same joyous reaction to cooking in it that I'd had at the beach.
News got out to my family and soon I became the owner of 18 pieces of cast iron. For the record, I have bought two of these 18 pieces; the original 10” skillet and a Fish Pan. Many of them are very sentimental to both my wife and I. The cast iron my Grandmother gave me was almost exclusively used by my deceased Grandfather, Ret. CMSgt Joe Sartin. Likewise, many of the pieces Angela’s family gave us had traveled several generations through her family.
The sad truth is, cast iron pieces like these, around the U.S. and world, will probably end up in landfills. What’s worse is that many cast iron pieces are being picked up not as cooking utensils, but as decorations for some yahoo’s country kitchen theme. I have an idea; if you want a country kitchen grab one of those skillets off the wall and make some cornbread! Why we have dropped our cast iron for inferior cooking utensils is another post so keep a look out.
Nearly, every piece was in abysmal shape when we received it. The best pieces had rusting; the worst pieces were nearly unspeakable. Every piece, I’m now cooking in, after a little know how and hard work. I’ve used nearly every piece and would take 18 more if some wanted to get rid of them. A better idea would be to scrub them down, clean them up, season them, and cook something great.
If you would like to see my cast iron collection go to My Photo Album.
Sparky
Mammy was also a focal point of the family. Nearly, all family get-togethers were at her home. If too many people were going to be there then we would have our get-togethers at the community building and Mammy would “cater” the food and desserts. She always had a smile and hugs for the adults and a soft-warm lap for the little ones. 
I only wish we had gotten Mammy’s pecan pie recipe… 
I love you mammy and I’ll miss you.
