Cooking with Cast Iron

[Pupsnpullets]

As some of you may know, I found an old cast iron casserole dish yesterday, and now I'd like some recipes to get me started. Perhaps how to convert regular recipes so that they make the best of the cast iron, too.

One question I do have is how safe is it have that heavy thing, loaded with food, sitting on an oven rack. Oven racks just seem kind of flimsy to me. Surely cast iron is not exclusively used outdoors or on range tops .... ?

 

[mullers3acers]

I use my pots and pans in my oven all the time. So no need to worry.

 

[Katy]

That's pretty much all I use. I just use my regular recipes..haven't changed any of them.

 

[peeplessinNC]

Cast iron retains heat very well, so you can cook at lower temperatures than you might think.

Earlier this year I finally threw away the last failing nonstick fry pan and now I use my cast iron skillets all the time. I have a little bitty one, an 8-inch, and my grandmother's old, old, 12-inch skillet. Also have a Le Creuset French oven, a round griddle, and several other pieces of cast iron. I love to use it!

It is best not to cook foods high in acid in cast iron, i.e. strong tomato based sauces or recipes that have a lot of wine in them. The high acid foods can react with the iron for a not so delicious result.

 

[poussin_noir]

Quote:
Wow good to know.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Look up some "camping recipes" on Google. You can find lots of one pot cast iron dinners.

You need to make sure your cast iron cookware is seasoned, which involves rubbing it down with cooking oil and (I believe) baking it. You can find directions online.

 

[jkm]

I use only cast iron pans now,,, but the enamaled kind,,,
hint,, warm the pan up slowly, take a few extra minutes to get the pan to heat,
I lovecooking my cast iron , bread, breakfast, dinner
I own lodge, and all diffferent brands...

slow roasted french pot chicken is one of the best rescipes

one good chicken,, prefable organic....

washed and salted
place chopped onion, parsley, bay, carrots, celery in the bottom of the cast iron roaster. place chicken on top
bake at 250 for 3 hours, lid on.
no extra liquid.

chciken will come out very tender and juicy....
stunning with rice or potaotes

 

[lovemychix]

I love my cast iron. I used them for everything. Only bad thing about them is they can't be thrown in the diswasher!! I hate dishes, but they do clean up well since they are well seasoned. I spray mine with cooking oil before using and after washing.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
Yum!! Will be trying this recipe after I've dealt with the HUGE pot full of minestrone soup I made over the weekend in my one and only cast iron pot (but that's gonna change!).

 

[Pupsnpullets]

I was just rereading the recipe and I noticed you didn't mention whether you covered the dish or not, though I presume you do, right?