Love the Pan You're With

By Britt Allgood

My dad told me a long time ago, “Don’t buy cheap tools!” I didn’t understand him at the time but as I got older and hopefully a bit wiser, I realized what he meant. Little did either of us know that that lesson would spill into all parts of my life - including my cooking.

I remember growing up that Mom only had a few pieces of matching cookware. I think it was a Paul Revere Ware set of copper bottom pots and pans. She still has a few of those pieces today. The rest of her cookware is a hodge-podge of cast iron skillets, bakeware, and miscellaneous pots and pans picked up over time, or as the need arose.

My cookware, many pieces my wife owned when we met, is or rather was a matched set of anodized aluminum pots and pans. They worked well but I had a few pieces that I refused to give up including my large stockpot and my cast iron. Yes, I can be stubborn that way. But through wear and tear, some pieces had to be replaced and now my cabinet looks more and more like my Mom’s. The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.

Lesson learned

As I search for replacement pots and pans, I recalled Dad’s lesson. I stopped looking at the lowest prices and started looking at the quality of the items. Customer reviews and discussions with other foodies help me – they are invaluable when determining the items of lesser quality. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t go looking to buy the most expensive things, and rarely do I. Every day my email inbox is full of promotions from various suppliers of all things cooking-related. A few clicks and I’ve scanned what’s available and ask myself if I need anything. Most of the time I don’t but occasionally I see something that I’ve longed to add to my cookware arsenal and if the quality and price are right, well you know.

Cleaning and care of non-cast iron

Cookware is something that most of us use every day, or at least I hope we do. It should be cleaned and cared for just like any other tool or item that gets regular use. That cleaning and care will vary depending on the types of cookware you have. Anodized aluminum cookware for example should only be cleaned with a non-metallic brush, dish sponge, or nylon cleaning pad with a mild soap, baking soda, or Bartenders Friend. These pans are porous and should never be run through the dishwasher or you run the risk of destroying the anodized surface. Non-stick pots and pans are generally made of aluminum and coated with a non-stick material like Teflon. They should be cared for similarly to anodized aluminum but remember they are softer and can be warped. The manufacturers may say that the pan is dishwasher safe but do you want to risk it? Cast Iron Cleaning and seasoning

Cast iron requires an entirely different approach to care and maintenance. Cast iron is extremely porous and requires “seasoning” and I don’t mean with salt and pepper! With proper care, a cast iron pan will perform just as well if not better than many modern pans and can last for generations to come. There are several steps to clean and season a cast iron pan the first of which is washing.

Ditch the soap

The only time you should use soap on a cast iron pan is cleaning just before seasoning. Even if a new pan says that it has been pre-seasoned for you, go ahead and wash it and put it through the seasoning process. There’s no telling what the pan has encountered during packaging, sales, and shipping and sales. Just for peace of mind, wash it.

Now you are ready to season the pan. The seasoning process is the intentional baking on of a layer of fat or oil into the iron. You may not realize that every time you use a cast iron pan that you are continuing the seasoning process. This is one reason why it is critical to not use soap on a seasoned pan; unless you plan on reseasoning it.

The easiest way to season a cast iron pan is in your oven. While you are washing the pan, preheat your oven to 300°F. Place a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven. Dry the pan and place it on the top rack for about 10 minutes and remove.

While the pan is still warm, use a cloth or paper towel to coat the pan with about a tablespoon of lard, vegetable shortening, or bacon grease. Do Not use vegetable oil or you will develop a sticky film. Place the pan back in the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove the pan and pour out any excess fat, then turn the pan upside down and place it back on the top rack above the foil to catch drips. Bake the pan for 1 hour, then cut off the oven and allow the pan to cool while in the oven. You can repeat this often to keep a pan wellseasoned or after someone washed it with soap.

It’s Time to Cook

Your freshly seasoned pan is now ready for use. You can do just about anything in this pan from seared steaks to cornbread, to pizza. Yep, I said pizza. You can even bake a giant chocolate chip cookie in the pan if you so choose. It is recommended to cook highfat foods in new pans before trying other dishes. This will aid in the seasoning of the pan. Just remember do not store food in cast iron as the acids in the foods will break down the seasoned surface.

Clean up

When you are finished cooking, it’s time to clean up the pan. Remember don’t use soap (can I say this enough) and don’t soak the pan in water to loosen the food. It will cause the seasoning to fail and possibly rust the pan. You should wash your pan while it’s still slightly warm with lots of hot water and a sponge or non-metal stiff brush. If you have tough, stuck-on food, you can use kosher salt as an abrasive and a towel to scrub the pan. When finished, toss the salt and rinse the pan with hot water.

Always remember to dry your cast iron completely after washing. Dry out the pan with a dish towel or paper towel and then put the pan on a warm stove-top or in the oven on low heat for a few minutes to evaporate any water trapped in the pores. Then use a paper towel to rub the inside of the pan with a bit of lard, bacon grease, or shortening to preserve the seasoning. Finish by using a clean paper towel to wipe out the excess grease. Store your cast iron in a dry spot without lids to prevent water from condensing in them. If your pan should develop rust, use steel wool to scour the spot and then repeat the seasoning process.

I have three old cast iron skillets of various sizes. One of them I acquired at a family estate auction for a couple of dollars (try getting a new cast iron skillet for $2). It was so caked with grease - I mean it was well seasoned - that I was afraid to use it. I took it home and burned it clean in a wood fire before seasoning it. I’ve had that skillet for nearly 30 years and it still works well for me. Take care of your cookware and it should last a lifetime. Live, Laugh, Love, and Eat Well. 