Grandma's Kitchen Recipes History of Cast Iron Cookware

I belong to the non-stick cookware generation, but my mother-in-law swore by her cast iron skillets.  She had three sizes and they were very, very well used.  She had ten children,  so her cast iron skillets saw a lot of action. So, Grandma's Kitchen Recipes decided to do a little research.  Consider this article a cooking class.

Cast iron cookware has never really gone out of fashion.  It is durable and reliable and is still recommended by cooks and chefs as an essential  cooking tool.  Cast iron pans have the ability to withstand and maintain very high cooking temperatures, which make it excellent for frying or searing.  It is also a good choice for long-cooking recipes such as stews.   Most cast iron pots and pans are cast from a single piece of metal.  This provides even distribution of heat.  I know you have seen recipes for baking cornbread or pineapple upside down cake in a cast iron skillet.  In Grandma's Kitchen Recipes opinion, being able to go from stove top to oven also makes cast iron a versatile product.

In doing some research, Grandma's Kitchen Recipes found that hundreds of years ago cast iron cauldrons came on the scene.  Before the kitchen stove was invented, the cast iron cauldrons and pots were suspended by handles over direct fire or in the fireplace.  Another type of pan was called a spider that had a handle and three legs which "stood up" over the fire and coals.  With the onset of the Industrial Revolution came the invention of stoves and the cast iron pots were made with legless, flat bottoms.  It was during the late 19th century that the cast iron skillet was introduced.

There are now two types of cast iron cookware-what is called bare cast iron, and enamel coated cast iron.  Currently cast iron cookware includes dutch ovens, frying pans, deep friers, woks, flattop grills and griddles.  Enamel coated cast iron can be several times more expensive than bare cast, and will not maintain the high temperatures that bare cast does. Grandma's Kitchen Recipes has some examples of both the bare cast and the enamel coated.

The introduction of teflon-coated non-stick cookware in the 1960's and 1970's cast iron lost popularity.   There are many shapes and sizes of the modern day cookware.  If you choose the non-stick type, Grandma's Kitchen Recipes recommends you go for a somewhat heavy, substantial kind of product.  That, after all, is how all our cookware started.  In Grandma's Kitchen Recipes opinion,  you will find that a light weight pan gives you less control of how your food is cooked.  In other words, it gets hot quickly and has to be monitored more closely.

If you purchase a cast iron pan, you may need to season it.  A seasoned pan has a stick-resistant coating by polymerized oils and fats.  Directions on how to season your pan should be included.  Seasoning is simply the process of getting a layer of animal fat or vegetable oil onto the surface of your pan.  This process not only helps to make the pan stick-resistant but also prevents rust.  Enamel coated pans should not need seasoning, since the enamel should prevent rust.
It is recommended that you re-season your bare cast iron once a year. Grandma's Kitchen Recipes has found that the new cast cookware comes pre-seasoned.  You still need to know how to season your pans later on. Grandma's Kitchen Recipes has provided a Good Housekeeping Video to show you the proper way to season your cast iron cookware.

Cleaning your cast iron pans is simple.  No dishwasher for these!  The dishwasher will undermine the seasoning you have done.  Some folks just wipe the pans clean, but Grandma's Kitchen Recipes recommends hot water and a stiff brush.  You might want to  reapply some oil to keep your pan in good working order.  Some chefs recommend rubbing the pan with salt and wiping it clean.  If you use the enamel coated cast iron pan, you don't have to worry about seasoning it after you wash it.

So, there you have it.  If you have cooked with cast iron, or know someone who has, drop me a line and let me know how it works for you.   Until then, Grandma's Kitchen Recipes says cooking class is dismissed.

Nanna Dorie


Below you will find some enameled cast iron cookware that Grandma's Kitchen Recipes would like to offer.  The FancyCook set is a 5 piece set that includes:

  4 1/4 quart round Dutch oven

 10 inch round skillet 

 10 1/2 inch square Grill pan

 13 inch oval Roasting Pan


The Lodge 3 quart Dutch Oven is Cafe Brown, and has 2 layers of porcelain enamel exterior which is chip resistant.


The last Lodge Dutch Oven  is a 7.5 quart container and comes in Red or the Caribbean Blue shown below.