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For many cooks, the well-seasoned and quite often handed down cast-iron pan is a favorite cooking vessel.
While perusing the cookbook shelves at a thrift shop, I decided to explore the kitchenware section. Wow! There were so many cast-iron pots and pans waiting for their new owners to take them home, clean up the rust spots and season them so their culinary history can continue.
There was one pan by Birmingham Stove & Range Co., a now defunct producer of top-quality cast-iron cookware. From what I was told, in good condition, they are worth much more than the $8 price at the thrift shop. I then wondered why it was still on the shelf.
Well, perhaps it is because people couldn’t see past the couple of rust spots or the scraped company emblem on the pan’s bottom, and therefore didn’t know its value. Not needing more cast iron, I passed on buying it. The collector who finds this treasure will transport it into its new era of cooking, perhaps making corn bread, stews and biscuits.
I recently interviewed Julia Rutland, author of “Cast-Iron Cooking: Fresh and Timeless Comfort Food for Sharing” (Adventure Publications, $22.99).
“Whether you’re using your great-grandparents’ used, cast-iron skillet or are shopping for a new Dutch oven, the book advises on how to select, season, and properly care for this versatile cookware,” she said.
Think of the book as Cast-Iron 101, covering how cast iron is made, a history of cast iron in the United States (“European settlers brought with them thick, heavy pots designed with ‘feet’ to be used over an open fire”), collecting vintage pots, benefits and styles, seasoning, cleaning, how to fix problems and over 150 recipes for flavorful dishes including breads, stews, pizza and dessert.
My Q & A with Rutland revealed quite a bit about these durable and versatile cooking vessels.
Q: How did you first get into cooking with cast iron?
A: Living in the South, cornbread is made in cast iron … it is almost an unwritten rule here. I’ve been cooking on an induction cooktop for 17 years, and cast iron works great on it. It works on electric, gas, over a fire … it’s universal.
Q: Do you have a favorite cast-iron piece in your collection?
A: It depends upon what I am making. My 12-inch skillet is my go-to. For soups and stews it is an enamel coated Dutch oven. Staub and Le Creuset are brands I like; U.S. made cast iron.
Q: What are common mistakes people make when cooking with cast iron?
A: Too hot of a pan. Medium-high works best unless you are blackening.
Q: Are there any dishes that work surprisingly well in cast iron?
A: Corn bread, blackened fish. It is great for browning, caramelization and frying.
Q: What about dishes that don’t work well?
A: Cakes are the trickiest.
Q: What are some tips for seasoning and maintaining cast iron?
A: After cooking meat or fish, rinse with a bit of soap; vegetables, only hot water. Make sure you dry the pan. Keep it upside down so it doesn’t puddle. Rub a thin coat of oil on it.
Q: What are your go-to recipes using cast-iron?
A: Corn bread, it is an easy side dish. Beef stew in the Dutch oven. The dish on the front cover of the book (Pan-Roasted Chicken Provencal), Hasselback potatoes, cinnamon roll coffee cake.
Q: What recipe in the book would you say is unique?
A: Butter Swim Biscuits. The headnote says: “These biscuits are known for their rich, buttery flavor, and soft, tender texture. They’re unique because they are baked in a cast-iron skillet that is ‘swimming’ in butter before the batter is poured in. The edges get crisp and are arguably the best part.”
Q: How did you develop the recipes in the book?
A: I took dishes that I make and was curious how they would do in cast iron.
Q: Which is the recipe readers must make?
Q: What’s one myth about cast-cooking that you would like to debunk?
A: Many people find it intimidating. That might be when first using cast iron. With proper seasoning and washing, it will become a favorite way to cook.
Q: What are the best brands to purchase?
A: Lodge is good for entry level. For premium enamel coated, Staub or Le Creuset. Field Co., a premium brand, produces a smoother interior.
Q: What do you hope the reader gets from the book?
A: Learn the basics of cast-iron cooking, make it their go-to cooking method and have fun.
Start with these recipes. For the recipes for Potato and Bacon Breakfast Skillet and Skillet Nachos visit https://stephenfries.com/recipes.
The headnote says: “I initially placed this recipe in the dessert chapter before deciding to add it to the breads-and-breakfast section because it’s essentially a sweet quick bread. Quick breads use baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast and are considered quick because there is no lengthy rising time involved.”
Pan savvy: Either round or square cast-iron skillets will work. Square or rectangle servings are typical, but the sweet bread will taste just as delicious when cut into wedges from a round pan.
¼ cup melted salted or unsalted butter
Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Topping (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla in another bowl. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until blended (do not overmix).
Spoon batter into prepared skillet. Drizzle Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Topping over batter, sprinkle with pecans, and swirl with a knife.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and firm in center. Drizzle with Glaze.
Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Topping: Combine ½ cup melted salted or unsalted butter, ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Makes about 2/3 cup.
Glaze: Combine ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon whole milk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract in a small bowl. Makes ¼ cup.
Start the day on a sweet note when you make this scrumptious coffee cake topped with the flavors of the beloved handheld breakfast treat. Or serve it in the late afternoon with tea and good conversation.
The headnote says: “The heat of cast iron creates a delicious crusty-edged steak, but it doesn’t reduce quickly. To avoid scorching the meal, have all your ingredients and sauce mixture prepped ahead. Make sure the beef is very cold, as it’s easier to thinly slice meat that’s chilled till semi-frozen. While this dish is mild and universally appealing, I like a bit of spice, so I’ll drizzle sriracha and hoisin sauce over my serving.”
1 tablespoon avocado or vegetable oil
½ cup beef broth or water
3 bell peppers (any color), cut into strips
1 to 1 ½ pounds lean flank or sirloin steak, very thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Sriracha sauce or hoisin sauce (optional)
Combine avocado oil and sesame oil in a small bowl. Combine broth, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and vinegar in another small bowl; set broth mixture aside.
Heat half of oil mixture in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Transfer bell pepper mixture to a platter.
Heat remaining half of oil mixture in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and black pepper. Add steak and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until browned on all sides. Stir in reserved broth mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Stir in bell pepper mixture.
Serve over hot cooked rice, and drizzle with sriracha sauce, if desired.
The headnote says: “This dish is distinctive with its accordion-like slices of potato cooked with butter, fresh herbs, and cheese. The edges become crispy in the oven, while the interior of the potato remains tender. Multiple slices mean the tempting flavors can seep into the potato, making every bite delicious. I prefer smaller Yukon Gold or gold potatoes, but you can use russet potatoes, if you like. Large potatoes will require more baking time to become tender.”
Equipment: 12- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet
Pan savvy: The same weight of small potatoes will take up more room in the skillet than fewer, larger potatoes. Adjust the size of the pan based on the size of the potatoes. You can test by placing them in the skillet before washing and prepping.
1 ½ pounds small Yukon Gold or gold potatoes
¼ cup salted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (rosemary and/or parsley)
Slice a thin layer along each potato to create a flat base so potatoes don’t roll. Place, flat side down, on a cutting board; cut 1/8-inch-thick slices into — but not completely through — each potato. (Place chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side as guides to stop you from cutting all the way through.)
Place potatoes in a large skillet. Combine butter, paprika, salt, pepper, cheese, and garlic in a bowl. Brush about half of butter mixture over potatoes, making sure butter mixture gets in between slices. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.
Brush potatoes with the remaining half of butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 more minutes or until crisp and golden on the outside and tender on the inside. Spoon-melted butter from bottom of pan over potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
in the kitchen items Stephen Fries is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 17 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, and three-day culinary adventures around the U.S. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at Stephen@stephenfries.com. For more, go to stephenfries.com.