Iron Out the Details

I promised a closer look at cast iron, and here it is. Cast iron cookware has a lot going for it. In a word, versatility. It goes from the cooktop to oven to grill to campfire with nary a whimper. A CIS (cast iron skillet) will quickly blacken catfish as happily as it stews beans for hours. On low heat it will keep pancakes or tortillas warm. On high heat you can beautifully sear a filet mignon or tuna steak. It's low maintenance. Treated properly, a cast iron skillet will last indefinitely. As a matter of fact, as soon as I find a recipe solely comprised of shelf stable ingredients (best stored in the proverbial “cool, dry place”) I'll have the ideal dish for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. 
Stay tuned for that gem; back to heavy black pans...

Cast iron options

Cast iron is available in countless shapes. There are skillets, griddles, dutch ovens, grill pans, bakeware shaped to produce molded cornbread, deep sided chicken fryers, the list goes on. I've got six cast iron pieces, but I get the most use from my 12” Lodge, followed by the 10” skillet featured in Cast Iron Crumble. You'll find cast iron made offshore, but I suggest you buy American. The quality is better, and the cost difference is negligible. That leaves you with two choices. You can buy from Lodge, the preeminent name in American cast iron, or look around for good vintage cast iron from companies like Griswold or Wagner. You'll have to fight the collectors for old pieces. Lodge is easy to find, and the price is right.

Cooking do's and dont's

• Always preheat cast iron, it prevents sticking and allows you to sear.
• Avoid tomato sauces, acidic foods are hard on the pan's "seasoning".
• Cast iron isn't great for boiling water.  Use another pan.

Care

My frequently used cast iron hangs with the rest of my go-to pans but it's just as easily stored in the oven. After cooking, rinse with hot water, and wipe dry. Follow with a very light coat of oil and you're done.  

Recipes

Cast iron shines at breakfast whether it's in the kitchen or around the campfire. I'll use it for eggs and pancakes, but I really have a thing for parmesan crusted potatoes. They're simple and hearty. Here's the recipe. Slice two medium potatoes 1/4” thick. Preheat your CIS and add a dab of oil. Toss the potatoes in the pan and push them around to lightly coat with oil. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. (sometimes I'll mince some onion if I have one handy.) Brown on one side then flip the slices. Cook til tender. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and flip the slices cheese side down. 

Sausage gravy and biscuits is one of the few things me and The South agree on. Because of the flat bottom, iron skillets are well suited to making roux based gravies.  I'm convinced my gravy is good for you because it's made with skim milk; the lab results aren't back yet but I have a hunch.  I try to buy relatively local meat and produce wherever I happen to be, which led to the discovery of Purnell's “Old Folks” sausage from Louisville, Kentucky. I use their "spicy medium" and it's delicious, especially once I confirmed it's not made from old folks. 

Here's the skinny on my gravy:

Brown a pound of breakfast sausage over medium heat, chopping into smallish chunks. With the heat on, prop the pan at an angle. This allows the grease drain from the sausage and collect in the bottom of the pan where we need it. Remove the sausage to a bowl and add 2T of AP flour to the fat in the pan. With a flat whisk, create a roux over medium heat. Cook the roux until it turns the nice beige color of the walls in the psych ward. Add 2C milk and whisk thoroughly. The gravy will thicken as you near a boil. Kill the heat when your gravy reaches a simmer and add the sausage. Once the sausage is completely incorporated, season to taste with salt and pepper. Its best to do this last because the sausage brings most of the flavor; if you season before you add the meat, it will be too salty. 

My biscuit recipe comes right from the pages of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, so I won't reiterate it here.  Baking in cast iron is the only deviation from the book.  If you don't have a cookbook, this is your answer.  The red plad book is complete with sections on everything from cuts of meat to basics like biscuits.

That's breakfast for you.  You'll see my heavy black cookware again when we talk about stir-fry, tacos mexicanos, filet de beouf, and tikka masala.  

Like I said, cast iron is versatile.