How Do I Love Thee...

Iron Skillet, How Do I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways...

I love my iron skillet.  That big, heavy, black, oily pan permanently affixed on my stove top.  How did I not always have one!  My mom used one off and on when I was growing up, and it stayed in that little cabinet over the stove/vent thingy.  I didn't get what was so special about it.  I remember her using words like 'season it' and 'iron', but I didn't get why it was any different than our other skillets.  That's about the end of that memory, but in recent years she's started using two skillets in her house all the time.  It would come up occasionally that she'd be cooking something up in the iron skillet, and it got me thinking.  I thought they were relics of days gone. Of pioneer days long ago.  That it was a family treasure passed from generation to generation (after all, Mom was using her mom's skillet).  Well, imagine my delight (and suprise) when right there in Target what did I find hanging right in front of me but some iron skillets!!  Well I did the sensible thing and bought one! (they're not expensive either. this one was just under $20)

I went home, googled iron skillets to see what the deal was with them, and then started my seasoning process.  I scoured off the factory coating of whatever-it-is they put on there.  Then I heated up my oven really hot, coated the skillet with some Crisco, then put in the oven upside down (with a pan under it) for an hour or to cook that stuff in.  That is what 'seasoning' your skillet means.  It's the process of getting enough grease in it to let you cook on it without everything sticking.

I repeated this process a couple of times before cooking in it.  Now the main ideas here is not to scour the skillet EVER again!!!  Once you get that slick layer on it you can easily scrape off any bits of food, rinse with warm water, and then wipe it with a cloth or paper towel if you use them.  Voila.

But what is the draw to it?  It's hard to explain.  I was first interested in it when I realized my favorite egg frying pan had lost its nonstick layer.  Hmmm... where could that stuff have gone?  Oh, what's that... into our bodies?? Ya. Most likely.  K..... no thanks, I don't want to buy another one of those.  I pulled out my other nonstick skillet and found that most of its stuff was missing too!  Eeeek!!!

I've since quit using any of my old nonstick cookware unless I'm really pressed for a pot or pan.  My first choice is the skillet, and for everything else I use my stainless steel pots I got in Jordan when I first got married (my lovely mother in law gave them to me).  The steel pots aren't in the same category as the iron skillet, don't get me wrong, they're just better for me b/c they don't have chemicals on them.  Iron is the way to go!!!

A few things to keep in mind:
*keep it dry once you've washed it (get droplets off) iron rusts.
*the handle gets as hot as the skillet, so don't grab it with your bare hands
*once it starts to get hot, boy it will get hotter and not cool down for a while
*use a metal spatula and not a rubber one (i don't like using wood either for some reason)
*say bye bye to your old cookware because you won't want to go back!
* wait till it is very hot before you put your food in there. hotter skillet=less sticking

Mmmm, this could be YOUR breakfast :)  (actually this is not my skillet, it's my mom's)

Well, my post is just to share the love.  I love love love the skillet. I use it everyday.