Reasons you should be cooking with cast iron

9 Reasons you should be cooking with cast iron

Cast iron used to be the most popular and trusted cookware before people started using Aluminum, Stainless steel and Teflon cookware. Peradventure because it could be used to cook with almost all types of heat. Of course, after a while, people started using other types of cookware abandoning the cast iron pots and pans that our parents and grandparents especially loved.

Only a few enlightened people who knew the numerous advantages of cast iron cookware stuck to using it. However, things have begun to change and many people who know the advantages of cooking with cast iron have returned to using it for all their cooking. You may become one of them after you read this article that highlights the reasons why you should be cooking with cast iron cookware.

Here are 9 Reasons you should be cooking with cast iron:

It Is Safer Than Other Modern Cookware

Cast iron pots and pans have been used as far back as the 3rd BC. The fact that it was used as far back as then and it is still being used today is enough evidence that cast iron cookware is much safer than other cookware.

Other than its long history, cast iron cookware has been proven to be beneficial for cooking unlike other cookware. For instance, people who cook with aluminum pots will always cook at the risk of their food absorbing aluminum deposits, something quite disturbing due to the fact that there are aluminum deposits in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

The Teflon coating on non-stick pans, on the other hand, gets scratched easily and using them to cook with damaged coating is unhealthy. Lead, which can be quite harmful to us, gets into food when it is cooked with ceramic earthenware with worn off protective glaze.

Cast iron cookware, on the other hand, can safely be used for cooking in any condition. Even if some doses of iron leaches into your food, it remains an essential nutrient for our body.

Cast Iron Cookware Is Almost Indestructible

Although, cast iron pots and pans have a tendency to rust if they aren’t use, they are still usable. In fact, many of the cast iron pots that you see around are actually decades if not centuries old. You can go to your basement or your parent’s basement if they still have your grandparent’s belongings.

If you find a cast iron pot there, even if it is rusted, it can still be restored and used again. No matter how old it looks, all it needs is a good scrubbing and re-seasoning with cooking oil.

Cast Iron pots And Pans Can Be Used With Several Heating Sources

To some people, the greatest advantage of cast iron pots is the fact that they can be safely used to cook with numerous types of heat sources, and the amount of heat doesn’t matter. They can be used with gas, wood stoves and can even be placed directly over a camp fire. This is an advantage that cookware made with cast iron has over other cookware.

Cast Iron Pans Are Non-stick

Teflon non-stick pans are quite popular these days but it is actually a matter of fact that they’re not as safe as cast iron pans. How? Teflon non-stick pans get scratched easily when you use a metal spatula on them and then, they become unsafe to use. When they get over-heated, Teflon non-stick pans also release Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) into your food and these are harmful to the body as they have been linked to problems like liver dysfunction and brain health problems. Apart from that, you have to use plastic utensils when you use Teflon non-stick pans and the plastic slowly melts into your food whenever you use it. That is very unhealthy for your body. On the other hand, cast iron is naturally non-stick when they have been seasoned properly. If you have an old pan, you can easily season it with oil but it is possible for you to buy pre-seasoned cast iron pans.

Cast Iron Cookware Can Be Used For Different Kinds Of Cooking

Cast iron cookware can be used for roasting, grilling, broiling, frying, deep-frying, sautéing, searing, boiling, poaching, steaming and even baking. There is no other modern cookware that can easily adapt to the different heating needed for these different methods of cooking to produce well-cooked food.

Cast Iron Cookware Is Easy To Clean And Maintain

Cast iron pots and pans don’t have any special needs and they can be used with regular metal cutlery. They can also endure all kinds of rough handling. You can use any kind of soap and scrubbier to clean the pot. You don’t have to worry about the cast iron seasoning washing off because soap can’t wash it off.

To maintain the seasoning, you can choose to wipe your dried cast iron pot with a little oil and towel after every washing. How to Properly Season, Clean, and Care for Cast-Iron Cookware

Cast Iron Is One Of The Cheapest Cookware Available

Apart from the fact that cast iron cookware is so durable that it can last a lifetime, it is also very cheap. You can get a brand new set for less than 30 dollars and a used set for less than 10 dollars at your local stores.

Cast Iron Cooks Food More Evenly And Can Even Prevent Burning

As long as you heat your cast iron pot or pan before you start cooking, your food will definitely be evenly cooked. This is because cast iron has poor thermal conductivity and high heat emissivity (it reacts slowly to change in temperature) and as such is less susceptible to burning or uneven cooking if it is preheated.

You Can cook or Fry With Less Oil By Using Cast Iron

Cast iron pans require less oil for cooking or frying as compared to other modern cookware. Furthermore, the best part is that reducing the oil does not affect the quality or flavor of the dish and your food will most likely cook more evenly without burning.

If you have a cast iron pot, pan or skillet at home, don’t abandon it because it is one of the safest, versatile and durable cookware available for you to use. If you don’t have any, you should be able to get one now that you understand how advantageous it is compared to other cookware.