Anyone here use cast iron pans and skillets?

Such a pain to clean and you get a lot of heavy metals from them. We use Xtrema - they're 100% ceramic.

I have cast iron but I prefer my stainless steel pans and Dutch oven pots. If you do buy cast iron make sure to buy a high end brand to mitigate the risk of heavy metals. They do allow you to get more iron in your food:)

Pros: food tastes so much better in them, they conduct heat evenly so your food will cook evenly. Very easy to go from stove to oven. If you need more iron in your diet cooking in them can help with that. Safer to eat out of than teflon or certain other pans Cons: could cause too much iron in diet maybe? They’re a pain to care for if you’re used to being able to just throw everything in the dishwasher. (Could definitely become something you’re used to but for me with 2 babies I don’t have the time to properly care for my pan). They’re very heavy which could be a pro as well I suppose. Honestly I’ve also been trying to switch to healthier cookware and cast iron I love but I just don’t have the time to properly care for it rn

@Jessica you shouldn’t ever have to “clean” them. Never use soap on them. We use kosher salt and a metal scrubbie, lightly and re-season them maybe once a month. I love them and how easy they are to keep

As long as you research properly seasoning and cleaning them, they are a game changer! We only use lodge cast iron since we’ve had some bad experiences with the off-brands. They are our go-to for most dishes, especially bacon and baked goods. I’ve made everything from bread to frittatas in them and I love them!

@Maisey please do not dish wash your cast iron! They are not meant to touch soap and it can cause extra wear and disintegration

@Shawna how do you clean them with salt? Can you use them on a glass top stove or does it have to be a gas stove? If you make something like bacon in them, do you just wipe out the grease and call it done? I've never used cast iron before, so I'm trying to educate myself as best I can before investing in them so I can do it right.

I use kosher salt so it’s bigger and more abrasive, with a paper towel and a little water to clean it. When you want to season it you can use salt, a little water and light scrubbing with a Brillo pad. You want to crank your oven, coat them heavily with oil, and bake them once a month to keep them seasoned

I love my cast iron but it is a pain to clean bc you can’t just throw in the dishwasher. I use soap and water to clean, then rub a little olive oil over it and put in the oven on high heat to dry.

I don’t think they are hard to clean at all if you know what you are doing! Get stainless steel scrubbing pads and hot water food comes off easily but you may have to scrub hard! Also make sure to heat up and fully dry after don’t ever leave them wet. I only use these now and I love it!

@Shawna don’t worry I don’t do that 😅😅 I was just saying as a con you aren’t able to do that so it makes clean up a bit more time consuming cause you can’t just throw it in the dishwasher like you can with regular pans

Yes I love mine. They really aren’t that hard to clean once they are well seasoned. I use regular dawn dish soap. You just have to make sure it’s super dry before you put it away. I usually put it on the burner for a few minutes before I put it away. It cooks everything pretty evenly. It’s great for going from stove to oven and I can use it on induction which is nice. I would say that the only downsides I have are that they are (obviously) very heavy and that they retain heat for a crazy amount of time.

@Shawna you actually should clean your cast iron with soap. https://www.bonappetit.com/story/clean-cast-iron-skillet

@Blair you can but sorry I don’t agree with this one article. I’ve had cast irons for years and everything I’ve ever researched says no soap. It wears away the seasoning from the manufacturer and can degrade the iron over time, causing bits to come off in food that you may not see, so I don’t recommend this. Salt, water and a little scrubbing is all you really need as long as you keep it seasoned and take care of it properly.

@Maisey gotcha sorry I read your comment wrong

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That's awesome that you're looking into becoming more self-sufficient! Switching to cast iron cookware can be a great choice. Pros include durability (they last a long time if cared for well), they can be used on stovetops and in ovens, and they add iron to your food. However, they are heavy, require seasoning and maintenance, and can't be washed in the dishwasher. If you're up for the care routine, it could be worth the switch for that long-lasting quality!

@Shannon we are trying to! We own our house, and it sits on 12 acres of land, and has a pond. So in the next few years we are planning on having a large garden, getting chickens and cows, stocking the pond with fish, etc. Everything that we can do to grow our own food and reusing everything that we can. Figured a switch to cast iron should be on that list lol

They are amazing. I have 2 skillets and a couple enamelled CI pots used for soups and slow cooking in the oven. Join some Cast iron pages on FB whatever you wanna do in life join a group for community and advice and solidarity. I have a mix of CI, stainless steel and carbon steel and I know what I need to use for different recipes like CI is not good for acid- based sauces like bolognese etc if I do cook bolognese in it I do not ever leave it in to next day like I can w SS, I remove it all immediately after cooked as that sauce sitting in that pan overnight will take off some of the seasoning. The soap thing- back then soap was active w lye which cleaning your CI w that will strip it. These days soap is gentle so if you need to wash w soap a lil drop is all you need. That’s where the “no soap” advice came from- the lye. They had to wear gloves back then washing w lye or it’ll burn your skin too that thing is caustic. Never soak, always put away dry. Steak is amazing in CI

@Kellie that pie looks so good!!!!

@Kellie yes! I haven’t tried pie but I’ve made a bunch of soda breads in ours and they come out amazing. I have to try pie next!