Cast iron pans are used for cooking, but cast iron skillets are the most popular among cooks. Heavy-duty, non-stick cookware made from cast iron is highly valued for its ability to withstand high temperatures, high usage, durability, and ability to be utilized in high temperatures. Cooking is often done over outdoor grills, campfires, or smallish grills. Skillets are the most efficient way of cooking. They are also the preferred choice for making seafood, such as shrimp, lobster, and scallops.
However, you cannot just use any pan, even a cast iron skillet, for cooking. Skilled cooks know which pans are the best to use for specific foods. This is because certain types of food will require different pan temperatures. For example, a frying pan should be slightly warmer than a baking pan. Some people even consider brownies and cake to require specific pan temperatures. In order to prevent burning and seasoning your skillet properly, you will need to pay attention to what you are cooking and how your cast iron pans are seasoned.
One thing that you need to remember about seasoning your cast iron pans is that it should not be overly seasoned. Any time that you season your skillet, you should do so lightly. Although some people use any type of food as seasoning, such as season salt or ground pepper, this is not the best choice for cooking. The problem with season salt is that it can burn your food. On the other hand, ground pepper can bring out the flavors in your food, but can also burn if you let it boil for too long.
Another point that you need to keep in mind regarding seasoning your cast iron pans is how to heat them evenly. Unless you have a charcoal lighter, cooking on a cast iron skillet requires that you evenly distribute the heat throughout the pan. It is impossible to evenly heat a small aluminum pan without using more fuel than necessary. One thing that you could do is pre-heat the skillet to make sure that all of the oil has been melted and that the bottom of the pan is completely dry. It is important that you always pre-heat your skillets to ensure even cooking.
Another great point about non-stick surfaces is that they make it very easy to clean up your cooking equipment. You can simply take all of your utensils and your cooking pans and just toss them into the dishwasher. If you are going to be using acidic foods, however, you may want to consider washing your cast iron pans right away. The reason that washing pans immediately after use makes cleaning easy is because most if not all of the stick buildup that occurs on a regular basis can be washed away using plain warm water.
Overall, if you have never cooked on a non-stick pan, then you are truly missing out. They are great for preparing and cooking a variety of different foods, including steaks. They are also much easier to clean up compared to stainless steel, aluminum, or copper cookware. If you are looking for a new cookware set, then you should definitely check into the cast iron pans. Not only will you be cooking on a piece of history in your kitchen, but you will also be saving money as well!