Why I Cook with Cast Iron and Why You Should Too

My husband tends to give me Christmas presents that are practical. That isn't to say that I don't like them. In fact I love them! His gifts are always something that I want, and that I need. He knows my taste and knows what I will be happy with.

This year one of his presents to me was a cast iron pot with a cover that doubles as a pan. I have been eyeing this for sometime, and was ecstatic when I got it! I have slowly been transitioning to cast iron over the past couple of years. The other pans I have been using are a large stainless steel that can go into the oven, and a very small ceramic pan.

A couple of years ago I made the decision to toss out all my non-stick (read: Teflon) pans. I didn't like the fact that my family was ingesting the chemicals from the pans as I cooked the food, but I did love the idea of using little to no oil and having the food not stick to the pan, as well as how easy they were to clean-up. However health won out over ease of use and I decided to try stainless steel after that. The clean-up was easy enough, but the non-stick part was not there unless I used a ton of oil!  I decided I didn't want to add that many calories to the food we ate, so I tried ceramic. It did have non-stick properties at first, but the more I used it, the more the coating started chipping off and I didn't want that in my food either. I am sure some of you would tell me that I didn't use the ceramic pan right, I probably used too high of heat, or used too abrasive of cleaners, but if there is a coating on a pan, no matter what, it will come off at some point.

During this time, I had also started using a 12" cast iron pan. I like the idea of cooking with cast iron, and I like the benefits. It allowed iron to get into our diet in a healthy, non-toxic way. There are no chemicals on the pans, and they can last literally forever.  But there are some tips to using them to get the most benefit out of them.

I thought I would share with you why I am now solely using cast iron and why you should be too. I will also share with you some tips for using cast iron that gets the most benefit out of it.

Yes, you can fry an egg in a cast iron pan and not have it stick!

It Is Naturally Non-Stick
When I first started using cast iron, I would have absolutely disagreed with this statement. Yes, I was told it was non-stick, but my experience proved otherwise. What I didn't realize is that the pan must be well seasoned. Don't expect a brand new pan to be automatically non-stick. You will need to cook with it and build up the seasoning to experience it being non-stick. If the pan was pre-seasoned, then it won't take long for it to get to the non-stick stage.

Tip 1: Be sure and use some type of oil when you first start cooking with a new pan, or even a newly seasoned pan.  You will need to build up the seasoning of the pan and therefore its non-stick quality.

Tip 2: Keeping the temperature at a lower setting on your stove will also help keep food from getting too hot and burning/sticking to the pan.

The lid to the pot, which flipped upside down (as pictures) is now a frying pan!

It Adds Iron to Your Food
As I mentioned earlier, cast iron will naturally add iron to the foods that you cook in the pan. There are many people that are not getting an iron rich diet (think red meat, dark leafy greens, beans).  Not having enough iron in your diet can lead to anemia. While taking a supplement can help, the best way to get nutrients and minerals is through your food. And to think this pan helps with that!  If you are on the anemic side, don't think that you can immediately start cooking with cast iron and stop your supplements, it doesn't quite work that fast. You will need to cook with cast iron on a regular basis to see the benefits of the iron.

Cooks Somewhat Evenly and Retains Heat
I think this is probably my favorite benefit of cast iron. The pans I have used in the past (stainless steel, ceramic, non-stick) have had hot spots and cold spots. I do not have the luxury of having a gas stove and having control over the heat of the burner. With cast iron, I have experienced very few hot and cold spots, once it heats up, it is an even heat. What I have found with my electric stove is that I never want to raise the temperature of the burner more than medium. Once the pan is hot, it stays hot for quite awhile.

Tip 3: Be sure and preheat your pan! This really is a must to have even heating. I always put my pan on the burner and turn the burner to Medium (remember I have an electric stove). Once it is heated up (drop some water in the pan and if it sizzles and dances, it's ready) you can add your food (oil of your choice if you need it.)

My Christmas present this year, and it is fast becoming one of my favorites!

It is Easy to Clean
Ok, you might disagree with me on this, but I have learned the secret to cleaning cast iron. Clean it while it is still hot. Remove the food and add a little water to the pan. Using a soft cloth (I love using the dish cloths that I have crocheted), clean off the food residue. You will not need soap this way, I promise you. Soap can take the seasoning off of the pan. Be sure and dry the pan with a clean soft cloth (lint free) and then I reseason mine. To do this, I add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the still warm pan and rub the oil all over. I then sit it back on the stove  for the oil to absorb into the pan. If you need to season a pan from scratch, this is not the way to do it.

Tip 4: Do not over oil your pan to season it. If you put too much oil on your pan, you will end up with a sticky gooey mess. Don't worry if this has already happened, you can always scrap it off and reason your pan.


You CAN Use a Metal Spatula (and you should!)
On one of my YouTube videos I show how we cook cowboy stew over an open fire in our dutch oven. One of the things that I used was a metal spatula to first cook the hamburger. I immediately received a comment that I shouldn't be using metal. Guess what? You DO want to use metal with cast iron. When you first purchase cast iron pans, they can be bumpy or have an uneven surface. The use of metal on them hones down the cast iron over time and makes it smooth, which helps with the non-stick process and cleaning process.

Tip 5: You do NOT want to use metal on an enamel clad iron pan. That will definitely scratch the surface.

My cheeseburger soup in my enamel clad dutch oven. That spoon in the pot is a ladle and was not used to cook with.

You Can Cook on Any Cook Surface
These pans can be used anywhere! Electric stove, gas stove, wood stove, camp stove, open fire, you name it! So if the zombie apocalypse ever happens? Well you can bet you can still cook a fantastic meal! ;-) I have used mine on my electric stove, a camp stove, and an open fire. Nothing beats chili cooked in a dutch oven over an open fire. It is one of our favorite things to cook.

This is our dutch oven that we use when camping. We use it over an open fire, in coals, and have also used it on a camp stove.

They Last Forever
This is the best part about these pans...they last forever! What I wouldn't give to have a pan that one of my grandmothers had. I have heard from other cast iron lovers that the older the cast iron, the better. There are pans out there that are over 100 years old and are still in service today. The more use they get, the better they become. Of course that is if you take care of them. And I have found that care of these pans can be easier than some of the other pans I have had in the past.

Tip 6: Take well care of your pan by using it as often as possible, keeping it in a dry place so it doesn't rust, seasoning it as needed, and you will have a pan that you can pass on through the generations.

Let me know in the comments below what your experience is with cast iron, and what your favorite cast iron pan is.
  

7 comments cast iron, cooking, cookware, tips

Going Camping: What to Do and Not Do

Our family loves to go camping.  It is a great way to get away and really enjoy nature and each other.  And talk about some great family memories and adventures that are made on these trips!

Just this past weekend, our family went on a camping trip to one of our state parks.  It was a beautiful weekend.  The weather was not too hot and not too cold.  We went during Bass Pro Outdoor Days and camped with some friends that are in the same scout pack. To be honest, I think that our kids enjoyed it more than our family vacation we took this summer!

I thought it would be great to share with you some of the ways we prepare for the camping trip, and some of the things that we took or we wished we would have took. 

Note: With our kids we are not hiking-in our camping equipment. So at this time weight is not an issue with us. Likewise we are not interested in "glamping." We try to bring the necessities and at the same time pack light.  Here are some of the things that we pack.

TOTES

We have totes that we use to keep some things at the ready.  For this camping trip, we took two totes, one for food and kitchenware, and one for general camping supplies.

Our kitchen camping tote

Our kitchenware tote included:

• eating utensils
• pans for cooking
• spatula/knife/cutting board
• spices
• percolator/coffee
• food that did not need refrigeration

What I would do different:

• prepare veggies ahead of time and place them in the cooler
• bring sandwich bags for storage (really just an oversight) 
• bring more paper towels (something that we try and not use too much of)

Our general camping tote

 Our general camping supplies tote included:

• lantern
• 2 head lamps (these were a lifesaver!)
• lighter/matches
• camp stove
• extra propane for camp stove
• trash bag
• hammer
• first-aid kit
• twine

What I would do different/What I forgot:

• pack more trash bags
• pack a small tool set (hammer was good, but it would be nice to have a few other pieces if needed)
• check first-aid kit to make sure it has everything (we were missing bandages which we needed!)
• save up dryer lint and bring as a fire starter 

COOLER

We brought a cooler so we could bring foods that needed refrigeration.  We wanted to make good meals for our camping trip and I think that we did that.  The first night we had chili, then in the morning we had breakfast burritos, then the second night we had a polish sausage, potatoes, onions, and peppers dish.  We probably could have cut down on the amount of items we took by sticking to hotdogs and pbj, but I love to cook out in the open.  Of course we also had some bottled water that we brought.  
 
TENT AND BEDDING

Our tent is supposed to sleep  4-6 people.  I'm thinking that 4 would be the most comfortable.  With any tent, make sure you are getting the size you need for comfort.  And while a pop-up tent would be nice to set-up, its size would not be good for us.  And honestly, once you get familiar with how your tent is set-up, it shouldn't be too hard.  Note: Set up your tent before you go camping and make sure all the pieces are there, and don't forget the instructions!

What we took:

• tent
• sleeping bags
• pillows
• old quilts 

What I would do different/What I forgot:

• bring an air mattress (multiple so 4 people would all be sleeping on them)

I would highly recommend an air mattress.  We did not have one this camp out, we slept on some old quilts, and then our sleeping bags on top of that.  It wasn't too bad, but after two nights, that was about all we could handle.  We did have a foam mat that was supposed to be big enough for the kids, but I think only one kid ended up being able to sleep on it.


CLOTHING/TOILETRIES

We wanted to pack as light as possible, which really for this trip, we were running out of room in our car, so one duffel bag for four people was all I packed.  We were gone for 3 days and 2 nights.  In the future, I'm going to try and pack 2 duffel bags for us.

What we took:

• 1 duffel bag
• 2 sets of clothing for each person
• 1 set of pjs for each person
• toothbrushes/toothpaste
• hairbrushes/combs
• deodorant 

What I would do different/What I forgot:

• towel and soap (I completely forgot and this campground had a shower!)
• 2 duffel bags, one for the kids and one for adults.  Or another idea would have each kid pack a backpack with their items in it.

I thought I would show you how I packed the clothes.  I put a complete outfit together with shirt, pants, socks, and underwear like below.

One complete outfit

And then I rolled it up and stuck it in the duffel bag.  This way, we weren't searching for a pair of socks or underwear.  Everything was together.

Rolled up ready to be packed.

Something we did take that we weren't able to pack in a tote, was our dutch oven.  I did take a skillet as well, but our dutch oven would have been sufficient enough to cook in. 

As for our next camping trip, I know that we will be even more prepared.  We are all eager for that next camping trip and we hope that it will be as much fun.

Let me know, what do you take on your camping trip?

 

Leave a Comment Bass Pro, camping, cast iron, fall, family, friends, fun, kids, scouts, simple living, tips, vacation

Throw Back Thursday: Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread

A while back I promised you a recipe for my cast iron skillet corn bread.  Well now the time has come to deliver on that promise, but before I share that recipe with you, I thought I would tell you a story.

My dad was born in the middle of the great depression.  He was child number 9 out of 12 for my grandparents.  Can you imagine trying to feed that many mouths during good times, let alone during one of the longest economic downturns that our country has ever seen?

I know what helped was the way that they lived.  They had a vegetable garden, and raised their own meat.  They had a milk cow for milk and butter, chickens, and hogs and they had land they could farm. During the toughest of times, my grandfather and the eldest son went away to find work at a logging camp out west.

Growing up, I heard many stories about my dad's childhood.  Those stories would come from various family members and it gave me a real insight into how life must have been during that time.

During one visit with my grandmother's sister, I remember discussing cornbread.  That family was known for their good cooks, and great recipes, so talking about food was not uncommon.  My dad mentioned making cornbread with milk and eggs.  His aunt just looked at him and in the way she would always draw out her words she said "oh honey, you weren't brought up that way."  She went on to explain that they were too poor to make cornbread with anything other than water and cornmeal.  My dad just smiled and gave me a wink.  He didn't argue with her.  He knew that there was a time that cornmeal and water was probably the only way they could make cornbread, but he also knew that when the ingredients were to be had on their farm, milk and eggs were added as well.

I haven't tried my great aunt's version of cornbread, I'm thinking that it is probably a hot water cornbread.  This recipe is going to be more than just cornmeal and water and I can tell you that this version is very tasty!  Even my cornbread hating husband loves this one.

Simple ingredients make for a delicious and cheap recipe!

So here are the ingredients.  You might be asking yourself, "what is in that jar?"  Well that is my secret ingredient and what my grandmother always used, to make her cornbread.  Bacon grease.  I know what you are thinking...heart attack waiting to happen, but the bacon we use is from grass fed pigs.  When I save the grease, I strain it so it is "clean."  And honestly, it gives the cornbread so much flavor.  Trust me.

Not sure about the bacon grease?  Well, I guess you can use oil, whichever one you prefer.  It will still do the job (just not as tasty). :-)

See, that bacon grease doesn't look so bad!

Turn the oven on to 350°F.  Put two spoonfuls of bacon grease, or about 1/4 cup of oil in your cast iron skillet and then put the skillet in the oven.

Next mix together 2 cups of cornmeal, 2 eggs, and 1 1/2 cups of milk.  You can use sweet milk or butter milk, whatever you have on hand.  Mix well.


Once the oven has preheated and the skillet is nice and piping hot, take it out of the oven and pour a little bit of the grease or oil into your batter and stir.

This is the batter ready to be baked.  Thanks to the hot pan, it has already started to brown around the edges.

Then pour the batter into the skillet.  It should sizzle as it hits that pan.  Turn the oven up to 400°F and put the pan back in the oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yum, yum!

And here is the finished product! This was so good!  I love cornbread, especially with chili, or beans, or a hearty soup.  I even love it as a dessert with honey drizzled on top.  Want to know what we ate with this cornbread? 

Cheeseburger soup!  I'll share that recipe with you very soon!

This was unbelievably good!  One of our family's favorites!

I hope you enjoyed this easy iron skillet corn bread.  If you want the printed version of the recipe, then click HERE.

Let me know in the comments how you make your cornbread.

Leave a Comment baking, bread, cast iron, cooking, homemade, quick bread, recipes, tbt

Happy No Rhyme (Nor Reason) Day!

Today is national No Rhyme (Nor Reason) day.  I'm sure you are all going to be celebrating this wonderful holiday!  In case you aren't in the know, and have never heard about this holiday, it is the day that we celebrate those words in the English language that do not rhyme with any other word.

Have you thought of any yet?  If not, let me give you a few:

• orange
• bulb
• month
• amongst
• fifth
• flange
• pierced
• false

There are actually quite a few and the list above is just a very small list.  Did you think of any others?  Comment below and let me know if you can add to the list.

This past weekend we had some friends come to the farm that we hadn't seen in quite awhile.  We had a great time just visiting with them, and they were able to see all the new additions that we have.  We got out the dutch oven and made campfire chili and fry bread over an open fire.  It was delish!  Our friends happen to be YouTubers just like we are.  The funny part is that there was hardly a time when something happened that there wasn't at least one person yelling out "get your camera!" or "why isn't anybody filming this?"  After awhile we all started laughing about it.

However because of us wanting to film just about everything we did, we got some great videos.  Some will be posted soon to my channel at Henslee Farm Adventures .  In the meantime, you can watch this great video from RobThePirate about their time at the Henslee Farm.  Once your done, please check out his other videos, they are cool and funny!

In other news, I will be starting my Christmas gift making series.  I will be showing you some things you can make for Christmas gifts.  After all there are only 114 days  or only a little less than 4 months until Christmas!
 

2 comments bread, cast iron, cooking, family, farm, friends, holidays, simple living, yeast bread