My grandma's iron skillet always saves the day. It sautés, bakes, and, even when camping, cooks on direct heat. I remember the way Grandma would bake cornbread in her skillet. She would heat a lump of bacon grease in the skillet, and at the same time, she would whip up her cornbread batter. She would pour the hot grease on top of the batter before transferring it back into the hot skillet and returning it to the oven. Her cornbread was the ultimate side dish.
Iron skillets, Dutch ovens, woks, waffle irons, and planchas (flat iron grills) are tools that occupy modern kitchens. Over the centuries, every culture has had some form of an iron cooking vessel. For instance, in Latin cultures, Abuela makes masa and places it on the plancha to make tortillas. In European cultures, Dutch ovens go from cooking in the oven to hot on the table. In Asian cultures, woks serve tasty, stir-fried meat and vegetable dishes with fried rice.
How do I care for my iron skillet? I always hand wash the iron and respect it! I use mild soap and a wire brush in hot water. Dry thoroughly. I often use a microfiber cloth to sop up the moisture. Any remaining water left behind will result in rust. Fix rusted areas with lemon or vinegar and rub away the corroded spot. Use a thin layer of oil or fat to prevent the skillet from rusting, season it with coarse salt after each use and then wipe it down. This type of care is the same method used by people of the Wild West, the tribesmen, and old-time settlers.
Enjoy your food and all the creative ways to use your skillet - it's so much fun! I recommend buying an iron skillet and seeing how versatile it is. Baking bread, cooking proteins, and making gravies will convert any newbie into an iron skillet lover!
Try these iron works out:
1 comment
Thank you for the trip down memory lane. I remember both grandmas using ironware and we each have a piece or two from them that we still use today. We are of Western European heritage and settled mostly in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Our grandmas taught us slightly differently for cleaning ironware, depending on what was cooked.
IF it must be washed, we dry it by setting it on a stove burner or in the oven on low heat (or nestled in the campfire coals) until completely dry. To prevent using water (and exposing it to rust), we might not wash it at all. Instead, we scrub with salt in the oil used to cook, and wipe clean with a cloth or paper towels, leaving the thin layer of oil.
By the way, if you burn something in it (What? Like it’s never happened to you!) or it has become badly rusted, put a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven to catch droppings. Place the damaged iron skillet, face down on the top rack of the oven. Turn the oven on 450 or 500. Leave the skillet there for an hour. Because it will be HOT, HOT, HOT, handle carefully with heat resistant pads or gloves to remove it and let it cool completely before putting it away or touching it with bare hands. If the oven won’t be in use, just leave it in there to cool. (The process can be repeated if the skillet is not completely cleaned the first time you try.)
Keep writing and I’ll keep enjoying the stories and recipes!