There has always been a lot of negativity surrounding cast iron pans and skillets.  We believe the reason for these misconceptions come from rumors of yesteryear. With our years of knowledge, along with everyone’s friend Google, we are here to set the record straight on cooking with cast iron.  This metal has come from the hearths of the past to warming our hearts to this day.

We are here to tell the truth about  cast iron cookware.  With the fallacies come the stories of successful meals using only cast iron.  The fact is from broiling, frying, baking and roasting, a cast iron pan can do more things on top of, and inside an oven than 90% of all other cookware. Boasting our own top-notch collection of cast iron cookware, we know a thing or two about what goes down in the kitchen. 

Here is a list of 7 bogus assumptions concerning cast iron, and the actualities of the situations. 

#1: You Should Never Wash Cast iron with Soap

The Notion:  Seasoning is oil-based, and all the dish washing detergents claim to be grease and oil killers.  All that time creating that non-stick surface will be null and void… Hurting that coat of oil (seasoning) with an oil fighting cleanser is self-defeating in the cast iron cooking culture.  Washing with soap, or a wool pad will create slight scrapes in the seasoning which will lengthen and open like an earthquake’s Faultline. 

The Actuality:  That seasoning everyone is so concerned about is quite resilient.  Polymerized oil is a natural non-stick coating created by heat and oils/fat.  After a few correct attempts at seasoning a skillet and it is good to go. Proper cleaning and care, along with re-seasoning occasionally will ensure your cast iron pan is ready for Sunday breakfast for generations to come.  Using some soap then wiping it dry or putting it on the burner to dry will be just fine. 

#2: Never Roast Acidic Cuisines In Cast Iron

The Notion:  Foods such as wine, lemon, vinegar and tomatoes will start a chemical reaction between the iron and the acid.  This will result in a metallic, off-putting taste. Plus, in the long run, tomato sauce in cast iron will kill you!  And if that wasn’t bad enough, lemons will ruin your seasoning…

The Actuality:  A person would need to consume around 45mg of iron over two or three straight days to receive iron poisoning.  To deglaze with wine or squeeze some lemon over your chicken will not hurt you or your cast iron cookware.  Enamel coatings allow for cooking acidic foods safely. And the actuality of needing to use cast iron to boil wine or vinegar is a moot point.  Cast iron isn’t for that style of cookery. 

Related: What Makes a Well-Equipped Kitchen for an Experienced Home Cook? 

#3: Cast Iron is Difficult to Maintain

The Notion:  Trying to keep this heavy, awkward cast iron skillet seasoned, clean, dry and rust-free is nearly impossible!  That seasoning is so fragile, one chip and it’s over…Warping and cracking occur easily due to heat variances. Clean it with soap and sponge, and you risk seasoning loss.  If you don’t wash it properly, you will get food poisoning.  

The Actuality:  Cast iron cookware is the true workhorse of the culinary world.  Cast iron pans and skillets have withstood the test of time. Seasoning is a naturally occurring, tough substance that lasts forever with little effort.  The weight of cast iron has drastically been lowed due to technology. Pre-seasoning is an industry standard with all our brands. Place a paper towel in your cast iron, then stack the rest inside of that one: Hassle-free!

#4: If Cast Iron gets Rusted, then it’s Over…

The Notion:  Once cast iron has sat out in the moisture for too long, rust has taken its life.  No way salt, sandpaper and scrubbing will bring this cast iron back to culinary worthiness.  Cooking on top of rust and ingesting the food will surely make you very ill. Rust is iron oxide therefore it has already eaten away the pan from the inside out. 

The Actuality:  First, rust isn’t a huge health hazard.  University of Illinois studied that a little rust in cast iron isn’t likely to hurt you.  Secondly, to remove rust is quite easy. A fine steel wool pad usually gets the affected area clean.  If an extreme case of rust, oven cleaner spray and a few days in a trash bag will loosen all the rust to be scrapped off easily.

Related: Is Nonstick Cookware Safe? Here’s What You Need to Know

#5: Cast Iron Heats Really Unevenly

The Notion:  Cast iron just gets really hot under the burner it’s on only.  The rest of the pan stays slightly cold…If you don’t sear your steak right in the middle of the cast iron, ripping and sticking will happen.  Cornbread is burnt in the middle and under-cooked in other spots. There is no possibility of cooking an omelet with the heat so uneven. 

The Actuality:  Cast iron does heat up quicker under direct fire.  To combat this, always heat up your cast iron skillet or pan under medium heat for at least 10 minutes.  Turn the pan a quarter every couple of minutes to ensure a well-warmed cast iron pan. Another effortless way to properly heat a cast iron pan at the same temperature is to simply place it in the oven at your desired temperature for half an hour.  Remove with Trudeau Stay Cool Silicone Hot Handle Grip, and start your stovetop cooking! 

#6: Don’t Use Metal Utensils on Cast Iron Cookware

The Notion:  Metal on metal isn’t good.  Metal spatulas and other utensils scratching against a cast iron skillet or pan will chip away at your seasoning.  This will inevitably lead to either having to re-season your cast iron or let sticking and rust happen. Plus, the chemical reaction with the metal on metal touching just adds to the iron infusion into the food.

The Actuality:  Seasoning has been baked into the cast iron pan via heat and a chemical reaction.  Seasoning is tough; it takes a lot of abuse to ruin your seasoning. Using metal utensils to lift or pick something up will not hurt your cast iron cookware.  Stabbing your cast iron skillet with a metal fork or knife is always ill-advised. The same rule goes for any cookware, not just cast iron. 

#7: Cast Iron Skillets Only Work on Gas Stoves

The Notion:  Only true good old-fashioned fire works with a heavy metal like cast iron.  That’s what is what invented for? Glass, electric and induction stoves will only get scratched and ruined.  Plus, it won’t heat right, if at all…The weight alone of cast iron will collapse your stovetop in just a few sittings. 

The Actuality:  Cast iron’s versatility is legendary.  It takes a lot to hurt the king of heavy metal cookware.  Of course, gas stoves are great for cast iron. So too is every other means of a heat source for cast iron to perform its magic.  Just remember to slowly heat up your cast iron for at least 10 minutes to guarantee accurate, all-around heat coverage throughout the entire pan.   

Misconceptions Debunked!

With all these facts, cast iron has simply been discredited for no apparent reason.  For centuries cast iron cookware has provided people of many cultures a great meal. It is apparent that modern-styled cast iron is one of the most well-versed cooking utensils since its creation over 300 years ago.  Chinese woks, Dutch ovens, French Braziers, and American skillets all manufactured using cast iron guarantee only the best results.

Another reality about cast iron is technological advancements.  Finex has double pre-seasoned organic flaxseed oil on their surfaces right out of the box.  Lodge too, comes pre-seasoned and ready for some high heat escapades!  Seasoning spray is available for purchase to bring your pan to a shiny, naturally nonstick finish every time you cook that steak. 

Knowing these truths about cast iron, every kitchen and cabin should have a cast iron skillet.  They are durable, inexpensive, timeless, and the ultimate workhorse of the cookware group. Shop for your naturally non-sticking, best multi-tasking tool now at WFE!  All our brands are the pinnacle of all cast iron cookware.