Cooking with Cast Iron

Large manufacturers of cast iron make thicker, less-polished cookware because it is more efficient in terms of cost and time to skip hand-finishing steps such as polishing. Thin pans are harder to cast, with more chance of defects, so thick pans are cheaper to make.

Artisan makers often cast their pans to have thinner sides and a thicker bottom (which reduces the weight but keeps the heat retention of thicker cookware). They spend time hand-finishing and polishing for smoother surfaces, which helps the pans become nonstick faster. Also expect distinctive designs to make their workmanship stand out.

The artisan pans we tested were a stunning light gold or coppery color when they arrived because they are more lightly preseasoned. Once you start to cook in them, the pans become blotchy and mottled for a while (wok expert Grace Young calls this period of building pan seasoning “adolescence,” which strikes us as the perfect description). Eventually, with lots of use, these pans will lose their blotchy look and turn solid black.

Do yourself a favor and just start cooking. The manufacturers’ baseline coating lets you skip lots of mess, smoke, and trouble and get to the good part of cast-iron skillets: cooking and eating great food.

To maintain cast iron’s seasoning—the key to its nonstick quality—do this after every use: Lightly, evenly coat a clean, dry skillet with about ½ teaspoon of any oil. Wipe the oil off with a paper towel until you can see no trace. Heat the pan until it smokes moderately, a sign the oil is breaking down and bonding to the pan to create a nonstick coating. If you notice the oil beading up as the pan is heating, wipe out excess. Too much oil will only gum up the pan.

Yes! Cast iron is ferromagnetic, which allows a magnet to stick to it, so cast-iron skillets can be used on induction cooktops.