Cast Iron Cookware: Why Do so Many People Use and Swear by It

The uses for a cast iron pan or pot are various and I'm sure they have been used for just about everything. The uses that come to mind when I think about cast iron usually revolve around cooking. I personally enjoy using cast iron to cook and for quite a few reasons.

The first reason that cast iron is good for cooking is that a cast iron pan can be used in the over, or on the stove. The material is so versatile that cooking on a stovetop will work as well as preparing a meal in the oven at 400 or more degrees. If there is one thing that can be counted on when it comes to cast iron, it is that the pan will not change shape or be affected in any way by heat. The material is so resilient that that is what makes it so popular with millions of people worldwide.

Another reason why cast iron is great is it can be used outdoors with no worry of the weather affecting the pan. The cookware is durable and can be used in an open flame. Also, if the pan happens to take on a little bit of rust, it can be very easily removed from the thick and strong material.

Personally, my favorite food item to cook with a cast iron pan is cornbread. Cornbread can be somewhat difficult to cook, depending on who you are, in a regular old baking pan. Cast iron is well know for evenly distributing heat throughout the whole pan and thus causing even cooking on all parts of the food being prepared.

The simplicity of cleaning a piece of cast iron cookware is perhaps what makes it so popular with many cooks. A small amount of soaking may be needed to get some stuff out of the pan. For tougher to get materials that are left after cooking, all that is needed is a steel or wool pad to gently scrub. Small, circular motions work best for cleaning with a pad on cast iron.

Many people that use cast iron regularly will not even clean the pan between meals. Cast iron is known for rusting and the grease and oil left over from cooking is great for keeping rust away. Some people claim that leaving the grease and oil on gives the food cooked in the pan more flavor.

These are just a few reasons why I personally like cast iron cookware. I know that many other people use it and could also testify that they love using it. If you are looking for a new way to cook and have never used cast iron before, check it out and see if you like it.