Once you get a cast iron pan, you will have no idea how you ever cooked without one. If you want a non-stick surface with superior heat retention for searing, sautéing, simmering, braising, baking, roasting or frying, a cast iron pan is the way to go.
This cast iron skillet is particularly intriguing. It provides pre-seasoning to give your food preparation a kickstart (this also provides the non-stick element). And people love that: Over 1,200 customers have reviewed this skillet, and a full 76 percent of them gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
Cast iron is not cheap, and it is no surprise that this skillet typically sells for $100. What IS a surprise is that it is on sale for just over $20 right now.
Normally $100, this cast iron skillet is 79 percent off today (Photo via Amazon)
Pre Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (12.5 inch) by Utopia Kitchen on sale for $29.99
The cast iron life is a bit like the Instant Pot life – once you start cooking with one you become infatuated with it. As Cuisinart put it:
The first rule of Cast Iron Cookware is the exact opposite of the first rule of Fight Club. You have to talk about how much your love it. You have to blog about it, tweet about it, Instagram it, and film yourself cooking with it. How else do you expect people to know how great you are at cooking with cast iron?
That’s not hyperbole. Here’s an example of just one of the many reviews lauding this skillet. It is titled “Love The Cast Iron Life”:
What can I say, I love my cast iron skillet! This thing gives a nice charred flavor to meat, and is super easy to clean. I even baked a stuffed pizza in this last night with my wife. If you are not familiar with the cast iron ways then let me tell you, you are missing out. This thing cooks better than a Teflon pan, is easier to clean, and doesn’t release harmful chemicals into your food. Other ways it differs from the Teflon pan is that it takes longer to heat up, but once it is hot it does a better job at distributing and maintaining heat.
Here is how I keep my cast iron skillet 100%:
After cooking, I forget about the skillet and let it cool.
Once I remember it is dirty, I run it under hot water and wash away food debris with The Ringer (another great product on amazon, it’s a stainless steel, mesh cleaner). This takes roughly 15-30 seconds, remember it doesn’t have to be perfect (best part), you just need the food chunks off.
After this I dry with a paper towel, pour (or spray) a little oil in the skillet and wipe around with the same paper towel.
Last, I heat on the stove (med high heat) until it smokes and then remove from heat. This seasons and dries the skillet at the same time. Seasoning makes the skillet stick-free and prevents it from rusting.That is it! Overall it takes maybe 2 minutes of your attention to clean the skillet after heavy use. Do this and your skillet can last you your whole life and some, while constantly delivering the most delicious cooked food.
As the reviewer notes, it is important to take special care of your skillet. Cast iron is NOT dishwasher safe. There are, however, tools to help you clean it. Trust me; the mild irritation that comes with not being able to just plop in the dishwasher is SO worth it.
Cast iron (Photo via Amazon)
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