When Mighty Nest asked me what non-toxic product I wanted to feature this month and more importantly GIVEAWAY (enter t win everything pictured above at the bottom of this post), I had to go with the cast iron skillet. Hands down. I know that many of you have this on your wish list. And if you already have one, you can probably use a second!
I often notice that even my most health-conscious friends keep a non-stick skillet around for cooking eggs. My husband being one of those. With a few tips, it’s actually quite easy to make eggs in a safe, non-toxic cast iron skillet. I regularly make fried eggs and scrambled eggs in my cast iron skillet.
Tips for Making Eggs in Cast Iron
- Make sure your cast iron is well seasoned. Most of them come pre-seasoned. But, you can actually season it again, if you want to ensure that it has a really good non-stick surface. Although, I used the Lodge cast iron from Mighty Nest as is, and it worked great. When I season my cast iron, I follow these instructions, but I use a healthy fat such as duck fat or coconut oil.
- Use enough fat. I use at least 1 tablespoon in my 10 inch cast iron skillet when making eggs.
- Choose the right heat. Heat your oil over medium-high heat before adding the eggs. But, don’t let it get too hot. If your oil starts smoking and bubbling, then it’s too hot. If it gets too hot, this is when the eggs stick to the pan.
- Be patient. It might take a couple of tries to get the temperature just right on your stove. But, once you have it dialed in, you’ll find that cooking eggs in cast iron is a cinch. The eggs should slide right out of the pan!
How to Care for Cast Iron
- Avoid metal scouring pads. They can remove layers of the seasoning and expose the metal. You can use the Lodge scrub brush that is part of this giveaway!
- Don’t place your cast iron in the dishwasher.
- Do not wash with dish soap. Although, a little bit of dish soap won’t cause any major damage. I occasionally do this.
- Clean with salt and oil. If you have crusty bits stuck to your pan, the best way to clean is with kosher salt while it is still warm. Read this post for the exact method.
- Don’t soak your cast iron in water. It’s okay to wash your cast iron with water, but don’t allow it to soak. Dry it immediately and rub it down with some oil.
- Occasionally season your cast iron. When you notice that the non-stick surface is not as effective, then it’s time to season your cast iron again. It’s actually quite easy. Some great fats to use are duck fat, ghee or coconut oil. You can read this post for step by step instructions.
What to Make and Not to Make in Your Cast Iron
- Dishes that do well with high heat. Cast iron gets super hot, so it is great for food like steaks that can use a nice sear.
- Foods that are going to be transferred to the oven. Cast iron is oven-safe. I often use it to sear my pork chops or steak and then I finish them off in the oven.
- Stir-fries. Stir-fries turn out delicious in cast iron. I even have a cast iron wok, which I love!
- Eggs. See tips above on how to cook eggs.
- Roast a chicken. I often use my cast iron skillet to roast a chicken in the oven. See my recipe here.
- Fried foods. I love using my cast iron to shallow fry foods like, Paleo Chicken Tenders.
- Avoid cooking delicate fish. Delicate fish like Tilapia, will likely flake apart and not lift easily with a spatula.
- Avoid cooking highly acidic foods, like tomato sauce. Unless your cast iron is incredibly well seasoned. If not, you will risk the acidity of the liquid potentially reacting with the exposed metal causing damage to the pan. It can also impart a metallic taste to the food.
GIVEAWAY!
Are you ready to enter to win everything pictured below? Enter to win the below for yourself AND if you win, your elementary or pre-school will win $100. Giveaway ends 1/15/15. Good luck!
I want to win this for my daughter in laws school. She is an alternative ed teacher in a Watsonville school near you, Arsy.
That’s so awesome. Good luck, Cindy!
I love my cast iron pots. Thanks!
Thanks for the chance to win. I need this package as my ex soaked my cast iron pans and ruined them 🙁
if they are not cracked they are not ruined
They aren’t ruined. Don’t throw them out! You can scrape them down to bare metal again and season them. Go to Youtube and look up the Martha Stuart video on how to season a pan.
Your cast iron is not ruined. You just need to invest time to scrub and re-season.
Hi Terry! Like the commenters above mentioned. You can scrub them and re-season them. Cast iron is really resilient!
I just received a cast iron pan for Christmas…LOVE IT!!
Love love cast iron cooking !
Love using cast iron
Love Lodge pans! Would love to win this prize for myself and my daughter’s school!
There is no such thing as “too much cast iron” when it comes to cookware!
I LOVE cooking on cast iron!
i love my cast iron too….i use it at least 2x/week!
great giveaway & good info on cast iron.. thank you!
I’ve just started recently using my cast iron frying pan on a regular bases, And love it. I have a large frying pan that belonged to my great aunt, it fries up the best chicken, and the cornbread turns out great each time.
Been intimidated by cast iron but need to try.
Great tips & tricks, thanks!
Cast Iron is a wonderful kitchen must have!! It will outlast ANYTHING if treated well. Thank you for this great giveaway!-Sincerely-Danielle
I want to win this so bad. I have no cast iron and they are trying to shut down my school pick. We have a lawyer hired to fight the county and funds would go toward the fight. The school is the only one in the area and one of the best in the state. If they shut this school down just because they don’t want to fund it anymore, these elementary school children will spend way over an hour on the bus to go to some of the worst rated schools in the state.
I am so sorry to hear that, Kelsey! Sending good thoughts your way and I really hope you win!
Great! My grannys always cooked in cast iron. Good for muscles too…
🙁 Can’t enter, not in the US. Would love a cast iron pan, it’s been on my wishlist for over two years now. The entire giveaway looks great! I love baking cupcakes! Good luck everyone!
Love cast iron
i do not have any cast iron! I remember my mom and grandmother using it. It would be wonderful to have!
I have never used a cast iron skillet but I have been thinking of getting one. Thanks for the tips!
I would love to win this and could use the 100.00 since we homeschool our girls this would really help us out Thanks
I have loved my cast iron cookware – everything from stovetop skillets and griddles to dutch ovens to cake forms – my whole cooking life (about 40 years) for cooking on the stove, in the oven, over an open fire, on a grill….! IF I had to choose to pare down my pots and pans cabinet, the cast iron would STAY. I still keep an eye out at garage sales and secondhand stores for cast iron cookware – even if it looks rusty and disgusting, it’s easily salvagable with a bit of patience and love!
Cast iron is awesome. I love using my grandmother’s when I cook at her house.
I recently got 2 cast iron pans for my birthday (49th!), and I would love to have more so I can rid myself of my toxic non-stick ones.
My mother and grandmother always used iron skillets and my mother still does.
Ive been using a small one that I got from my grandmother 30 years ago. Now my
daughters and son have started slowly replacing their non stick for iron. Its a great
value and given the proper care will last a life time. I am excited to see more people interested in cooking with iron. I’ve just added a couple of new pieces to
my collection. Steaks come out amazing! And they go from stove top to oven!
Highly recommend cooking with cast iron to anyone.
I’d love to win this!!
I love cast iron. I have a tiny one my mother gave my daughter and huge one that was my grandmother’s. I would love to have one that is an everyday size. My younger daughter (11) is also a cook and we spend time together in the kitchen. Some of our best talks have been over the stove.