So, have you cooked with cast iron lately? Does your fry pan live on your stove (mine does, until company comes and I have to tidy up)? Do you do more than fry things in it? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, this article is for you. It’s time to up your cooking game with Lodge Cast Iron.
First, some background on Lodge Cast Iron. It’s a made-in-the-USA company, from Tennessee, family owned and operated since 1896. Here is their motto; “We don’t just make cookware - we make memories that last for generations.” What a great thought, cookware that creates memories. And we are all triggered by food smells and sights. Lodge Cast Iron works on all stove tops, open fires, barbecues, and wood stoves. It’s safe for your induction or ceramic stove top surfaces as well. And it is all pre-seasoned, ready to go, straight from the store.
Yes, it is heavy. That is one of the secrets behind the success of cooking in cast iron. Once heated, it stays hot, for consistent cooking or baking. Seasoning is another secret of success. Seasoning refers to the oil that has been baked into the iron. With regular usage, this becomes naturally non-stick. Every time I use my Lodge, I carefully wash it, dry it, and then wipe it with cooking oil. It took me a bit of time but now I can cook eggs like a pro (no sticking).
Eggs and bacon, pork chops, steak, any meats; those are what we tend to cook in cast iron. Your Lodge pan can be so much more. It is oven safe so you can bake or roast in it. You can start a frittata on top of the stove and pop it in the oven to finish. Have you ever made a German or Dutch Baby pancake? It’s beautiful to watch puff, and even nicer eating with a filling of fruit, whipped cream and a splash of Hutchinson’s maple syrup. Baked in your Lodge fry pan, in the oven. Bacon Fried Rice? A Canadian take on fried rice, just add bacon, and eggs.
My very favourite thing to bake with my Lodge fry pan is brownies. Baking in cast iron gives a delicate crust to the chewy interior of the brownie. It also keeps it warm out of the oven so your vanilla ice cream gently melts into that chewy goodness.
Lodge makes a number of bakeware items, such as a loaf pan, a 9x13 baking pan, a pie pan, a muffin pan, and a cornbread pan. You may not have room or the need for any or all of these. Your humble 10.25” Lodge fry pan can be versatile enough to take your cooking from stove top to oven to barbecue. Make and bake some memories.
Did you know? The first official Chocolate Brownie was created in 1893, at Palmer House Hotel, Chicago. Mrs. Palmer asked her chefs to create a boxed lunch dessert that was easier to transport and eat than pie or cake.
Cathy