YummySF » Pans http://www.yummysf.com San Francisco Food Blog from an Asian Perspective Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:37:58 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Emerilware Cast Iron Pan http://www.yummysf.com/emerilware-cast-iron-pan/ http://www.yummysf.com/emerilware-cast-iron-pan/#comments Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:26:25 +0000 Fanny http://www.yummysf.com/?p=219 Continue reading →]]> Photobucket
If you don’t have a cast iron pan in your kitchen, get one! The cast iron pan is old world technology, before teflon was invented, but is still an indispensible tool to have. When the news came out about the dangers of teflon coated pots and pans, I was the first to throw out my favorite Circulon frying pan. Yes, people still use teflon, but I don’t. The fact that the chemicals in teflon stay in your body for a very long time, makes me sick to my stomach.

So for awhile I was cooking with stainless steel pans, with food sticking to the pan. One day, I made potstickers in a stainless steel pan. The potstickers were delicious but half of it was stuck to the pan! There must be a better way. So I went out and got the Emerilware Cast Iron 10 Inch Skillet.
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I have to say that the seasoning and cleaning process was tedious to begin with and I almost returned the cast iron pan. The Emerilware cast iron pan comes pre-seasoned but you still have to season it a little. It’s not that bad. So the first time I used it, I didn’t pre-season it, because I didn’t know I had to. The food stuck to the pan. Then I cleaned it according to the directions.

Wash the pan with water and a clean sponge, no soap. Then put it in the oven at 200 degrees to dry. Turn off the oven after it heats up and let the pan cool off in the oven. Then coat the inside of the pan with oil, blot dry with a towel, then store with a paper towel on top.

The second time I used to cast iron skillet, to make potstickers, they didn’t stick! It was amazing! Yes, you have to take care of cast iron to make sure it dries without water so it won’t rust and it’s heavy, but if you want to go nonstick naturally, this is the way to go.

Wash with water only and no soap. Just rub with a clean sponge and the food will come off. If that doesn’t work, someone told me to make a sea salt paste and rub out. Thankfully, I haven’t had to do that. Then heat in the oven at 200 degrees to aid in the drying process. Once the oven is hot, turn it off. Let the pan cool down and rub the inside of the pan with oil. Pla ce a paper towel over the pan and store. Then it’s ready for the next use.The second time I used it, since it was seasoned, the food did not stick! I’ve made potstickers and pan fried chicken and I love it! It’s naturally nonstick and you get some iron in your food.

The disadvantages of cast iron are that it is heavy and it can’t dry wet or it will rust. This is why the cleaning/drying process is so important.

Here is a great herb baked chicken recipe that I cook with my cast iron pan.

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