06/25/2026
Tell me, are you TEAM CAST IRON 🍳or TEAM IDK 🤷🏻♀️ what the hype is all about, & if you are team Cast Iron, are you TEAM wash with soap 🧼 or TEAM wash with salt and baking soda 🧂?!?
We have over 150 pieces in usable condition on our farm that we LOVE and use daily AND we have about another 100 that are either so old they aren’t used for cooking (but plants!!) or need TLC to come back to life. We grew up with the cooking be done in Cast Iron and have several pieces in our collection that have been passed down to us and continue to prefer this way of cooking.
There has been a huge resurgence of Cast Iron Cooking love due to the unmatched heat retention, superior versatility across stovetops and ovens, and a chemical-free, non-stick surface. Not to mention it is durable enough to last for generations and can even add beneficial trace iron to your daily meals.
We were always taught to never put soap in the pans or pots when cleaning, never keep them wet, always make sure they are well seasoned and have a pot, pan or baking mold in EVERY SIZE 😂🤷🏻♀️, however we have many people that aren’t familiar with cooking this way and ask us HOW to use them and not have stuff get stuck or burnt on, how to properly clean them and keep them seasoned.
So our simple tips are this…
🍳NEVER soak a Cast Iron for more than an hour to get built up gunk off, really only a little elbow grease and a good scrubber work BUT soaking with baking soda is fine.
🔥 Oil it up once you have washed and dried it or if it doesn’t need a good washing, wipe it our and while the pan is still slightly warm, rub a thin layer of cooking oil (like olive or grapeseed) over the entire interior and exterior to keep it seasoned and prevent rust!
🥘Low & slow is the way to go! Be sure to put your cold/room temp Cast Iron onto your stove top before you turn on the burner. NEVER DRAG it across and keep it on low. Once it’s heated it WILL KEEP HEAT so you don’t want it too hot too fast!
🥓Use plenty of fat! A good layer of butter, oil, or bacon fat is essential for building up the seasoning and preventing food from sticking.
👩🍳 Don't fiddle with your food….When searing meat or frying eggs, let it sit. The food will naturally release from the pan once a crust is formed…yeah we, we have a hard time doing that as well!
🍅Avoid acidic foods in the pan first or in newer pans! Highly acidic ingredients (like vinegar, wine, or tomatoes) can strip away the pan's seasoning and give your food a metallic taste, especially in newer pans.
Do you think you will give Cast Iron Cooking a try or do you already and love it or need more help?!
