Cast Iron Love (And the Lessons It Taught Me Over Time)
I’m the kind of person who treats their cast iron skillet like a family heirloom—even if I bought it from a hardware store for twenty bucks.
There’s just something about the satisfying weight, the sizzle that greets a hot steak, and the way cornbread crisps around the edges like it knows it’s being honored. For me, cast iron isn’t just cookware—it’s a ritual.
But as much as I love my skillet, I’ve learned (the hard way) that love doesn’t mean it can do everything.
Take the time I tried making shakshuka. It started with promise—garlic sizzling, onions caramelizing, the pan perfectly hot. Then came the tomatoes. Acidic, vibrant, and apparently… sabotaging.
By the time I plated it, something was off. A faint metallic twang clung to every bite. Turns out, long-simmering acidic foods like tomatoes and vinegar slowly eat away at the precious seasoning you work so hard to build. Lesson learned: cast iron has boundaries, and tomatoes are one of them.
What Not to Cook in Cast Iron (From Someone Who’s Tried It All Once)
Then there’s fish. I love fish. But my skillet? It holds grudges. No matter how much I scrubbed or how long I baked it at 400°F afterward, the pan held onto that briny aroma like a bad memory. Let’s just say my next round of banana pancakes had a surprisingly oceanic twist. These days, if I’m cooking anything strong-smelling—fish, garlic, curry paste—I grab my stainless steel pan instead. No lingering regrets.
And as for eggs? You’d think something so simple would be a perfect match. But unless your cast iron is seasoned like a pro-level pitmaster’s grill, eggs will cling to that surface like they’re trying to make a point. Flipping a stubborn over-easy egg in cast iron should count as an upper-body workout. Now I keep a nonstick skillet on standby for all things scrambled and delicate.
It’s Not About What It Can’t Do—It’s About What It Does Best
Owning cast iron is a bit like being in a long-term relationship. You learn each other’s quirks, respect each other’s limits, and grow together over time. Sure, there are things it’s not great at—but when it shines, it shines. Searing, roasting, baking—my skillet does it all with flair and flavor.
The trick is knowing when to let it rest. When to call in the nonstick or the stainless steel, not out of disloyalty, but out of love—for both your cookware and your food.
Final Thought: Respect the Pan, Reap the Rewards
Cast iron isn’t magic, but it comes close when you treat it right. Skip the long-simmered acidic sauces, go easy on the garlic bomb dinners, and keep a backup for the sticky stuff. Do that, and your skillet will reward you with decades of delicious meals—and zero fish-flavored pancakes.
Because in the kitchen, as in life, knowing your tools is half the recipe.