Perfectly Practical #24 - Cast Iron

Y'all believe me when I say that all I would need on a deserted island is Engineer, Diva, and a cast iron Dutch Oven. 

That's it.

I am slowly phasing out our expensive lifetime warranty cookware that we got as wedding presents and going to exclusively cast iron cooking.  Why?  Well, those non-stick surfaces are flaking off and guess where it's going?  Yep - in our bodies!  Blech! 

Cast iron cooking has been proven to be a healthier method of cooking.  Did you know that when you cook in cast iron a little bit of iron seeps into your food as you are cooking it?  Since a lot of Americans are actually iron deficient, this is an easy and cheap fix for that problem.  You could stop buying those supplements and start using your Granny's pots and pans! 

Speaking of cheap, just like with crock pots, cast iron Dutch Ovens work great for taking cheaper cuts of meat and turning them into tender yummy bites of goodness. 

You can pick up cast iron at garage sales inexpensively all the time.  Often those are the best finds because they are already pre-seasoned.  But even if you buy new, it is far more frugal to buy cast iron than other metals. 

Your cast iron can go on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, or even in open flame.  What other cookware can say that?  And your food will cook evenly - it is amazing stuff.

Plus, the more you use it, the more non-stick it becomes.

Besides, everybody knows the only way to cook cornbread properly is in a cast iron skillet.

See also Cast Iron Maintenace and How to Season Your Cast Iron

This is part of Works for Me.