Shoutout to the cast iron skillet I swore I'd never use

I spent years avoiding cast iron cause my grandma always said it was too much work. She'd spend 20 mins scrubbing and oiling hers after every meal. Then my neighbor brought over some cornbread she made in one at a potluck last October and it was unreal. Crunchy on the outside, soft inside. She told me she just wipes hers out with a paper towel and it's fine. I bought a $25 Lodge the next day and now I make everything in it. Even my fried chicken came out perfect. Has anyone else been totally wrong about a baking tool for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_campbell1mo ago

Ugh I get this so hard. My grandma was the same way, she had this ancient cast iron that she treated like a museum piece. She'd scold me if I even looked at it wrong. Finally took it home after she passed and now I use it for everything. The first time I made a decent sear on a steak I actually called her in my head like "sorry grandma you were wrong." It's liberating.

ninas671mo ago

Yeah but that paper towel trick only works if you're making cornbread or frying stuff. Some of us don't want to eat oil-soaked everything to keep the pan happy, which is why mine sits in the back of the cabinet.

milesbailey1mo ago

Have you actually tried using a little oil on chicken or pork chops in cast iron, or are you just assuming everything turns into a grease bomb? I'm not saying it works for delicate fish or eggs every time, but you can definitely cook a lot of stuff in one with just a light wipe of oil and still get a killer crust. Might be worth pulling it out for the next time you want a sear on something, because that paper towel trick really does pay off more than people give it credit for.