Cast Iron Love - by Elena Rosemont-Hoerr 🌞

Last edited Mon Sep 15, 2025, 12:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Cast Iron Love

In addition to the 12-inch cast iron skillet that lives on my stove top lying in wait, ready to fry an egg or
sauté a handful of greens, my impeccably-cared-for collection resides in the cupboard above the stove.
My 12-inch skillet gets called to duty at least twice a day to cook for our family. It moves seamlessly
from frying bacon to making caramel sauce, asking only that we clean it gently and season it regularly.
This skillet is my pride and joy—one I imagine will be with me for as long as I am able to fry myself a
morning egg.



Still Cooking

In addition to my beloved 12-inch skillet, I have a number of other cast
iron pieces—some I acquired new, some I’ve salvaged and restored
myself, and some that were passed down from my grandmother and
great-grandmother. One reason cast iron is so beloved is that when
treated well, it can easily outlast its owners. My family’s prized cast iron
possession is my great-grandmother Sybil’s cauldron, a 40-quart
behemoth used annually to make Cauldron Brunswick Stew. This
cauldron was originally a laundry pot, the type common among early
European settlers throughout the colonies. We’re not sure how long
Sybil’s cauldron has been in the family, but since we have deep roots in
the foothills and mountains of North Carolina, I like to imagine it has
traveled through the generations, evolving from a utilitarian laundry pot
to a beloved heirloom fixture that helps connect us to the food culture
and history of our state.

When I talk about this book with people who don’t regularly cook
with cast iron, many ask whether the focus is on cooking over an open
flame and camping. While this book is primarily dedicated to using cast
iron cookery every day in your home, it’s true that cast iron performs
beautifully over a campfire. That is one of the things that made it a
staple for colonists and pioneers—it can withstand high temperatures
and still cook food evenly and consistently. Camping was a favorite
family pastime when I was growing up, and nothing beats the feeling of
waking up to the chill of the morning, breathing life into the coals, and
frying up a skillet full of bacon and eggs.

One reason I am able to make Brunswick stew in Sybil’s cauldron, or
cook a steak on my grandmother’s grill pan, is that cast iron is made out
of simple, sturdy material and is built to last. Unlike glazed and coated
aluminum pans, cast iron is chemical free and actually adds iron to the
food you cook in it (a big selling point)

Buying New Cast Iron Cookware

My favorite gift to give when friends and family get married is a new
10-inch cast iron skillet, with a note that says, “When treated well, a
marriage and a cast iron skillet will both last a lifetime.” When buying a
new skillet, I look for preseasoned ones that are thick with a heavy
bottom. I choose preseasoned because, even though the amount of
seasoning done before it’s sold is minimal, it’s a helpful jump-start. Cast
iron, like good-quality leather and your favorite pair of jeans, only gets
better with time. The more it’s used, the better the seasoning, and the
more efficiently it cooks.

A 10-inch skillet is my favorite cast iron piece to give because it’s a
manageable starter size. That said, a quick survey of my friends and
family shows the 12-inch size is very popular for people who rely
heavily on their cast iron. If you’re investing in one piece, I recommend
a 12-inch skillet as a solid choice that will allow you to fry, roast, sear,
and bake easily.Vintage Cast IronMy beloved 12-inch skillet? (Yes, the
one I found abandoned in a friend’s backyard.) Well, I spent every evening
for a few weeks carefully restoring it (see here) while watching episodes of
Criminal Minds, a process I shared on my blog. Following my father’s
instructions step by step, I transformed the piece from very damaged and
pretty gross to beautifully gleaming and ready for work.

When you’re scouring flea markets, thrift shops, and yard sales, try to
imagine the bones of the cast iron and what it can be when fully
restored, as well as the amount of time you’re willing to commit to
restoring it. Not everyone has endless hours of crime fighting to watch
or the time to sit and sand layers of rust and debris off a pan. (I certainly
don’t these days with a new baby!) So don’t pick up a piece that looks
like it survived the Civil War if you don’t have the availability to bring
it back to its former glory. But if it has a small amount of rust, scaling,
or simply looks like it has seen better days, it’s probably worth buying
and giving it a quick seasoning at home.



It’s also important to consider which pieces you want to add to your
collection. If you’re willing and able to invest two to three hours on a
rusted 10-inch skillet, it’s worth it. However, new cast iron cookware is
easily available and affordable, so a store purchase may be a better
choice. If you happen upon a unique, unusual, or heirloom piece that
would be hard to come by new or in good condition, snatch it up and put
some elbow grease into it!

Because of cast iron’s longevity, it is often passed from generation to
generation. You may find yourself in this position, having inherited a
few of your grandmother’s pieces. If you’re not sure where to start, I
recommend a base-level cleaning (scrubbing with hot water and a coarse
bristle brush) and reseasoning (see here) when you acquire it. These first
steps also apply to both new pieces and those that come to you by way
of yard sales or inheritance.

From "The Southern Cast Iron Cookbook " by Elena Rosemond-Hoerr (author of "The No Time To Cook Book" )
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7354844.Elena_Rosemond_Hoerr