Buy It for Life: Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron skillets are know for their durability and their ability to retain heat. A good and properly seasoned cast-iron will be nonstick and pass down to your children's children. Cast iron can last hundreds of years if cared for, and can even be bought back to life with a little TLC.

A seasoned pan has a stick-resistant coating created by layer oils and fats. The seasoning layer protects the cookware from rusting, provides a non-stick surface for cooking, and prevents food from interacting with the iron of the pan.

Cast iron fell out of favor in the 1960s and 1970s, when teflon-coated non-stick cookware was introduced to the public. However, the durability and reliability of  teflon-coated  pans vary greatly and last only a few months to a few years.

With cast iron skillets, there are two grades of to choose from. The first is where molten iron is poured into a mold which leaves a rough surface. The second is where they take the molded skillet and machine out the cooking surface in order to make it smoother. But that machining process dose increases the price.

Cast iron pans can serve dual-purpose as stove-top fryers and baking dishes. With recipes that call for the use of a cast iron skillet to initially sear or be fried on the stove-top then placed into an oven to finish baking.

With a quality cast iron pan you gain a great buy it for life product that will last lifetimes.