How To Season Cast Iron Cookware
Food that is cooked in a set of cast iron cookware has an unmistakable and distinctive aroma and flavor that simply cannot be duplicated in any other cookery or cooking style, regardless of how innovative or ingenious the cookery or cooking style may be. This distinctive “signature” is achieved through a process called “seasoning”, a procedure done only in cast iron cookware, to give that particular flavor to the foods that were cooked in it.
Seasoning a cast iron pan is a scientific process, since it has certain procedures that are akin to blacksmithing. There is the combination of heat and metal, followed by a series of special treatments greatly improving the quality of the final product. Here is an overview of the procedure of “seasoning” a set of cast iron cookware:
Firstly, when purchasing your cast iron cookware, make sure that the cookery that you buy is made from a solid piece of iron. Steer clear away from supposedly authentic cast iron cookware that prominently displays a lot of screw to hold it together, since this means there is a great possibility of it falling apart. Ensure that the cast iron cookware you purchase does not have any wood or plastic or any synthetic material in it. Bear in mind that of all the cookware being used, cast iron cookware tends to see the most in terms of high temperature, which is why cast iron cookware is made only of the densest iron, allowing it to stand up to temperatures which could have an adverse effect on other cookery.
After making sure that you have the right cast iron cookware you need, you will also need to purchase food grade peanut or coconut oil and a roll of paper towels. Notice that the oils specified here are not from animals, since what is needed for the cookware is a hard layer of curing. Be sure that the cookware is free of any price tags and labels, since these will definitely burn up after even a very brief exposure to the great heat needed to cook in a cast iron cookware.
The inside of the cast iron cookware must now be coated with a light layer of the oil you bought. Make absolutely sure that only a very light layer of oil is used, since more oil would mean more oil to burn off. After oiling the cookware, place it on top of something that can serve as a makeshift “drying” area. Allow the cookware to be placed in a face down position so as to allow the oil to even coat the side of the cookware. Make sure that oil is evenly and thoroughly distributed on the cookware and then wipe off any excess oil you can see. The cookware is now ready to be seasoned.
Pre-set the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and then cut out a strip of aluminum foil. Place the foil on the shelf of your oven, and place the cookware face down (the bottom of the cookware should point towards the ceiling) on top of the foil. Some will argue that this can also be done at lower temperature, although the scientific method will require that the temperature be set on 500 degrees to properly burn the oil into the cookware. Leave the cookware inside the over one full hour. While this is going on, be sure to open every kitchen window because the process of burning would necessarily mean that there will be smoke inside the kitchen.
When this is done, the way to check if you did it right is to look at the color of the cast iron cookware. The cookery should have darkened or blackened to a certain extent, and this is what gives the food cooked in the cast iron cookware their distinctive taste.
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