Water boils at 212º and cast iron pans without an enamel coating can withstand up to 1500°F. So boiling a little water won't damage your pan. If you don't season your pan well, rust can form in no time, though. If you boil water for too long, you risk wearing down the layer of seasoning.
The Myth: You can't cook wine, tomatoes, or other acidic ingredients in a cast-iron pan. THE TESTING: When acidic ingredients are cooked in cast iron for an extended amount of time, trace amounts of molecules from the metal can loosen and leach into the food.
There are so many different uses for Dutch ovens: Dutch ovens are great for both the stovetop and the oven, making them ideal for braising meat; cooking soups, stews, and sauces; boiling water for pasta; frying chicken; and even baking bread.
Yes, you can boil water on an electric skillet. Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and the skillet heats up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Food and moisture will deteriorate the seasoned surface and cause it to rust. Never put cast iron pans in the dishwasher or let them soak in a sink of water. Never put cold liquid into a very hot cast iron pan. The pan could easily crack or warp.
Can I soak my cast iron pan? No! Soaking cast iron in water is a recipe for rust. If you need to remove sticky or stubborn stuck-on food, use a nylon scrubbing brush or a pan scraper and rinse under warm water.
You'll use less oil, avoid harmful chemicals, and get a little extra iron in your diet.
For most people, cast iron is completely safe to use. Avoid cooking with it if you have hemochromatosis. Consult your doctor to treat hemochromatosis or iron deficiency anemia.
Heat recommendations
Le Creuset stockpots can be used with all heat sources, including induction. For efficient and safe boiling, always use a burner similar in size to the base of the stockpot.
Especially a cast iron dutch oven. The big question you're probably wondering is can you boil water in a dutch oven? The short answer is, yes. You can boil water, soups, and almost all kinds of pasta in both seasoned and enameled Dutch ovens.
As the oven heats up, the temperature of the water will rise until it hits 212 Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) and it starts boiling. The water temperature will stay at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) even though it's completely surrounded by the 400 degrees Fahrenheit environment inside the oven.
The acidity of tomatoes makes them challenging to cook in cast iron. Anyone who's ever eaten a tomato or cooked with tomatoes can verify that this fruit is quite acidic. As it happens, the tomato's acidity is precisely why doesn't work well with cast-iron cookware, especially for long cooking stretches.
Cooking with cast iron is better because it does not leach any toxic chemicals and heavy metals into your food. Additionally, cast iron, with its non-stick surface, cooks thoroughly using more radiant heat than aluminum and stainless steel.
Professional chefs use cast iron due to its many advantages. Besides being durable and inexpensive, cast iron pans and pots are easy to clean and great at heat retention. These features allow chefs to whip up several meals, especially those that need low simmering and browning to prepare.
Cast Iron. Pros: Cast iron is durable, inexpensive, naturally non-stick if properly seasoned, distributes heat evenly and retains heat well, imparts iron to foods (an added benefit for some), and great for long, low simmering and browning. Cons: It is also reactive, and doesn't take well to acidic foods.
Even though a rusted cast-iron pan doesn't necessarily present a health concern, it's still not recommended that you cook on it. The rust might add an unpleasant metallic flavor to your food. Plus, it makes using the skillet much more difficult.
Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.
And in case you slept through chemistry, putting your pan in the dishwasher will cause your cast iron to rust over time. “Water and cast iron are not friends. Even the smallest amount of water will cause rust, which is why it's important to immediately dry cast iron after washing,” La Forge says.
Most often you can clean a cast-iron pan by simply wiping it down with a dry paper towel or cotton dishcloth. If the pan is well seasoned, bits of burnt, stuck-on food will come right off. If any stubborn bits remain, scrape them off with a plastic spatula.
Cast iron, if well taken care of, can last for several generations. Even cast iron skillets that have been allowed to rust can be brought back to life with a little elbow grease. Cast iron cookware will last your entire lifetime and can even be passed to your children and grandchildren.
All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
With a few simple tricks to choose the right oil and get your pan to that just-right temperature, you'll get eggs with crispy edges and runny yolks every time (if that's your jam). But don't worry, cast iron makes the perfect egg no matter how you like them done!
Dry your cast iron completely every time
After rinsing, dry your cast iron well with a clean cloth and then place it on the stovetop over low heat. Allow to dry for a few minutes, then use a cloth or paper towel to rub it with a thin layer of shortening, lard, bacon grease, or a neutral high-heat cooking oil.