Tip-sy Tuesday: cast iron pan info

Yesterday I showed you how to make pizza in a cast iron skillet - the most delicious pizza by the way - so thought I'd share a couple tips to use and care for this (previously scary to me) pan:

The pan my mom bought me has already been 'seasoned' - honestly that was the intimidating part of owning a cast iron pan that made me never want one. It seemed like so much work, and that was before you could even use the pan! But having it pre-seasoned means it's good to go right off the bat, and the more I use it the better it will get.

Heat the dry skillet on medium heat for a couple minutes before adding a small amount of canola oil, then heat the oil until it shimmers and sizzles when you put a drop of water in the hot pan. If it sizzles you know it's ready to add ingredients. 

It's recommended to only use canola oil, my sister said she used vegetable oil once and didn't have the same results as canola - it seemed greasier to her. So stick with canola if you can.

Wash the pan with water, you can use a little soap but that might remove the seasoning; so far plain water has done it for me. Use a rubber scrapper or a brush meant for cast iron (not steel wool) if you have any bits stuck to the pan, I let water sit in the skillet for a couple minutes while doing other dishes but don't soak it too long or immersed in a sink of water - you don't want it to rust. You can rub in a little oil after the pan is clean, then buff it off. Dry it thoroughly before storing - moisture is not good for cast iron, the lady at the store told me she puts paper towel under and over her pans to help keep them dry while being stored (once again, they tend to rust if left wet too long).

I bought a fitted pot holder that slips over the skillet handle so it's a little easier to remove it from a hot oven or handle while on the stovetop. 

That's all I know so far - I'm going to experiment with other recipes for sure now that I know how much I like this new pan...I'll keep you posted!