The best Cast Iron cookware is something to look for once you decide that rich brown steaks like you would expect in a fine restaurant are what you would love to be cooking. In fact many a foodie will tell you that you simply haven’t enjoyed the pleasure of fine dining from your own kitchen until you experience the sear and flavor cast iron brings to meat - from sea food to steaks and not forgetting omelettes too.

All About Cast Iron Cookware

So what’s so special about cast iron you might ask:

Pros

• You can purchase great performing cast iron cookware at spectacular bargain prices e.g the Lodge 12” Skillet available for under $30

• It is virtually indestructible and can literally pass from one generation to the next
• It has amazing heat retention characteristics, making it great for searing meat
• When treated right it gets better with age
• It is exceedingly easy to clean
• Very versatile cookware that can go from stove top to oven to the table
• It can add iron to your diet from the interaction of food in the cookware, which is good as iron is an essential mineral in our bodies
• Cast iron cookware is usually forged from a single mass of molten metal and as a result there are no parts that can come loose or be dismantled

Cons

• Your typical cast iron cookware is heavy - quite heavy. This can be a problem for older people, folks who suffer with arthritis as well as anyone with a bad or weak wrist
• The cookware can take a long time to heat up and it can do so unevenly, especially when the flame is not big enough to cover the entire base of the pot.
• Proper pot holders are a must since both the main handle as well as the helper handle are cast iron too.
• Soap in your cast iron pot is not recommended and this may be a problem for some. However the cookware can be properly cleaned despite the absence of soap.

Enameled Cast Iron Cookware

With numerous cooking shows now on television cast iron cooking is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with enameled Cast Iron Cookware leading the charge. Unlike regular cast iron cookware that needs to be seasoned before it’s benefits can be enjoyed enameled cast iron cookware is nonstick straight from the shelf and it is also totally nonreactive which means that there is no need to worry about cooking either acidic or alkaline foods in it.

Best Cast Iron Cookware For Great Cooking Results

Best Cast Iron Cookware In Greater Detail

When thinking of cast iron cooking, skillets for preparing omelettes and steaks often come to mind. However a cast iron Dutch oven simply must be included whenever we think of the best pots and pans reviews.

Dutch Ovens

So what exactly is a dutch oven and what does it do?

A Dutch Oven is simply any large, usually heavy pot that can go from stove top to oven. A heavy lid is essential as the weight keeps liquid trapped inside the pot so that flavor isn’t lost.

While cast iron is the ideal material for your Dutch oven, today’s most popular brands are enameled and Le Creuset leads the charge with their signature “flaming” orange. Their Deep Round Dutch Oven, available in a 5 1/4 and 6 1/2 quart sizes comes to mind.

With such beautiful color it’s little wonder that placing these pots on the dinner table has become such a popular thing to do. Dutch ovens are ideal for slow cooked stews and soups and any other foods where bountiful flavors are the desired goal.

Lodge, Staub and Le Creuset are brands that come to mind when considering the best pots and pans reviews for cast iron.   The one drawback is that the French Dutch ovens with their superior build quality come at very high prices.  Lodge has recently been producing enameled cast iron cookware and their enameled Dutch oven delivers cooking excellence comparable to its French counterparts at as little as a quarter the price. 

Lodge

Lodge is an All-American company that has been in the business of fabricating fine cast iron products for over 100years. Some of today’s top chefs rate Lodge products among the best iron skillets on the market.   Best of all Lodge’s products won’t cause you to break a bank as they are quite inexpensive.

Lodge products include pre-seasoned as well as regular cast iron cookware and beautifully colored enameled cast iron products too.  However it is important to note that there have been reports that the pre-seasoned cookware still requires some seasoning to render it truly nonstick.

Lodge products feature large ergonomically balanced main handles and large helper handles that make handling their skillets and enjoyable experience. Other Lodge products are also just as fine to use.

Staub

Renowned for their enameled cast iron cookware, the French made Staub cookware features a special black matte enamel interior ideal for non-stick braising. Just as the French are known for fine cuisine Staub is renowned for quality and beauty in the food that comes from their cookware.

Le Creuset

Another French masterpiece in the world of cookware, Le Creuset is best known for high end products in a variety of materials. Their cast iron cookware is best known for being enameled and strikingly colored.

When it comes to the best cast iron cookware, while the brands above are far from the only ones on the market they represent a good reference point for some of the best cookware - cast iron style

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