6 Foods That Just Taste Better in a Cast-Iron Skillet

As a homemaker, you need to think about making your kitchen as efficient as possible, as it’s a place where you prepare meals for your family. That’s why it is essential to use things that can contribute to your efficiency in the kitchen. One such essential appliance that your kitchen must possess is a cast-iron skillet. It is sturdy and holds the heat for a longer time. There are plenty of benefits for cooking in a cast iron skillet, for instance, they are relatively non-stick, easy to clean and help in enhancing the flavors of your food. This amazing kitchen tool can also help in making your food even more delicious. 

If you are looking to prepare some delicious food using this, take a look at the below list of scrumptious delights that can do wonders in a cast iron skillet. Without further ado, let’s dive in. 

1. Corn Bread

A good start for your cooking endeavor with a cast iron skillet is by making cornbread. The best cornbread is the kind that has that nice crisp in it. To make your cornbread crispy and crunchy, you need to add it into a pre-heated cast-iron skillet filled with your favorite fat – butter, crisco, or even lard will infuse it with flavor. This allows the bread batter to sizzle as it comes in contact with the metal. Let the dough sit in the skillet for a few minutes even after it is ready and enjoy the deliciously prepared crispy cornbread. 

2. Crispy and Blackened Fish

If you love cooking seafood, skillets can provide a whole new twist to your love for seafood, especially fish. Everyone wants their fish to be crispy and crunchy. Often a frying pan cannot give the required crunch to the fish, but a cast iron is perfect for frying or blackening fish. Pre-heat the pan for at least five minutes to prep the skillet. The constant and uninterrupted heat to the fish will allow it to blacken and become crispier, just like you want it. 

3. Burgers

Have you ever tried to infuse seasoning into a burger without a grill? If not, then you must try this amazing way to season the burger using a cast-iron skillet. Yet again, it is all about the crispy crust that we all crave. When you let the meat cook from its outer crust, the heat from the skillet will give it a savory and caramelized flavor to it. Unlike grilling, the skillet will evenly spread the heat over the meat, providing it proper taste. You can also try this with veggies as well, but cooking meat is always the tastier choice.

4. Steaks (Smaller)

While large steaks only fit correctly on a grill, you can cook small steaks for a meal or two on a cast-iron skillet. If you want to use large steaks like a skirt or flank steak, cut them properly before cooking. Just imagine the shimmery heat from the iron skillet caressing the steak and allowing it to release its delicious juices. When you use smaller steaks, you get more enhanced results in the form of flavored and juicy steaks. To get the perfect crust, you need to cook it to perfection using cast iron.

5. Charred Vegetables

Cast-iron skillets aren’t just for meat lovers either. Veggie-eater, don’t worry, you also can benefit from a skillet. If you love to give your veggies a smoky flavor and texture, then a skillet can help you. With consistent temperature, you can char your vegetables in a cast iron. The layer of veggies drenched in charred flavor will give your dishes a brand new dimension. Don’t forget to heat the cast iron before adding the vegetables. You must also add the required seasoning to enhance the charred taste. 

6. Scallops

Turning back to the love for seafood, cooking scallops in a cast iron is the best way to create tasty and crusted delights. The lack of good crusty scallops is often an appetite spoiler, but not anymore. With the consistent heat cooking method with cast iron, you can make a plateful of delicious scallops. It is essential to remain patient and leave it for a while to create a crust. If you remove them from the skillet too early, you will break the seal and hinder the crust formation. 

The Bottom Line

It is essential to work smart in your kitchen and bring in appliances and tools that can enhance the efficiency and taste of your food. One of the significant advantages of using cast iron skillets is that it retains the heat for a more extended period of time, so you can keep the food hot. Also, these are non-sticky and help infuse the flavor of your food. 

If you are new to cast iron skillet cooking, it is essential to ascertain the popular food you can safely cook in it. The above mentioned were some of the common food that you must try in your cast iron skillet. Keep the creativity kindling and make new recipes in this amazing kitchen utility.