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Without a doubt, cast iron makes excellent cookware.  There are all different sizes of pots and pans and skillets and dutch ovens.  Cast iron is practically indestructible with just a little care, it radiates heat evenly, and it’s relatively inexpensive compared to other cookware.  Once it’s seasoned, it also pretty much a non-stick surface.

Cast Iron Cookware – Basic Care

It doesn’t have to be hard to care for your cast iron pots and pans.  Just keep a couple of simple rules in mind.

1. Keep cast iron cookware seasoned.
2. Keeping it dry to prevent rust is essential.

Preparing New Cast Iron Cookware For Use

After purchasing a new piece of cast iron cookware, it has to be seasoned before use.  In case you’re not familiar with the term, seasoning is the process that protects the surfaces of cast iron and makes it non-stick.

Before seasoning brand new cast iron cookware, the protective substance coating most new pans needs to be removed.  Warming up the pan first makes it easier to remove the coating.  Warm, soapy water is best to use when washing the new pan. Then rinse it thoroughly. 

Once the pan is clean, dry it by putting the cookware in the oven at 400° for at least half an hour.  (An hour works even better for this.)

The Seasoning Comes Next

Once the cast iron pan is completely dry, and by now also quite hot, carefully take it out of the oven and sit it on the stove top.  Pour a couple of teaspoons of canola or some other bland flavored oil into the pan, then carefully spread the oil all over the surface of the pan with a clean dishcloth or thick wad of paper towels.

Make sure to spread the oil on the top edge, and at least this first time, also on the outside of the pan.  Even though that isn’t a cooking surface, the oil provides a protective coating to keep the cast iron from rusting.

After the cast iron is completely coated with oil, return the pan to the oven, turning it upside down.  Put a cookie sheet underneath it to catch any excess oil that might drip off.

Repeat The Seasoning Process

Take the pan out of the 400° oven after it’s been there for about an hour, then repeat the process.  What’s important at this point is getting the inside well coated to build up a non-stick surface.

What’s needed is for the oil to soak into the cast iron.  Be sure to wipe off any excess, as a build up of grease can turn rancid.

Ready For Use

At first the non-stick surface won’t be perfect, but the more it is used, the better it becomes.  An asset to any kitchen, a well-seasoned piece of cast iron cookware is great cookware!

It can be difficult to decide what set of cookware to buy for your kitchen.  Most people would like to buy a decent of cookware without spending a fortune to do it.  People who spend a lot of time in the kitchen may opt for more expensive cookware.  The right set of cookware is what meets your needs and fits your budget.

Cost for Cookware

Cookware comes in a huge range of prices.  Deciding how much you can spend is the first step in deciding what cookware to buy.  What price range do you have in mind for buying cookware?  More precisely, how much you can afford to spend?  While you need a good set of cookware, it isn’t a good idea to spend so much you put yourself in debt!

Look for deals after you decide on a price.  Cookware goes on sale just like most other items.  There are sales on cookware in many stores, and sometimes the manufacturer has special deals.

According to Hugh Rushing, Executive Vice President at Cookware Manufacturers Association, “There are two big seasons for cookware and cookware promotions.  One is in the spring, in April and May, coinciding with the graduation and wedding season. The other is in October and November, with promotions in regard to the holidays.”

Try to wait for those months, then look for cookware on sale.

What’s In the Set?

It helps to know how many pieces are in a set when choosing the right cookware for your kitchen.  Cookware is available in small sets with only a few pots and pans, or can come in huge sets with a wide variety of cookware.  Figure out how much each piece of cookware in the set would cost to compare the relative value of different sets of cookware.  Remember that the lids for the various pots and pans each count as a piece of the set.    For example, if you’re getting a 10-piece set, that may mean only 5 pots and pans, with the lids for each piece.

Quick Clean-up

One other important consideration when buying cookware is the ease of cleaning.  Cleaning up the kitchen is usually not high on anyone’s list of things to do.    If you don’t want to wash pots and pans by hand, make sure the set is dishwasher safe.

Although non-stick pots and pans are popular, be aware that sometmes the coatings will flake off with continued use, especially in cheaper sets.  You obviously don’t want to eat the coating, so get as high quality cookware as you can afford to try and avoid this problem.    Many other types of cookware are also easy to clean, so coated cookware isn’t the only choice.

The Final Decision

Once you’ve decided on a budget for cookware, how many pieces you need for the bare essentials in your kitchen, and how important ease of cleaning is to you, it’s time to look for the best match of cookware sets.A wide range of cookware sometimes makes it hard to choose, but it also gives you more options in finding a set that’s just right for you.