Cast Iron Chatter

When it comes to Teflon, medical professionals are saying a unanimous ‘no.’ Teflon which is made by the Dupont Co. as a non-stick alternative to be placed on cookware is being cautioned all around by the medical community.  An independent review board assessed that the even the harsh indictment by the Environmental Protection Agency was not harsh enough.  Teflon is now being called a carcinogenic and the cooking on it is very similar to smoking a cigarette because toxins are being released into the food that you are ingesting.  Take a look at your cookware and replace any chipped pans with cast iron cookware and experience the difference.

A cast iron pan is a great accessory when you go camping in the woods because of its durability.  When you don’t have a fancy kitchen to cook from, and the space is not as orderly as you would like, other pans just don’t cut it.  People bring cast iron cookware to these occasions because you can whip up a fire and throw the cast iron right on top of the coals and you have a pan ready to cook anything.  Cast iron will withstand over a hundred degrees more heat than other leading pans. 

            They last forever because they were made to be tough. Forget taking a pan with a layer of non stick Teflon on it camping.  Not only is that a quick way to ruin your cookware, but it is also a way to ruin your health.  Teflon is not meant to be used with a heavy hand, and some doctors say Teflon is not meant to be used at all.  So when you are going camping take Cast Iron instead.

Cleaning cast iron cookware isn’t too difficult; it’s definitely not as difficult as cleaning your oven. After use, wipe with paper towels, wash quickly without soaking, in hot suds, rinse; dry thoroughly at once, and wipe with a thin coating of fat or oil.

Stubborn cooked on or burned on food is best removed by soaking in hot water. Use a plastic scouring pad if necessary. Soak in a solution of 3 tablespoons of washing soda or baking soda per 1 quart of water to remove burned on food or grease. Do not scour off the seasoned finish built up on cast iron over long use. This necessitates re-seasoning of the pan.

Rust may be scoured with fine steel wool or scouring powder but re-seasoning of the utensil will be necessary.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 medium tart apples, unpeeled, cored, quartered, and sliced
1/3 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

Melt butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add apples to a cast iron skillet; cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until apples are juicy. Turn and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes longer. Uncover and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until sugar is absorbed and apples are lightly browned on bottom. Remove from heat and sprinkle with a few more tablespoons of sugar, depending on tartness of apples. Serve hot as a side dish to ham or pork meal, or with breakfast.

Serves 6.

Cleaning cast iron cookware isn’t too difficult; it’s definitely not as difficult as cleaning your oven. After use, wipe with paper towels, wash quickly without soaking, in hot suds, rinse; dry thoroughly at once, and wipe with a thin coating of fat or oil.

Stubborn cooked on or burned on food is best removed by soaking in hot water. Use a plastic scouring pad if necessary. Soak in a solution of 3 tablespoons of washing soda or baking soda per 1 quart of water to remove burned on food or grease. Do not scour off the seasoned finish built up on cast iron over long use. This necessitates re-seasoning of the pan.

Rust may be scoured with fine steel wool or scouring powder but re-seasoning of the utensil will be necessary.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 medium tart apples, unpeeled, cored, quartered, and sliced
1/3 cup sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:
Melt butter in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add apples to a cast iron skillet; cover and cook for 5 minutes, or until apples are juicy. Turn and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes longer. Uncover and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until sugar is absorbed and apples are lightly browned on bottom. Remove from heat and sprinkle with a few more tablespoons of sugar, depending on tartness of apples. Serve hot as a side dish to ham or pork meal, or with breakfast.

Serves 6.