The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: A Treasury of Timeless, Delicious Recipes

by Pam Hoenig, Lodge Manufacturing Company (Editor)

From America's most chic restaurants to the countless kitchens of avid home cooks, everyone is rediscovering the joy of cooking with classic cast iron. Cast iron cooking has always been a kitchen favorite with its even heating, great heat retention and its flexibility to go outdoors and grill or cook over an open fire. And now with The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook , every cook will learn the simple, savory secrets of cast iron cookery. From the kitchens of Lodge, America's leading manufacturer of cast iron cookware, this unique cookbook offers over 200 mouthwatering recipes. Special cooking lessons include cast iron cooking basics and how to enjoy open air cooking and grilling. Each unique recipe, culled from cooks across the country, is illustrated with four-color photography. Published in a special flexible binding, this cookbook will be a keepsake treasured by all cooks.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 7, 2012

Reviews

[Jamie]

Let me start with this: there is an entire chapter on cornbread! How can that be bad?

This is one of the most fun cookbooks I've read in a while. There is down-home comfort food, savory meat dishes, veggie side dishes and amazing sounding desserts.

As someone who cooks a lot, I have given up on Teflon pans. After 6 months, they are ruined in our house. Likewise, the health risks are just not worth it. Therefore, we have switched to almost all cast iron or stainless steel cooking wares.

This cookbook is beautifully illustrated, very helpful and the history of the company is interested to learn. Overall, it's not the best diet conscious cookbook but it's got great traditional meals and some really cool ideas I'm looking forward to trying!

[Mary]

How annoying is it to read reviews of a cookbook or recipe when the reviewer hasn't cooked anything! Come on now. In defense of these "readers", the design and photography in The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook is beautifully done. I enjoyed the personal stories (cast iron memories) scattered throughout. As for the recipes, I'm a one-skillet owner and improvised muffin tins for the lemon-lavender pound cakes. Delicious. Hannah's Apple Pancake. Delicious. My next project is the Blueberry-Ginger-Peach-Upside-Down Cake which sounds like a fruity, tasty mess. Time to bake!

[Alexandra]

There were recipes for things I wouldn't have thought to try cooking in a cast iron skillet and I really liked that. Cast iron makes everything taste better. But I didn't like that they had so many recipes for specific types of cast iron pans from their company. I would get excited about a recipe only to realize I don't have the right cast iron cookware so I can't make it. But a lot of the recipes sounded really delicious and easy.

[Lee]

The recipes in this cookbook are all over the place, and I just didn't find myself interested in most of them. It was neat to see all the stories throughout, from people who are fans of cast iron; and yet they also began to sound the same.

I had been hoping to get some good recipes that would encourage me to use my cast iron more; but this was unfortunately not the book to do that for me.

[Carol]

It's true, everything tastes better when it comes out of a cast iron pan.

[Emilee (emileereadsbooks)]

I have two Lodge cast iron pieces, a skillet and a grill pan. I have become a firm believer in cooking in cast iron, especially to cook meats. This cookbook covers a wide range of cast iron pieces made by Lodge, and makes me want to expand my collection.
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Here are the recipe details you will want:
A no no for me, the recipes, especially in the first half of the book are heavy on shellfish and dairy. There are quite a few recipes for fish and game. A large soup section (with quite a few chillis) and of course a large cornbread section contribute to a large portion of this book. The dessert section will make your mouth water.
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I like the history laced throughout the cookbook and the antidotes by the various contributors. Especially a couple about people being shunned for putting cast iron in a dishwasher (oh the actual horror).
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If you are a lover of cast iron check out this cookbook. If you are a low maintenance cook, some of these things may be beyond what you want to tackle.

[Donna]

Some friends had this sitting on their coffee table & I was flipping through it, drooling on the pages. Not sure why some people are upset because the editor included recipes for all types of cast iron, not just skillets. The Dutch oven was an integral character in the cast iron arsenal. I just wish I had the space to store & the arm strength to lift one.
There are a bunch of backstories to fortify the recipes. The recipes are practical & give a wonderful cross section of typical southern cooking. Not all are southern based but a great many of them are. There are 3 I've already executed & dismissed 1 but am still planning on testing several more.

[Katherine]

I am a big fan of cast iron cookware and have used it all my life. Some of my skillets were my mother's. I am always interested in finding new recipes and ideas for cooking with cast iron, and this book delivers great information, tips, and flavorful recipes.

[Julie Brock]

I want to eat all of this, but I don't want to cook it. Chicken with artichoke hearts, olives, and capers. Seared rosemary and garlic porterhouse with browned butter. Scott's collards. Yes, please!

[Joan]

I loved it! Great easy to follow recipes with lots of instructions and pictures.
Gave hints and how to's for your cooking and care of your cast iron.

[Cris]

No information about the care or choosing of cast-iron cookware--this book assumes you're already a fan who is comfortable using cast-iron cookbook.

Also, many of recipes here are for cast-iron cookware other than skillets--dutch oven, cornbread molds and biscuit pans, etc. And, unfortunately, frequently you have to read through the recipe and then guess as to the appropriate cookware type and size.

The short family stories that accompany some of the recipes are touching but aren't enough to overcome the other problems with the book.

[Vanessa Ellermann]

I haven't tried any of the recipes, but everything is beautifully photographed and looks scrumptious! There are a lot of red meat dishes, which I try to avoid. There were numerous anecdotes regarding where cooks received their Lodge cast iron cookware, most were handed down through the generations. Also contains historical facts about John Lodge and the Tennessee factory where the cookware is made.

[Audrey Hepler]

Blah. If you cook and read cook books on the regular this isn’t it. Interesting story but I’m not that excited about cornbread. The recipes where boring to me, didn’t grab me at all. I was looking for more from a cast iron cook book ranging in all recipes. I found it in lodge cast iron nation. Next.

[Yvonna]

Disappointing! There are only a handful of recipes I would even try. I'm a great cook and I love to cook, but most of these recipes seem a shade off-kilter, as if an ingredient or two were added just to be innovative. The recipes that I did favor are similar to so many others in other cookbooks.

[Andree Sanborn]

A lot of a lot of southern recipes, but I have marked so many of them to try that I'll be cooking forever. I love my cast iron pans for baking.

[Evonne]

Loving my Lodge Cast Iron...can't wait to try some of the recipes!

[Rose Ann]

Useful

[Anita J. Van Hal]

Great cookbook

This is a great cookbook with a large variety of recipes. We've tried several and they've all turned out great. Definitely recommend.

[Marie]

Reviewer's Note: I started this review in a draft long, long, long ago. I found it today, and all it had were the notes below. I seem to remember the cookbook itself being pretty nice, but lacking in pictures of the finished recipes.

Cast Iron-Roasted Red Potatoes With Rosemary and Onion: Delicious! Pretty easy. Had to half for my slightly smaller skillet, but they turned out great.

Fresh Peach Crumb Coffee Cake: Delicious! But too much sugar to make regularly.

Simple Berry Skillet Cobbler: Ok, but not great. Truly really simple.

[Jennie]

Gorgeous pictures, rustic setting and full of colour, I want to run out and get a cast iron pan.

The book opens with selection of strong cookware, key with cast iron cooking. Then when not start with breakfast? Although heavy on the meat options, these could be removed and/or replaced with other options. Skillet Cauliflower-Feta Pizza, Stuffed French Toast, Cow Patty Raspberry Fudge Cake and cornbread.

Must read!

[Wendy]

I inherited several of my grandma's cast iron pieces last year, so I'm super excited to try some of the recipes here! There was a much wider variety of dishes than I expected to find, including sweet potato souffle and blueberry and pear skillet pie. First up has to be caramelized brussel sprouts- yum!

[Deodand]

I liked the dessert section and the cornbread section the most, and that's the bit I will probably return to. Many of the main dish recipes need a dutch oven, and I was looking for more to do with my cast iron skillet. Also this book has a Southern US base to many recipes with ingredients that can be hard to find outside the region.

[Miss Clark]

2.5 stars

Great tips on cast iron cooking and baking and the care of cast iron cookware.

The recipes were mostly deep South (okra and beans, etc.), but great biscuits and stews in there as well. Anyone who has cast iron cookware should give it a read-through.

[Sallee]

Many delicious recipes tossed in with memoirs of family's cast iron cookware. Some good basic culinary facts available like how to make roux properly. I will certainly use my cast iron cookware more often.

[Mickie]

Basic recipes, nothing groundbreaking, but I loved the vignettes of the cast iron users...it made me feel like I am part of a special club.

[Abigail]

I love the recipes, I want to try them all!!!

[Jan Fortney]

Love cooking in cast iron. They know what they're talking about!

[Anne]

Love this cookbook!!

[Amy]

Waiting to give a rating until I actually try some of the recipes

[MBybee]

The recipes I've tested so far were quite good, and (with some alterations) the rest will likely be good as well.

Good variation, good layout, and a great resource.