Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies.

by Tracy L. Barr

In some cooking circles, cast iron gets a bad rep – people think it's old-fashioned, heavy, and hard to take care of. And really, how often do folks nowadays need to hitch up a mule and wagon and leave civilization and Teflon-coated sauté pans behind? True, cast iron is old; it's been around since the Middle Ages. And it is heavy. No one can dispute that even a small, cast-iron pot has a heft to it that no other cookware has. Nevertheless, cast-iron cookware has a place in today's kitchens, and that doesn’t mean simply hanging on the wall for decoration. Cast iron has much to offer modern-day cooks; it's easy to use, easy to care for, economical, versatile, and durable, and let's face it, it has a nostalgic appeal that no other cookware has. But more compelling than all those reasons is that it's a great cookware that makes great food. In fact, most cast-iron cooks will tell you that food cooked in cast iron tastes better than food cooked in anything else! Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies is for those cooks who may want to inject a little adventure and variety into their cooking. If you've never even thought of using cast-iron cookware, or you have a few cast-iron pots lying around, you'll discover all you need to know about making great food using cast iron. Here just a sampling of what you'll find in Cast-Iron Cooking For So, whether you're a cooking novice or an experienced chef, you can find plenty of enjoyment from cooking with cast iron – and Cast-Iron Cooking For Dummies can show you the way.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Food

360 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

More people are using cast-iron utensils for cooking following a hiatis of such use. This bookk contains information about the seasoning and caare of cast-iron. A large number of recipes are in this work.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister moved in with us along with a rusty cast iron skillet and this book. Obviously she didn't read the book. This will be my debut cooking with cast iron and I can't wait to try out some of the recipes . . . after I sand and re-season the pan that is.

***Got my husband to sand down the pan and I seasoned it according to the directions in the book. Looks good, but I haven't actually made anything in it yet ;) I can't wait to try the pineapple upside-down cake, and he can't wait for cornbread.***

[Sundry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked for a cast iron skillet for Christmas and received this book along with it. It's a great introduction to caring for cast iron, which is pretty easy but different from how you handle other cookware. I've read all the general how-tos and tried two of the recipes...the ones she said were classic cast iron dishes: pineapple upside down cake and cornbread, and they both came out great.

[Shayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, the best cast-iron cooking book of the lot at the library. Yes, there are lots of recipes, and most of them look very tempting indeed. But the bulk of the book is the important stuff: caring for, seasoning, using, and loving cast iron. A great primer on the subject. Writer's style is folksy without being overly cute.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only does a wonderful job explaining both indoor and outdoor cast iron cooking but also goes into specifics of why certain things work, don't work, how to cut up a whole chicken, carve a roast, use soft shell blue crab, etc.

[Terrie]

I am a cast iron convert. This book has the sort of back to basics type recipes I've been looking for.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you own cast iron cookware, then this book is a must. Gives good instructions on how to care for cast iron and recipes to try. Its a book I plan to add to my personal library.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Simple reading and confirmed everything I already knew about Cast Iron cooking. At least I know for sure now.

[Martha Tarver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book