Cast Iron Cookware: benefit and harm, how to care?

An important element is the kitchen utensils. This applies not only porcelain or glass plates, glass-lined vessels and pots, but also products intended for cooking. Pots and pans are made of different materials, they all have their pros and cons. Most often, you can buy stainless steel items, ceramics, aluminum or glass, but still in many families and Cast Iron Cookware is present in Russia.

A few words about iron

Cast iron is an alloy of iron with carbon, silicon and phosphorus. Products made of this material is cast at a temperature of 1400 degrees and most often they do not have seams have been manufactured in special molds which split after fabrication. Molded preform thoroughly cleaned and treated, and then secured to the handle housing and other details.

Cast iron cookware has been known since ancient times, from approximately IV-VI centuries. BC. Particular area of ​​its occurrence can not be specified, since the samples relating to the same period found in Europe, Africa, and Asia. In Russia, the first articles appeared only in the XVI century. Previously, for the preparation of hot food containers used clay, but later forced them out of cast iron items, due to their better qualities.

Food cooked on a cast iron pan, has good taste characteristics, and itself tableware different strength, durability and practicality. Very often, these products passed on and used by several generations, so even now you can find articles on iron modern kitchen in Russia.

Advantages and disadvantages of cast iron cookware

All objects made of cast iron, have a number of advantages:

• Cast iron cookware has a long service life. It is one of the most durable and practically does not deteriorate. The harm it can only apply in the event that a pan or a pot to throw from a great height on the stone floor. Then it is likely to crack. But such tests do not stand utensils and other materials.
• If the surface of the product carefully to look after, the food in them will not be burnt. Before cooking you need to properly warm up the dishes on the stove for a few minutes. Then do not worry that the food will burn.
• Objects made of cast iron does not bring harm to the high or low temperature, they are deformed and have good wear resistance.
• Food cooked in a pan made of cast iron, have a high taste qualities, and have no use foreign odors and flavors.

Besides the obvious advantages, cast iron cookware has some minor disadvantages:

• Objects made of cast iron, have a sufficiently high weight. Therefore, before you buy pots and pans should be defined in advance with a set of dishes that you plan to cook in them. For example, pan for pancakes better to buy from a different material, such as cast iron are not just going to continually raise during cooking.
• Failure to comply with the basic rules of care for this cookware, it soon could rust. This will happen if after washing the surface does not wipe dry. Rust is removed with a stiff brush, and then, the product was calcined in the fire with salt and lubricated with oil. Enamelware iron rusts, but you must make sure that it did not appear on the chips.
• Some products can harm the surface of iron, its oxides, such as tomatoes or apples. Therefore it is better to avoid cooking with these ingredients dishes.
• storage of food in cast iron cookware is also not recommended, as the metal is able to absorb odors for a long time lying food products may also darken. After the cooking is better to shift the leftovers dishes in plastic or glass containers.

Other than those of conventional cast iron, in the store you can buy and objects covered with enamel. Enameled Cast Iron tableware is not subject to rust, while it has no defects on the surface in the form of chips, which, unfortunately, not uncommon. Thereafter, a place without coating also becomes susceptible to corrosion. If the deformation occurs on the inside of the pan or pot, it is best to get rid of such a product, because it can be harmful to health. Additionally, the enamel coating deprives cast iron cookware nonstick properties.

What foods are best cooked in cast iron cookware?

Ideal for cooking in a pan made of cast iron are the various meat products, fish, mushroom and vegetable side dishes and other dishes that require a long period of anguish at low temperature. Also, cast iron cookware is suitable for cooking soups, cereals and a variety of sauces.

Due components within the alloy, cooked food has excellent taste qualities. Heating occurs uniformly, whereby the meal is roasted or boiled equally from all sides. Almost finished dish should be removed from the heat and let it brew for a bit. The low thermal conductivity of the material will not pan or saucepan to cool down too quickly, so the food served on the table, will have the perfect taste, aroma and color.

Such products are suitable for any type of board, for both gas and glass ceramic or induction. They can even be used over an open fire. If you remove the pen, then a cast-iron frying pan can be placed in oven.

Choosing and Caring for cast iron cookware

Before you buy a cast iron products, should look at the thickness of its walls and the bottom, they should not be less than 5-6 mm. Usually included with items not go cap, so that in consequence it was no problem, it is better to pick up the dishes of standard dimensions. The bottom of the pan and the pan must be flat, closely adjacent the plate surface. Cast Iron Cookware and especially its interior, should not have bumps, potholes, rough edges and other defects.

To the handle should be specific requirements. Cast and too short should be avoided, it is necessary to pay attention to the reliability and the strength of their attachment to the body. In Russia, the market products with a protective surface coating, typically used for this oil. Some items are enamel layer.

Care For Cast Iron Cookware is simple, but you must follow some guidelines so as not to damage the product during use and longer to maintain its appearance. By purchasing the dishes, before the first use it should be rinsed thoroughly in warm water with a soft sponge moistened with detergent. Then, how to dry or wipe and ignited the fire, while the black metal does not become gray. Then the dishes must be rinsed with cold water and dried again in the fire.

In the heated pot or pan to pour need a thick layer of salt and roast thoroughly for ten minutes before it postrelivat characteristic sound. Then pour the salt and rinse again dishes in cold water. Again put on fire, heated until warm and then copiously oiled. Thereafter tableware iron subject to calcination in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. After three hours on the dried surface of the oil will create a protective film that will not allow the burning of food and, therefore, will not bring harm.

Wash made of cast iron is best immediately after cooking, then pollution will be more easily removed with plain water and a sponge. Use detergents and rough brush is not necessary, so as not to harm the protective coating, which then have to recover quite laborious and time-consuming way.

Cast Iron Cookware Russian production

In Russia, there are manufacturers of cast-iron cookware, running more than a dozen years. The range of their products is huge, and the quality in no way inferior to European standards. Numerous positive testimonials are proof of that. The main items of cast iron, which are produced by Russian plants are:

• pans,
• iron pots,
• It seemed
• boilers,
• utyatnitsu and gusyatnitsy,
• pots, etc.

Cookware made of cast iron Russia's largest producers of different environmental friendliness and lack of harm to human health. It is practical, reliable, easy to clean, versatile and it can be bought at an affordable price.

Cast-iron cookware in Russia, despite its impressive weight and bulky appearance continues to be in demand in the modern kitchens. Someone bought the dishes specifically, and some she inherited, and they do not seek to get rid of it. This is not surprising, because the cast iron products have a number of advantages over many types of more modern materials. When used properly and careful care cast iron products last for decades and will please their masters amazing taste, aroma and quality of the prepared dishes.