We have several cast iron skillets

Actually, we have seven different pans- two traditional 12-inch; one traditional 8-inch; one 10-inch flat; one 10-inch deep; one 10-inch concave; one grill press (it’s not a pan but its cast iron).

Cast iron skillets hold heat well

Whenever we are cooking protein like steak, chops, shrimp, scallops, or fish we use cast iron because with a 50/50 oil and butter mix, the pan can take a lot of heat and create a great crust on the meat.

Types of Skillets and Uses

When we make things like pasta pie, clafoutis, or mac and cheese in the oven, 12-inch cast iron is the go-to pan, along with many dishes that start on the stove and move into the oven.

Fajita vegetables, fried green tomatoes, fish, shellfish, and meats get done on any size that fits.

When making the “German” version of brats or marinated vegetables on the grill, we use the 10-inch concave pan.

Our flat 10-inch pan only gets used to heat tortillas, but it does a great job.

Finally, the cast iron weight is used when heating split rolls and sandwiches.

Care and Cleaning of Cast Iron Skillets

Back in the day folks always said, “never clean a cast iron pan with soap and water, just wipe it out”. I clean all my pans after use with soap and water then lightly coat with peanut oil, works fine for us.