If you were lucky enough to inherit a
cast-iron skillet that your great-grandmother perhaps had, you’ll know
just how versatile they can be, however, there are also a select few
foods that should never be cooked in one. You might be pleased to know
that this advice more for the preservation of your skillet itself rather
than health reasons. Here are five foods that should never be cooked in
one:
1. Tomato Sauce
This sauce, together with any other kind of
acidic sauce, should not be cooked in a cast-iron skillet, because
you’ll end up ruining its seasoning and end up with a finished product
that tastes like metal. Use a non-stick pan instead.
2. Sticky Desserts
Although the depth of a cast-iron skillet
makes it seem like they were made for cooking multi-layered desserts in,
its textured surface simply can’t handle items that are particularly
sticky. What’s more is that your sweet dessert will likely take on the
savory flavor of the skillet’s seasoning. That’s definitely not how you
want your desserts to taste!
3. Fried Rice
Many traditional fried rice recipes call
for the use of a cast-iron skillet, however, it simply isn’t the best
advice to follow. That’s because rice tends to stick to surfaces,
meaning that the integrity of the seasoned skillet’s surface will become
compromised. If you want to pass on your cast-iron wonder someday, then
it’s better to use a wok for frying rice instead.
4. Delicate Fish
Cod, tilapia, and flounder all make for
healthy, light meals, but none of those delicate fish should be prepared
in a cast-iron skillet. That’s because they have a tendency to stick to
anything other than enamel. On the other hand, thicker fish such as
tuna and salmon steaks are perfect for cooking in a cast-iron skillet.
5. Omelets
Viscous eggs don’t belong anywhere near a
cast-iron skillet – that is unless yours has a proven track record of
having omelets sliding right off of it.