• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Scratch To Basics logo
  • RECIPES
    • Sides & Snacks
    • Dips & Dressings
    • Meals
    • Treats
    • Paleo
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
  • MEAL PLANNING
    • Recomended Meal Planning Apps
    • Recommended Meal Planning Services
    • Free Meal Planning Templates
  • REAL FOOD
    • Real Food 101
    • Where to Buy Real Food
  • CLEAN BEAUTY
  • BLOG
    • Cooking Tools
    • Gift Ideas
    • Favorite Products
    • Free Masterclass: Save Money Without Feeling Restricted By Your Budget
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • FAVORITES
  • TIPS & TOOLS
  • PRODUCTS
  • ABOUT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • FAVORITES
    • TIPS & TOOLS
    • PRODUCTS
    • ABOUT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Kitchen Tools

    11 Reasons To Buy A Cast Iron Skillet And Where To Get One

    Last updated on January 21, 2020 by Megan Barrett - Leave a Comment

    Some of the links on this site may be affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I may be paid a small commission if you follow the links and make a purchase. Learn more here.

    A cast iron skillet is an essential cooking item in our house. We've been using our cast iron skillet exclusively (we got rid of all the others) for over a year now, and our food tastes better than ever before!

    Read these 11 reasons for keeping one (or two) cast iron skillets in your cooking arsenal. Look for buying tips and recommended accessories at the bottom of the post.

    11 reasons to use a cast iron exclusively in your kitchen

    reasons to buy a cast iron

    1) heats evenly

    The beauty of a cast iron skillet is that it cooks food evenly. It will take a little longer to heat up than other skillets, but once it's hot it will cook your food evenly. So no more moving things around your pan to make sure half of your chicken isn't burnt and the other half raw.

    2) Cast Iron Skillets are Non Toxic

    When I was pregnant, my midwife told me if I cook some tomato sauce in my cast iron, I might get a little boost of iron from the pan. Because that's what happens when you cook something acidic like tomatoes in a cast iron skillet. Sometimes a little iron leaches into the food (not a bad thing).

    When a nonstick skillet leaches stuff into your food, it's toxic. You don't want that in your food. That's why if you ever see your non stick skillets flaking, you need to get rid of it immediately.

    3) Your cast iron skillet will last a lifetime

    Stainless and non stick skillets can easily get scratched or burned if they get too hot. Not a cast iron! You can use it for years, then pass it on to your kids and grandkids! We use these metal spatulas with no fear of ruining our pans.

    4) It's nonstick when used properly

    You don't have to buy a nonstick skillet to keep your food from sticking. When treated properly, a cast iron won't stick. Make sure it's hot enough and has a little oil. You can even cook scrambled eggs without any sticking. I do it daily!

    5) The only pan you'll ever need

    I haven't found a food that you CAN'T make in a cast iron. Like I said, we got rid of the non-stick pans over a year ago, and there hasn't been a time where I've needed anything different.

    Related: 9 Easy Ways To Declutter Your Kitchen Counters

    6) You can bring it camping

    Bring your cast iron camping and use it over the campfire to cook something delicious. Remember to wipe off the bottom when you're done or you'll get black char all over. Ask me how I know.

    7) Best steak

    We've tried a lot of steak recipes, but it's hard to beat the steak cooked in a cast iron. Sear the steak in the hot cast iron, then move it to the oven to finish. So juicy. So delicious. Yumm.

    8) Cast Iron is Easy to Care for

    Contrary to what you might have heard, caring for a cast iron is really quite simple. Just wash it out after using it (you can use soap with water). Then heat it up to dry it off and pour a little oil in it when it gets hot.

    To be totally honest, we often just re-use the pan without the wash, heat, oil process. Leave it on the stove and it's ready when you want it!

    9) Put it in the oven

    You can definitely use your cast iron in the oven. We make frittata, steak, and a whole chicken in our cast iron in the oven. It's an amazing thing. Also...cast iron pizza. Yumm.

    10) Cooks scrambled eggs FAST

    Back when we used non-stick cookware, I remember reading you're supposed to cook scrambled eggs SLOWLY. I don't know why that was the recommended method, maybe the eggs turn rubbery or something if you cook them too fast.

    These days we use our cast iron skillet to cook scrambled eggs and they cook FAST. And it's awesome. To get over the problem of your eggs sticking, just make sure your pan is hot enough and you have some oil in the pan (or butter) before you pour the eggs in. They'll bubble up and pull away from the pan really easily if you do this. Our scrambled eggs are delicious and cooked in less than a minute (so helpful on busy mornings).

    11) Better Flavor

    There's something about cooking in a cast iron skillet that just makes food taste better. I'm not sure what it is about it...but I really believe this is true. Maybe it's the fact that it can get super hot, or maybe something else.

    What to Look for In A Cast Iron skillet?

    When shopping for a cast iron, look for a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet in the size you're looking for. We have two sizes that we just keep out on our stove (so we don't have to lift to and from the kitchen every single day.

    Which size of cast iron skillet is best?

    We have two sizes of cast iron skillets. For our everyday cooking, we use the smaller one (about 10" diameter across the top) because it's a little lighter and is just about the perfect size. But the big one (about 12" diameter) is nice to have, too (like when we roast a whole chicken in the cast iron, or make a big frittata or pizza).

    Where should you buy your cast iron skillet?

    You can get a cast iron skillet pretty much anywhere that kitchen items are sold. Here are three places to look.

    • Garage Sales/ Thrift Stores : If you're lucky you can find AWESOME cast iron skillets that are old and wonderfully smooth and seasoned buried in a garage sale.
    • Target: If you don't frequent garage sales or maybe you haven't had much luck, Target usually has one or two cast irons in their kitchen department in the store. Or you can order one online.
    • Amazon - And of course, there's Amazon! Is there anything Amazon doesn't sell? Here's the kind we have (and love).

    What else do I need to Start Cooking With Cast iron?

    Once you've decided to get a cast iron skillet, you might be wondering if there's anything else you need.

    The answer is, YES. Just one thing.

    Most cast iron pans have handles that heat up with the pan. And if you've ever grabbed a searing hot cast iron handle, you probably bought these right away (to keep you from ever doing it again).

    I recommend getting a set of these handle covers. We take them off when we put the cast iron in the oven, but on the stove top when the cast iron is super hot (the handle gets hot too), your hands will be protected.

    Another option is buying one of these top of the line cast iron pans that have super special handles that DON'T get hot when the pan is hot. I'll put it on my wish list.

    Don't forget to save on Pinterest

    Here are 11 reasons to buy a cast iron skillet.
    « 7-Day Gluten Free Meal Plan
    Recipe For Grilled Cauliflower Steaks »

    Kitchen Tools

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! I’m Megan. Wife. Mom. Jesus follower. Chocolate lover. I'm passionate about helping you simplify healthy living and make healthy food taste good in your own kitchen. More about me →

    Search STB Here:


    How to Get Your Kids to Eat 30+ Fruits and Veggies (with a Smile)

    Learn about how it works & how to get FREE product for kids HERE.

    Get 20% Off Clean Beauty at Beautycounter

    image of beautycounter products
    Get the coupon code here and then take the skincare quiz!

    Simplify Your Life. Make a Meal Plan.

    weekly and monthly meal planning templates
    Get the FREE meal planning templates here!

    Ad - Web Hosting from SiteGround - Crafted for easy site management. Click to learn more.

    Trending on STB

    20+ Meal Planning Templates For Stress Free Dinners
    How to Use a Tortilla Press to Make Homemade Tortillas
    Crowd Cow vs Butcher Box - Which is The Best Meat Delivery Service For You?
    tomato paste pizza sauce finished
    How to Make The Best Pizza Sauce Recipe With Tomato Paste
    5 Best Meal Planning Services for Stress Free Dinners

    Hello! I’m Megan. Wife. Mom. Jesus follower. Chocolate lover. I'm passionate about helping you simplify healthy living and make healthy food taste good in your own kitchen. More about me →

    Search STB Here:


    How to Get Your Kids to Eat 30+ Fruits and Veggies (with a Smile)

    Learn about how it works & how to get FREE product for kids HERE.

    Get 20% Off Clean Beauty at Beautycounter

    image of beautycounter products
    Get the coupon code here and then take the skincare quiz!

    Simplify Your Life. Make a Meal Plan.

    weekly and monthly meal planning templates
    Get the FREE meal planning templates here!

    Ad - Web Hosting from SiteGround - Crafted for easy site management. Click to learn more.

    Trending on STB

    20+ Meal Planning Templates For Stress Free Dinners
    How to Use a Tortilla Press to Make Homemade Tortillas
    Crowd Cow vs Butcher Box - Which is The Best Meat Delivery Service For You?
    tomato paste pizza sauce finished
    How to Make The Best Pizza Sauce Recipe With Tomato Paste
    5 Best Meal Planning Services for Stress Free Dinners

    Footer

    • About Megan
    • Privacy Policy
    • Free Budgeting Training
    • Work with Me
    • Guest Post Guidelines
    • Contact Me

    Copyright © 2023 · Scratch To Basics Log in

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT