Serving Up Science

In the culinary world, one essential kitchen tool reigns supreme... the cast iron skillet.

But amid its weight and upkeep, many people ponder... Is it worth the hassle?

While you might associate cast iron with the Old West or cooking around a campfire, it's far from new.

In fact, it's practically ancient.

The cast iron manufacturing process originated a long time ago in China, around the 7th century BCE.

Molten metal was poured into a sand mold, and once it cooled, a pan would emerge as a single piece of cookware, handle included.

Today, the process hasn't changed much, except modern machines have made crafting a cast iron skillet a lot safer from a manufacturing perspective.

And that's a good thing, given that molten metal can reach well over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unlike some kitchen fads that fade faster than last night's leftovers, cast iron is here to stay.

It's incredibly durable.

And let's not forget its charming ability to age gracefully.

Visit antique shops and yard sales and you'll often find cast iron pans that have been passed down through generations.

Admittedly, they may be heavy, but they're tough.

So let's jump into the science of what can make cast iron cooking superior on top of the stove or in the oven.

When it comes to heat retention, cast iron does a good job.

It may take a bit longer to heat up but once it's hot, it holds that heat.

It keeps dishes warm until your dinner guests arrive, and I also like cast iron for searing steaks or brisket.

I think it leads to a great browning and in turn, a delicious meal.

Now let's talk about everyone's favorite topic - cleaning up after dinner.

Cast iron may be tough as nails, but it requires a bit more TLC than other options.

Cast iron needs to be seasoned, and I'll be the first to admit I was a little intimidated by the term the first time I heard of it, when I was given a cast iron pan about 20 years ago.

But it turns out seasoning isn't really that complicated at all.

It simply means that every time we cook in a cast iron pan, we make it a little bit better.

The more we use it, the more the pan will develop a natural slick or patina or seasoning which releases food easily.

And that means a well-seasoned cast iron skillet can develop a nonstick surface.

Seasoning can also help to prevent rust.

Could we get you doing like, a cowboy dance?

I don't know how to do a cowboy dance.

Other pans might seem lower maintenance because they don't require seasoning and can survive a scouring pad or even a run through the dishwasher.

But cast iron isn't exactly delicate, and a gentle sponge with some warm, soapy water will keep your skillet looking and cooking like new.

But what about the iron in cast iron?

Well, a small amount of iron is absorbed into the food, but that's not a reason to be concerned.

Just how much we get from cast iron pans varies based on factors like the amount of moisture in the food, the acidity of the dish and the time it's cooked in the pan.

But for those of us who need a little extra iron and there are a lot of us, cooking in cast iron can be a helpful way to increase your intake.

So how do we know when our pan is ready to use?

A simple pop and sizzle test.

All it takes to find out if it's ready is a little bit of water.

Pop it on the pan.

Is it pop and sizzling?

Yes.

We are ready to go.

The trick here is that I don't want to see it evaporate immediately because that would tell us the pan is too hot and we would need to lower the heat.

All right.

Let's get cooking.

I have this chicken breast pre-marinated with chili.

Not really chili.

Sweet chili.

I have this nice chicken breast that was marinated overnight in a sweet chili sauce.

And there it goes.

Off to the races.

For this size chicken breast, I'm thinking about 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Oh, look at that nonstick surface!

Did you get that?

That looks pretty...it's nice and brown.

Notably I'm using an induction cooktop, meaning the sides of the pan aren't terribly hot, despite that the center is cooking up that chicken.

There is an episode this season all about induction cooking.

It's not cold, but it's like, comfortable.

It's like, ooh, cozy.

We want this chicken breast to get at least to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oh, look at that!

165.

Perfect.

Going to plate this up.

<crash noise> Just throwing chicken around here.

And it's ready to eat.

For me, it's evident that these sturdy pans are more than just kitchen tools.

From their ancient origins to their modern day versatility, cast iron skillets are timeless titans in the kitchen.

Mmm!