For people who cook using an iron skillet, it eventually becomes their ride or die cooking utensil. After all, the versatility and functionality of an iron skillet can’t be undermined. However, more often than not, people are prone to cooking absolutely everything on their iron skillet when they really shouldn’t be.

 

Using an iron skillet can be beneficial in many ways, including increasing your iron levels. It gives an even heating base to your foods and contains less chemicals and toxins in its coating.

 

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While you can cook many things on your cast-iron pan, it might be worthwhile considering that not everything cooks well on an iron pan. If specific dishes taste odd, the way you’re cooking them on your iron skillet might be why.

 

Say No To Acidic Foods

If you’re planning on cooking a hearty tomato sauce made from scratch on your iron skillet, you might want to think about it again. Cooking acidic foods like tomatoes, vinegar, and lemon juice can react with your iron skillet. It can lead to a metallic taste in dishes that incorporate these ingredients, which can sometimes ruin your entire dish.

 

Acidic foods can also discolour your pan over time, so you want to ensure that you’re not cooking them using your iron skillet. Once your pan has become seasoned over time, you can start cooking acidic foods with them.

 

Avoid Sticky Foods At The Start

When you’re just starting to use your cast-iron skillet, you don’t want to expose it to sticky foods like eggs and cheese. They can stick to your pan, and instead of the beautiful French omelette you have envisioned, you might get scrambled eggs with tons of it stuck to the pan.

 

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If your pan has been well-seasoned, with time, you will be able to use your pan for cooking sticky foods. Save yourself the mess cleaning up when you avoid using your iron skillet for sticky foods when it hasn’t been seasoned enough.

 

Keep The Fish Away

While your iron skillet is great for cooking steaks and other heartier meats, it’s not the right call for delicate fish. Your fish could very easily be overcooked, or the skin could stick to the pan, which would ruin the meat.

 

Consider not cooking any types of fish on your pan, but if you have to, salmon and other meaty types of fish like Rawas and Rohu will cook fine on the pan.

 

It’s Not For Storing Food

When you’re done cooking on your iron skillet, you shouldn’t leave food in, or even worse, pop it in the fridge. Cast-iron skillets need to be kept dry so their seasoning can be preserved and prevent any rust from forming. Acids in the food have the potential to break down your pan’s seasoning, and all your hard work will be ruined in no time.

 

Leaving food for a long time in your pan can also cause a metallic taste in your food. When it comes to cleaning your pan, a mild dishwashing soap and a scouring pad will do. If you have a cast iron washing brush, this is the time to use it. Once it is rinsed well, wipe it dry thoroughly. You might also want to add a few drops of oil to ensure that it is seasoned.

 

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Following these tips when it comes to your iron skillet can ensure that you can let it be seasoned well and use it optimally for a long time!