The Honest Cast Iron

Cast iron is the most forgiving serious pan you can own, and the only one you can drop in a fire without a second thought. It holds heat like nothing else, which is exactly what a hard sear wants.

The seasoning scares people off for no reason. A modern pre-seasoned pan is ready to go; keep it dry, wipe it with oil, and cook fatty things in it early to build the patina.

Treated decently, a skillet outlives the cook. There is something to be said for a tool you buy once, hand down, and never think about replacing.

Written by Marek Olszewski for Hunters & Anglers Kitchen.