cast iron: rare use or absolutely never?

[bug_n_flock]

Cooking in cast iron cookware imparts dietary iron into foods. IDK how much iron leeches, but I bet it is related to ph of food and duration of cooking. Would low acid foods cooked in the cast iron be safe now and again included in the diet? I was going to cook some rice for to include in some chop, but paused when I thought about the iron issue with the dutch oven. TIA

 

[SailBoat]

Properly ages cast-iron cookware has a sealed surface between the structure (cast-iron) and the food. I would not recommend using a newly purchased cast-iron pan for cooking rice as a seal has yet to be created and leeching is possible.

Our cast-iron cookware belonged to our grandparents and are well sealed.

If I recall correctly, sealing is a process that starts with using corn oil simmering in the pan for several cycles prior to use with food. Low acid foods cooked in a corn oil or olive oil base is where one starts and as the sealed surface builds with time an ever widening cross-section of foods can be cooked. A well sealed cast-iron cooking pan can be used with any food base.

Cleaning a sealed cast-iron cooking pan is a light hand washing (Dawn Original) a rising and than placed on the stove top with a mid-low flame until fully dry than allowed to cool in place.

That's what I learned from my Grandmother. Others may have different memories. Others may have different process for creating a seal. But, Never Place a Cast-Iron Pan (etc.) in a Dishwasher as they will remove even the oldest seals! Yes, I learned that one the hard way and to say that Grandmother was not happy would be kind.

 

[bug_n_flock]

This dutch oven my mother just gave us. It is not generations old, but it has been used for several years. I even used it last night to make a delicious cranberry orange ginger upside down cake.

 

[noodles123]

I wouldn't feed my bird thing cooked in cast iron---it is too easy not to and low-acid is hard to determine in some cases (as is the level of seasoning needed to protect it). You def can't season cast iron with a bird in the house---meaning, you cant coat it in oil and crank up the heat on the oven (it produces WAY too much of an odor).

 

[bug_n_flock]

For some it may be easy to avoid, but most of what we cook is done in cast iron. We have 3 stainless cooking pots, but now that the wood stove is going we have been doing more and more with cast iron, since we don't like to use SS on the wood stove, and it seems silly to use the hot plate when the wood stove is going already. The dutch oven was a recent acquisition, but we have cast iron skillets and a griddle... last winter we didn't cook much for us, and didn't for the birds at all since we didn't have running water. But we have water now(sorta, at least we have way more water access than last year!) and have moved the birds off the mostly seed diet we had to have them on last year.



As for the oven? We don't even have one here. We season our cast iron on the stove and below the smoke point of the oil we use. I guess I could cook rice (and everything else) for the birds in the microwave, but I don't really like to use that thing too much when avoidable.

 

[noodles123]

I love cast iron-- I just worry about how much they might get from it. It does add iron to food even when low acid things are used. Call an avian vet and ask them--there are many that will answer your questions even if you aren't a patient (just don't say you aren't one) lol.

 

[bug_n_flock]

My CAV works monday, tuesday, and thursday. I'll just hold off and call on Monday, thanks!

 

[bill_e]

I never get to the point where my cast iron is seasoned, I usually get frustrated with the sticking long before that

 

[SailBoat]

I wouldn't feed my bird thing cooked in cast iron---it is too easy not to and low-acid is hard to determine in some cases (as is the level of seasoning needed to protect it). You def can't season cast iron with a bird in the house---meaning, you cant coat it in oil and crank up the heat on the oven (it produces WAY too much of an odor).

If one in fact measures the iron contain of food grown in North America, it just may surprise you that it is rare to find any without some level of iron in the food (plant and the animals that eats the plants). And in large areas of North America, the amount of iron is the soil is fairly high. Think of the Red Soil of South Eastern US and the shared plains of Canada and the US huge farm lands.

With an established existing level measured, the limited, if any added by seasoned Iron Cookware would not result in increasing the iron contain within a Human or Parrot. Now a Parrot crewing of a true Cast Iron rod is a different story as the intake would be near 87% by volume.

Seasoning occurs at a simmer, not at a hotter level that smokes, which is a clear statement that it's too hot.

The rapid cooking as seen on TV cooking shows a cooking method that most home cooks cannot duplicate as we tend to multi-task thus over-heat. Home cooking is best handled at mid-to low temperatures, which equals greater flavor, better texture, and more appearing food presentations.

Wood stoves are excellent for cooking as one can easily adjust the pan (etc) to a warmer or cooler area. I remember visiting extended family members that cooked on their wood stove oven and the aroma and taste was amazing. Fresh bread was a delight...

 

[bill_e]

From Better Homes and Gardens
How to Season Cast Iron in 7 Simple Steps