The cast iron skillet is the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. We love using cast iron but while they are pretty sturdy and up for anything there are some rules that you do need to follow.
For example, I think most people know by now not to scrub your cast iron or put it in the dishwasher but did you know that some things shouldn’t go into your cast iron skillet if you can help it? Here are seven things you should avoid cooking in cast iron.
Acidic Foods
This one’s hard to get away with; so many recipes call for things like tomato, vinegar, or citrus. But unfortunately, acid can react with the iron, stripping away the seasoning you’ve worked so hard to build up. This can leave your skillet susceptible to rust and give your food a metallic taste. Stainless steel or enameled cast iron, however, are perfect candidates for cooking these dishes, so give those a whirl instead!
Delicate Fish
While cast iron is excellent for searing meats, it’s not always the best choice for delicate fish like tilapia, sole, or flounder. These types of fish can easily stick to the skillet, making them difficult to flip without breaking apart. The last thing you want is to spend more time scraping fish off your skillet than enjoying your meal, especially if most of it is still stuck on the skillet anyway.
Anything Sticky
Sticky foods, especially if your skillet isn’t well-seasoned, can cause quite the headache. Things like scrambled eggs, pancakes, or even certain types of cheese can adhere to the surface, making cleanup a chore. You can get away with this if you keep up with your pan’s seasoning. But otherwise, steer clear of the cast iron and opt for the non-stick instead—it’s time for it to shine!
Desserts
Not only can many desserts be sticky by default, they often require a non-stick surface to release cleanly. The sugars tend to caramelize and stick as well, making cleanup an absolute nightmare. It’s not necessarily wrong to cook some desserts in cast iron, but the hassle is usually not worth the payoff when you have other options right there.
Anything Pungent
Strong smells from ingredients like garlic or fish sauce can lay claim to your cast iron, burrowing in it and refusing to come out no matter what you do. This can affect the flavor of future dishes, especially if you’re cooking something with a more neutral or delicate flavor profile. You can give your cast iron a thorough cleaning once it’s finished to help mitigate this, but it’s usually just easier to skip using it altogether.
Boiling Water
This one is probably raising a few eyebrows, but it’s true—boiling water in your cast iron isn’t great for it. Prolonged exposure to water can strip away the seasoning, leaving your skillet vulnerable to rust. Plus, boiling water doesn’t benefit from the skillet’s heat retention properties, making it an inefficient choice anyway compared to something like a dutch oven.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s also during the morning, which is way too busy for most people. The last thing you want to be dealing with is a stuck-on breakfast while you’re rushing out the door. We’ve already mentioned eggs as being a difficult thing to cook on cast iron, but truthfully, the cast iron is just too fussy to be dealing with that early in the day!
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Experts Warn People to Never Refrigerate These 15 Food Items
Refrigeration prevents spoilage and may extend the shelf life of common foods and other perishable items. While we may innocently store some foods in the refrigerator, you may be surprised that you shouldn’t store all of them, as this may affect their nutritional value, taste, and texture.
Although refrigeration can help preserve certain foods, some items shouldn’t be refrigerated to maintain flavor and freshness. Avoiding these foods can ensure your food stays nutritious, fresh, and flavorful.
Here are 15 food items experts warn people never to refrigerate for optimal flavor and freshness.
Experts Warn People to Never Refrigerate These 15 Food Items
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