Cooking with Cast Iron, Clay and Stoneware
I know a lot of us old geezers are familiar with both cast iron and clay products but I didn't see a thread on either of these so I thought I'd throw out some info for the younger folks.
Cast Iron:
I grew up at a time when cast iron was probably the only economical choice in metal for food preparation. I don't remember any family member ever cooking on anything but cast iron. It's advantages are enormous and about the only down side is weight (but that's an advantage in itself).
Cast iron is made from just that, cast iron. It is not only an excellent heat conductor, cast iron heats evenly and consistently, it is inexpensive and will last for generations with proper care. It's even an old-fashioned way to cook fat free.
You can choose from skillets, griddles, dutch ovens (stove type and camp type) and even cast iron pots. I have a great bean pot from my grandmother that is in excellent condition and still used. Not to mention my mother's dutch oven and several sizes of skillets. I'm currently in the market for a griddle.
Seasoning the cast iron:
The very first thing you want to do with cast iron is season it. Place the cleaned cast iron pan on a heated burner of your stove for a minute or two to make sure that it is bone dry. While the pan is still hot and on the stove burner, lightly oil inside of the pan (I mean a light coat) with a neutral cooking oil. Use vegetable oils (canola, sunflower, etc.), shortening (like Crisco shortening) or lard for seasoning your cast iron pans. Food-grade coconut oil/butter also works well.
What you are doing is opening the microscopic pores of the metal so the oil can actually penetrate into those pores.
Leave the pan on the hot burner of the stove for a few minutes. Remove from the hot burner and wipe excess oil off the pan with a paper towel.
You can do this in a medium hot oven as well. The oil will prevent food from sticking to the pan. As the cast iron cools down, the oil is trapped inside those pores and when you cook, the food won't stick because the oil is released as the pan heats up.
Once you have cooked in it, never allow food to sit in it. The acids in the food will dissolve the oil coating and pick up a metal taste. You're food will also stick without the coating.
Cleaning Cast Iron:
Never scrub your cast iron. You can wipe it out with a wet cloth. The food can usually be wiped away leaving a clean pan. Remember, the food didn't stick to the metal so you don't have to scrub it to get it clean. If you have any that does stick, use a plastic scraper to lightly scrape the food out. I always oil the pot/pan inside and out before putting it away. That ensures the pan won't rust and it will be ready to cook in the next time.
Always store your pot/pan with the lid off so humidity doesn't build up inside the pan. I also like to put a paper towel inside to absorb any moisture that might be attracted.
If you inherit a black old cast iron pot or pan don't think it's dirty. That's just a well seasoned, well used pan. What a present to receive!!
Clay Pots:
Clay pots are just so cool to cook in. Unglazed pots are soaked in water before using. Not only will you cook the food but the water will be released as steam so you steam the food at the same time. Since you aren't cooking off the food's juices you'll wind up with a juicier meal that retains a lot more of its nutrients and natural flavor.
When you purchase a pot, soak it and the lid (if you have one) in cool water for about 30 minutes. Clean both with a stiff brush to remove any clay dust. That's it! Each time you use it, just soak it in water for 10-15 minutes before using it.
You do need to be a bit more cautious with clay. It doesn't take sudden changes in temps very well so you won't preheat the oven. Place your meal in a cool oven then turn it on. Likewise, when you remove the pan, don't sit it on a stove burner, on the stove surface or on a metal rack. Instead, set it on a hot pad so it doesn't cool off too quickly.
Unglazed pots are different than other pots in that you have to raise your cooking temperature by 50-100 degrees. Remember, some of the heat is being used to convert the water in the pan to steam. You'll have to experiment with your stove to determine what the difference should be. And you don't want to start timing the meal until the oven is at temperature.
When cleaning the clay pot, make certain it is completely cool. Never use soap on the clay pot. It can be embedded in the pores of the pot and make your food taste soapy. Instead, just use warm water and a brush if you need to remove food that might have stuck to the surface.
If you have some really caked on food then you can sprinkle some salt or baking soda on it. Salt or soda will act as a mild abrasive to clean the pot. Once finished, rinse your pan and dry it well. Again, either store the lid separate from the pan or inverted so it doesn't seal the pan. If you store it inverted then slip some paper towels between them so you don't chip the clay ware. I always drop towel paper in mine to absorb any moisture because clay pots can mold if they remain wet.
Stoneware:
Stoneware is another really great way to cook. Like cast iron, stoneware has to be seasoned before you use. But seasoning stoneware is even easier than cast iron. Just spray the inside of the pan with a vegetable spray and cook away. You'll need to do that the first couple of times you use but once you have the stoneware seasoned you won't have to do it anymore.
Cleaning stoneware is a lot like cast iron. NEVER use soap. The stoneware can absorb the soap and leave your food tasting soapy. In addition, you'll remove the seasoning and food will stick. Instead, wait until your stoneware has cooled to room temperature then scrape off any food residue with a plastic scraper, wash with warm water and dry it. You'll notice a brown coloration start to form on the stoneware. That's exactly what you want to see. It starts to build a surface coating that aids the non-stick ability.
If you ever need to really clean stoneware, blend 3 tablespoons of water with 1/2 cup of baking soda. It should have the consistency of a paste. Spread this evenly over the stoneware and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Scrape off the mixture with a nylon or plastic scraper and rinse in hot water.
Always look for stoneware that has been fired at or above 2000F. We purchased ours from Pampered Chef and have never been disappointed with it. For Easter, my wife baked a hash brown potato casserole in one of ours. It had some cheese in it. I simply used a plastic scraper to remove the left over food by lightly scraping it then rinsed it in clear hot water. Cleaned up like a snap.
Quality stoneware is safe in conventional, convection and microwave ovens, and is freezer-safe!
Never place cast iron, clay or stoneware in a dishwasher.
I hope that helps. I don't think there is anything better than cast iron, clay or stoneware to cook in. It makes a real difference in the taste of the meal to me.
If anyone has any tips or ideas they would like to add, feel free.
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Originally Posted by Rick
sells a pretty good line of cast iron, at least for what you can find new today. 
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