# I just bought a cast iron skillet. What should I make? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782 "2010-01-13T13:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/1 "2010-01-13T13:48:13Z")
I bought a 12-inch Lodge skillet last night on the way home. I’m thinking about making steak, or possibly pan-seared sea scallops, but thought I’d petition the Dope for ideas. Got any good recipes for preparation in a cast iron skillet? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/2 "2010-01-13T13:57:04Z")
[Season it](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/preparation/cleaning-seasoning-cast-iron-skillet-10000001178519/index.html) (I don’t know whether to trust pre-seasoning or not). Secondly, I’d do some other types of frying in it to develop the patina before trying to do pan sears, steaks, blackening, etc. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/3 "2010-01-13T13:57:52Z")
Congratulations. I don’t know what to recommend you cook first, but it should probably be something high fat to help the seasoning (you did season the pan, right?). When I got my cast iron skillet it came “pre-seasoned” but still needed a good coat or two before it was perfect. I spent the first few cookings in it frying bacon, which worked a treat. After that I made fried potatoes then cornbread…so I am probably not the one to ask. But either a steak or scallops sound really good right now. I would recommend using lots of butter for either (both for the skillet’s sake and the food- yum). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/4 "2010-01-13T14:14:23Z")
I wouldn’t cook anything expensive or delicate in it until it’s well-seasoned. Scallops might be tainted by the taste of the iron. I’d wipe it with oil and plonk some potatoes in it to bake in the oven - seasoning it at the same time as cooking the spuds. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/5 "2010-01-13T14:17:05Z")
Moved IMHO --\> Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/6 "2010-01-13T15:38:42Z")
Bacon. Do that a couple of times, then do hash browns. Then you can move on to things like corn bread and fried chicken. ---
**Author:** ![slightly\_askew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@slightly\_askew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slightly_askew)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/7 "2010-01-13T15:38:59Z")
Cornbread. [This recipe](http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/mybestcornbread.htm) from Hillbilly Housewife is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/8 "2010-01-13T15:40:40Z")
At the risk of starting another war, that recipe is bogus. I got to “1/3 cup sugar” and quit reading. Damn Yankees. Try the one from **Joy Of Cooking** : Preheat your oven, with your cast iron pan in it, to 425F Sift together 3/4c All purpose flour 1 and 1/2c Yellow Corn Meal, the good stuff 4t Double Acting Baking Powder 2t Salt 3T Cane Sugar 1/4t Cayenne Pepper Whisk together 1c Milk 2 Eggs Melt or Soften in the now hot Skillet 1/4c Butter, but Bacon Drippings would be better Combine all of the above and mix together pour into the skillet and bake for 25 minutes. This is a great base for adding cheese, bacon, jalapenos, and whatever else you want to add. ---
**Author:** ![slightly\_askew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@slightly\_askew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slightly_askew)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/9 "2010-01-13T15:44:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > At the risk of starting another war, that recipe is bogus. I got to “1/3 cup sugar” and quit reading. > > Damn Yankees. You are missing out. Sorry if it’s not up to your requirements, it’s still very tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/10 "2010-01-19T15:30:18Z")
The pan was pre-seasoned, but as postulated above the factory-conditioned seasoning did not stand up on its own. I cooked bacon & eggs, then seared a couple steaks. The bacon came out good (how can you mess up bacon, anyhow?), and the steaks came out really good despite the fact that I didn’t get the pan hot enough. I’ve oiled & baked the pan a few times before, between and after. The pan isn’t great yet, but has potential. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/11 "2010-01-19T17:58:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > At the risk of starting another war, that recipe is bogus. I got to “1/3 cup sugar” and quit reading. > > Damn Yankees. Not a whole lot of difference, is there, between 1/3 cup sugar and 3T. Isn’t 3T equal to 1/4 cup? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/12 "2010-01-19T18:09:34Z")
It’s enough. Besides, I never use that much sugar anyway. I’d leave it out entirely, but the texture suffers. We broke in the newly acquired 10" skillet last night with steaks. Turns out that sitting in my mother’s closet for 5 years didn’t damage the seasoning of the pan much at all. No rust spots at all, just a smooth black surface. I’m still trying to decide what to do first on the griddle. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/13 "2010-01-19T18:27:55Z")
> [@VernWinterbottom](#): > > Not a whole lot of difference, is there, between 1/3 cup sugar and 3T. Isn’t 3T equal to 1/4 cup? Four tablespoons in a quarter-cup, not three. A third of a cup is 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon, FWIW, giving the Hillbilly Housewife recipe almost 80% more sugar than **silenus** ’s recipe. (I’ve got no dog in this fight, being an NYC gal who’s only made cornbread a couple of times, never in a cast-iron skillet.) ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/14 "2010-01-19T20:30:02Z")
> [@GilaB](#): > > Four tablespoons in a quarter-cup, not three. Sorry. Apologies to silenus. FWIW I don’t like my cornbread too sweet. I know, though, that Joy of Cooking gives quite a range of proportions of cornmeal, flour and sugar in its description of cornbread. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/15 "2010-01-20T01:17:48Z")
I just got a Lodge skillet in September and I’m still working on the coating. I’d like to be able to do salmon on it, but so far it tastes delicious but looks awful!! It’s the grill pan- I am going to make clam chowder this week to go with all this lovely, lovely rain, so will use the cast iron to fry my bacon :). ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/16 "2010-01-20T15:05:13Z")
**silenus** , enough ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-bought-a-cast-iron-skillet-what-should-i-make/524782/17 "2010-01-20T15:20:43Z")
People – it’s just cornbread (yeah, yeah, I know, that obviously shows my utter cluelessness). Point being – this thread is about cooking with a cast iron skillet, not how much sugar to put (or not put) in your cornbread. Try to stay on topic, and try not to impugn each others’ characters. Thanks, twickster, Cafe Society moderator