So, after hearing everyone from Alton Brown to Scylla sing the praises of steak seared in a cast iron skillet, I decided to give it a shot and bought a cheap cast iron skillet (not sure of the brand; it cost me about $14 at Target). I’m sure someone will be along shortly to scold me for buying a pre-seasoned skillet, but it was cheap and I was hungry.
Well, I’ve cooked two steaks so far with pretty good results; one was a bit too rare, one was a bit too well-done, but both were pretty damn tasty nonetheless. My question is, what now? What foods cook particularly well in cast iron? Are there any foods I should avoid cooking in cast iron?
Also, I’d like to make sure I maintain this thing properly. Below is a quick run-through of what I know about cast iron care, based on what I’ve read:
[ul]
[li]Coat in oil over low to medium heat for about 90 seconds before cooking[/li][li]Clean while hot with water and a wire brush[/li][li]NEVER clean with soap[/li][/ul]
Have I got that right? Two questions jump out: First, will a wire brush damage the skillet or wear away the oil coating on it? Second, is there any risk of warping the pan by running water over it while it’s still hot? Is there anything else I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance.