If you were lucky enough to inherit a cast-iron skillet that your great-grandmother perhaps had, you’ll know just how versatile they can be, however, there are also a select few foods that should never be cooked in one. You might be pleased to know that this advice more for the preservation of your skillet itself rather than health reasons. Here are five foods that should never be cooked in one:
1. Tomato Sauce
This sauce, together with any other kind of acidic sauce, should not be cooked in a cast-iron skillet, because you’ll end up ruining its seasoning and end up with a finished product that tastes like metal. Use a non-stick pan instead.
2. Sticky Desserts
Although the depth of a cast-iron skillet makes it seem like they were made for cooking multi-layered desserts in, its textured surface simply can’t handle items that are particularly sticky. What’s more is that your sweet dessert will likely take on the savory flavor of the skillet’s seasoning. That’s definitely not how you want your desserts to taste!
3. Fried Rice
Many traditional fried rice recipes call for the use of a cast-iron skillet, however, it simply isn’t the best advice to follow. That’s because rice tends to stick to surfaces, meaning that the integrity of the seasoned skillet’s surface will become compromised. If you want to pass on your cast-iron wonder someday, then it’s better to use a wok for frying rice instead.
4. Delicate Fish
Cod, tilapia, and flounder all make for healthy, light meals, but none of those delicate fish should be prepared in a cast-iron skillet. That’s because they have a tendency to stick to anything other than enamel. On the other hand, thicker fish such as tuna and salmon steaks are perfect for cooking in a cast-iron skillet.
5. Omelets
Viscous eggs don’t belong anywhere near a cast-iron skillet – that is unless yours has a proven track record of having omelets sliding right off of it.
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