While you technically can use a heat-resistant plastic spatula on traditional raw cast iron, it is generally not recommended. Plastic easily softens or melts when left against a hot skillet, and softer materials lack the rigid edge needed to properly scrape up crispy, caramelized food bits.
A cast iron skillet is ruined primarily by rust from soaking or improper drying, warping from extreme thermal shock (like cold water on a hot pan), or cracking if dropped. While most seasoning issues are reversible, letting rust cause deep pitting, or fracturing the iron, destroys the cookware permanently.
Instead, Amidor recommends “cooking with cast iron once or twice a week, especially if someone has iron-deficiency anemia and no issues with too much iron in their diet.” Preparing a more acidic dish, or something with a lot of moisture, is likely to absorb more iron from your pot or pan.
Metal spatulas or tongs might seem like the tough choice needed for such rugged pans, but they can scratch or chip the cooking surface if not used carefully. Opting for silicone or wooden utensils can prevent damage, keeping your cast iron in pristine condition even under high heat and heavy use.
What Not to Cook in a Cast-Iron Skillet
Yes, you can absolutely use Dawn dish soap on cast iron.
Yes, you absolutely use oil in a cast iron skillet. It is essential for cooking to prevent sticking and for maintaining the protective, non-stick "seasoning" layer. High smoke point oils like vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil are ideal for cooking and seasoning.
The best oils and fats for seasoning cast iron have high smoke points and polymerize easily into a slick, durable, non-stick layer. The top choices are:
The most important factor when choosing cooking utensils for cast iron is they must be able to withstand high temperatures. Wood, metal, and silicone are safe; plastic is not. At Field Company, we generally prefer using natural materials so we're going to focus on wood and metal (stainless steel).
Iron deficiency occurs when your body lacks enough iron to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs throughout your body. When oxygen levels drop, you can experience a variety of physical and mental symptoms.
Health Benefits: If you're wondering whether cast iron or pure iron is better for your health, the good news is that both are excellent. They both leach small amounts of natural iron into your food, helping to boost your daily intake. Maintenance: Both need seasoning with oil to stay rust-free and smooth.
The fastest, most effective way to increase low iron levels is through prescription-grade oral supplements or an intravenous (IV) iron infusion, which a doctor will recommend based on the severity of your deficiency.
Cast iron skillets can last a lifetime—and even last for generations when cared for properly. Because they are built from a single, durable piece of metal, they do not wear out like traditional non-stick pans. Even if a pan develops rust or loses its seasoning, it can almost always be stripped down and restored.
Soaking a cast iron skillet for a few minutes to loosen stuck-on food won't ruin it, but leaving it to soak for hours or overnight can cause significant damage. Extended soaks soften the seasoning layer and allow water to reach the bare metal, resulting in rust.
A black residue on your paper towel is normal. It is usually just loose carbon from burned food or seasoning, or harmless magnetite (black iron oxide) that builds up on cast iron. Your pan is perfectly safe, but you may need to adjust how you clean it.
The first forms of cookware were made of clay or stone and were used to cook food on fire.
Yes, Dawn dish soap is perfectly safe for a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Modern mild dish soaps are gentle enough to remove food debris and grease without stripping the pan's polymerized non-stick coating (seasoning).
We don't recommend using beef tallow, lard, or ghee to season your skillet because it can go rancid.
And they seasoned their cookware with lard. That was all they had. Unbeknownst to the ladies, the level of polyunsaturated fats in lard is the perfect ratio for making that glass like finish in a skillet. The advancement of technology has brought us many good things but, some things should have been left alone.
For a factory pre-seasoned pan, you only need to season it 1 to 2 times before cooking, or you can start cooking immediately. For a completely bare or stripped skillet, you will need 3 to 5 layers of seasoning to build a proper non-stick surface before your first use.
The best oils for cast iron skillets are refined, neutral-tasting oils with high smoke points like avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil. These oils bond easily to the metal to create a slick, durable, and non-stick seasoning layer without leaving a lingering taste.
Cast iron rusts when exposed to moisture for long periods. A water soak can undo months of seasoning and require a full restoration. Wash quickly with warm water and a soft brush while the pan is still warm. Dry it immediately on low heat until all moisture evaporates.
Yes, you can absolutely use a small amount of mild dish soap on a well-seasoned cast-iron pan. The old "no soap" rule is a myth from generations ago when soaps contained harsh lye, which stripped the pan's protective seasoning. Modern dish soaps are gentle and safe to use.