kitchen tips – In Good Taste

How-To: Season a Cast Iron Skillet

Maris Callahan — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 21:00:23 +0000

If there is one thing every cook, beginner to advanced, should have in their kitchen, it’s a cast iron skillet. It’s one of my most used kitchen tools and is as perfect for stovetop cooking or frying as it is for baking a batch of brownies or a skillet chocolate chip cookie. You can use a cast iron skillet for most anything as long as you take the time to maintain it and keep it in good condition. Before you begin to use it, you must “season” your cast-iron skillet, which makes it super easy to clean. You can take your cast iron from stovetop to oven because it can withstand the super-high temperatures. How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet Step 1: Gather Your Materials To season a cast iron skillet, you need a few materials that you probably already have in your kitchen: dish soap, a sponge or stiff dishwashing brush, a kitchen towel (paper towels will work too) and vegetable oil or shortening. I’ve used olive oil for this step, but there is no reason to use your highest quality, expensive oils here. Store brand shortening or vegetable oil will do just fine. Step 2: Preheat Your Oven […]

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Kitchen Tip: Knife Skills

Maris Callahan — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Every budding chef needs a chef’s knife, which has a broad, tapered shape and a fine sharp edge. Every chef also needs to learn a few basic knife skills (are you thinking about the scene in Julie & Julia where Julia Child was chopping piles of onions?). Chefs knives are designed so they rock on a cutting board as they cut food. A dull knife is more likely to slip during cutting, putting your hands and fingers at risk of accidental injury. A razor-sharp knives make cooking a far easier, quicker task and can help make your food look more visually appealing. You can cut perfect cubes, ribbon-thin julienne vegetables and perfect minces; no more unwieldy chunks of onion in your favorite marinara sauce. Here are a few knife skills basics to get you started. Use sharp knives If you’re sharpening your own knives at home, you can use whetsone or a steel rod to refresh your blades. Also, most kitchen stores offer knife sharpening services that will do it for you for a small cost. No matter how you decide to sharpen your knife, it’s important to start with the right blade. According to our friends at Fine Cooking, one size does not […]

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