Publisher Description

Warm, crumbly cornbread. Chicken sizzling in the pan. Childhood memories filled with delicious, home-cooked dishes and your family there to enjoy it with you. Cast iron's popularity faded in the '70s-replaced by chemically processed cookware-but today's cooks are reigniting a passion for wholesome cast-iron-cooked meals. This ain't your grandma's kitchen-caring for and cooking with cast iron is easy, healthy, and totally Pinterest worthy.In Modern Cast Iron, self-proclaimed cast-iron connoisseur Ashley L. Jones recaptures the ease and joy of cooking with cast-iron cookware. Jones introduces readers to the best brands and types of cast-iron cookware to fulfill any cook's needs. She offers detailed tips and tricks for rescuing old, rusted pans and keeping them properly seasoned, and she shares recommendations for the best cooking oil for every recipe. With Jones's help, both experienced and beginner cooks will be able to rival grandma's cooking. Chock-full of stories from Jones's own childhood growing up with cast-iron meals, as well as recipe after tantalizing recipe-from breakfast quiche to gluten-free meals and beautiful blueberry cobbler-Modern Cast Iron explores the countless ways that cast iron benefits health and happiness. A comprehensive guide to all things cast iron and home-style cookin', Modern Cast Iron offers a new way for cooks to spice up the kitchen using all-natural tools and ingredients.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. A Family Tradition
2. A Return to Cast Iron
3. Shopping for Cast Iron
4. Healthy Cast Iron
5. Caring for Cast Iron
6. Cooking with Cast Iron
Conclusion

Review

This is a very well written and lavishly illustrated guide. . . . Five stars. - Nonstop Reader This easy-to-digest reference will be a boon to home cooks new to cast-iron cooking (Publishers Weekly) Jones' message of food and family resonates even more at a time when so many of us are staying home and sharing more meals as a family. - Rochelle Koff (TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT) This is a great book for anyone who is interested in expanding their cast iron knowledge. If you are a pro, or a newbie, you'll find a new piece of information in this book, guaranteed. (Stuffed Shelves) The author writes in a warm, personable style—and with great love of subject. After reading Modern Cast Iron, not only will you be hungry, you will understand why cast iron cookware becomes a family treasure shared through generations. - Virginia C. (Booked Solid with Virginia C) Cast-iron cookware is far from just dark, heavy pieces of metal that come to life when heat and food are added. In its own way, cast iron purveys sustenance, comfort, family memories, and a sense of 'home.' I have cast-iron skillets in every size, and I use at least one almost every day. Nothing better than cooking my Grands recipe in her skillet to make you fill right at home. This cookbook covers all the basics from buying, to seasoning and then cooking and keeping it in good condition to pass on to the next generation. - Lisa K. (Lisa's Everyday Life) Most people who are strongly against using soap on cast iron products had the lesson passed down to them from a parent or grandparent. There was a good reason for that, according to Ashley L. Jones, author of Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More ($22, Amazon). "Our grandmothers told us to never, ever use soap or it would remove the pan's seasoning," Jones tells FIRST. "They were right, because the soap used back then contained lye which will strip a cast iron pan down to the silver." However, Jones explains that today's dish soap is a much milder detergent that she claims is perfectly safe to use on cast iron. "And if you're cooking up a pan full of shrimp alfredo, you're definitely going to want to wash it before baking a cobbler for dessert!" - Jess Catcher (First for Women) Everything you ever wanted to know about cast iron and more! That's what you'll get in Ashley L. Jones' Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More. . . . This excellent cookbook is "Cast Iron 101" and should be sitting on everyone's cookbook shelf. The recipes are excellent, they work well (at least the Peach Dutch Baby, Robby's Quiche (yum), and Shirley's Rice were perfect so far), and the instructions are easy-to-follow. . . . You'll want to pick up a good set of cast iron cookware to start cooking; the book will tell you what you need, and then when you get it, start using it, and find you love it, the book will tell you how to take care of it so that it will last several lifetimes. Highly Recommended. - Karen Hancock (BellaOnline) Every proper Southern kitchen requires a few essential tools, and a good cast iron pan is foremost among them. Perfect for everything from frying chicken to baking cornbread to searing steaks, this do-it-all vessel produces flavor that today's nonstick pans just can't duplicate. "Cast-iron connoisseur" Ashley L. Jones, a Tallahassee-based blogger, professes her own love for this cookware in this beautifully photographed volume filled with classic recipes and tips. - Kelli Bozeman (inRegister) The recipes within are simple, but since one of the main obstacles for home cooks is how to adapt their recipes for cast-iron cookware, this is where Modern Cast Iron proves its worth. A useful primer for a cook just starting out with cast iron. - Suzanne Krohn (ShelfAwareness)

Prizes

Runner-up for ABF Best Book Award 2020 (United States)

Review Quote

"This easy-to-digest reference will be a boon to home cooks new to cast-iron cooking"

Excerpt from Book

Seasoning The trick to cooking with cast iron is to understand--and respect--the seasoning. And I''m not talking about salt and pepper. In the context of cast iron, seasoning is oil baked onto the iron, which gives it a natural, nonstick finish. It sounds simple enough, but the science behind this process is pretty neat, and it helps us understand which oils are most effective at creating that nonstick coating. When fat is heated at a certain temperature for a while, it polymerizes, which means hundreds of molecules link together through the formation of chemical bonds. When that fat is heated in a cast-iron pan, it creates a plastic-like layer of large polymers that are trapped within the pitted surface of the pan and are partly bonded to the iron itself. In other words, by applying oil to your pan and then heating that oil, you can create a fairly durable nonstick coating. (Too much heat is a bad thing, though. At a certain temperature, oil begins to decompose and emit harmful fumes. This temperature, called the oil''s smoke point, is addressed under Choosing Your Oil in this chapter.) While all cast iron is sold preseasoned, this nonstick coating is not invincible. Acidic foods, harsh soaps, dampness, and even neglect can reduce the effectiveness of--or even destroy--the seasoning. That''s why it''s important for you to understand how to season (or cure) your pan. Through research and trial and error, I''ve discovered two main ways to season cast iron, giving it what I call a light seasoning or a deep seasoning. Light Seasoning You can use light seasoning in the following circumstances: - After cleaning or cooking. - Whenever you see dull patches develop on your pan or food begins to stick. Clean the pan, removing any bits of food and cooking oil. Heat the pan on the stove on medium heat for a couple minutes. Add about a teaspoon of oil to the pan. (See Choosing Your Oil in this chapter for helpful info on which oil is best for light seasoning.) Wad up a paper towel and, using tongs, wipe the oil around the inside of the pan. Continue to rub oil into the pan as it''s heated until the pan looks dark and shiny. Remove any remaining oil residue to avoid a sticky buildup. While heating, watch the pan carefully and adjust the temperature as needed. Let the oil get to the smoke point, and then turn off the heat. To create a good seasoning, it''s important for the oil to reach this point, but you don''t want it