A cast iron skillet is one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen. It easily goes from stove top to grill to campfire, and offers excellent heat distribution. Here are 25 of our favorite cast iron skillet recipes.
Grilled Steak Bites in a red wine sauce cooked in a cast iron skillet are absolutely irresistible!
If you’ve received your Grandma’s old cast iron skillet, or bought a set from an estate sale, you already know benefit #1:
Cast iron lasts forever. Unless you drop it on concrete or take a hammer to it, cast iron is not going to melt, chip or break.
Once the pan is hot, it stays hot. If you want to geek out with us, cast iron has a whopping .64 emissivity rating, which means that when you’re cooking in it, you’re not just cooking the surface in contact with the metal, but you’re cooking a good deal of food above it as well. This is great for searing steak, or keeping soups warm at a potluck. The best way to make sure your skillet or dutch oven is heated evenly is to preheat it in the oven, or over an even fire or grill.
The more you use it, the better it becomes. What is this mysterious “seasoning” you always here about in relation to cast iron? Seasoning is when the skillet is rubbed with oil and heated repeatedly, causing the oil to polymerize. That’s right, it’s not just residual oil, it’s chemically altered and bonded to the metal. This is what makes cast iron non-stick. So go ahead and scrub with soap, it’s not going to come off. You can read this Serious Eats article for more details.
Cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet
What Cast Iron Pieces Should I Buy?
We fell in love with Finex Cast Iron years ago. We have a 10″ skillet, a Dutch Oven, and a sauce pan, and love them all. These are handmade in Portland, Oregon and aren’t cheap, but they will be smoother than less expensive brands.
Lodge Cast Iron is our go to for a more affordable purchase for someone just starting out. They also have a great variety of grilling specific pieces as well. Either makes for an amazing heirloom gift for the food lovers in your life. Both come pre-seasoned.
Scallops in a 10″ Finex Skillet
Caring for Cast Iron
There are a lot of misperceptions on cast iron care.
The number ONE thing you should never do is leave it sitting in water soaking. Ever. Over time you erode the seasoning and rust can more easily develop.
You CAN use dish soap if you want. But remember rule one – don’t let it soak. And be sure to oil it again.
If you have a lot of stuff on it add water and bring to a simmer. After 5 minutes use a long stiff brush to remove all the junk in the pan.
Consider special tools like a chainmail tool that scrapes cast iron.
Whenever you have finished cooking and cleaning your cast iron add a touch of oil to the pan and scrub it with a paper towel. This keeps it looking shiny and protects that precious investment.
What Can You Cook in Cast Iron?
You can cook just about anything in cast iron. On the stove you can use it to sear fish or meat. On the grill you can use it like a flat top griddle to cook eggs or pancakes. Over a fire you can use a cast iron skillet to roast nuts or make a melty cheese fondue. Lastly in the oven you can bake brownies, bread, and more. Read on for our favorite Cast Iron Skillet recipes.
Appetizers on the Grill
When you’re already outside grilling the main dish, add one of these appetizers to the grill for friends and family to nibble on before dinner.
1
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Pull Apart Bread Recipe
Tangy and rich Buffalo style pull apart bread grilled to golden brown perfection. Great in the oven as well.
Grilled Baked Brie with a homemade blackberry jam is an excellent holiday party appetizer! Use fresh or frozen blackberries for one of the best appetizer recipes.
A jazzed up Queso Bean Dip featuring ground sausage, green chilies, smoky chipotle pinto beans, and real shredded cheese. Smoky Chipotle Bean and Sausage Queso dip is a fantastic dip for summer cookouts, tailgating, or even camping.
Brisket Nachos are the perfect use for leftover smoked beef brisket. Create a rich chili out of leftover brisket and use that chili to make indulgent, spicy, cheesy, nachos.
Smoked meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese, slowly smoked on the grill, and then finished with a BBQ sauce glaze. These are the ultimate game day food or appetizer for your next gathering.
An incredible use for leftover pulled pork. Pulled Pork Nachos. These were made with smoked pulled pork, but you don’t have to have smoked pork to make these indulgent nachos. Can be cooked in the oven or directly on the grill.
Cooking on a cast iron pan is like a one pot meal! These dishes are all cooked in the cast iron pot and on the grill. These recipes couldn’t be easier.
10
Grilled Garlic Chardonnay Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp in a cast iron pan finished with a chardonnay, wine, and, garlic pan sauce.
Grilled Scallops Recipe with White Wine Butter Sauce
A rich and buttery white wine pan sauce with grilled scallops cooked in a cast iron pan directly on the grill. Rich and tender flavor and ready in less than 10 minutes.
A Classic Shepherd's Pie recipe cooked on any grill or smoker for great smoky flavor. This recipe is easy, healthy, delicious and perfect for your St. Patrick's Day celebrations!
Ham and Potato Breakfast Hash made with smoked ham leftover from your holiday dinner. Learn how to make an incredible breakfast hash with any leftover meats and vegetables you have.
Mussels cooked on the grill in a steaming broth of garlic, shallots, white wine, and herbs. Don't forget the crusty bread to soak up all that delicious broth.
Sausage Gravy starts by smoking the sausage, and then adding layers of flavor into the gravy for a savory jam-packed bite. This recipe provides is an easy way to add a ton of flavor to your favorite breakfast biscuits.
We'll email this to you AND teach you how to smoke the perfect turkey.
Campfire Cast Iron Recipes
No meal is complete without a scrumptious dessert! These cast iron skillet dessert recipes can be baked over the campfire, on the grill, or in the oven, wherever you happen to be!
27
Skillet Brownies on the Grill
Made to be dense and rich in chocolate, these Skillet Brownies are cooked on the grill and then topped with a chocolate drizzle and vanilla bean ice cream. Gluten free.
How to make a traditional apple crisp on the grill. Grilled Apple Crisp is going to become your new favorite fall dessert! It's also the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving dinner!
Thank you for being part of our community. If you make any of our dishes we’d love to see them on social media using the hashtag #vindulge and give it a 5 star review.
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I'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, founder of Vindulge, and author of Fire + Wine cookbook. Thanks for stopping by!
