You’ve undoubtedly heard about the joys and charms of preparing food with cast iron skillets and pans. I have several and I use them daily, but you maybe haven’t been persuaded to buy them yet. Many individuals who do not cook with cast iron pans find them to be big, heavy, and costly, which deters them from purchasing them. 

The fact is, cast iron offers a plethora of fantastic advantages, and once you’ve used one, you’ll never be able to go back. If you’re ready to dip your toes into the realm of cooking with a cast iron pan, here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for one. 

Be Prepared: Cast Iron Is Heavy 

The first piece of advice is to anticipate the cast iron pan to be heavy going into the process. The pans will vary in weight, with some being heavier than others. However, this is one of their advantages since they can withstand a wide range of environments.

The thing to remember, though, is that although a heavy cast iron pan is a good thing, it’s not so good if you can’t even lift it to use it properly, especially when it’s full of delicious food. Therefore, although you can buy these pans online, it’s usually best to go and try them out in the store. Hold the display model, move it around, and be really honest about whether you would be comfortable using it on a daily basis to cook your food in. 

What Size Do You Need? 

Another consideration is the size of the cast iron pan. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, so make sure your first one is adaptable and lets you cook a wide range of dishes and meals. An example of something you could cook easily in such a pan is the shredded Brussel sprouts recipe here. 

This means you should generally go with a medium-sized pan, one that is neither too little nor too huge. You can search up shops online to see what sizes are available, but as we previously said, it’s preferable to see them in person to be sure. As a beginner skillet/pan, experts often recommend one that is 10.25′′ or 12′′ in diameter.

Wash It First 

When you bring a cast iron pan home, be careful to clean it before use. The initial wash should just include hot water and soap. ‘Washing’ will take on a new meaning in the future. Did you know that if you follow the care recommendations, your pan will only need to be cleaned once or twice a year with water and soap? After each usage, just rinse the pan with hot water, and if there are any stuck-on particles, remove them with a gentle brush. If anything is caked on, create a scrub with oil and salt to clean it.

It’s amazing how much use these cast iron pans can be in the kitchen and how little you need to do to take care of them compared to other pieces of kitchen equipment. This is one of the many reasons why they are so popular today.