The Iron Throne: History of the Cast Iron Skillet
Step aside, titanium, cast iron is still king.
Super lightweight cookware is all the rage right now in the camping industry. Vendors like SnowPeak and others have invested in tooling out cookware from titanium and other high-end alloys. However, many have forgotten the time tested, and arguably the most foolproof tool of them all—the cast iron skillet.
Iron has an innate ability to withstand introduction to very high temperatures. Plus, it also maintains temperature well, which makes it the common choice for searing, frying, stewing and braised dishes. These qualities make it perfect for pans and dutch ovens you’ll use to cook directly to open flame, coals, and campfires. Continuous use seasons the surface of the cookware, and creates a non-stick surface as oil and grease penetrate the porous iron surface.
These ultra high-quality iron pieces of history are still in use today. Many are rescues, from former owners that were not willing to put up with the maintenance of cast iron. With the right amount of love, you can recondition cast iron skillets back to their glory days. Soon, you’ll be producing the finest eggs and bacon this world has ever known!
So, step aside titanium, iron is still king.
Photo by Julia Filirovska
History of Cast Iron
Cast iron skillets has been around for thousands of years, ever since, you guessed it, the Iron Age. These ancient iron vessels were valuable kitchen items, just as durable as they were able to retain heat and distribute it evenly, which greatly improved the quality of the meals. The kitchen stove, and the even more modern gas range, is a product of the last 150 years of innovation. Before that, cooking was done in a hearth, or fireplace, where the direct exposure to open flame made it difficult to regulate temperature. Because of the heat retention properties of ductile iron, heat distributes evenly throughout the exposed surface reducing hotspots and ensuring consistent heat penetration. Additionally, changes to temperature input by the inconsistent flames meant that the heat entering the cooking food was more consistent.
At the start of the 20th century, cast iron cookware became extremely popular with people of all sorts, from homeowners to chefs and everywhere in between. Because of its popularity, American companies like Griswold and Wagner Ware produced some of the finest cast iron products the world has ever known, up until their demise in the 1950s. In the ‘60s and ‘70s with the invention of Teflon and the widespread post-war use of aluminum, heavy cast iron fell out of use as the primary cooking vessel of kitchens. However, its durability and reliability meant that it has survived. While still recommended by most cooks and chefs, it has earned a never-ending champion title of the camping world by those who can afford to pack its weight around.
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Editor’s Note: A version of this story previously appeared on treadmagazine.com in March 2018.
