Luke Cuenco   04.18.22

Cooking with cast iron is basically an American tradition. While many other types of pans might feature superior non-stick capabilities and might be easier to clean. Cast iron is undoubtedly the best in its class for heat distribution and retention and is well known for being tough as nails. Cast Iron cookware can be great to bring along with you camping or just to have at home and can be tossed on the grill, in the oven, or even over an open flame to get your meal just how you want it. Today we’ll go over the best USA-made Cast Iron Cooking implements you can buy to either round out your cast iron inventory or start a brand new one on the right foot.

Lodge Cast Iron is probably the most well-known cast iron manufacturer that is made right here in the good ole USA. Lodge cast iron also happens to be the oldest cast-iron company and was founded in 1896 by Joseph Lodge in my current home state of Tennessee where the company still operates to this day. Not only are cast iron pans some of the best and most trusted cast iron pans in the industry, but they are also insanely affordable making them a common sight in kitchens spanning from the gulf coast all the way up to the pacific northwest. This 12-inch skillet option can be the core of your cast iron cookware collection and can handle all three meals and even dessert if you really wanted it to.

Cast Iron has great heat retention capabilities but that same heat retention and distribution applies to all parts of the pan. Even if you’re not going to use this with a Lodge Cast iron pan, any cast iron pan that has an assist handle (the handle opposite of the primary handle) can benefit from this handle and affordable little tool. Made in the USA from high-quality silicone, and available in a variety of colors, this one will save your hands from getting torched and even offer a limited amount of protection to the more angular parts of your cast iron skillets.

Made in Lancaster Pennsylvania by highly skilled Amish artisans, this 5-piece set of cooking utensils is made from Pennsylvania Black Cherry wood and includes all the most common tools you’d use with your cast iron including a 12″ spoon, spatial, slotted spoon, fork, and risotto spoon. Wooden utensils are great because they resist heat well, won’t scratch your cast iron, and as an added benefit, look great in the kitchen. These 5-piece sets are also available in Walnut and Maple wood varieties so that you can match your utensils to the rest of your kitchen.

An unfortunate downside of cast iron is that it’s very easy to get dirty and although we do our best to keep them seasoned properly, sometimes our attention goes somewhere else and some scraping, and reasoning will need to be done. Old methods of taking care of cast iron can be time-consuming and difficult but thankfully lodge has simplified the process with their 5-piece seasoned cast iron care kit. This care kit comes with seasoning spray, a polycarbonate pan scraper for those burnt bits of food, a silicone handle holder rated up to 500°F, a nylon scrub brush to brush away food and excess grease, and finally a small use and care booklet for newcomers to the cast iron gang.

Skillets are great for cooking quick meals but when it comes to boiling water or making a nice hearty slow-cooked stew for the entire camp, a dutch oven is a superior choice. Lodge makes some very fine and versatile cast iron dutch ovens but I particularly like the FINEX brand for its combination of higher quality construction, octagonal shape, integrated pour spouts, and twin stainless steel speed cool handles. Each FINEX cast iron dutch oven is made by hand and usually takes about 11 hours from start to finish to complete. If you’re looking for a high-end cast iron dutch oven that can heat food for a group of people, check out this 5-qt option sold at home depot.

Contrary to popular belief and lore, you should clean your cast iron pan after you use it. Not only is leftover food and excess grease unsanitary, but it can also lead to unnecessary buildup in your pan which could great burnt spots of food and also ruin the pan’s natural nonstick capabilities.

You should clean your cast iron cookware after it has cooled with a scraper for the tougher spots and a non-scratch scrub sponge for the rest of it. If you’re particularly worried about excess grease or difficult spots, a small amount of mild dish soap should be enough to cut through any excess grease.

However, under no circumstances should you soak or allow water to stand inside your cast iron – this will very quickly cause rust. After each cleaning, you should give your pan a nice fresh coat of cooking oil to keep it from rusting from the ambient moisture.

There are lots of good tutorials on the internet on how to clean up and restore a rusty cast iron pan to its former glory. Essentially there are just a few small steps that step away from the normal cleaning procedure and you’ll have to re-season it in order to cook with it again and restore its natural non-stick capabilities.

Enameled cast iron is still cast iron but features an enamel coating over the cast iron which prevents the cookware from rusting. Unlike pre-seasoned cast iron, the porcelain glass is quite fragile when compared to the underlying cast iron but it’s also pretty versatile and can be used to marinate and refrigerate foods as its enamel coating protects it from any heavily alkaline or acidic foods. Enamel is probably best suited for baking and medium-heat applications. They each offer their own advantages and disadvantages and my recommendation would be to try out both and I’m certain you’ll find very specific uses for each type.

Luke is currently a full-time writer for TheFirearmBlog.com, OvertDefense.com, AllOutdoor.com, and of course, OutdoorHub.com. Luke is a competitive shooter, firearms enthusiast, reloader, outdoorsman, and generally takes an interest in anything that has to do with the great outdoors. Luke is also a private certified pilot and is currently pursuing his commercial pilot's license in the hopes of becoming a professional pilot. Some of Luke's other interests include anything to do with aviation, aerospace and military technology, and American Conservancy efforts. Instagram: @ballisticaviation YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BallisticAviation thefirearmblog.com/blog/author/luke-c/ overtdefense.com/author/luke-c/ alloutdoor.com/author/lukec/

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