Introduction

Cast-iron cookware requires an investment in time and care not necessary with other types. But if you make the initial investment, you’ll be pleased, and may ignore some of the other pieces you own in favor of cast iron. So whether you’ve found grandma’s old skillet that held piles of pancakes on Saturday mornings, or you’ve just seen a cooking show and decided to give these pans a try, you’ll be challenged and satisfied. After you’ve used your pans for a while, you may even find yourself bragging about them to your friends and family.

Cooking in cast iron doesn’t limit you to grandma’s American classics like cornbread, pancakes, and bacon-fried everything. Cast iron’s durability makes it a great choice, no matter what cuisine you’re cooking. In cast-iron cookware, you can make a West African chicken stew, a pot of Belgian mussels, or even a sweet and tangy pork dish from Iceland. The recipes you’ll find here are inspired by these cuisines, and most of the ingredients needed are available at your local grocery store.

All of these dishes can, and should, be made in the cast-iron pans you’re likely to find at your local department store, hardware store, or high-end cooking store. The iconic shiny, black skillet is the most commonly used pan you’ll find, but Dutch ovens, griddles, grill pans, chicken fryers, and a wide variety of bakeware can be found easily as well. And as you’ll discover, newer isn’t necessarily better. So go through grandma’s attic, visit flea markets and yard sales, or shop online to find the pan that may transform how you cook, think about cooking, and how you enjoy the world’s cuisines.