Your favorite cast iron recipe

dcxplant

Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2011
Messages
1,284
Reaction score
845
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
I'll start, Mine: a version of Puttanesca

1&1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1cup calamatta olives, halved
4 toes garlic
Italian herbs
Four thin slices of mozzarella
Chicken broth
Olive oil
Peanut oil (any high temp oil)
4 bone on skinless chicken breasts

Heat skillet on outdoor gas grill hot. Add high heat oil coat pan, brown breasts flesh side down.

Flip chicken flesh up, dump garlic/tomatoes/olives/ into skillet.

Place a slice of mozzarella on each breast.

Close lid of grill, medium heat, for about :20 or until chicken is done on thermometer. Cheese should be brown and crispy. Usually by the time the cheese is perfect the chicken is too. I don't temp the chicken anymore, but until you get a feel for it check it for doneness.

Add the broth if you want extra liquid.

I like to add the broth with a little corn starch to thicken, and serve over linguini.
 
Register to hide this ad
I got a favorite cake recipe, a favorite spaghetti sauce recipe and a favorite chili recipe.

Ain't got no cast iron recipe, though. Ain't never tried cookin' no cast iron.

How long you got to stew it afore it's tender enough to chew?
 
Did someone say "BACON" in my cast iron skillet.:D

When I fry bacon, I fold the bacon in half, both sides come out crisp, the center chewy, try it you'll like it.
 
I have a real good recipe for "Dew"!

First get ya a small skillet...

Place the Dew in the skillet...

Place over a good fire...

But make darn sure you open the can first!!:D

skillet2.jpg
 
Take a whole backstrap from a deer, slice it approx 2" thick.

Take a fork and poke it all over to allow marinade to get into the middle of the steak. Place in bowl and pour Worcester with a little Dales over the top. Do this with several steaks (however many you feel like you're gonna need) Wrap bacon around the outside and hold bacon in place with toothpick.

Preheat oven to 450.

Take skillet, pour in a little (not a lot, just enough for a paper thin layer) olive oil and heat up HOT. Place steaks in pan and sear both sides approx 45 seconds to 1 minute each to hold in natural moisture and marinade. You're gonna want a nice "char" on both sides.

Place pan in oven and bake for 10-12 mins, NO LONGER. There will be some drippings from the bacon cooking and some marinade escaping from the deer. This should be saved and used as a dipping sauce.

This is my families favorite way to cook venison..
 
The puttanesca sounds great, but every time I make it I add a pretty good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes--which I believe is an authentic touch.

I have an 8" cast iron skillet that has been in use in my family for around a hundred years, I use it only for baking cornbread, but I have others for other things.

Cast iron is mandatory for frying chicken. Not to use it is considered on a par with matricide in the part of Tennessee I hail from.
 
Did someone say "BACON" in my cast iron skillet.:D

When I fry bacon, I fold the bacon in half, both sides come out crisp, the center chewy, try it you'll like it.

I like Bacon done your way as well as mine. Mine is totally crisp--but not a bit burnt at all. I cant stand totally chewy bacon--well i can? just dont enjoy it as much.
 
post #8

I just added that monster to my collection, a must have for a whole lot of chicken aihijo, chili, pineapple upside down cake in a dutch oven, N.Y. strip or boneless pork back ribs in a ribbed skillet, home fries, everything turns out better plus it gives you extra iron in your diet (supposedly).
 
I don't have a real name for this chicken dish...I just kinda threw it together. But, my buddies call it "Pack Station Chicken."

Pack Station Chicken

8 skinned chicken breasts
1 lb. Hilshire Farm Smoked Beef Sausage
2 medium onions
3-5 cups of thickly sliced mushrooms
4-6 large white potatoes (thick sliced, leave skins on)
1 12-ounce bottle of honey-mustard dressing & marinade
-Slice onions and place half on bottom of a deep 12-inch Dutch oven.
-Add layer of chicken breasts.
-Slice sausage and add with chicken.
-Add layer of potatoes.
-Add layer of mushrooms.
-Season with Lawry's Seasoned Salt
-Pour half bottle of dressing over contents of Dutch oven.
(repeat)
Pour remainder of dressing over contents.

Cook for 45-50 minutes with medium-high coals or cook in 350-degree oven.
 
Last edited:
I posted this before, still one of my favorite uses for cast iron. Aside from cookin' meat.

Bannock bread

preheat oven to 350 degrees

mix ingredients:
4 cups unbleached whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water

kneed for 3 minutes
spread into 10 inch round cast iron skillet greased with meltd butter
top with 1 tablespoon melted butter
bake for 45 minutes
 
Last edited:
I can't eat Cast Iron anymore. Keep breaking my teeth
no matter how I try to sautee just to perfection.;)
 
Garlic Pork.
A West Indian/Portuguese dish traditionally served on Christmas morning with crusty bread,Blood sausage and lots of red wine.
Two large pork butts cut into 1 inch cubes.
15 heads of garlic,crushed.
10 cup fresh thyme.
1 cups dried thyme.
2 gallons of white vinegar.
3 cups salt.
1 cup sugar.
10 Scotch Bonnet peppers halved.

Layer in a large sealed container, preferably glass or glazed earthenware and let sit for 1 week.
Heat 2 cups of canola oil in the cast iron dutch oven and fry pork in batches until golden brown, serve immediately.
We would typically do this outdoors over an open fire and have enough for the inevitable hungry neighbors and passersby......
I still serve this on Christmas morning in New Jersey but I use a propane fired Wok tripod and neighbors still stop by as the scent of pork fat, garlic,hot peppers and vinegar permeates the cold air.
 
Last edited:
I like this when camping with the family, at home mix a white cake mix pour into a zip lock bag. at the camp get a fire going .When the fire is burned to coal place the dutch oven in the coals and get it hot pour in some oil and butter into the oven. when the oil is hot pour the cake mix into the oil the cake mix should sizzle, them pour in canned peaches minis the juice. put the lid on and scope some coals on the lid and check in 30 minutes.
 
I use cast iron every day for cooking--just about every meal. I used to buy pricey teflon pans and other spray coated pans and inevitably i'd scratch em' up sooner or later.

Simple ingredients and preparations is the key.

Any meat + butter + salt & pepper = More :D;)

Any meat + butter + mushrooms + onions = More

About the only thing I try not to cook in mine is tomato based dishes, because it affects the seasoning and then you have to re-season which takes time.
 
Back
Top