Nothing Remarkable Really, But a Feature of the Cast Iron Skillet

Submitted by crimfan on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 1:11pm

I made dinner last night and it came out really well. Nothing remarkable, just two whole chicken breasts (one for later :), some red potatoes and onions. Fennel and cucumbers in vinaigrette were a side dish.

I brined the chicken first, then browned it in the skillet with a bit of salt and olive oil, coated it with poultry seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder and olive oil, added the potatoes and onions, transferred to a preheated 350 degree oven. When the chicken hit 165 degrees internal, it went under the broiler until the top was crispy. The chicken juice, onion and potato starch had turned into a fine sauce all on its own, but I suspect it could have become something extra with the addition of wine. Cleanup was a snap, just empty the pan, a little Dawn and a quick scrub.

It went from stovetop to oven to broiler. Yes, cast irons are known for that, but if you're at all hesitant about buying one, they're worth it for that ability alone.

Comments

Stuart Broz's picture

Submitted by Stuart Broz on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 4:03pm.

Soap on cast iron?

Submitted by crimfan on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 10:35am.

Yeah, conventional wisdom says you're not supposed to do that but it is a lot faster and neater than dealing with the alternatives like scrubbing with salt. I just use a scrubby sponge and do it very fast because nothing really truly sticks to the surface. I think the soap just denatures leftover grease on the surface. It hasn't affected the cure in any real way as far as I can tell, but I make sure to oil the pan as needed. Cooking something with saturated fat also seems to improve the cure, too.