Cast iron skillets are the most versatile pans in your kitchen. You can cook any food you can think of in it. And it will taste like nothing else, a real taste of home-cooked meals.

Everything tastes better when it is cooked in a cast iron skillet! We all remember when our mothers or grandmothers used to make those memorable meals using those big, heavy, black skillets. We can still imagine and almost taste those perfectly spiced dishes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Servings: 6 – Preparation time: 10 minutes – Cooking time: 35 minutes

Savory closed pie with chicken and vegetables

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of chicken, cooked and shredded (about 5 to 6 chicken breasts)
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup of carrots, diced
• 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup of flour, all-purpose
• 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of frozen sweet peas
• 2 cups of frozen hash browns
• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of Creole seasoning
• 1 onion
• 1/3 cup of fresh parsley
• 1 egg white
• 2 premade pie crusts

Preparation:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a cast iron skillet, and place on a stove. Set temperature to medium.
2. Cut the chicken into smaller strips to help with cooking, and add it to the skillet. Fry until the chicken is fully cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and cool.
4. Once cool, place in a blender, and shred the chicken. Set aside.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Place a large saucepan onto the stove, and set to medium heat.
7. Add the 1/3 cup of butter and melt.
8. Once the butter is melted, stir in the flour.  Cook for about 1 minute, stirring continuously.
9. Stir in the chicken broth.
10. Add in the milk.  Continue to cook until the ingredients become thick; usually about 6 to 7 minutes.
11. Remove from heat, and stir in the Creole seasoning.  Set aside.
12. In a separate cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat.
13. Wash, peel, and chop the onions.  Place in the skillet.
14. Wash and chop the mushrooms, add to the onions.
15. Sauté the mushrooms and onions for about 10 minutes, or until they are tender.
16. Fold in the shredded chicken.
17. Wash, peel, and chop the carrots into matchsticks.  Add to the onion mixture.
18. Stir in the peas, and frozen hash browns.
19. Chop the parsley, and mix into the skillet.
20. Cook for about 2 to 4 minutes until the ingredients are heated.
21. Pour in the sauce and mix well.
22. Remove from heat.
23. In a clean and lightly greased, 10” cast iron skillet, place one of the piecrusts into the bottom of the skillet. Remember to remove the pie plate if it is sold with one.
24. Pour the chicken mixture into the pie crust until it is filled.
25. Top with the remaining piecrust, again, making sure you remove the pie plate if it has one.
26. Separate the egg white from the egg yolk. Throw away the egg yolk, or use it for a different recipe.
27. Brush the egg white over the top pie crust.
28. Cut 5 slits into the top of the pie.
29. Place in the oven for 1 hour or until the pie crust is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.
30. Serve warm.

Beef Stroganoff

Servings: 6 – Preparation time: 15 minutes – Cooking time: 75 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of beef roast, chuck
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup of red wine
• 1 1/3 cups of beef broth
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup of sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of yellow mustard
• 1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup of cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, crushed

Preparation:

1. Slice the chuck roast into 1 1/2″ strips.
2. Place the strips into a bowl.
3. Pour the red wine over it.
4. Add the salt and black pepper.  Toss until the beef is coated.  Place in the fridge and marinate for about 10 minutes.  Don’t overly marinate this dish.
5. After 10 minutes, remove the chuck beef, and pat dry.  Do not throw away the marinade.
6. Place a cast iron skillet (a 12” skillet works best) onto the stove, and set the temperature to medium.
7. Heat the olive oil in the skillet.
8. Once the oil is hot, add the beef strips.  Fry until the strips are brown, stirring occasionally.  This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
9. Remove the beef and set aside.
10. Drain the grease from the cast iron skillet and return it to the stove.
11. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and melt.
12. Wash, peel, and chop the onion.
13. Mince the garlic, and add the onion and garlic to the skillet.
14. Cook until the onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
15. Once the onions are cooked, remove them, and place them in the same dish as the beef.
16. Return the skillet to the stove.
17. Add in 2 tablespoons of butter, and heat it until it melts.
18. Wash and slice the mushrooms.
19. Stir the mushrooms into the butter. Cook them until they are tender, stirring frequently, usually 7 to 10 minutes.
20. Remove the mushrooms from the heat, and place in a separate bowl. Do not add it to the beef.
21. Return the cast iron skillet to the stove.
22. Add the 1/4 cup of butter, and heat until it melts.
23. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour.  Cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
24. Stir in the beef stock, and bring the butter mixture to a boil.
25. When it is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low.  Make sure that you are constantly stirring during this time or your sauce will burn.
26. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce.
27. Add the mustard.
28. Stir in the marinade that you had saved.
29. Fold in the red pepper flakes.
30. Stir until the ingredients are completely incorporated.
31. Add the beef and onion mixture.
32. Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cook until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
33. When the beef is tender, whisk together the sour cream and cream cheese until smooth.
34. Fold in the mushrooms.
35. Add the mushroom mixture to the beef mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
36. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Cornbread

Servings: 6 – Preparation time: 10 minutes – Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 1 cup of cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup of flour, all-purpose
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons of butter

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Add the butter to a 10” cast iron skillet.
3. Place in the oven while you make the batter.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
5. Add the cornmeal, and mix until the ingredients are well blended.
6. In a separate bowl, cream together the eggs and buttermilk.
7. Add the sugar, and blend until the sugar is dissolved.
8. Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven, and tilt the skillet until it is completely coated in butter.
9. Pour the remaining butter into the egg mixture.
10. Add the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until the batter is smooth.
11. Pour the batter into the cast iron skillet, and place in the oven.
12. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cornbread golden brown and springs back when pressed.
13. Serve warm on its own or with another dish.

Chocolate Chip Dutch Baby

Servings: 6 – Preparation time: 10 minutes – Cooking time: 15 minutes

Eat

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of flour
• 3 bananas
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of coffee-flavored liqueur
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/3 cup of chocolate chips, semi-sweet
• 1/2 cup of whipped topping (optional)
• 2 eggs

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place a 9” cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.  This should take about 15 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
4. Pour in the milk, and mix well.
5. Add the first egg, and mix until it is incorporated.
6. Add the second egg, and mix the ingredients until the batter is smooth.
7. Remove the skillet from the oven, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Melt it, and swirl it around the skillet until the skillet is evenly coated.  It is okay if the butter goes brown as it will add flavor to the dish.  If it does not melt and go brown, return it to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until the butter is browned.
8. Pour the batter into the hot cast iron skillet.
9. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly around the batter.
10. Return the skillet to the oven, and bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven.
12. Cut the bananas lengthwise.
13. Place a second cast iron skillet onto the stove and set the heat to medium-high.
14. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter.
15. Add the bananas, and cook until they are brown.  This usually takes 2 minutes on each side.
16. Pour in the liqueur, and simmer for 1 minute.
17. Remove from heat.
18. Top the pastry with the banana mixture.
19. Garnish with whipped topping and serve warm.

 All the recipes are from Louise Davidson’s cookbook Cooking with Cast Iron Skillets. Click on the link or cover to learn more.

To download or print these recipes, click here.