50 Cooking Utensils for Cast Iron Cooking Enthusiasts
- Jasper Grey
- Sep 26, 2024
- 9 min read
Photo: triocean / stock.adobe.com
Cooking with cast iron skillets, pans, and Dutch ovens has become increasingly popular among home cooks and chefs.
Cast iron cookware is durable, versatile, and provides a unique flavor to the dishes prepared with it. However, cooking with cast iron requires specific tools to maintain the cookware and optimize cooking techniques.
Below, we’ve compiled 50 must-have utensils to help you master cast iron cooking.
1. Wooden Spatula
Why you need it: Wooden spatulas are gentle on cast iron surfaces, making them perfect for flipping or stirring food without scratching your cookware’s seasoning. They’re also heat-resistant, durable, and won’t warp with regular use, making them a long-lasting kitchen staple.
2. Chainmail Scrubber
Why you need it: The chainmail scrubber is an essential tool for cleaning cast iron without removing the precious seasoning. Its stainless steel rings are tough enough to remove stuck-on food, but gentle enough to maintain your cookware’s non-stick properties.
3. Silicone Basting Brush
Why you need it: A silicone basting brush allows you to spread oils, marinades, or sauces evenly across your food without worrying about scratching the cast iron. It's heat-resistant and easy to clean, making it perfect for grilling or baking with cast iron.
4. Cast Iron Press
Why you need it: A cast iron press helps to evenly sear meats, making perfect paninis, burgers, or grilled sandwiches. It ensures that food cooks evenly by pressing it into the skillet, and it adds beautiful grill marks while speeding up the cooking process.
5. Dutch Oven Lid Lifter
Why you need it: Cast iron Dutch ovens have heavy, hot lids, and a lid lifter ensures you can safely remove them without burning yourself. This tool is especially helpful when cooking over an open flame or grill where the entire Dutch oven gets extremely hot.
6. Leather Handle Cover
Why you need it: Cast iron cookware retains heat, making handles dangerously hot during cooking. A leather handle cover provides a firm grip and protection for your hands, and the natural leather material can withstand high heat while aging beautifully.
7. Heat-Resistant Gloves
Why you need it: Handling hot cast iron cookware requires reliable protection, and heat-resistant gloves can shield your hands from burns. These gloves are designed to withstand high temperatures, making them essential when transferring hot skillets or Dutch ovens from stove to oven.
8. Ladle
Why you need it: A sturdy ladle is perfect for serving soups, stews, and sauces made in your cast iron Dutch oven. Its deep bowl allows for easy portioning, and it’s ideal for both cooking and serving liquids.
9. Pan Scrapers
Why you need it: Pan scrapers are designed to clean cast iron without damaging the seasoning. They’re perfect for removing food residue stuck on the pan’s surface, especially after cooking sticky dishes like eggs or sauces.
10. Tongs with Silicone Tips
Why you need it: Tongs with silicone tips allow you to flip, grab, and serve food without scratching your cast iron’s surface. The silicone material is heat-resistant, durable, and gentle on your cookware, making it ideal for handling hot food in cast iron skillets.
11. Cast Iron Trivet
Why you need it: A sturdy trivet is essential for placing hot cast iron cookware on countertops or tables. It prevents heat damage to surfaces while providing a stylish way to serve food directly from the pan.
12. Grill Press
Why you need it: A grill press applies even pressure on meats, vegetables, or sandwiches, ensuring that they cook evenly in your cast iron skillet. It helps achieve a crispy texture and perfect grill marks, making it a versatile tool for searing and grilling.
13. Silicone Egg Rings
Why you need it: Silicone egg rings are perfect for cooking round eggs or pancakes in your cast iron skillet without the food spreading. The heat-resistant material keeps its shape even at high temperatures, ensuring consistently shaped dishes every time.
14. Lodge Silicone Assist Handle Holder
Why you need it: The assist handle on cast iron cookware can become extremely hot during cooking. A silicone holder provides a secure, heat-resistant grip, making it safer and easier to lift your skillet or Dutch oven from the stove or oven.
15. Cast Iron Reversible Griddle
Why you need it: A cast iron reversible griddle offers both a flat cooking surface for pancakes and a ridged side for grilling meats or vegetables. Its versatility makes it perfect for stovetop or campfire cooking, offering two functions in one tool.
16. Stainless Steel Fish Spatula
Why you need it: A stainless steel fish spatula is designed to be flexible and thin, making it ideal for flipping delicate fish without breaking it apart. Its tapered edge slides easily under food, and its sturdy design handles the weight of cast iron cooking.
17. Cast Iron Corn Stick Pan
Why you need it: Cast iron corn stick pans are perfect for baking individual corn sticks with crispy edges and soft centers. The cast iron construction provides even heat distribution, creating golden, evenly cooked corn bread.
18. Pie Iron
Why you need it: A pie iron is a must for cast iron campfire cooking, allowing you to make sandwiches, pies, or desserts over an open flame. Its durable design locks in heat and flavors, and it's perfect for outdoor grilling or backyard campfires.
19. Large Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Why you need it: A large cast iron Dutch oven is essential for slow cooking, braising, and stews. Its ability to retain heat for long periods ensures even cooking, making it a versatile tool for everything from baking bread to making casseroles.
20. Cast Iron Cleaner
Why you need it: A dedicated cast iron cleaner, such as a mild soap or specialized cleaner, helps maintain the seasoning and rust-free surface of your cookware. It ensures that your cast iron remains in top condition after each use.
21. Cast Iron Muffin Pan
Why you need it: A cast iron muffin pan is ideal for baking muffins, cupcakes, or mini cornbreads. The cast iron distributes heat evenly, giving your baked goods a perfectly golden, crispy exterior.
22. Grill Basket
Why you need it: A grill basket is perfect for cooking small items like vegetables or seafood on your cast iron grill pan. It keeps your food from falling through the grates while ensuring even grilling on all sides.
23. Oil Mister
Why you need it: An oil mister allows you to coat your cast iron pan with a light, even layer of oil, which is crucial for maintaining the seasoning and non-stick surface. It helps you use less oil while achieving better results.
24. Reversible Bacon Press
Why you need it: A reversible bacon press keeps your bacon flat as it cooks, ensuring even cooking and crispy results. Its cast iron construction also retains heat, speeding up the cooking process while enhancing the flavor of your food.
25. Pizza Cutter
Why you need it: A sturdy pizza cutter is perfect for slicing pizzas baked in a cast iron pizza pan. Its sharp edge glides through the crispy crust, making clean, even cuts without disturbing your toppings.
26. Cast Iron Skillet with Pour Spouts
Why you need it: A cast iron skillet with pour spouts makes it easy to drain excess oils or sauces, helping to avoid messes. The added spouts provide better control, making it ideal for transferring liquids or serving soups and stews directly from the skillet.
27. Pot Holders
Why you need it: Pot holders are essential for safely handling hot cast iron cookware, protecting your hands from burns. Made from heat-resistant materials, they offer a secure grip, even on heavy pans, ensuring safe transfers from the stove to the table.
28. Whisk
Why you need it: A sturdy whisk is perfect for mixing sauces or gravies directly in your cast iron pan, helping blend ingredients smoothly. It’s also ideal for aerating batters or scrambling eggs, ensuring even cooking and texture in your recipes.
29. Silicone Hot Handle Holder
Why you need it: The silicone hot handle holder is a lifesaver, fitting snugly over cast iron pan handles to prevent burns. Its non-slip grip offers comfort and safety, allowing you to handle hot pans without bulky mitts.
30. Cast Iron Griddle Scraper
Why you need it: A cast iron griddle scraper is essential for cleaning flat surfaces without damaging the seasoning. It helps remove stubborn, stuck-on food from your griddle, keeping your cast iron in pristine condition after every meal.
31. Pie Server
Why you need it: A pie server is perfect for serving slices of pie, pizza, or quiche from your cast iron pans. Its wide, flat surface ensures clean, even cuts, while providing support for delicate pastries or casseroles.
32. Flat Metal Spatula
Why you need it: A flat metal spatula is a versatile tool for flipping burgers, pancakes, and grilled sandwiches in cast iron cookware. The sturdy, thin edge easily slides under food, ensuring minimal sticking and even cooking on all sides.
33. Cast Iron Grill Pan
Why you need it: A cast iron grill pan brings the outdoor grilling experience indoors, adding charred flavor to meats and veggies. Its raised ridges allow excess fat to drain away, while creating beautiful grill marks on your food.
34. Lodge Scraper for Corn Stick Pan
Why you need it: This scraper is designed to fit the grooves of a corn stick pan, making it easy to clean tough-to-reach areas. It helps maintain your pan's seasoning while ensuring quick and easy cleanup.
35. Cooking Spoon
Why you need it: A sturdy cooking spoon is essential for stirring stews, sauces, and soups in cast iron pots. Its long handle keeps your hand safe from the heat, while its wide bowl ensures thorough mixing of ingredients.
36. Cast Iron Waffle Maker
Why you need it: A cast iron waffle maker produces perfectly crisp, golden waffles every time. The even heat distribution ensures thorough cooking, and the cast iron’s natural non-stick surface makes cleanup a breeze.
37. Lid Stand
Why you need it: A lid stand holds heavy cast iron lids upright while you cook, keeping them clean and within reach. It’s especially useful when working with Dutch ovens or skillets, preventing hot lids from dirtying your countertop.
38. Meat Tenderizer
Why you need it: A meat tenderizer is perfect for softening tough cuts of meat before searing in cast iron pans. It helps break down fibers for even cooking, making your steaks and roasts juicier and more flavorful.
39. Grill Turner
Why you need it: A grill turner is ideal for flipping meats and veggies on a cast iron grill pan. Its wide, flat surface allows you to turn large items with ease, while the long handle keeps your hands safely away from the heat.
40. Splatter Guard
Why you need it: A splatter guard prevents hot oil or sauce from splashing onto your stove or countertops. It’s essential when frying or searing in cast iron pans, keeping your kitchen clean and reducing the risk of burns.
41. Garlic Press
Why you need it: A garlic press simplifies the task of mincing garlic, ensuring quick and consistent results. Fresh garlic is a key ingredient in many cast iron skillet recipes, and this tool helps infuse dishes with robust flavor without the hassle.
42. Deep Fry Basket
Why you need it: A deep fry basket fits neatly into cast iron Dutch ovens or skillets, allowing you to safely fry foods. The basket ensures even frying and easy removal of food, minimizing oil splatters and mess.
43. Reversible Cast Iron Grill/Griddle
Why you need it: This two-in-one tool offers a smooth surface for pancakes on one side and a grill for searing meats on the other. It’s perfect for those who want versatility in their cast iron cookware, working well for indoor or outdoor cooking.
44. Baking Sheet
Why you need it: A cast iron baking sheet provides even heat distribution, making it perfect for roasting vegetables, baking pizzas, or making flatbreads. Its sturdy construction delivers crispy results and makes it a long-lasting kitchen staple.
45. Slotted Spoon
Why you need it: A slotted spoon is great for lifting foods out of liquids or draining excess oil when cooking in cast iron pots. It’s especially useful for dishes like fried chicken, dumplings, or pasta.
46. Cast Iron Tortilla Press
Why you need it: A cast iron tortilla press flattens dough into evenly sized tortillas with ease. Its weight provides the pressure needed for perfect tortillas every time, making it ideal for preparing fresh, homemade flatbreads.
47. Pastry Brush
Why you need it: A pastry brush is essential for applying butter, oil, or egg washes onto food in cast iron pans. It ensures an even coating, giving your dishes a professional finish and a golden, crispy texture.
48. Skillet Scrubbing Pads
Why you need it: These scrubbing pads are designed to clean cast iron skillets without stripping their seasoning. They gently remove food particles, preserving your pan’s natural non-stick surface and ensuring it stays in excellent condition.
49. Lid Holder
Why you need it: A lid holder keeps your heavy cast iron lids organized and accessible when not in use. It prevents damage to the lid and your kitchen surfaces, helping you maintain a tidy and functional cooking space.
50. Cast Iron Pizza Pan
Why you need it: A cast iron pizza pan delivers perfect, crispy crusts with evenly cooked toppings. Its heat-retaining properties ensure a restaurant-quality pizza at home, making it a must-have for any pizza lover.