Why Every Cook Needs a Cast-Iron Skillet

One pan for searing, baking, and frying, and how to keep it for life.

A cast-iron skillet is the closest thing a kitchen has to a do-everything tool. It sears a steak, bakes a cornbread, fries an egg, and finishes a frittata under the broiler, all while building a natural non-stick surface as you go.

The seasoning is just oil baked onto the iron in thin layers. Cook fatty foods, wipe it clean, and add a whisper of oil while it is warm. Avoid long soaks and harsh soap and the surface only improves with age.

Treated well, a cast-iron pan outlives the cook. The skillet you season today could be the one your grandchildren fight over, slicker and better than the day it was poured.