My Favorite Cast Iron Cookware.

Cast Iron Cookware – yes, today I am sharing my favorites, the ones I use every single day. These pots and pans are staples in my kitchen and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t pull out my favorite Staub skillet or Coquette. Best part? These cast iron pieces are durable enough to last a lifetime. I truly could not love cooking with cast iron any more, and once you give it a try, I know you guys will too!

{honeycrisp apple pandowdy}

You all remember on Sunday how I mentioned I might throw in a surprise post this week? Well, today’s the day, and instead of a recipe I am finally sharing a post detailing all of my favorite cast iron pots and pans. After countless emails, comments, and DM’s on Instagram asking about my favorite cast iron cookware, I finally decided I needed to just put it all into a blog post for you guys to easily reference.

It’s no secret that I love a good skillet recipe, my grill pan is my best friend in the summer, and come fall my Dutch oven is on the stove or in the oven braising something daily. I really love cooking with cast iron and I honestly don’t use any other kind of cookware, it’s all cast iron.

{skillet lemon butter chicken and orzo}

5 Reason why I love cooking with Cast Iron:

One: Cast iron is basically non-stick. You need to season your pans every few months, but it’s easy to do (more on that below).

Two: Cast iron has no harsh chemicals and instead gives off a little extra dose of iron. Cool. Cool.

Three: My cast iron skillets, braisers, and coquettes will last me a lifetime, they are so durable.

Four: Cast iron retains heat evenly and perfectly sears everything from meat, to seafood, to vegetables…and it cooks the BEST Dutch Baby Pancake.

Five: Cast iron is so pretty and timeless in any kitchen.

{Cheaters No Knead Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread}

And with that, here are my favorites…

1. Skillets

I don’t know what I would do without my skillets, I use them every single day, multiple times. I like to use one skillet for meat, one skillet for seafood, and then leave one skillet just for sweet recipes and baked things like Dutch Babies. Normally I’ll use my meat skillet for vegetables too, but not going to lie, I have six plus Staub skillets…so I could easily have one just for vegetables too.

This Staub 11″ skillet is my favorite, but I also love the 12″ skillet and use both equally.

If you’re looking for something a little more affordable, check out the Lodge Skillet.

My Favorite Skillet Recipes:

Skillet Lemon Pepper Chicken and Garden Veggies with Feta and Basil

Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Casserole

Browned Butter Cinnamon Peach Dutch Baby

Honeycrisp Apple Pandowdy

2. Coquettes and Dutch Ovens

I use these for everything from boiling pasta water, making soups and stews, and even baking bread. Again, I could not live without multiple coquettes.

I have (and love) both the Staub 4 quart and 8 quart. I love having both sizes, one for smaller batch recipes and one for bigger. If I had to choose just one size, I’d get the 4 quart.

If you’re looking for something more affordable, I have heard good things about this Lodge Dutch Oven.

PS. I have the Staub Pumpkin Coquettes in all colors and they are my FAVORITE. I am already excited to break them out this September…

My Favorite Dutch Oven Recipes:

6 Ingredient Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Cranberry Pot Roast

3. Braisers

I LOVE my braiser. Oh my gosh. These are great for recipes that call for a skillet, but need a little more room on the edge of the pan for lots of stirring. I love making skillet pastas in my braiser or one pan chicken recipes. My smaller braiser is my go-to for rice.

I have braisers of all sizes. This 2.75 quart is my go-to for rice, this 3 1/2 quart is great for roasting chicken and tossing up lots of pasta. I also have this pretty one with a glass lid that I equally love.

If you want something more affordable, this is a great option.

My Favorite Braiser Recipes:

Roasted Moroccan Chicken and Olive Tagine

Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken

Lemon Roasted Chicken and Veggies

4. French Ovens

These are classic and so pretty. I mostly use mine for cooking big batches of quinoa, soups, and stews. I love their shape and have both the smaller (great for rice and quinoa) and larger French ovens. These look SO pretty on open kitchen shelves. Love them!

PS. I don’t have this pumpkin one, but oh my gosh, I want it…

My Favorite French Oven Recipes:

Poblano Corn Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup

20 Minute Peanut Noodle Soup with Lime Mango

5. Grill Pans

Oddly I do not own a grill, so I use this grill pan almost daily in the summer. I find it so easy and convenient.

If you want something more affordable, this is a great option.

My Favorite Grill Pan Recipes:

Whole Grilled Chicken with Peaches and Basil Vinaigrette

Open Faced Rosemary Chicken, Peach, and Bacon Sandwich

Cinnamon Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Ice Cream

Cleaning Your Cast Iron:

For everyday cleaning, rinse the skillet under hot water, and if needed, scrub with a kitchen scrunchy (nothing too abrasive). For stubborn pieces and crusted-on crumbs, pour in a few tablespoons kosher salt, add a little slash of water, and scrub that around with a scrunchy, then trash the salt and wipe the skillet clean. Simple as that!

Just be sure that whenever you rinse your cast iron out, you wipe it dry to ensure it doesn’t ever rust.

Seasoning Your Cast Iron:

All Staub products are already seasoned, so there is no need to season them. If you are using an unseasoned skillet, here is how to season it.

Spread a thin layer of neutral cooking oil (vegetable or grape seed oil) in the pan. Flip the pan upside down and transfer to an oven. Bake for 1 hour, turn the oven off, and let the skillet cool completely in the oven. DONE. Bon Appétit has a super helpful video for those of you who are interested.

It’s really as simple as that.

Just one thing? Never, ever put your cast iron in the dishwasher. That is one of the biggest NO’s when it comes to working with cast iron.

My Favorite Brand…

As if you could not tell I am a Staub girl through and through. I love their styles, colors, durability, and most importantly how well their pots and pans can cook just about anything.

Hope this post was helpful for you guys, please let me know what you think in the comments! I always want to be improving our content, so your feedback is very appreciated! Would you like to see more of these kinds of posts? Let me know!