5 ms·

I bought a cast iron skillet for 10 bucks (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-4-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=pd_sim_k_4 http://www.amazon.com/Lodg

I bought a cast iron skillet for 10 bucks (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-4-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUA/ref=pd_sim_k_4 http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-4-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skille...) and it's the best thing ever. Fast to heat up and start cooking and easy clean up. Best thing to make for me is pan-seared yellowfin tuna steaks over veggies like asparagus or broccoli. Get a 5oz tuna steak of sushi-quality, marinade it with some soy sauce and sesame oil, sprinkle on some seasoning and sesame seed and just sear it on the pan for 2 minutes each side. Delicious, healthy, and fast. Same goes for chicken. Blackened chicken, easy, done. The cast iron skillet goes from stove top to oven. God I love this thing.

dcurtis 18y ago
I love seared tuna. It's pretty easy to make, but it's definitely not cheap.
- alaskamiller 18y ago
  In Silicon Valley, here's my shopping experience: 12oz yellowfin tuna fillet Whole Foods: $14 Safeway: $9 Lucky's: $8 Costco: $6 12oz is good for 2-3 servings. Plus the $3 for a bundle of asparagus or $2 for a bag of broccoli. I've gotten the meal down to $5 per plate, which is what I usually shoot for in terms of cooking. For me, I think this is a good trade off between tasty, healthy, fast, and cheap.
  - dcurtis 18y ago
    Yeah, Costco is a good idea. But it still isn't as "cheap" as beans and rice at about $1-$2/meal.
    - wheels 18y ago
      ...and that's expensive rice and beans. ;-)
jonknee 18y ago
Ever try making pizza on it? Flip it over, stick it in the oven as high as it will go and then after it gets NASA hot (this is a good time to have your dough warm up from a nice slow rise in the fridge) just slide your pie on. It will cook up in 3-5 minutes and come out tasting surprisingly legit. Cast iron is the deal.
- alaskamiller 18y ago
  I love you for sharing this tip. I've got a 10 incher so it won't make big pies but I can definitely get something fast and tasty going on.
  - jonknee 18y ago
    I've got a similar size pan. Since they cook up quickly it's not hard to make a couple if you have to feed more people. I whipped out six the other day to feed a bunch of people. Also, I use corn meal on the bottom of the crust so it slides nicely from my cutting board to the pan. Other than that I think it's pretty hard to screw up.
  - silentbicycle 18y ago
    Cast-iron skillets are great for baking bread, too. Shaking in a little cornmeal will help keep it from sticking. The big cast-iron dutch ovens are even better, though: the lid keeps in moisture, and the resulting steam is good for the crust. The enameled ones are easier to clean (and ideal for soup). You can probably find a knock-off Le Crueset-style pot for $60, give or take. The easiest way to clean them is with a little kosher salt. It's quite abrasive. See also: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=55fdc83a0e7b6687&ex=1165726800&oref=slogin http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=2&#3...

dcurtis 18y ago

I love seared tuna. It's pretty easy to make, but it's definitely not cheap.

alaskamiller 18y ago
In Silicon Valley, here's my shopping experience: 12oz yellowfin tuna fillet Whole Foods: $14 Safeway: $9 Lucky's: $8 Costco: $6 12oz is good for 2-3 servings. Plus the $3 for a bundle of asparagus or $2 for a bag of broccoli. I've gotten the meal down to $5 per plate, which is what I usually shoot for in terms of cooking. For me, I think this is a good trade off between tasty, healthy, fast, and cheap.
- dcurtis 18y ago
  Yeah, Costco is a good idea. But it still isn't as "cheap" as beans and rice at about $1-$2/meal.
  - wheels 18y ago
    ...and that's expensive rice and beans. ;-)

jonknee 18y ago

Ever try making pizza on it? Flip it over, stick it in the oven as high as it will go and then after it gets NASA hot (this is a good time to have your dough warm up from a nice slow rise in the fridge) just slide your pie on. It will cook up in 3-5 minutes and come out tasting surprisingly legit. Cast iron is the deal.

alaskamiller 18y ago
I love you for sharing this tip. I've got a 10 incher so it won't make big pies but I can definitely get something fast and tasty going on.
- jonknee 18y ago
  I've got a similar size pan. Since they cook up quickly it's not hard to make a couple if you have to feed more people. I whipped out six the other day to feed a bunch of people. Also, I use corn meal on the bottom of the crust so it slides nicely from my cutting board to the pan. Other than that I think it's pretty hard to screw up.
- silentbicycle 18y ago
  Cast-iron skillets are great for baking bread, too. Shaking in a little cornmeal will help keep it from sticking. The big cast-iron dutch ovens are even better, though: the lid keeps in moisture, and the resulting steam is good for the crust. The enameled ones are easier to clean (and ideal for soup). You can probably find a knock-off Le Crueset-style pot for $60, give or take. The easiest way to clean them is with a little kosher salt. It's quite abrasive. See also: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=55fdc83a0e7b6687&ex=1165726800&oref=slogin http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/dining/08mini.html?_r=2&#3...