By Published Aug. 26, 2023.
This is Technique #67 from our 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
Each technique is broken into three sections: why it works, key steps, and recipes that use it. Learn these recipe building blocks and you'll be set up for a lifetime of cooking success.
When we’re after evenly and deeply browned crusts, practically nothing beats a cast-iron skillet. It’s our go-to cooking tool for perfectly seared steaks, but it also can be used for achieving great crusts on foods other than meat. For instance, it happens to be fantastic for creating crisp, golden-brown crusts on baked goods.
There are two reasons why cast iron burnishes baked goods (and other foods) without burning or sticking. The first is the slick patina it develops, called seasoning, which gives it a naturally nonstick quality much like that of a baking pan. You used to have to put in some effort to create that seasoning, but nowadays most cast-iron pans are sold preseasoned. So all you have to do is maintain that seasoning. How? As you use your cast-iron pan over time, that slick patina, which releases food easily, builds up and reinforces itself.
You can help maintain this seasoning by setting your washed and dried skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then using paper towels to rub the interior with a small amount of vegetable oil before letting it cool and storing it. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet can become just as nonstick as any nonstick metal baking pan and will definitely outlast them. (In fact, a cast-iron pan is one of the few pieces of kitchen gear you can buy that noticeably improves after years of heavy use.)
The second reason why cast iron works so well for making burnished baked goods is that it retains heat extremely well, which ensures even baking and uniform browning. We often grease the skillet with oil (which has a higher smoke point than butter and thus can get hotter without burning) and preheat it when using it for baking.
Although preheating a baking dish is an atypical step for traditional baked goods recipes, once a cast-iron pan has been properly preheated in a very hot oven, it will stay hot better than traditional baking dishes—when you add the batter it sizzles, a sign of the immediate jump-start on crisping up. This makes it great not only for Dutch babies and cornbread, as we show you here, but also for pizza, focaccia, biscuits, or even a giant skillet cookie.
Seasoning is simply a layer of fat that builds up in a pan to create a nonstick surface. Applying oil to the surface of the skillet and heating that oil causes the fat molecules to break down and reorganize into a new layer of molecules that adhere to the pan, over time creating a durable coating that acts like an all-natural Teflon.
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There are a few simple but very effective ways to use your cast iron for perfectly golden crists—no matter what you’re cooking. By seasoning the skillet and preheating it in an oven, you’ll be maximizing all the value you get from this incredible kitchen tool. Here are two recipes you can try this technique on. Then keep reading to follow our step-by-step guide.
Grease cast-iron skillet with oil and preheat skillet in very hot oven until oil is shimmering.
Meanwhile, make batter.
Carefully remove preheated skillet from oven, quickly pour batter into hot skillet, and immediately transfer back to oven.
Bake until golden brown on top and browned and crusty on sides and bottom, rotating skillet halfway through baking time.
Use your newfound cast-iron knowledge with any of these recipes.
Ready to learn another technique? Choose from our list of 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
