As I was going through my kitchen the other day searching for items to put in my yard sale, I came across this old cast iron pot my grandmother had given to me about 5 years ago. I have never used it once and frankly, I have never really known how to use it. I was thinking I could get $5 for it, but just for kicks decided to look up the branding name on the bottom (Lodge). In my research I came across several websites not only claiming the suggested value of my pot being $80-100 (!!) but also teaching the value of a good cast iron pot.
My pot had spots of rust all over it, but with a simple solution of sea salt and cooking oil was able to buff them right out. I cleaned it up, seasoned that bad boy and now it sits proudly on top of my stove to add some rustic ambience to my kitchen! I now use it for everything: stews, sauces, stir fry, skillet meals and more. It is FABULOUS!
Some benefits of a cast iron pan are that foods glide out of it as from no pan made with Teflon; it goes from stove to oven; no special utensils are needed to cook in it; it won't warp, and cleanup is a cinch. A well-seasoned cast iron pan will only get better with age, and will last you for a lifetime.
So if you have an old cast iron pot stowed away somewhere, I would encourage you to bring it back to life and give it a place in your family for years to come- to one day pass down to your children's children.
