Whether you’re grilling at home or taking a camping trip, a cast-iron skillet is a must-have tool for your summer cooking! Because of its sturdy sides, you can set it right on the grate and turn your grill into an outdoor kitchen. From searing the best burgers to transforming your grill into a smoker, this trusty pan can do anything. Here, five reasons (and recipes!) that illustrate why we love our cast-iron skillets so much.
1. It’s the Best Way to Get a Crusty Sear on a Burger
When you cook your burgers in a cast-iron pan on the grill, they get to cook in their own fat. This adds more flavor and cuts down on grill flare-ups, which can make food taste like propane. Same goes for steaks. Get the smoky flavor of the grill, but a better sear on your meat.
Recipe: Pork and Green Chile Burger with Red Cabbage Slaw
2. It Conducts Heat Evenly
Cast iron conducts heat evenly, so you can gently cook something without worrying about scorching or hot spots. It also retains heat well, so you can bring your dishes right to the table and they’ll stay warm.
Recipe: Skillet Queso with Charred Cherry Tomatoes
3. It Allows You to Cook Your Whole Meal on the Grill
If you’re searing a steak for tacos or a whole chicken for dinner and you want some roasted veggies on the side, you can cook your accompaniments in the cast-iron skillet on the grate next to your protein.
Recipe: The Local Palate’s Roasted Vegetables
4. It Helps Turn Your Grill into a Smoker
You can add soaked wood chips to your cast-iron skillet and set it in the corner of your grill to add a subtle smokiness to whatever you’re cooking—no smoker or wood chip box required.
Recipe: Leite’s Culinaria’s Texas Smoked Whole Chicken
5. It’s a Great Way to “Bake” Something on Your Grill!
Close the lid on your grill, and it functions much like an oven! Because cast iron conducts heat so well, you can use it to cook cobblers, crisps, brownies, or sturdier cakes … and they’ll get a touch of smoke from the grill.
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