The Ultimate Survival Cookware – Cast Iron
A few years back, our neck of the woods experienced an ice storm that took out power for an average 6 to 10 days depending where folks lived and how close they were to the power plants. It’s in these extreme times that most people find themselves woefully unprepared. Of course there was the usual last minute run on the grocery stores and gas stations, but by the time most folks got to the store, they couldn’t find what they needed as most essential items sell out quickly. Food is a big priority. Not only having enough food on hand. But how will it get prepared without power and other modern conveniences?
With camping as a lifelong passion of mine, I’m pretty much set with a basic collection of survival gear. One essential element of my equipment is the cooking gear. I have an assortment of stoves – from the lightweight back backing variety to full-size multi-burner, multi-fuel, cook stoves. I have another secret weapon on my back deck – a ceramic cooker – a Big Green Egg. So when the power goes out, the stoves come out; and so does all of my cast iron cookware.
There are some things that just get better with age, and cast iron cookware is one of those things. The more you use it, the more seasoned it gets (with excellent non-stick properties), and with proper care it will last generations. Cast iron is versatile in that you can use it day-to-day on your electric stove and cast iron feels equally at home being used over a campfire without being damaged. Something you simply cannot do with department store, Teflon-coated, skillets or pans. The iron not only absorbs and retains, but also distributes the heat evenly – even when cooked over fire or coals.
Here are some great articles I’ve found that addresses all aspects of cast iron cookware – seasoning, cooking, cleaning, and more:
http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2009/01/simple-survival-gear-cast-iron-cookware.html – Features a top-ten list of the advantages of cast iron cookware. Also speaks to some of the disadvantages. In my opinion the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages!
http://cheaperthandirt.com/blog/?p=40977 – A recent article that really drives the point home as to why having a cast iron cook set is the ultimate SHTF cookware. Also gives great advice on the proper care of your cast iron cooking tools.
http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/prepper-cast-iron-skillet/ – Another excellent article written recently explaining why “Every prepper needs a big beautiful cast iron skillet.” This article also covers several additional advantages and tips to “keep your cast iron happy.”