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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

Top 20 Cast Iron Recipes for the Super Bowl

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Top 20 Cast Iron Recipes

There isn’t anything more American than the Super Bowl. And, when I think about the hot competition on the Gridiron, my mind wanders a bit to other hot iron.

CAST IRON.

Our Founding Fathers settled this land with their wagons loaded up with provisions and cast iron.

Let’s honor them this Sunday by using some cast iron.

I bet you have a Lodge skillet (12-Inch Skillet at Amazon) on the stove right now. Or, if you’re lucky, you may have an heirloom Wagner or Griswold, too.

Here are my favorite 20 recipes to make in cast iron.

1. Fried Chicken – Southern Style

Fried Chicken – from Alton Brown

This is from my all time favorite Chef – Alton Brown – a fellow Georgian, and more famous for being the host of Good Eats.

This fried chicken is amazing but you have to plan ahead. The chicken needs a 12 – 24 hour dip in buttermilk.

The recipe

Credit: The Food Network

2. Perfect Porterhouse Steak

The Perfect Porterhouse Steak - from Bobby Flay

The Perfect Porterhouse Steak – from Bobby Flay

This recipe is from the restaurant magnate Bobby Flay – one of my favorite Chefs.

The two main keys are: Using enough salt.

  1. The team from Bon Appetit thought the steak looked white after Bobby salted it!
  2. Getting the pan hot enough. Don’t be shy! The pan should be smoking when you let the oil heat up.

The recipe

Credit: Bon Apetit

3. Skillet Hash Browns

Skillet Hash Browns - Joseph Leonard in NYC via Bon Apetit

Skillet Hash Browns – Joseph Leonard in NYC via Bon Apetit

I am trying to stay away from carbs these days. I know, I know…

But when I eat some delicious carbs, hash browns are one of my favorites!

These are a little more sophisticated than your Waffle House hash browns! (I love what Waffle House does to hash browns, too.)

The recipe

Credit: Bon Apetit

4. Southern Cornbread

Fried Chicken - from Alton Brown

Southern Cornbread

This is a classic.

And, it’s a great way to nicely season your newer cast iron. Now, why is this called Southern?

Northern cornbread tends to be a little sweeter with more flour which yields a more cake-like texture.

The recipe

Credit: Simply Recipes, photo from PaulCole

5. Roasted Chicken – “Thomas Keller-style”

Roasted Chicken

Roasted Chicken

You can “wow” a dinner table with a nicely roasted chicken.

This version has some veggies that we don’t eat often in my house – rutabagas and turnips. They obviously turn out very good for this dish.

The recipe

Credit: Thomas Keller via Simply Recipes, photo by: Sam Klein

6. Pizza

Cast Iron Pizza by Macheesmo

I. Love. Pizza.

I could eat pizza every single day.

Cast iron skillet calzone never turned out right for me until I read this recipe from Nick at Macheesmo. The trick here is to heat the skillet on the stove for a few minutes to get the bottom hot.

Credit: Me – Pizza

7. Green Chile and Corn Griddle Cakes

Green Chile and Corn Griddle Cakes

I like green chilies in just about anything. These corn cakes work out great along side some scrambled eggs.

The recipe calls for Suriny Rice Bran Oil but you can use your oil of choice. I think coconut oil would be pretty interesting!

Credit: Nick at Macheesmo

8. Salted Caramel Brownies

Salted Caramel Brownies

Salted Caramel Brownies by TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com

Who doesn’t like brownies?

Add some salty caramel and you have a great combination.

The recipe says there are 16 servings but I’m pretty sure it’s just ONE serving for me.

The recipe

Credit: Two Peas and Their Pod, photo by JenSteele

9. Cheddar Scallion Dutch Baby

Cheddar Scallion Dutch Baby from Macheesmo

I didn’t know what a Dutch Baby was – Wikipedia to the rescue.

Spoiler Alert. It’s a big pancake.

This savory version of a Dutch Baby hits the spot if you’re dealing with a hangover.

Pro Tip: Add some cooked bacon to the mix. Trust me.

The recipe

Credit: Nick at Macheesmo

10. Chicken and Kale Pizza

I’m becoming a bigger fan of kale in my old age.

And, why not combine this superfood with another “superfood” – Pizza!

Be sure to cut out the center stalk from the kale so you don’t end up with an extra chewy piece.

The recipe

Credit: Savvy Mom in Canada

11. Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut

Chicken Sausage with Potatoes & Sauerkraut by Eating Well

I suggest chicken sausage with apples to pair with the sauerkraut.

And speaking of the sauerkraut…please skip the soggy, mass produced canned stuff. Look for fresh, refrigerated kraut in the fresh foods section of your market.

The recipe

Credit: Eating Well

13. Skillet Lasagna

Skillet Lasagna by the Food Network via PassTheSushi.com

Another one of my favorite things to eat – lasagna.

This one is a take on the Food Network Recipe except Kita makes a nice change — “I add a layer of a cooked sweet sausage/ground beef mixture to this recipe and double the ricotta and spinach.”

Why not add more of the good stuff?!

The recipe

Credit: PassTheSushi

14. Three Cheese – Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese by Cook Like A Champion.

Mac & Cheese by Cook Like A Champion.

This is a fast and simple meal. It’s really satisfying and filling, too. If you want to amp it up a bit, add some hot Italian sausage.

The recipe

Credit: CookLikeAChampion, photo by JiveDanson

15. Baked Polenta with Sausage & Goat Cheese

Baked Polenta by SpoonForkBacon

Baked Polenta by SpoonForkBacon

There is something great about the texture of baked polenta and goat cheese. It’s a fantastic combination when you add some Italian Sausage into the mix.

The recipe

Credit: SpoonForkBacon

16. Broiled Shrimp and Tomatoes

Broiled Shrimp from Martha Stewart credit Johnny Miller

Johnny Miller

Broiled Shrimp from Martha Stewart

This one is from royalty, Martha Stewart. They caution you to make sure that your cast iron skillet is well seasoned to avoid reacting with the acidic tomatoes.

I like to add about a tablespoon of butter in with the oil to get some additional tastiness.

(Note to self: maybe some bacon would be a nice touch, too.)

The recipe

Credit: Martha Stewart

17. Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie by Bon Appetit

Skillet Chicken Pot Pie by Bon Appetit

The recipe

Credit: Bon Appetit

18. Skillet Peach Cobbler

Skillet Peach Cobbler by Bon Appetit

Skillet Peach Cobbler by Bon Appetit

You can pull together this dessert fast and have it cook while you’re eating. It’s totally simple and you’ll wonder why you weren’t making it before.

The recipe

Credit: Bon Appetit

19. Cornbread Tamale Pie

Cornbread Tamale Pie

Cornbread Tamale Pie by Bon Appetit

A Southwestern flare on cornbread, and I like it.

BonAppetit.com staff writer Rochelle Bilow says it’s “the greatest recipe of all time.” I can’t argue with that!

I would make one little addition of cheddar cheese in the cornbread batter.

The recipe

Credit: SpoonForkBacon

20. Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs

Perfect Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs by Bon Appetit

I didn’t used to be a fan of chicken thighs or chicken skin. This dish made me change my mind.

The chicken skin is like crispy bacon after the hot cast iron skillet. You finish the thighs in the oven for a perfect roast.

The recipe

Credit: Bon Appetit

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: Bryce Heitman

Bryce is not a real professor, but he's real nerdy in the kitchen. He's been barbecuing, chopping, and generally blazing food for many decades. He thinks there's definitely a better spatula or utensil out there that hasn't been invented yet.

8 thoughts on “Top 20 Cast Iron Recipes for the Super Bowl”

  1. 1) Why yes, I do have a Lodge cast iron skillet sitting on my stove at this very moment!
    2) AB is my all-time favorite cook, too; it is hardly an exaggeration to say that I learned everything I know about kitchen work from Good Eats.
    3) I just sat down to meal plan my next seven days, and as I work exclusively in cast iron, I’m so excited to find this list! Thanks for the great ideas, Prof – very excited about this blog.

    Reply
  2. I also love cast iron cooking and one of our favorites is diced smoked saucage and sliced yellow onions and French cit green beans and thin sliced potatoes all fried together in a little olive oil of course I fry the patatoes first then add eac ingredient and fry for about 10 minutes.

    Reply
  3. I have many different cast iron pieces, some handed down from my great grandmother. Love cooking with cast iron. Just visited the Lodge cast iron store Saturday!

    Reply
  4. I belong to a cast iron cooking group on Facebook. There is a recipe that has gone viral, often referred to as The Potato Dish. It’s easy, and it tastes amazing. This is a chef, who has a technique that everyone uses to clean and season their cast iron pans. He took the recipe on Cast Iron Cooking (with over 150,000 members) and tweaked it.

    Reply
  5. All these recipes look fantastically delicious!! Thanks for putting them all in one post and sharing. I’ll definitely be making them soon :)

    Reply
    • I love cast iron cooking I have 5 different cast iron pieces that I inherited from my grandmother.
      They still cook like brand new

      Reply

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