FOOD NEWS
You May Want To Keep Tomatoes Away From Your Cast Iron Skillet
By Missy Boylan
A cast iron skillet is an essential kitchen tool that is great for searing, sautéing, and even baking. However, when it comes to maintaining your cast iron skillet, you should avoid using some foods that can damage your pan, like tomatoes.
Tomatoes’ high acidity can damage your cast iron skillet’s protective seasoning, causing uneven heating and requiring you to re-season your pan. As their acidity breaks down the pan’s seasoning, any exposed metal spots can react to its juices, resulting in metallic-tasting food.
The good news is that it takes some time to strip away the seasoning, so you may be able to get away with cooking tomatoes for short periods of time. Craig Wilson, director of Gardener's Dream, told Southern Living, “As long as you don’t cook tomatoes for longer than 15 minutes or so, the acidity from the fruit won’t destroy the seasoning of the pan.”