CAMP CHEF FOR THE WIN: 8" Cast Iron Skillet Review
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So I had never owned a cast iron skillet until 3 days ago. The thought of lugging heavy gear camping wasn’t really appealing. I saw this Camp Chef 8" Cast Iron Skillet on the shelf and at first it was more its ‘cute’ factor that drew me. It size is perfect for a solo traveller and it now means I can take advantage of the camp fire when on my camping trips.
I wanted to give it a test before heading out next weekend so I made some fried eggs for breakfast which I have to say were right up there in the best eggs I’ve cooked. The skillet gave the eggs this nice thin crispy crust without cooking the eggs through… seeing I love a runny yolk.
Then for dinner and after watching some Camp Chef YouTube videos, I thought I would give some steak a crack and I was also inspired by the Camp Chef Artisan Outdoor Pizza Oven honey carrots video (See below) shared on our Facebook page 2 days ago. I threw some veg in the air fryer about 10 minutes before I got the skillet cranking, added a bit of oil to the skillet and then added the steak when the pan was perfectly heated.
One of the videos I watched mentioned not to keep moving and lifting the steak, if the steak is stuck it isn’t ready and when it is it will lift off perfectly. The video didn’t fail me. I turned the steak over and repeated till the other side was cooked then took the steak out to rest while I dealt with the veg.
While the skillet was still hot I used a paper towel to give it a quick wipe, added some oil and tossed the veg through. I removed all but the carrots, added a teaspoon of butter and honey until it started to thicken.
I placed all the ingredients on the dinner plate and drizzled the remaining honey syrup over the meat and carrots. The meat was tender and cooked rare how I like it. The meal was delish… even if I must say so myself!
Cleaning the skillet wasn’t an issue either. I though to myself after cooking with honey that I’ve probably ruined the pan. Nope. The honey dissolved instantly in warm water. I just run it under the tap and rubbed gently with my hand till it had all dissolved. Then with a little warm water and a squeeze of the Camp Chef Cast Iron Cleaner I gave it a little rub with a soft bristled dishwashing brush. Rinsed of the excess then gave it a quick dry with a tea towel and placed it on the stove. Again after watching some Camp Chef videos it advised the best way to care for your cast iron was to turn the heat back on to dry off the water to avoid rusting and then once dry drizzle some oil in the pan and spread it around with a paper towel to cover all the surface. I then let the oil cook for a bit as cooking the oil helps keep the oil from going rancid while it is being stored so it is important to let it produce a bit of smoke then turn the heat off. Once the skillet has cooled down it is seasoned and ready to go again. Seasoning the skillet is extremely important so doing this last step after each use is a must to ensure the longevity of your cast iron products.
My biggest question is no longer ‘why have I never owned a cast iron skillet in my camp box?’ and has now become ‘Why do people not cook with cast iron in general in the household?’
Let’s just say this skillet will remain in my kitchen until it’s time to go camping.
Camp Chef... 10/10