Modern Cast Iron

Modern Cast Iron is an awesome cookbook full of great recipes and lots of informations about cast irons (the history of cast iron, how to take care of it, and lots of tips). The recipes are amazing and the pictures are great! I would definitely make every single recipe in this book! Definitely recommend it if you like cooking using a cast iron! I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Modern Cast Iron is one of those neat cookbooks with lots of practical info on how to take care of your cast iron, in addition to the history of cast iron and a bunch of great recipes. It's a cookbook that certainly is very handy and I loved the photos in the book.

It’s rare that I try a cookbook off netgalley, but I’m going to need to buy a copy of this one! I love cooking with my cast iron and this book had fantastic tips! All cast iron users need to read through here! I haven’t tried any of the recipes but so many of them sounded great. 4 stars!

This focuses more on the care of cast iron then the cooking. The few recipes are just typical everyday cooking nothing creative. Has the feel of the pamphlet that closes with you new pan.

Easy to use and recreate for even beginners. Fear may keep you from moving forward and cooking with cast iron, but with this book I am cooking like a pro. With useful tips and recipes, and I am ready to impress my family and create these recipes for summer events, what could be better. No disappointments with this book, it is one to keep and wants you to try more.

This book starts with a lot of back ground from the author as well as the history of cast-iron. This was very fascinating to me, especially since it includes how cast iron is made. I always forget how to clean and season my cast iron so this is an incredible resource. I especially found it interesting about the health benefits that come from cast iron cooking.

On top of that the recipes take me back to home cooked meals my grandmother made. This is the epitome of comfort food. I cannot wait to try Biscuits and gravy, or the southern cornbread. After reading this book, I immediately started researching cast iron to add to my own collection.

I'm so happy I found this book! I recently purchased my first cast iron pan and I'm afraid I was not treating it right but now I now exactly how to care for it and lots of delicious things to cook on it.
Such a helpful book!

Modern Cast Iron is part history book, part photo book, part recipe book, and ALL beautiful heirloom coffee table book. I enjoyed reading all of the history, cleaning and care tips, and especially the author’s tour through the Lodge plant. Her deep love of cast iron and family tradition truly shines through her words. I can’t wait to make the blueberry cobbler in my own cast iron that once belonged to my grandmother. This book will definitely be on my cookbook shelf for years to come.

Ultra-informative book using and caring for your cast iron cookware. I'm glad the author spends a good amount of time dealing with seasoning cast iron cookware correctly.

I’m so glad I picked up this book because I really learned some things about cast iron cookery that I didn’t know. I found some helpful hints that have inspired me to pilule out my rusty pan, clean it up ( how to advice one book) and create some dishes I hadn’t thought about making before. Cast iron isn’t just for fried eggs anymore, at least not in my house!

I recently bought a cast iron skillet and this book has great facts on how to care for your cast iron skillet. And learning about the history of the cast iron skillet was very informational.

I enjoyed reading the information about cooking with cast iron. I had not realized the health benefits prior to reviewing the book. The recipes look delicious!

Modern Recipes that are quick and easy for the busy family life using the Cast Iron Skillet! Some really nice and simple recipes for the family on the go! Plenty of Pictures too!

Great info on the history of cast iron cookware and how to care for it/restore it. I appreciated that a handful of the recipes were gluten-free! I was a little disappointed that some of the recipes called for store-bought, canned ingredients, when it would be just as easy to use fresh or homemade in most cases, but I'm sure readers could figure out those substitutions.

I feel the need to preface this review with: I own quite a few cast iron cookbooks and subscribe to a cast iron cooking magazine. This is one of the most comprehensive Cast Iron cookbooks I've read in quite a while. It's part history lesson, part care manual, and part cookbook. The sections are well researched and I learned new information in each section. The Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders, Collard Greens, and Buttermilk Skillet Biscuit are now on rotation at our house. Modern Cast Iron offers a healthy combination of healthful and decadent recipes to keep your meals interesting. I look forward to adding more of these recipes into our weeknight cooking.

I received this as an ARC in return for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this title

This is a beautifully photographed, helpful guide to cast iron cookware with lots of simple recipes. The author goes into great detail about how cast iron pans are made, their history, how to season and restore them, what sizes and shapes are good for what, their health benefits and more. She is a big fan of Lodge cast iron and it almost reads like an ad at times. She then gives recipes for all kinds of things you can cook in cast iron, from chicken to soup to cobbler. While she is gluten free, most of the recipes are not (she says you can substitute GF flour mixes fine in most recipes, while I haven't found that to be the case).

The recipes tend towards Southern style and very simple. The author is a young new mom and I suspect she just hasn't built her own recipe repertoire up with a lot of home cooked recipes yet, but I lean more towards all natural recipes and would have liked more of that style. She has her mother in law's taco soup recipe, for instance, which calls for Hidden Valley salad dressing mix, taco mix (she provides a recipe to make your own, though, I believe), canned flavored beans, Rotel tomatoes with peppers, etc. Her brownie recipe literally says that she doesn't know anybody who makes brownies from scratch (I do) so buy your favorite mix and bake it in cast iron. No nutritional information is provided for the recipes.

That said, the recipes seem simple to execute and they are accompanied by great color photos of every recipe. Jones is immensely likeable and clearly passionate about her topic. The sections on caring for cast iron are also far more in-depth than most cast iron cookbooks. It was quite an enjoyable read, especially with the abundant photos and Jones' contagious enthusiasm.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Fountain of information! I’m really addicted to a cast iron pan that was my grandfathers but I’ll be honest.... the only thing I’ve ever cooked in it was cornbread. Nor did I have a clue how to season a pan which is interesting since the pan has never rusted. My kids go crazy though for the cornbread I make in it. It turns out perfect every time. So curiosity got the best of me with this book.

What did I like? Gorgeous pictures.... seriously gorgeous! I really loved the chapters on seasoning a pan, and fixing a rusted pan. The family in this book uses cast iron because it gives you iron when you cook in it. That is something I didn’t know. Being anemic myself seems interesting that just cooking in this pan can help you. Fast forward... the recipes looked insanely yummy.

Would I buy or recommend? Yes....and yes. I would love a copy. I considered it useful and extremely easy to read. Throw in some useful tips, and some gorgeous recipes and I’m sold! Really enjoyed it!

I received a copy to read and offer an opinion!

This book starts out with a lot of helpful tips on how to care for your cast iron. It also has some of the author's history with cooking and what got her into using cast iron. The tips for caring for your cast iron are great. These are super helpful for anyone looking to get into using cast iron or those of us who need refreshers after not using cast iron for so long! I was excited that this would be my first cookbook reviewed. For this I made three recipes out of the cookbook. The layered nachos, the blueberry cobbler, and the crispy baked coconut chicken.

The layered nachos were simple to put together. I loved that they were a one-pan dish! They were also very delicious! Who doesn't like nachos? With that being said, it was a very basic recipe that felt like it was geared towards those just now beginning their cooking adventure. Would I make these again though? Absolutely!!!

The blueberry cobbler while the most delicious of the three recipes, was more of a muffin than it was a cobbler. There was no gooey fruit filling with a biscuit like topping that oozed all sorts of fruity deliciousness. Instead, this was exactly like a cast iron skillet sized muffin top (I'm not complaining!) I just wish this would have been more like the cobblers that I have known all my life, but it was still great!

The crispy coconut chicken was my least favorite of the three recipes. The taste was okay and the texture wasn't really pleasurable. If I were to make this recipe again, I would make some changes. I would add to put the blended coconut into a food processor to make it more fine. I also feel that sweetened coconut would have balanced this extremely well! A pop of citrus would really bring this to life!

One thing I also noticed about the recipes are that there are no serving sizes listed, so it is a guess to how many people each dish will serve. All in all I have given this book 3 stars. Its a great book for those looking to start using cast iron and to give them ideas on how to use it!

I've only been cooking with a cast iron skillet for about 3 months, but I will never use any other type of skillet again. I really enjoyed this book and plan to buy a copy to have on hand, since this is full of so much information. The recipes are easy to follow and look delicious. I can't wait to try cooking them.

Everything you need to know about cast iron pans. What they are and what they are not. How to season and care for them and what to cook in them and how. If you want to know about cast iron pans this is your go to book.

This book is a must have for anyone who wants own and use or already owns cast iron pans. There is a lot of attention to the care and refinishing of cast iron pans. The different kind and sizes of cast iron cookware is discussed. The author also tours Lodge factory where Lodge Cast Iron cookware is made. This is a very comprehensive and all encompassing reference for today's cook. I felt the recipes were very basic recipes, but I have never seen so many in one place. There are 6 or 7 different types of biscuits. There are some very nice vegetable recipes and casserole recipes that a beginning cook would be able to prepare with positive results. I did not see very many spelling or grammar errors. The pictures are very clear and enticing. This is a very good cookbook to add to your collection, even if you do not have any cast iron and want to have some nice recipes that you can make and put on the table for weekly suppers. I recommend this book with 5 stars.

I have to admit- I’ve always wanted a cast iron skillet, but have been incredibly intimidated by them. My family never used them, and I had no idea how to go about it. I now feel ready to go out and get one! This is more than just a cookbook. It breaks down the various cast iron types and what sizes are best for your cooking needs. I really enjoyed the fact that it talks about how to season and care for them. Makes it sounds much simpler than what I anticipated. I would highly recommend this for the novice and seasoned alike.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this cookbook.

Modern Cast Iron is an encyclopedic reference to selecting, using, and maintaining cast iron utensils. Due out 18th Aug 2020 from Red Lightning Books, it's 232 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is a very well written and lavishly illustrated guide. The information it contains covers not just the ubiquitous 12 inch frying pan but a host of other forms and uses (more than I even knew existed). The tutorials are accessible and understandable and very very well photographed. Most of the book is filled with a plethora of traditional southern cooking and the recipes are varied and tasty.

The recipes are written with English (American) measurements. There is no conversion table included. The ingredients are listed in sidebar format followed by step by step cooking instructions. Most of the ingredients are easily sourced at any moderately well stocked grocery store. The recipes are generally simple (and some use pre-made mixes or canned ingredients). The book also includes a cross-referenced index.

We're definitely going to try more of these recipes. Well written book, tasty recipes. The photography is gorgeous and plentiful. For cooks who -need- photographs for serving ideas, this will be a great resource.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Ashley L. Jones’ new book- Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More

Ashley L. Jones new book is a winner and I highly recommend it to readers interested in cooking with cast iron. I am an experienced home chef and have used cast iron pans for many years. However, I confess that I didn’t uses them all that much nor did I know about how to care for them. Ashley’s book has changed all that. I am now more inclined to use cast iron for cooking and regularly search out opportunities to cook with it starting with the recipes in Ashley’s book. While I am not a big fan of traditional southern cooking for health and other reasons, I am keen to try some of Ashley’s updated recipes of southern classics as well as recipes I have not cooked in cast iron before such as eggplant parmesan, baked chicken and rib-eyes.
By the way, I also share Ashley’s belief that: “one of most valuable things in life is time spent with loved ones around the table.” Her new baby boy, Gordon Jones, is quite cute and will no doubt be spending lots of time around the table with his mom and dad----enjoying food cooked with cast iron.

Mike Potashnik
McLean, VA
July 29, 2020

3.5 stars The book has a lot of history of cast iron and usage and care information regarding the pans. The book has 50 recipes, many for baked goods and desserts. There are beautiful full color photos of all the recipes, which I appreciated. I was a little disappointed than many of the recipes use a Dutch oven rather than what I would consider to be a more common cast iron skillet. Overall, a good book, but I felt the recipes were a secondary focus.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I downloaded this book because I am a new owner of cast iron skillets and I had no idea how to take care of them or use them. I expected more recipes, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the information in the book. I learned a lot about taking care of my skillets and more importantly why to do so. As a complete cast iron newbie, this book was great. I would get this as a gift for someone who is an inexperienced cook in concert with a skillet itself. That would make a really nice gift.

Three years ago my husband was given a set of cast iron pans that we have never used because of our glass covered stove, but after reading Modern Cast Iron, I think it’s finally time to break those bad boys out!

Modern Cast Iron was extremely interesting. In some cookbooks, I find myself almost bored to tears during the introduction and lists of ingredients sections. With Modern Cast Iron, I was engrossed in the history of cast iron that Jones included, both of her family and in general. The fact that she took a tour of the Lodge factory to see how the cast iron pans were made really showed the depth of her passion for these pans! All of the information included left me feeling pretty confident that I can properly cook with and care for my cast iron pans.

Onto the recipes, I’m not from the south, but just about everyone can appreciate the home cooked comfort foods that are prevalent down there! My husband is a huge fan of cornbread and biscuits and anything savory. Reading through Modern Cast Iron, there were several recipes that I bookmarked for later! Like all of the cornbreads and the delicious looking blueberry cobbler!

All in all, I learned a lot about cast iron and found some great recipes that I have a feeling will become staples in my house.

I grew up using cast-iron and have several old gems in the garage waiting for our kitchen renovation to be completed so I can use them again.

This book gives sone fantastic advice on how to use, select and care for cast iron I have ever run across.

I own cast iron pans and have used them for years and I still learned a ton of things that I never knew. This makes owning, takeing care of and properly using these pans a breeze.

I highly recommend it fantastic book!

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and that's not usually the way you describe a cookbook! It was more than just a cookbook because it gave you the history behind cast iron, explained how to use it and finally how to take care of it. All that, before diving into the recipes!

There is a wide variety of recipes including breakfast, dinners, sides and deserts. I never ever thought you could cook desert in a caste iron, but you can and I did! I made the Brownies and they were both simple to make and oh so yummy!!

I'm so happy I found this cookbook. I've had a cast iron for two years and never used it because, for me, it was intimidating. Now that I've tried it and liked it, I've talked two friends into getting one too! We are going to make it a girl's night in and cook something in our cast irons once the threat of covid-19 is over.

Thank you NetGalley and Red Lighting Books for the ARC of this cookbook in exchange for my review.

#NetGalley #ModernCastIron

This cookbook was incredibly informative. I appreciated the information provided. It's often difficult to find information about how to proceed with cast iron cooking (even how to choose a pan) without finding loads of conflicting information. The recipes sound delicious. I am from Canada, so many of these recipes are new to me (heard of, but never given the opportunity to try). I also very much like that she compared the prices based on what you actually need in a kitchen to demonstrate how affordable cast iron cookware can be.

I look forward to trying many of these recipes (especially the cornbread and peach cobbler type dish).

Thank you to NetGalley and Darcie Rowan PR for providing a copy of this e-book for review.

This is a lovely book with lots of beautiful pictures. It is part personal story, part basics of cast iron and part cookbook. The basic instructions were comprehensive and easy to understand. The recipe part of the book was a little basic for me. Mostly "comfort food." While I like comfort food, I tend to like more adventurous recipes. Overall, this is a comprehensive guide to cast-iron cooking that is beautifully wrought.

Modern Cast Iron cooking is a great book for anyone new to cast iron cooking and those looking to make their home cooking a little healthier. While there is not much new or innovative here, it's the perfect book for those looking for a key cookbook to add to their collection on Cast Iron Cooking.

I am most looking forward to cooking that cookie cake. I grew up eating them in North Carolina but I haven't seen one in the 5 years since I moved to California. Seeing this recipe in Modern Cast Iron cooking was a blast from the past.

My only grievance with this book is the way she talks about other cooking pans. Her claims that non-stick pans and copper pans are toxic to consumers isn't based on research-based data. It's a bit too granola and unprofessional for my taste. I think her claims could be improved by referring to research from a reputable organization.

Everything you ever wanted to know about cast iron and more! That’s what you’ll get in Ashley L. Jones’ Modern Cast Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking, and More. Cast iron cooking is enjoying a surge of popularity nowadays, and with good reason; it is one of the best ways to cook for those who want foods to turn out like the foods we remember fondly from our mothers and grandmothers, as opposed to dishes made with unhealthy (and substandard) convenience items or tasteless dishes that have been overcooked in the pressure cooker or slow cooker.

This excellent cookbook is “Cast Iron 101” and should be sitting on everyone’s cookbook shelf. The recipes are excellent, they work well (at least the Peach Dutch Baby, Robby’s Quiche (yum), and Shirley’s Rice were perfect so far), and the instructions are easy-to-follow. A good cookbook should have lots of beautiful photographs, not only of the food, but also of the step-by-step information in the primer sections. This cookbook has all of those aspects and more. In fact, the early chapters with the “how to” information are well-written and worth reading thoroughly; following Jones’ advice will help you create great food.

You’ll want to pick up a good set of cast iron cookware to start cooking; the book will tell you what you need, and then when you get it, start using it, and find you love it, the book will tell you how to take care of it so that it will last several lifetimes.

Highly Recommended.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Modern Cast-Iron: The Complete Guide to Selecting, Seasoning, Cooking and More. The drool making recipes are easy to follow, and I have already tried out a few recipes. I live alone and do not have an outdoor grill, but using a cast iron skillet is the next best thing, I'm hooked. If you enjoy a simple cooking as much as I do, than I highly recommend this wonderful book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I had fun reading this book. I loved the help of how to care for your cast iron skillet(or whatever). I have to try all the tips, but the one with the way to clean it, it definitely worked. I didn't like any of the recipes, but I might try a few, just to see how to cook in it.

I was pleased to see that this book not only had recipes but also the history of cast iron as well as personal stories by the author. It made the book feel a bit more special than some of the others out there. I loved the section on rescuing old cast iron pans! I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first lockdown in March 2020 made me into sourdough baking. And the result of that was I bought a cast-iron skillet from Lodge. My very best purchase this year! So this book took my attention. Because I am a newbie in cast iron cooking, and I wanted to know more. This book is going to tell you a bit of story and history. And then some recipes that you can use as inspirations in the kitchen. I like the photos they presented. So beautiful.

Great overview for those new to cast iron. Could be a great resource for younger generation who are not as familiar with these versatile tools. Author does a great job giving an overview for care and use, with some delicious recipes included. Seasoned (sorry for the pun) users will not find anything new, but a great overall resource and particularly valuable for those new to cast iron. Thank you for the ARC!

Somehow my review for this book didn't get posted back in 2020. Sorry for that.

I think this is a great book. Ashley Jones has a thing for cast iron and she shares her enthusiasm with us in this comprehensive book.

Here we find everything we might want to know on caring for our cast iron pans including how to clean and reseason them if needed. Then we are treated to recipes that demonstrate a wide range of cooking techniques.

What more could we want?