Page 188 - The Lost Ways

potential germs, and a well-seasoned cast iron surface should be easy enough to clean
without soap.

Iron Rusts

Because iron does rust, never leave it soaking in water or leave water in it. Even if you
think it is well coated with oil, it will still rust. If you are not cooking with it, clean it, dry
it, oil it down, and put it away. Stay in the habit of taking care of your cast iron. If cared
for properly, it will last for generations.

No Fire

At the very least, don’t leave an empty pot in the fire. It’s tempting to just burn all the
left-over food off, but cast iron can warp and even crack if left in a hot fire too long. For
the same reason, don’t put cold water in a hot pan. Again, take care of your cookery, and
it will take care of you.

Companion Tools

If you are prepping a survival kitchen and you’ve got your cast iron, there are a few things
you should think about packing with it. You’ll need heavy pot holders because good cast
iron is all metal, and those handles get HOT!

If you get a cast iron cooking pot, you’ll want a metal hook to remove it from the fire.
They also make heavy hooks to remove the lid of your pot that are sensibly called lid
lifters. Tongs, spoons, spatulas, and other cooking utensils will also be necessary

Roasting Meats

This is always what I think of when I think of outdoor cooking. Roasting trophy catches
over an open fire is the epitome of frontier cuisine.

That said, if you’ve ever actually tried it, you’ll know that it can be trickier than it looks.

That’s okay. Even roasting meat takes skill and know-how. The know-how you can get
here. The skill will come with practice.

On a Spit

There is a wide variety of barbecue roasting spits available commercially, or if you’re
handy, you can make a good one without too much trouble. In the wild, you can use sticks

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