Say yes to the cast iron...

I grew up cooking with only cast iron. Then, it was years of everything else, but now, its back to cast iron in my repertoire. So, this was the perfect book at the right time.
Highly recommend this book for cast iron recipes.

Before reading this book I can say I knew barely anything abut using my cast iron pan. This book gave me so many tips on more recipes that I can use in my pan and how to look after it better.

Did you know all the different kinds of meals you could make in a cast iron pan? I sure didn’t and I’m southern! My cast iron is for meats and cornbread. Well it was before this book!!! Holy cannoli! What an eye opener!

The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron is a huge comprehensive resource with recipes for -everything- cast iron and part of a series a encyclopedia kitchen resources from the same publisher. Due out 12th November 2024 from Cider Mill Press, it's a solid 560 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is a no-frills, utilitarian collection with a huge range of recipes and written specifically for cast iron utensils. There's not much introduction about care, maintenance, use, or selection of cookware before jumping into the recipes directly. For selection and usage/maintenance, consult another source (or the myriad youtube videos available).

The recipes are arranged thematically: breakfast, breads & flatbreads, vegetables, beef veal lamb pork & rabbit, poultry, seafood, and desserts. Each recipe includes a bullet list of ingredients in a sidebar, yields, prep times, and step-by-step instructions. Recipe ingredients are given with imperial (American) units. There's an abbreviated metric conversion chart in the appendices. Most ingredients will be easy to find at any well stocked grocery store in North America. Nutritional info is not included.

The recipes are good, basic, casual family style recipes, but it was nice to see a wide range of culinary influences (Asian, European, South American, TexMex, Middle Eastern) and not just "American" standards. The author/publisher have also included sauces and partial ingredients in the last chapter which are featured in the recipes (including a good one for sourdough starter, and a couple more for salsa, pico de gallo, etc.).

Graphically it's simple but appealing. About 20% of the recipes are accompanied by one or more color photos. There is a cross referenced index (absolutely necessary with a book of this size).

Five stars. This is a well written reference, and will be a flagship go-to in the kitchen library. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition as well as for home use, smallholders, and cooking aficionados.

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

This book is a must have! There are so many recipes, with many cuisines covered as well. You will reach for this book again and again. There are beautiful pictures (never enough pictures, but still really good photos). The choices seem endless and you will enjoy them all over and over again.

I am someone who owned a cast iron pan but it sat unused because I was so intimidated. This recipe book changed that! I tried so many of these recipes and they all turned out amazing! I even bought. Copy for my sister for a Christmas gift! Thank you net galley for the ARC of this gem!

Great look at all the various uses of cast iron. I've been using them all my life and learned a few things.

I think I need a cast iron now! I never realized how versatile it was--the few times I've used one was mainly for breakfast items and it always remain on the stovetop. The recipes inside looked totally delicious and versatile. There's surely something for everyone in here.

I would have preferred to have more information on how to take care of a cast iron, but I do appreciate that there are recipes not only for dinner but for other meals as well.

The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron focuses on the diverse recipes using a cast iron.

The Sections are
Breakfast
Breads & flatbreads
vegetables
Beef, veal, lamb, pork & rabbit
Poultry
seafood
Desserts

Each recipe has yield, active time, total time, ingredients, and directions. Most have photos of the recipe. The directions are very clear to me, but I think on the beginner level they might need more direction. There are a multitude of different recipes from classics to foods from all over the world.

As for the information on cast irons, I feel like it felt short slightly. There wasn’t enough on the care and types for someone who is a beginner.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is loaded with recipes! There are so many in here to try. If you or someone you know is a cast iron fan then it is a great choice!

I really love that there are so many recipes and a good variety or recipes in the book. It will get me using my cast iron pans a lot more for sure. The recipes are written out nicely and easy to understand. Most of them are pretty simple recipes as well with ingredients that are easy to find which is a huge win n my book.

The pictures that are in the book are beautiful but don't expect one for every recipes. I can understand with so many recipes why each doesn't have it's own picture but I will saw I am a very visual person and prefer a few more pictures. That being said, there are lots of recipes without images that I can't wait to try!

As someone who owns a cast iron but is intimidated by it, this cookbook was meant to find me. The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron is filled to the brim with recipes all across the board. These recipes reflect the food from many cultures, and range from simple to complex. The cookbook is organized by breakfast, protein styles, desserts, and even recipes for sauces, stocks, and more.

This would be a great book for someone who already loves to cook, or for someone just starting out. As I mentioned, the recipes in this book range from simple to complex and encase cuisines from many cultures. Everyone will be able to find something they haven’t cooked before. I am looking forward to trying some of these recipes out and using my cast iron more!

An excellent cookbook with very unique recipes and beautiful photos. I really loved the interesting ingredients and trying new things. All of these recipes are detailed and provide not just notes on the food but also cookery. A great addition to any cookbook collection!

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron: Over 350 Recipes for the Cast Iron Connoisseur

Rating: 3 Stars

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron by Cider Mill Press, and it’s a solid resource for anyone looking to make the most of their cast iron cookware. With over 350 recipes, this book aims to unlock the true potential of cast iron cooking. From sizzling steaks and crispy fried chicken to fluffy Dutch pancakes and indulgent skillet cookies, there’s a recipe here for every occasion and palate.

While I found the collection impressive, I wouldn’t exactly call it an "encyclopedia." It only dedicates a couple of pages to caring for cast iron, which left me wanting more. A little history on cast iron would’ve added depth to the book, especially since it’s such a beloved cooking method with a rich background. That said, the recipes are well-organized and easy to follow, making them accessible for both seasoned cooks and newcomers alike.

One aspect I really appreciated is the global variety in cuisines represented. You can grab your Dutch oven or rectangular skillet and whip up something from almost anywhere in the world. The wide range of cast iron pieces used—everything from mini cake pans to muffin molds—makes it clear that this book is not just about traditional methods but also about exploring new ways to utilize cast iron.

As for the photography, I found it to be just okay. The images didn’t exactly pop, and I wish there had been more of them to really showcase the deliciousness of the dishes.

Overall, if you’re searching for a diverse collection of recipes that will help you explore what you can do with your cast iron pieces, then The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron is definitely worth adding to your kitchen library. It might not be the comprehensive guide I hoped for, but it’s still a solid cookbook that will keep your dinner table interesting. 3 stars from me!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

At 560 pages (930 on digital) and containing over 350 recipes, this is certainly a comprehensive collection of recipes that are made using cast iron cookware. I can’t really call it an “encyclopedia,” though, because there are only a few pages of information on how to purchase or care for cast iron and no information on different historical or cultural uses even though there is an admirable number of inclusions from a variety of world cultures.

This is a book for serious cooks, not beginners. For one thing, the recipes use a variety of cast iron pieces, including 10 and 12 inch pans, a Dutch oven, and a biscuit pan, in addition to other specialty kitchenware like a stand mixer. For another, many of the recipes include ingredients that would be difficult to find unless you are in a large city with specialty markets (some I jotted down included labneh, Bonita flakes, ‘njuda, baozi wrappers and ras el hanout). To be fair, recipes for some of the spice mixes, sauces, glazes and other necessities are included in an appendix, but many of them still contain ingredients I wouldn’t necessarily want to buy and have on hand.

If you have the wherewithal to assemble the needed equipment and ingredients, the recipes themselves are mouthwatering, and the pictures gorgeous. It would have been nice to have a picture of every dish, but that would have necessitated cutting the number of recipes.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars!

The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron is the perfect book for everyone and anyone who loves to cook with a cast iron. I used to be nervous using a cast iron pan, especially since I am a pescatarian, but wow, this cookbook covers it all. And makes it easy for a novice like myself to cook confidently with my cast iron. And gorgeous photos!

I love my cast iron, so I was so excited to find this recipe book.

First off, the pictures used are stunning and absolutely captivating. I love how the cuisines are world wide, it makes for such an inclusive book for all. I cannot wait to make the peanut butter & bacon oats with fried eggs, naan, beet and ricotta tart, skillet lasagna, Swedish meatballs, pomegranate and honey-glazed chicken (sounds incredible), caprese chicken bake, baked crab dip, lemon and raspberry cake, pickled beets—there’s so many new and good one. So many recipes I didn’t know you could make using the skillet. I cannot wait to try them all out!

Thank you NetGalley & Cider Mill Press for this awesome recipe e-book! I love how I can click on the number in the Index and it’ll bring me right to the page. Or if there is another recipe (like beef stock) needed listed in the recipe you are looking at, you can click there too to bring you to that recipe. SO SMART!

This book is daunting in its breadth at first glance. When I saw it was over 900 pages, I steeled myself for a day of flipping through to find something palatable. Often, I find cast-iron recipe books are very stodigily North American in their recipes. Lots of breads and breakfasts, but not a lot of spices, seasonings, and varied flavours.

This massive tome does not have that issue! My mouth was watering reading recipes from every corner of the world. I recognized French, Italian, Jewish, Indian, Greek, Japanese, African, and Mexican dishes right out of the gates, and my Canadian self was thrilled to see poutine tucked amongst them. Diverse palates are so well supported in this book that I could easily see diving through the pages for meals throughout the entire year and not needing to switch it up.

More than a few recipes I dove straight into with what I had on hand, and I tagged ample more to try later. I genuinely love that so many images are included, however, some of the more diverse recipes could have suited them as well. It would be beneficial to see what the ideal complete recipe is, or at least a description of what the dish is. I spent more time than I'll care to admit searching images of delicious sounding dishes online, just to get a peek at what I should have as a finished product. On the same note (as the first pages state), these are stock images, and I find that this did take some personality away from the book. The recipes were occasionally in different pans that were very clearly not cast iron, and they also didn't have a cohesive feel in how the images were selected. It very much felt like they chose the first image that worked instead of one that fit with the rest.

As someone who loves to cook, bake, and try new things, this was an absolute treat to get my hands on. However, I did notice that the recipes themselves lacked key details that a newer cook would need. For example, which pans you would need, nor their size are ever mentioned, and the step-by-step directions can be a little vague if you're not used to knowing how to do each thing ahead of time. In the age of the internet, the latter isn't the end of the world, but the correct pan size and type is a pretty massive oversight, as cast iron comes in all types and sizes.

The very brief introduction on how to care for cast iron could have gone into way more detail as well, including the different types that exist and how they're used. When a book is called the Encyclopedia of something, you assume that will come with ample information on that product itself, not just how to use it.

With that being said, I've been eyeing my cast iron pans the entire time I've been writing this review, and I'm ready to put them to work again!

This is one of those books publishers put out compiling a lot of recipes from their other books and other sources into one big generic book around a theme. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is no information about caring for cast iron, sourcing it, seasoning, etc. so it seems odd to call it an encyclopedia. It is a large collection of recipes that you can cook in cast iron.

There are not many photos, and some of those are from shutterstock so they don’t necessarily accurately reflect the recipes (for instance, a baked hash brown, egg and cheese dish made no mention of peeling the potatoes and had a picture of baked peeled hash browns that did not seem to have eggs or cheese but did seem to have bacon bits). This is a pet peeve of mine— stock photos are misleading if they are not of the same recipe in the book.

There is no nutritional information. There are some recipes for gluten free dishes.

There are many recipes but the book lacks the depth, personality and trustworthiness of books written by actual authors with their own voices and points of view. I’m sure there are some good recipes in here though, for those who just want a huge collection of potential recipes.

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

The Encyclopedia of Cast Iron is an absolute treasure for anyone who loves cooking with cast iron. This book offers an incredible variety of over 350 recipes, each designed to bring out the best in your cast iron cookware. Whether you're a seasoned chef or just starting out, the clear instructions and tips make it easy to create mouthwatering dishes. The range of recipes is impressive, covering everything from classic comfort foods to more adventurous culinary creations. It’s not just a cookbook; it’s a celebration of cast iron cooking. Highly recommended for any cast iron enthusiast!

I appreciate NetGalley and Cider Mill Press for providing me with an eBook advance copy in exchange for my honest review. The official release date is September 16, 2024!