Skillet-Born: Iron-Rich Recipes for the Soul & the Soil.
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Books to Read after this…
Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations by Nicole A. Taylor
A celebration of Black joy and freedom foods—many recipes call for cast iron, especially for cornbread, skillet pies, and seared meats.
The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food by Marcus Samuelsson
Profiles and recipes from Black chefs across the country, many of whom ritualize cast iron as a tool of resistance and flavor.
My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi
Blends Nigerian, Caribbean, and Southern roots—cast iron shows up in searing, frying, and storytelling.
Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin
A historical and culinary archive—cast iron is central to many of the recipes, especially those passed down through generations.
Grandbaby Cakes by Jocelyn Delk Adams
Modern twists on Southern classics—expect cast-iron peach cobblers, skillet cakes, and cornbread with a rich, Southern heritage.
Cast iron isn’t just cookware—it’s ancestral technology, Hoodoo ritual, and a site of resistance.
What they often miss is that this isn’t just about seasoning metal; it’s about seasoning memory, protection, and legacy.
I didn’t grow up with cast iron.
My mama used nonstick pans passed down from my grandma, and I didn’t question it.
It wasn’t until my early 30s—after moving out and hearing my coworker Janice rave about her skillet—that I felt the pull.
When I picked up that heavy, black pan at the kitchen supply store, I felt something shift.
It wasn’t just weight—it was inheritance.
Coat it with oil, bake it, and let the heat transform the oil into polymers.
Polymerization creates a durable, nonstick layer that resists rust and improves with use.
But what he didn’t say—and what most white culinary historians leave out—is that this process mirrors Hoodoo’s teachings on protection and layering. In Hoodoo, oil isn’t just functional—it’s sacred.
We use oils to dress candles, anoint doorways, and seal intentions. Seasoning a skillet is no different:
It’s a ritual of sealing, protecting, and preparing a vessel to nourish and defend.
That’s why I clean mine with coarse salt—not soap.
Salt, in Hoodoo, is a purifier. It absorbs negativity, clears residue, and preserves sacred space.
Salt is softer than iron and acts like gentle sandpaper, removing food bits without stripping the seasoning.
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Now, every time I cook, I sprinkle two tablespoons of coarse salt into the warm pan, then scrub it with a paper towel, rinse it with hot water, dry it completely, and rub in a thin layer of oil.
Then I heat it again, letting the oil polymerize and deepen the protective coat.
This isn’t just maintenance—it’s ritual.
It’s me honoring the vessel that feeds my family and holds ancestral rhythm.
Cooking with cast iron boosts iron intake, especially with acidic foods like tomato sauce. One study found that spaghetti sauce made in a cast iron pan had 2–5 milligrams of iron.
For women, who need about 18 milligrams daily, that’s significant.
And for Black communities disproportionately affected by anemia and food insecurity, this isn’t just helpful—it’s revolutionary.
They often frame cast iron as rustic Americana or a form of frontier nostalgia.
However, they overlook the more profound truth:
Cast iron was central to enslaved cooking traditions, survival strategies, and Hoodoo practices.
These skillets weren’t just tools—they were shields, altars, and archives.
They held cornbread, okra, and greens seasoned with memory and resistance.
They were passed down not just for durability, but for spiritual continuity.
Now in my 40s, my cast-iron skillet is one of my most prized possessions.
It holds more than food—it holds rhythm, ritual, and resilience.
Scientists confirm that cast iron has high thermal mass, meaning it retains heat longer and distributes it more evenly than other materials.
That’s why it sears meat and browns veggies so beautifully.
But Hoodoo reminds me that heat isn’t just physical—it’s energetic.
A well-seasoned skillet holds the heat of intention, the warmth of legacy.
So when I clean it with salt, I’m not just preserving metal.
I’m preserving memory.
I’m seasoning my life with care, clarity, and ancestral rhythm.
Cast iron isn’t just cookware—it’s a vessel of Black survival, ritual, and brilliance.
© 2025 Kourtney Nicole Writes™. All rights reserved.
