I absolutely love cooking with cast iron. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, cast iron is a kitchen staple in our house. Cast iron is undoubtedly durable, and if you maintain your cast iron cookware properly, it can last for decades. However, there are a few key foods that you should avoid cooking in cast iron, and here’s why.

1. Highly acidic foods

Highly acidic foods like tomatoes and lemons should be cooked in regular stainless steel or non-stick cookware instead of cast iron. The thought is that highly acidic foods react with the cast iron and can break down the coating, as well as leave your food tasting metallic. I always thought this was a myth until I cooked a shakshuka recipe in cast iron. Because it’s a tomato-based dish, I found it tasted so metallic. Never again!

2. Super fragrant foods

Super fragrant foods including fishier fish, strong cheeses, and heavy garlic can leave lingering smells in your cast iron pan. Popping your cast iron in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for about 10 minutes will typically burn the smells out. However, sometimes these stubborn smells can linger even afterwards!

3. Eggs

As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to cook eggs in a stainless steel or other non-stick pan instead of cast iron. Eggs cooked in cast iron generally absorb too much of the seasoning and end up in a stuck-on, brown mess on the bottom of your pan. For non-stick and perfectly cooked eggs, avoid cooking them in cast iron.

As you’re now likely aware, there are only a few foods that shouldn’t be cooked using cast iron. Generally speaking, you can toss basically anything in a cast iron pan and have your food coming out tasting delicious. However, if you want to preserve your cast iron and ensure your food tastes its best, try cooking the above food items using non-stick or stainless steel pans instead. Happy cooking!