Does spinach when cooked on bare cast iron turn black?

Does spinach when cooked on bare cast iron turn black? - Exterior of contemporary wooden orange door and black cast iron gates to house

From Wikipedia:

In addition, some foods (such as spinach) cooked on bare cast iron will turn black.

How true is that, and why? Secondly, does it even apply to the newly-seasoned cast iron cookware?



Best Answer

Spinach contains oxalic acid which reacts with cast iron and carbon steel pans turning the spinach black.

I'm not sure about your second question, I would suggest trying it and seeing what happens. My hunch would be that as long as you have a good seasoned coating on the pan it should be fine. But that's only supposition.




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Quick Answer about "Does spinach when cooked on bare cast iron turn black?"

Spinach contains oxalic acid which reacts with cast iron and carbon steel pans turning the spinach black.

Why does my cast iron turn my food black?

First, the black specks you see coming off into your food are not harmful. They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food.

Can I cook spinach in cast iron?

Cooking spinach, due to the oxalic acid it contains, is also inadvisable, as it can react with the iron and turn the food an unappetizing black color.

Should cast iron have black residue?

The black residue on a cast iron skillet isn't harmful; it's just a part of cooking with a cast iron pan. A black seasoned coating shouldn't rub off easily or affect the food, as it should form a useful non-stick surface for cooking. If residue starts to build up, however, this can affect your cooking.

Why do beans turn black in cast iron?

Some folks wonder why some of their dishes turn dark or have floating black pieces at the top (like when boiling beans). That's because the seasoning has flaked off while boiling.



3 Dangers Of Cast Iron #AskWardee 137




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