Cooking Homefries in a Cast Iron Pot
- 1). Ensure that the cast iron pan is adequately seasoned. If the cast iron looks dry rather than glossy, spread shortening inside the pan and cook it in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes. Repeat this process until the pan appears sufficiently oiled.
- 2). Scrub and clean the potatoes. Leave the skins on.
- 3). Boil the potatoes until they are tender, but just slightly undercooked. Drain the potatoes and run them under cold water to halt the cooking process.
- 4). Cut the potatoes into approximately 3/4-inch thick chunks, wedges or strips. Pat the potato chunks with paper towels to dry excess moisture.
- 5). Heat the pan on high for one to two minutes. Coat the bottom of the pan semi-liberally with cooking oil, bacon grease or butter.
- 6). Turn the heat to medium and add any desired additional ingredients, such as chopped onion, garlic or bell pepper. Cook the additions for 3 minutes or until adequately softened; remove them from the pan.
- 7). Add another 1 to 2 tbsp. oil, bacon grease or butter to the cast iron pan. Place the potato chunks in a single layer in the pan. Do not add more than one layer of potatoes to the pan. Season the potatoes to taste. Seasoning options include salt, pepper, chili powder, rosemary, paprika, parsley, thyme, tarragon or oregano.
- 8). Press the potatoes down firmly with a spatula and cook them for at least 5 minutes without stirring. Flip the potatoes, press them down again and cook them for at least another 5 minutes. Stir the potatoes and continue to cook them for an additional 10 minutes or until crispy brown on all sides. Stir in the previously prepared additions.
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