David Chang’s Cast-Iron Cookware of Choice? A Young Brand Making Old School Pots and Pans

Momofuku Restaurant Group founder, Ugly Delicious creator, Mind of a Chef host and microwave evangelist is also a fan of Smithey Ironware, a young cast-iron cookware maker out of Charleston, South Carolina.

Chang used Smithey’s 5.5-quart Dutch oven ($295) in a three-part series of posts on turning a so-so piece of beef into “something way better than a prime cut” (AKA braising).

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defrosted one of my favorite cuts of beef – the chuck roast. much cheaper than most cuts of beef especially short-ribs. i'm not sure why it's not that popular at restaurants or at home, maybe because it takes a long time? not sure…same amount of time as oxtails and short-rib. so tasty when cooked well with nothing else other than salt and pepper this one is boneless. with bones its also known as the 7-bone steak…something @seanalexgray and the @ko_ep team really perfected in cooking…don't be intimidated by the many different sections in it. You will be fearless. cooked in a covered pot. will make two dishes out of it, probably a beef salad and a beef stew.

A post shared by Dave Chang (@davidchang) on Apr 18, 2020 at 11:08am PDT

Thanks to a luxe, smooth cooking surface and just the right amount of weight, Smithey’s cast-iron skillets are among the best we’ve tested. Its Dutch oven is more of the same — the cooking area is practically non-stick, it’s heavy enough to hold temperature but not overly cumbersome and, like its skillets, it’s gorgeous. Also like its skillets, it’s not cheap. At $295, it’s in the company of the Le Creusets and Staubs of the world more than the more budget-minded Lodge.

Other than indie cast-iron skillets, Chang’s Instagram feed is flooded with how-tos, reviews of the Instant Pot (he gave it a C+) and undying love for the Magic Bullet Blender, and is well worth a follow.

Buy Now: $295

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