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Cast iron leet

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Re: Cast iron leet

#41

Post by talkingtab »

Sorry to be skeptical, but are the links affiliate links? Added to that question is the question of the quality of the article. While I agree completely with the main point about using cast iron pans, I think the post glosses over some issues. To be clear I own two cast iron skillets and NO non-stick pans. But it ain't as easy as the post makes it. "Easy to clean" with a scrubbing net is misleading because it is only "easy" if you maintain a good seasoning patina. So research that before you buy. And I would look at Lodge instead of Amazon brand and skip the net cleaner until you have the seasoning part down and decide you really need that.

My number #1 accessory for cast iron is a Duxtop Induction Cooktop (one burner). If you can't find it yourself on Amazon I would skip the cast iron skillet and work on that skill first. . Someone commented on the heat retention but I find that with an induction cooktop I get very good temperature control. Maybe its just me, but I just don't notice a problem and I am picky about my eggs.

Another person commented on cast iron woks and I echo that. I found a flat bottom cast iron wok (and again you can probably find it yourself on Amazon) and it works very well with the induction cooktop. Probably better with a gas stove that blasts heat, but for me I can cook things (fried rice with eggs) that are much better than any other method I know of.

Just my 2 cents and an apology if that is not an affiliate link. I am so used to seeing them and wondering if the review is affected by the profit that I now suspect everyone. I don't mind so much when people announce them.

Re: Cast iron leet

#42

Post by raverbashing »

(about non-stick)

> you have to use soft plastic utensils or else it'll scratch the coating

Yes, and? Don't use metal utensils

Yes, the coating wears off eventually, but if you're careful it goes a long way

I wouldn't stand using a cast iron pan for everyday use.

Re: Cast iron leet

#43

Post by twiss »

jstx1 wrote: post #31

In general I find that cast iron is very overrated. > Here's a list of myths about cast iron skillets: (...) You can't cook with acidic foods (e.g. tomatoes) because it'll destroy the seasoning You might not destroy the seasoning but you will get metallic tastes in your food. I don't get why anyone would pick cast iron over stainless steel for an acidic sauce that needs to be cooked for a longer period of time. Also…

Re. your analogy, aren't they more like the C of cooking pans? Hard to use right, easy to make mistakes, etc. The initial even matches :)

Re: Cast iron leet

#44

Post by Swenrekcah »

jstx1 wrote: post #31

In general I find that cast iron is very overrated. > Here's a list of myths about cast iron skillets: (...) You can't cook with acidic foods (e.g. tomatoes) because it'll destroy the seasoning You might not destroy the seasoning but you will get metallic tastes in your food. I don't get why anyone would pick cast iron over stainless steel for an acidic sauce that needs to be cooked for a longer period of time. Also…

A downside of non-stick pans are the unknown side effects of the non-stick substance used, though.

Re: Cast iron leet

#45

Post by rich_sasha »

jstx1 wrote: post #31

In general I find that cast iron is very overrated. > Here's a list of myths about cast iron skillets: (...) You can't cook with acidic foods (e.g. tomatoes) because it'll destroy the seasoning You might not destroy the seasoning but you will get metallic tastes in your food. I don't get why anyone would pick cast iron over stainless steel for an acidic sauce that needs to be cooked for a longer period of time. Also…

> Cast iron = the Python of cooking pans.

Python is a top choice for a number of applications..?

Re: Cast iron leet

#46

Post by randallsquared »

Cast iron is easier to deal with if you have an outdoor or really-well-ventilated oven for re-seasoning, which you'll have to do from time to time, in my experience. It's actually far, far easier to just get a new pre-seasoned cast iron pan (I also bought Lodge, as the fine article's author did), but if you're going to buy a new pan every year anyway, suddenly nonstick doesn't seem like a bad deal.

Re: Cast iron leet

#47

Post by jstanley »

> I can really scrape food off the pan without worrying about chipping the paint.

But if you had non-stick pans you wouldn't need to scrape food off them.

Re: Cast iron leet

#48

Post by askvictor »

hef19898 wrote: post #9
rmetzler wrote: post #6

During the pandemic I learned how to make great Neapolitan style pizza in a normal kitchen oven. To get great pizza you usually need very high heat (~500° / ~930°F) so the pizza cooks very fast and gets cross and soft at the same time. If you use less heat the cooking will take longer and the longer you have it in the oven the more dryer it gets. So you need either a pizza stone or cast iron pan to transfer a lot of…

You cab get your oven to 500 degrees C?? I need one like that, not for cooking but for heat treatment of blades at home!

Pyrolytic ovens can get up around that temperature in their cleaning cycle, but you'd need to defeat the locking mechanism.

Re: Cast iron leet

#49

Post by jb1991 »

randallsquared wrote: post #46

Cast iron is easier to deal with if you have an outdoor or really-well-ventilated oven for re-seasoning, which you'll have to do from time to time, in my experience. It's actually far, far easier to just get a new pre-seasoned cast iron pan (I also bought Lodge, as the fine article's author did), but if you're going to buy a new pan every year anyway, suddenly nonstick doesn't seem like a bad deal.

I’ve been using a lodge for eight years, the same one, and I’ve never once put it in the oven. Still works beautifully, occasionally a full scrub clean and just do a bit of oil coat on the stove.
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