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Cast iron leet

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Re: Cast iron leet

#241

Post by mgaunard »

martingoodson wrote: post #116
taywrobel wrote: post #13

This does miss one huge drawback of cast iron for cooking some dishes - heat control. Cast iron retains heat like crazy and doesn’t change quickly. Get that thing up to a searing temperature and it’ll be 10-15 minutes before you can get an egg anywhere near it for example. A thinner steel pan will heat up and cool down much rapidly allowing for a lot more control. Luckily there’s a fantastic non-nonstick option for t…

Carbon steel woks are useless for induction or electric jobs. The sides are so high that they don’t get near to the heat and never season. Then they rust. I which I could find an alternative to non-stick woks. I’ve ordered a steel aluminium laminate. Maybe that will work.

If you don't have gas, you need to season in the oven.

Re: Cast iron leet

#242

Post by copperx »

twobitshifter wrote: post #205
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…

For sauces I would suggest an enameled cast iron pot that won’t rust and can handle acids.

What are such enamels made of? Are they risk free?

Re: Cast iron leet

#243

Post by sva_ »

mirker wrote: post #167
sva_ wrote: post #66

I wonder what people are doing to their nonstick pans that they need to throw them out every year? I've been using the same two nonstick pans for years now and can't say I have that problem (I only use wood/plastic on them). I'm still concerned about the chemicals used though.

Teflon vaporizes at >500F (and perhaps below). Leaving the pan on high without food in it will approach that quickly.

I think this might be it. I usually cook at medium temperatures, wherever possible, as it seems healthier.

Re: Cast iron leet

#244

Post by weaksauce »

horsawlarway wrote: post #106
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…

Personally - I find carbonsteel pans are basically my favorite ever. Slightly heftier than stainless and much easier to season. I have a set of stainless (relatively nice triple clad Cuisinart) and I still much prefer the carbon steel pans. It's essentially what cast iron pans would be if we had better manufacturing techniques, and they work really well. Backing up though - I would 100% take cast iron over just stain…

> What's not to like?

It's heavy. The handle gets really hot.

my 12" stainless pan is hefty but not heavy. the smaller cast iron 10" or 11" is about twice the weight. I use it to cook just about everything. I think once the coating on my nice 12" non-stick pan goes off I'd probably get a carbon steel one (if it does... you can prevent most of it by not cooking things too hot and i mainly use it for hashbrowns on about medium.)

Re: Cast iron leet

#245

Post by lowbloodsugar »

Got to remember that westerners have been sold on the entire product cycle of every day chores. Wash your hair everyday - lather, rinse, repeat. Yes! Hey we could increase our profits 100%? WTF how?? We just tell them to do it twice! Lol.

Cooking food? Buy a spray to oil it! Buy a nonstick pan that will last a year. Buy dishwashing soap! And cool washing up brushes that dispense the soap! It’s not clean unless you scrubbed it back down to the state it arrived in! Keep buying those products!

It’s too much work to clean an iron skillet! Well you don’t clean it: you just wipe it. What??? No you must clean it! Dawn says so!

Etc

Re: Cast iron leet

#246

Post by xyzzyz »

jefftk wrote: post #217
ronyeh wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses. I have tried them all, including pans with aluminum cores but steel outer layers. Cast iron is great for searing or for fried eggs or buttery scrambles. I love my car on steel Matfer fry pan and try to use it as often as possible. But for acidic or long simmering brown sauces that'll stick and tear off my seasoning, I'll probably teach for stainless steel. Afterward I'l…

> I've seen Chef Jacques Pépin beat an omelette in a Teflon pan with a metal utensil, so who am I to judge? Lots of people do it who should know better. That's going to damage the coating, shortening the lifespan of the pan, and putting little bits of Teflon into your food.

> That's going to damage the coating, shortening the lifespan of the pan, and putting little bits of Teflon into your food.

Out of the concerns above, pieces of Teflon in your food is fortunately not a huge concern: Teflon is not toxic in the slightest. It works as nonstick because it doesn’t really react with anything, and that means it won’t react with your body either. It is a common material in various medical equipment like implants, frequently used as catheter lining.

Now, if you heat it to 500 degrees or more, it starts decomposing, and the resulting chemicals are toxic. So, don’t broil in nonstick (but slow braising in oven is fine).

Re: Cast iron leet

#247

Post by bsder »

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…

The real problem I have is that modern cast iron pans are extremely rough. Old cast iron pans are extremely smooth, by contrast.

I suspect that accounts for a lot of the variance that people experience using cast iron.

Re: Cast iron leet

#248

Post by smarks »

arcticbull wrote: post #177
jitl wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It takes 2 seconds to wipe the inside of a pan with an oily cloth

Or spray it down with Pam or something.

I’d recommend against using spray oils such as Pam because they include lecithin, I think so that the oil coats surfaces more easily. Eventually lecithin will build up and make the cooking surface less effective. You can scrub it off with detergent but it’s kind of a pain.

I’d recommend putting just a little oil on a paper towel and spreading a very thin coat across the surface. Only takes a few moments.

Re: Cast iron leet

#249

Post by teddyh »

lostlogin wrote: post #239
teddyh wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What stovetop can reach 1465 °C (2669 °F)?

Boiling water with salt in it works well, and seems likely to be what OP means. Even boiling water works great. I suspect a degree of sarcasm just wooshed over me.

It wasn’t sarcasm, per se, it was just a joke.

Re: Cast iron leet

#250

Post by WheatM »

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…

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