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Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

theatlantic.com

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Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#181

Post by euroderf »

wheels wrote: post #160
tacker2000 wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not everyone has a gas stove. Or maybe Im mistaken, but does cast iron work equally well on a “hot surface” (ceran) type stove?

Erm, sure? Cast iron takes a little while longer to heat up because it's heavier, but it retains heat well once hot. It's even better on induction. I cook mostly in cast-iron and carbon steel and haven't ever had a gas stove. (Like a lot of kitchen wonks, I keep a cheap non-stick pan around for eggs and pancakes, and basically nothing else.)

Induction might be the key here. It really is fast to change.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#182

Post by euroderf »

andrewstuart wrote: post #171
adrianmonk wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can scrub and scrape them Though you won't need to scrub very long if you use this: https://barkeepersfriend.com/products/cookware-cleanser-poli... Because of chemistry I don't understand, oxalic acid is amazing at removing burnt on food.

>> 50% more grease-cutting detergents The chemicals don't appeal to me - I don't want them in the house, in the sewage water or as residue on the pots. Soak pots in plain water for several hours and they'll clean easily.

Clean freaks might object to standing water in pans. But it really does work. First rinse & brush out what you can before soaking, so that it looks like water and not sludge.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#183

Post by euroderf »

skyyler wrote: post #17
bilsbie wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to but my eggs stick like crazy. I’ve even tried all the tips too like oil when droplets float, etc.

Eggs in hot oil in a clean, smooth preheated pan should not stick... Consider trying carbon steel. It's lighter than cast iron and just as non-stick once it's well seasoned. It's ubiquitous in restaurant and hotel kitchens.

Is it possible to skip the seasoning ?

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#184

Post by mr_mitm »

hobotime wrote: post #35
lazide wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve never seen eggs not stick to cast iron.

Let the eggs develop a crust on the bottom before doing anything with them.

But I don't want a crust on my eggs. I want them pale and fluffy, especially my scrambled eggs. Any brown spots on my eggs and I consider them ruined. If you tell me I won't be able to make eggs the way I prefer them in a cast iron pan, then cast iron is not for me.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#185

Post by euroderf »

noman-land wrote: post #47
Arainach wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microplastic and heart disease are both potentially going to affect my health, but the direct impact of heart disease is a lot easier to prove and test for...

That's why you should use butter because it's well known and you can test if you're eating too much.

I've seen no mention of margarine in this entire comments page. The consensus has changed over the years.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#186

Post by andrewstuart »

euroderf wrote: post #182
andrewstuart wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> 50% more grease-cutting detergents The chemicals don't appeal to me - I don't want them in the house, in the sewage water or as residue on the pots. Soak pots in plain water for several hours and they'll clean easily.

Clean freaks might object to standing water in pans. But it really does work. First rinse & brush out what you can before soaking, so that it looks like water and not sludge.

Water is a powerful solvent it just needs time.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#187

Post by shiroiushi »

euroderf wrote: post #174
shiroiushi wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem here is that many people use non-stick cookware, and metal spatulas will scratch them up badly. Plastic or rubber spatulas don't do that. Of course, you can say that they shouldn't use non-stick cookware, but they are, so...

This entire discussion points me towards a conclusion that metal-on-metal is the conservative way to go. So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Do we have to worry about microbits of metal disrupting physiology ?

>So what is the problem with this as a solution ?

Non-stick cookware was invented for a reason.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#188

Post by iamacyborg »

euroderf wrote: post #174
shiroiushi wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The main problem here is that many people use non-stick cookware, and metal spatulas will scratch them up badly. Plastic or rubber spatulas don't do that. Of course, you can say that they shouldn't use non-stick cookware, but they are, so...

This entire discussion points me towards a conclusion that metal-on-metal is the conservative way to go. So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Do we have to worry about microbits of metal disrupting physiology ?

If you’re cooking a lot with aluminium pans, yes, maybe.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#189

Post by hnbad »

shiroiushi wrote: post #187
euroderf wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This entire discussion points me towards a conclusion that metal-on-metal is the conservative way to go. So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Do we have to worry about microbits of metal disrupting physiology ?

>So what is the problem with this as a solution ? Non-stick cookware was invented for a reason.

That reason in part is paranoia about "fat" in food which was conveniently used to distract from sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.

Re: Cooking with black plastic is particularly crucial to avoid

#190

Post by iamacyborg »

Etheryte wrote: post #180
ArnoVW wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Use a wooden one? Has the added benefit of being part of the short carbon cycle.

Wood is not good if you want to handle raw meat, since it's fibrous it makes it pretty easy to eventually cross contaminate something you eat. It's the same reason wooden cutting boards are usually avoided if you're working with raw meat. Every single time, the risk is small, but over time, the dice rolls add up.

I’m in my late 30’s and have basically forever used wooden chopping boards and wooden utensils. I’ve not gotten sick from home cooking once. I think you might be overstating the potential harm here.
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