I see no need to own a cast iron pan

[progressive hunter]

You provided no useful information here to counter anything I've said.

You can sear steaks and meats just fine on stainless steel, so that is hardly a reason to own a cast iron pan. Here is from a youtube video where they compare searing one steak in cast iron and one in stainless steel, clearly any claim that you need cast iron to sear a steak is quite misguided.

View attachment 844476

The video for above comparison is here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5m2bfZ8AVs

"FINE" doesnt cut it,,

cast iron users like the perfect achieved using cast iron,,

 

[Leo123]

I'd counter that unhappy people are the ones who decide personal attacks is their only move when they're unable to make a reasonable argument.

I have owned a cast iron pan, I stopped using it because I like stainless steel better, and I nobody has given me a reason to use a cast iron pan other than it makes corn bread better and allusions to how food just magically tastes better in cast iron. Am I just supposed to throw my hands up anyway so that I don't get accused of being a contrarian? I don't think so.

Stainless steel can cook everything that cast iron can cook. It can sear, it can braise, it can fry, it can go in the oven, it is durable, lighter, and easy to care for. I don't make cornbread. These are facts, not being contrarian.

These are also facts: Stainless Steel cookware has Chromium and Nickel that can leach into foods and if fluctuates between manufacturers. Also increased boiling or cooking time can exacerbate this. Unused pans can leach more metal because they haven't formed a layer of oxidation. People who have known allergies to Nickel or Chromium should not use these utensils.

Is Stainless Steel Cookware Safe? (Latest Research) - Prudent Reviews

Is stainless steel cookware safe? Are there any health concerns to consider? This guide breaks down the safety facts about stainless steel cookware. You’ll learn what the latest research reveals and how to minimize any risks.

prudentreviews.com

With my cast iron pan there are no other metals other than iron to consider.

 

[AveMarica]

or I can just keep doing what I have done for 40 yrs and turn it off and save energy,,

My goals with choosing cooking vessels have never taken into account being to turn the heat off before finishing cooking to save energy, but I would note that a cast iron pan takes far more time and energy to get to cooking temperature than just about any other type of pan so if your goal is being green you might want to rethink applying heat to a 5 pound piece of metal until it is hot enough to cook versus a 2.5 pound one.

"FINE" doesnt cut it,,

cast iron users like the perfect achieved using cast iron,,

Perfect is subjective, but again these are two steaks seared one in cast iron and one in stainless steel. To me it is silly for anyone to look at that picture and declare you must have a cast iron pan to sear a steak.

 

[progressive hunter]

My goals with choosing cooking vessels have never taken into account being to turn the heat off before finishing cooking to save energy, but I would note that a cast iron pan takes far more time and energy to get to cooking temperature than just about any other type of pan so if your goal is being green you might want to rethink applying heat to a 5 pound piece of metal until it is hot enough to cook versus a 2.5 pound one.


Perfect is subjective, but again these are two steaks seared one in cast iron and one in stainless steel. To me it is silly for anyone to look at that picture and declare you must have a cast iron pan to sear a steak.

View attachment 844477

youre right perfect is subjective,, but you clearly said FINE not perfect,,,

 

[AveMarica]

These are also facts: Stainless Steel cookware has Chromium and Nickel that can leach into foods and if fluctuates between manufacturers. Also increased boiling or cooking time can exacerbate this. Unused pans can leach more metal because they haven't formed a layer of oxidation. People who have known allergies to Nickel or Chromium should not use these utensils.

Is Stainless Steel Cookware Safe? (Latest Research) - Prudent Reviews

Is stainless steel cookware safe? Are there any health concerns to consider? This guide breaks down the safety facts about stainless steel cookware. You’ll learn what the latest research reveals and how to minimize any risks.

prudentreviews.com

With my cast iron pan there are no other metals other than iron to consider.

From your link:

According to research published on the National Institute of Health (NIH) website, trace amounts of chromium and nickel are released in food from stainless steel cookware. However, the amounts are minimal and unlikely to cause any harm unless you are highly allergic to these elements. The study tested acidic foods (tomato sauce and lemon marmalade) and liquid solutions to judge the leaching of metals. After testing, the amounts detected were below thresholds for triggering metal allergies.

I don't have allergies to nickel or chromium, so the information you provided wouldn't steer me away from using stainless steel anymore than knowing there are carcinogens in the gas heating the pan, or the coals used on a grill.

 

[AveMarica]

youre right perfect is subjective,, but you clearly said FINE not perfect,,,

I'm not sure your point, no offense but it seems like you're attempting to be pedantic with the word "fine" to somehow prove cast iron is required to sear a steak.

Picture (and personal experience) says otherwise.

 

[progressive hunter]

I'm not sure your point, no offense but it seems like you're attempting to be pedantic with the word "fine" to somehow prove cast iron is required to sear a steak.

Picture (and personal experience) says otherwise.

you used "FINE" and some of us want more than FINE,,

whats hard to understand??

 

[progressive hunter]

My goals with choosing cooking vessels have never taken into account being to turn the heat off before finishing cooking to save energy, but I would note that a cast iron pan takes far more time and energy to get to cooking temperature than just about any other type of pan so if your goal is being green you might want to rethink applying heat to a 5 pound piece of metal until it is hot enough to cook versus a 2.5 pound one.


Perfect is subjective, but again these are two steaks seared one in cast iron and one in stainless steel. To me it is silly for anyone to look at that picture and declare you must have a cast iron pan to sear a steak.

View attachment 844477

now thats a perfect pan seared steak,,

 

[progressive hunter]

 

[Leo123]

From your link:

According to research published on the National Institute of Health (NIH) website, trace amounts of chromium and nickel are released in food from stainless steel cookware. However, the amounts are minimal and unlikely to cause any harm unless you are highly allergic to these elements. The study tested acidic foods (tomato sauce and lemon marmalade) and liquid solutions to judge the leaching of metals. After testing, the amounts detected were below thresholds for triggering metal allergies.

I don't have allergies to nickel or chromium, so the information you provided wouldn't steer me away from using stainless steel anymore than knowing there are carcinogens in the gas heating the pan, or the coals used on a grill.

Hey, I'm just providing info and there's a lot in the link I provided. I'm leery of 'studies' but, it's pretty obvious most people who cook with stainless steel suffer no ill effects from it. It is interesting how they layer the metals though. I also didn't know that stainless cookware also gets 'seasoned' when used. It does say not to heat non-stick stainless over 500 degrees. I know in the past the old Teflon could cause toxic fumes if heated too much. I don't think they use that anymore though.

 

[Leo123]

View attachment 844494

Stop posting that shit!! My mouth is watering!! That's just 'food porn!

 

[progressive hunter]

Stop posting that shit!! My mouth is watering!! That's just 'food porn!

NO!!!

at least its a good torture,,,

 

[westwall]

I'd counter that unhappy people are the ones who decide personal attacks is their only move when they're unable to make a reasonable argument.

I have owned a cast iron pan, I stopped using it because I like stainless steel better, and I nobody has given me a reason to use a cast iron pan other than it makes corn bread better and allusions to how food just magically tastes better in cast iron. Am I just supposed to throw my hands up anyway so that I don't get accused of being a contrarian? I don't think so.

Stainless steel can cook everything that cast iron can cook. It can sear, it can braise, it can fry, it can go in the oven, it is durable, lighter, and easy to care for. I don't make cornbread. These are facts, not being contrarian.

I didn't attack you. I merely stated a fact. You are a contrarian. Most of whom are unhappy.

 

[AveMarica]

you used "FINE" and some of us want more than FINE,,

whats hard to understand??

Okay to clarify for you, stainless steel sears fine, just as cast iron sears just fine. Same same. Now maybe we can end this particular red herring of pedantry.

That steak in your picture looks just fine.

 

[progressive hunter]

Okay to clarify for you, stainless steel sears fine, just as cast iron sears just fine. Same same. Now maybe we can end this particular red herring of pedantry.

That steak in your picture looks just fine.

sorry but cast iron sears perfectly for the experienced user,,,

as shown in the pictures above,,,

 

[AveMarica]

Hey, I'm just providing info and there's a lot in the link I provided. I'm leery of 'studies' but, it's pretty obvious most people who cook with stainless steel suffer no ill effects from it. It is interesting how they layer the metals though. I also didn't know that stainless cookware also gets 'seasoned' when used. It does say not to heat non-stick stainless over 500 degrees. I know in the past the old Teflon could cause toxic fumes if heated too much. I don't think they use that anymore though.

I do have one teflon style nonstick pan but it is just for low heat eggs, usually omelettes and spanish tortillas. Fried and scrambled eggs I use my stainless skillet.

For clad stainless the max temperatures are all over the board, All Clad I have is 600 degrees, Made In is 800, and to an extreme example is Hestan who makes stainless steel pans rated to an absolutely insane 1050F.

 

[AveMarica]

I didn't attack you. I merely stated a fact. You are a contrarian. Most of whom are unhappy.

Stating a what you think is a fact isn't mutually exclusive from attacking someone, and preferring stainless steel isn't contrarian it is one of the most popular types of cookware sold.

 

[toobfreak]

You provided no useful information here to counter anything I've said.
Here is from a youtube video

I don't care what you think! I don't follow youtube videos, I listen to the advice of some of the world's greatest chefs like Gordon Ramsey. The guy has won 17 Michelin stars.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I have found stainless to be a pain in the ass,, one mis step and everything sticks and has to be scrubbed off even if you had a dishwasher,,

also I dont have a dishwasher so thats not an option,, they are to expensive to run and maintain,,

Thats okay.
Since you never put cast iron in the dishwasher.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

For me 90% of the time the dishwasher is fine, otherwise just let it soak in water for awhile then come back later with BKF. Meanwhile there are people in here talking about scrubbing cast iron with salt after every use, then oiling it.


Regardless it is a fact that a clad stainless steel pan distributes heat far better than cast iron.

From SeriousEats:

The Theory: Searing steaks and frying potatoes requires high, even heat. Cast iron is great at searing steaks, so it must be great at heating evenly, right?

The Reality: Actually, cast iron is terrible at heating evenly. The thermal conductivity—the measure of a material's ability to transfer heat from one part to another—is around a third to a quarter that of a material like aluminum. What does this mean? Throw a cast iron skillet on a burner and you end up forming very clear hot spots right on top of where the flames are, while the rest of the pan remains relatively cool. The main advantage of cast iron is that it has a very high volumetric heat capacity, which means that once it's hot, it stays hot.

In thermal images of different pan materials you can see how cast iron and carbon steel are much hotter exactly where the flame is, and much cooler where it isn't:


View attachment 844081

Cast iron holds heat far better than any other type pan.
I have a laser temp gun and my gun says this is bullshit.
It looks to me like they didnt let the cast iron get to temp.
We use cast to make cornbread and the color is the exact same across the cornbread everytime.
Same goes for blackened fish.