Cast Iron Skillet

[Hristo Botev]

DW wants a cast iron skillet, and she tells me having one will allow for us to be able to dispose of some other pots and pans from the overstuffed cabinet. I'm not totally convinced it's a smart purchase, but I'm open to being convinced. I like the idea of having something that will presumably last for generations. But we also have a couple quality all-clad skillets/pans that work wonderfully (those would not be disposed of if we get a cast iron skillet). Are there folks on here who swear by cast iron skillets? And if so, why? And, also, is there a particular brand I should look for, and any I should avoid?

[Alphaville]

a bit of an overhyped item, but i use one every day mainly because i dislike teflon.

people do fetishize the things for marketing purposes or something.

and it has its advantages, like being fairly non-stick, and retaining heat better than steel (eg great if you wanna sear steaks).

it’s not magic though. and it can cause injuries.

[Hristo Botev]

but i use one every day mainly because i dislike teflon.

I should add, DW got it in her mind that she wanted one after we watched that Mark Ruffalo (sp?) film Dark Waters, which was surprisingly good.

[Alphaville]

oh—todd haynes! good director. “superstar” is an indie classic if you can find it (it was unfairly banned for trademark infringement). haven’t seen this new one.

anyway i wouldn’t spend much on it. get a cheap one at walmart (lodge?) and see if she likes it. people are always trying to sell ever pricier versions because “more polished” whatever but polish is achieved with use. just apply more bacon.

i got some throwaways that work great

—

eta: oh! just read the movie plot summary. i didn’t know this, i’ve just always hated the stench of teflon when it heats up

so... yeah. cast iron is nice, but dependent on polymerized carbonized fats which might have their own issues.

for fast frying/sauteeing/high temp, carbon steel is light and easy (eg see woks)

[jacob]

Cast iron does have a certain "romantic" appeal. However, you'd have to change your cooking style to "more bacon". The days of frying an egg on a quarter of oil are over!! Cast iron gets better with use. The cheaper ones (like Lodge, which I have) don't start out with a smooth surface. You will eventually grind it down and fill it in with carbon after lots of use/seasoning, but not if you (or your wife) keeps ruining the seasoning by treating the cast iron like a Teflon pan, burning everything, and scrubbing it down with soap.

What I'm trying to say here is that it took years before DW was allowed near my cast iron pan. Eventually it did build up the solid black seasoning which resists even eggs Cast iron is cooking w/o training wheels. You can't get away with things that would be okay on other pans. Like not letting it/the oil heat up properly before you put something on and start cooking. Or scrubbing it with soap.

As for seasoning by covering it in oil and putting it in the oven until you set off the fire alarms, I'm missing something else, but that never worked for me although it does turn the pan nice and black. Nah ... fry some green beans in butter and do that many times. Use steel spatulas ... it helps smooth the surface.

"They don't make them like the used to." You can get a cheap Lodge, but I suspect a lot of them is "just buying the dream". The real action is on eBay buying old (smooth!) pans from back when people still understood how to make hand tools. @Alphaville might have lucked out and gotten one of those.

PS: It might be possible to cheat by smoothing your own using an orbital sander/hand sanding down to at least 1500+ grit. I haven't tried.

[TimeTravel]

I got a cast iron skillet recently. But found myself using stainless steel instead most of the time since stainless steel is just easier to use and clean.

The cast iron, I'll use for when I want to sear a good steak.

But for other stuff (even searing a pork chop), I'll grab the stainless steel for ease of use and cleaning.

[Dream of Freedom]

If your wife really wants one it is not the hill I would die on.

Cast iron I'd say is situationally fantastic, but not a jack of all trades pan. It has a lot of mass. So if you are cooking a steak and you add the mushrooms and onions the temperature will not drop by a lot. This is a disadvantage when cooking something that is easily overcooked like fish or shrimp. You cannot leave them in the pan while preparing other items because they will keep cooking after you turn off the burner. There are no plastic parts so you can put it in an oven. So if you are preparing a roast you can get a nice sear on the outside then put it in the oven to cook fully.

They have to be cleaned right away and by hand. So if you are like me and store dishes in the dishwasher until you get a full load this would take spacial care.

They are great for camping because you can simply lay them over some coals. When I burn fallen sticks from my yard in my fire pit I like to cook some bratwursts in a cast iron pan over the coals.

They are best used with plenty of oil which may or may not fit your diet.

[Hristo Botev]

OK, well now I'm excited. I'm hearing "more bacon" from Jacob and "plenty of oil" from DoF; sounds like this should have been on my wish list a long time ago.

Thanks all for the responses. Poking around online it seems like these things aren't really that complicated to season, use, and clean; though it's likely something I would have abused horribly in my 20s. The romantic in me is now looking forward to really learning how to use this tool; and there is a definite "manliness" to it that will get my son excited (rule no. 1, you have to be able to actually lift the thing!).

Consumerist endorphins have now been released.

[Alphaville]

fwiw, a large flat cast iron griddle (think: sunday breakfast) also makes an excellent bread/pizza “stone” for when oven season returns

e.g. see: https://www.homedepot.com/p/301056286

(indon’t have that one—i have a square one with a handle)


"They don't make them like the used to." You can get a cheap Lodge, but I suspect a lot of them is "just buying the dream". The real action is on eBay buying old (smooth!) pans from back when people still understood how to make hand tools. @Alphaville might have lucked out and gotten one of those.

i got a small involuntary collection in my cabin. meaning i didnt seek most of them out, they found me. from cheapo lodges to original foundry wagners to vintage griswolds. it makes no difference to me, they work the same. maybe i ruin them all equally?

also, i second you on the seasoning business. just cook a lot with them and build the polymer. this oil, that oil... i use all kinds.

[Campitor]

I have a cast iron skillet that came with a top. I use it to make sourdough bread or ratatouille.

Pros: It heats evenly, retains heat, and can transfer from stove top to oven for recipes that require it. Not a lot of oil is required to cook if properly seasoned.

Cons: It's very heavy, has to be seasoned before it can be used, and the seasoning process will produce some smoke which may or may not trigger fire alarms. And the handle get's very hot - something you'll come to hate if you accidentally brush up against it. Food will continue to cook in the pan regardless if it's off the flame.

When I cook with cast iron I use Ove gloves. I can grab the pans and utensils easily with these gloves and not worry about accidently grabbing a hot cast iron handle.

Seasoning technique: Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To

[Cheepnis]

Our apartment tilts so bad that the seasoning on my skillet is much better on one side since all the oil and cooking detritus goes to that side. I guess I need to turn the handle toward the back wall sometimes! My pan isn't perfectly seasoned, lopsidedness notwithstanding. I do find that cooking chicken breasts in the skillet often messes up the seasoning somehow. A couple batches of sauteed vegetables normally takes care of it. Made a few fried eggs last night and they came right up. Something so satisfying about that, haha.

[take2]

I bought a cast iron Dutch oven a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. That turned me on to cast iron, and I proceeded to get a cast iron skillet, and then two cast iron frying pans after that.

I think they’re so much better than anything else to cook with, but definitely not as convenient to clean. We were already washing all of our pans by hand though, so it’s not much more work than that. I found myself enjoying the caretaking process of cleaning and then oiling actually - a bit similar to hand grinding coffee beans which I also started recently and also enjoy. Most would probably see it as inconvenient but I find it satisfying.

No need to pay a ton though. I picked up 2 for £40 brand new (although they were delivered like 3 weeks late so actually got them for free after the amazon refund for missing the shipping date!) They work great. I think proper care is much more important.

[Alphaville]

ok, here at last, the great kenji lópez-alt, who does perform lab experiments in the kitchen

the myths:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/the ... -iron.html

the buying guide:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/how ... -pans.html

from his last paragraph:

I personally find it ridiculous to pay the $150-plus that some sellers are asking for old cast iron when a new cast iron pan, like the cast iron skillet from Lodge costs a mere $16.00 and will give you an equally lustrous nonstick surface with just a bit of time and care.

finally, the tests:

https://www.seriouseats.com/2019/10/bes ... illet.html

[Peanut]

We have two cast iron skillets, one bigger and one smaller, that we use daily. One belonged to DH's grandmother, the other I think is from Army Surplus. Super cheap camping gear. They look and cook the same to me. DH takes care of all the cleaning; luckily he loves those kinds of domestic rituals--sharpening knives, grinding coffee, etc. I like that they are indestructible. We have copper all-clad pans too; they cook well but develop too much patina very easily and nobody has time to scrub them back to the original.

We have a couple of Le Creusets ovens also; they are enameled cast iron. They cook well but I have found they are easy to scratch on the interior; or maybe I am just hell on kitchenware, very likely.

[Viktor K]

Don’t use soap. Sometimes eggs stick. Sometimes they don’t. Why?

[Alphaville]

@kafka

re:egg

you want a hot enough temp so that the egg coagulates before the protein binds to the surface. it needs to sizzle and sort of “recoil’ into itself. then it’s easily moved and flipped (i like over easy)

[Viktor K]

@kafka

re:egg

you want a hot enough temp so that the egg coagulates before the protein binds to the surface. it needs to sizzle and sort of “recoil’ into itself. then it’s easily moved and flipped (i like over easy)

Same. So is that just a matter of heating the skillet before putting In the egg?

Seems to happen more when we make scrambled eggs. But every now and then it happens with the over easies

[Alphaville]

yah you have to heat it just right. i add it when the butter goes past foam but not brown. this is so instinctual now with me it’s hard to explain lol. there is a phase change almost.

if using oil not butter, brillat-savarin had a beautiful description for frying i can’t quote right now but if i recalled correctly he spoke of a “dance” lol. on cast iron which is not a deep fry you want to see the heat rising like a little mirage but not start smoking

[Miss Lonelyhearts]

I haven’t used cast iron in several years, but on stainless clad (far stickier imo) I can fry/scramble eggs without sticking. Simply heat the pan over low to medium heat for several minutes until a splash of water (hold your finger under the tap then shake over the pan) beads rather than evaporates on the surface. The pan is at the right temperature. Add your fat then quickly add your eggs. I used to have photo proof of this but lost with old phone.

Ref: Leidenfrost point wiki

Hot (enough) pan + cold oil = no sticking

[Sclass]

My wife recently bought one. It makes great Korean rice bowls “dol sot bop” among other things like fajitas, naan and roti that I cannot do well on Teflon pans.

As for seasoning...well my wife said it was healthier than Teflon. Personally I think you’re trading one set of problems for another. Seasoning with oil then oxidizing it to a glaze most certainly forms Acrylamides. Especially if you don’t wash it off and keep reheating it over and over. Not that either seems to be killing anyone, just saying it isn’t perfect.