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I have a cast iron pan. Pros - it'll last forever if you look after it, it doesn't contain PFAS and generally it is non-stick enough to not be a nuisance. Cons - heavy AF, needs to be cleaned and dried after use & not in a dishwasher. I haven't tried to cook anything acidic in it yet but it does okay for steaks, eggs, mushrooms, sauces that I have used it for.
I still use soap and a plastic scrubber on mine and just dry it on the hob for a bit. I haven't had to reseason it yet but I imagine it will be a pain in the ass when I do. I have seen part of the seasoning flake off but it normally self heals with more cooking.
So it's okay overall but I think lack of PFAS and the fact that this thing will last a lifetime are the clinchers. Even if you have non-stick buy one of these and use it by default. I expect a stainless steel pan would be good too for same reasons.
I've heard from several sources that the iron is supposed to be good for the diet. I love my carbon steel and cast iron kitchenware. All of the studies I've seen show it as a superior option to PFAS cookware and will still outlast the latest ceramic options. I have a very non-stick carbon steel pan and griddle from avocado oil seasoning.
You didn't mention that you're oiling it after drying it. It's recommended that you lightly oil the surface upon storage.
One Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px6jqcYFdFs
I’ve heard from several sources that the iron is supposed to be good for the diet. I love my carbon steel and cast iron kitchenware. All of the studies I’ve seen show it as a superior option to PFAS cookware and will still outlast the latest ceramic options. I have a very non-stick carbon steel pan and griddle from avocado oil seasoning.
You didn’t mention that you’re oiling it after drying it. It’s recommended that you lightly oil the surface upon storage.
I think cast iron will definitely outlast ANY non-stick, no question. For non-stickiness though it's basically on the tolerable end - put oil in it and most stuff will slide around but sometimes you don't want too much oil so its a trade off. I think stainless steel is a great option in its own right - it's not really non stick but it can be made tolerable with oil and can be scrubbed back to condition and thrown in the dishwasher.
I sometimes coat my cast iron pan in oil, but more often than not I don't.
For non-stickiness though it’s basically on the tolerable end - put oil in it and most stuff will slide around but sometimes you don’t want too much oil so its a trade off
Not sure if you are saying the non-stick surface of a seasoned (carbon steel or) cast iron pan is inferior to PFAS options, that's how I'm responding below.
Speaking from experience, I've screwed up seasoning pans before I got it what I'd call right.
A poorly seasoned polymerized surface on any metal (cast iron, carbon steel, stainless steel, or titanium) will always fair poorly, though more healthy than teflon style pans.
A properly seasoned polymerized surface on any smooth metal is easily on par or superior (regarding stickiness) with non-stick PFAS or metalized ceramic.
It absolutely requires minimal oiling when properly seasoned. I absolutely use less oil in my carbon steel pans than I would with 'non-stick' pans.
Another issue I see frequently is putting food into a pan that is too cold.
I think stainless steel is a great option in its own right - it’s not really non stick but it can be made tolerable with oil and can be scrubbed back to condition and thrown in the dishwasher.
Stainless steel can be non-stick using either the Leidenfrost effect or seasoning/oil polymerization. I do like being able to put my dishes through the auto-wash. My carbon steel and cast iron surfaces being the exception.
I sometimes coat my cast iron pan in oil, but more often than not I don’t.
I'm telling you what my experience is. I have pans that have a self healing non-stick surface. I don't put soap on my cast iron or carbon steel unless planning to re-season. I boil water and may agitate it with salt if something sugary stays stuck to the surface. The flame/heat sterilizes, and the water+salt granules removes particulate.
I can fry an egg with less than a light spray of oil and produce a picture perfect egg consistently.
I'm in process of removing all of our PFAS or newer titanium ceramic gear due to it failing from scraping or flaking.
I am not eating out of your kitchen, not trying to tell you how to manage the tools. Offering suggestions, I feel could make life easier for you.
If it works for you, and you're happy - carry on.
Stainless steel pans are amazing when used for the right purpose. They weigh much less than cast iron, don't require any maintenance beside cleaning them, and they are pretty much indestructible. If you burn something badly you can use metal scowering pads or any chemical you damn well like (including sodium hydroxide that will melt flesh) to get the thing clean again. They are tolerant to any cooking temperature you would ever use, ever. You can't overheat one with any appliance a normal kitchen would have. This means you can easily pop one in the oven provided it has a metal handle.
The only issue being they have no non-stick properties to speak of and relatively little thermal mass. This is good in that they don't need long to heat up, but bad in that it's not a consistent temperature and you have to know what you are doing with the power control to get the results you want. This means it's essentially useless for cooking things like steak, and difficult even to cook an omelet without using a lot of butter, ghee, or oil. Things like tomato sauces though? Perfect. The stainless steel could care less about the acidity.
So the stainless steel does care at least a little bit about the acidity?
What made you think that?
Well you said the stainless steel could care less. In order for it to be able to care less, that means it has to care at least a little bit to begin with.
Hi David Mitchell!
Look for antique CI and you'll get less weight. I love CHF (Chicago Hardware Foundry) and BSR (Birmingham something something...) pans because they're thinner casting and smooth finish. I also have some Antiques from the 19th C that get regular use. I can't stand modern pans. They are all way too heavy, and that pebbled surface is a pain in the ass to cook on and clean. It's no wonder people hate cast iron
Love my cast iron pan and my stainless and mostly agree. Just want to point out that stainless steel isn't really comparable to cast iron. Cast iron is cheap while good stainless pans are quite expensive, and you can't really season stainless to be nonstick. Sticking is actually a feature of stainless, because then you can use a technique called "deglazing" to make a flavorful sauce out of the stuck bits.
I have one of each and I like them both for different things.
Mostly agree. I want to add, there are ways to make your stainless steel produce a non-stick effect.
Very similar to the method used to produce a non-stick surface on carbon steel, cast iron, and other heated cooking surfaces. Essentially you apply a light coat of oil and created a polymerized surface on the pan.
One source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXEt-fhyCis
Edit: Another Source (Leidenfrost effect): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUwaOnCd1h0