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I spent years messing around with cast iron pans (even restoring some beat up rusted ones). My favorite cast iron pan is a pan that I literally polished SMOOTH
by t0mbstone 5y ago
I spent years messing around with cast iron pans (even restoring some beat up rusted ones).
My favorite cast iron pan is a pan that I literally polished SMOOTH with with a rotary sander.
It's impossible to build up a thick layer of seasoning on it, but it doesn't matter, because the surface is smooth. All you have to do is oil it before cooking. When you are done cooking, it's super easy to clean, and I have zero qualms about stripping all of the seasoning off the main bed using soap and water and whatever scrubber I want. The only important thing to remember is to lightly oil it before putting it away in the cupboard.
Being able to use soap on a smooth, non-stick, cast iron skillet is a game changer.
I also adopted this same approach when dealing with my carbon steel pans. I basically just don't even worry about seasoning anymore. Just make sure you oil the pan before you put it away.
- pkulak 5y agoI used to have a Finex pan that was glass smooth. Eggs stuck to it like it was stainless steel (which is also very smooth). And I could never get a good season on it.
- tristor 5y agoYou have to preheat the pan, just like you do with steel. I make eggs almost every day in either an All-Clad D7 skillet or a Field cast iron skillet. You need to pre-heat the pan and then add fat/oil. You also should avoid high temperatures for delicate foods. I've been cooking this way for years and never have problems with eggs sticking. On my stove the burner goes to 10, I use 5-6 with a steel pan, maybe as low as 4, for eggs. After it gets hot enough (can tell by feel) I add a small pat of butter and swirl it around the pan and then set it back on the burner and wait for the butter to start to foam/bubble. Crack in your eggs, use a turner/spatula with a narrow enough edge you can get under without tearing them to flip. Easy peasy.
- SECProto 5y agoAgree adding the oil only after the pan is hot is the key step. Learned through trial and error
- pkulak 5y agoI have no problem with any of my Lodges. I was just commenting that I don't think smoothness has anything to do with non-stick. But you're right, going in hot is absolutely one of the keys.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- throwaway0a5e 5y agoCounter anecdote: I milled a pan flat once upon a time. Not worth it. The smooth iron with the thin coating is a nifty party trick but it doesn't outperform the other four crappy eBay pans in the set that I didn't do that to and which built up a coating. I don't do any preheat, post heat or regularly scheduled seasoning BS, I just have a terrible diet that's high in fat. Not even eggs stick. I clean with soap and a sponge if that matters.
- neolog 5y agoWhy not just use a stainless steel pan?
- t0mbstone 5y agoWell, the myth says that cast iron is thicker and heavier, so the thought process is that if you get it nice and piping hot and then slap a steak in it, you will get a good sear as all that latent heat energy is released into the steak. I never did any actual experiments to back this up though, so it's hard to say if it's true or not. I did end up buying a set of stainless steel pans from Costco that were 5 layers of stainless steel and aluminum (basically Costco's answer to All Clad d5 pans), and those worked equally well for searing. Food stuck to them like crazy though, and I ended up just taking them back to the store. My new favorite pans are my Misen carbon steel pans. They are truly incredible. I'm seriously considering just giving away all my other pans. https://misen.com/products/carbon-steel-pan https://misen.com/products/carbon-steel-pan