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Thread: Non-stick frying pans

  1. #16
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    While I use All-Clad for everything (comes from my years as a line cook putting myself through school) my wife is part of the new wave of cast iron cooks. If you want long lasting, easy to clean, easy heat control pans enameled cast iron is the way to go, period. My wife's preference is Le Creuset and you simply can't go wrong with their pots and pans. Enameled cast iron has all the positives of raw CI but none of the negatives, the price is really the only negative.
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  2. #17
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    For those considering cast iron

    http://www.lodgemfg.com/

    They've been in business for over 100 years. Presumably they know something about cast iron cooking untensils.

  3. #18
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    I have seen the ads on TV as well as the products available at WallyWorld. I'd rather pay five times the price for a product that will last five times longer and, presumably, perform better. At the very least it will save four trips to the store.
    I'm asking for advice here because I want the same kind of feedback/reviews we get here about power tools and shop equipment. I don't necessarily trust online reviews because too many now seem to be tied to "sweepstakes" or rewards and I don't know anything about the people writing them.

    Thanks for the cast iron info, Jim, I'm leaning that direction.

  4. #19
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    I suggest you avoid the "cheap" versions of the non-stick, including ceramic, as advertised on TV and at places like Wally World. The pans and the coatings tend to be thin, do not perform as well and don't last like they should. When I was originally experimenting, I bought a few and I can tell you there is a "YUGE" difference when you go to a quality brand. Some names have multiple levels of product quality, too. GreenPan...a leader in the ceramic space...has cheap stuff sold in big-box retail and has much better products, too. The latter are worthy. The former are not. Just like with woodworking tools...you do get what you pay for.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #20
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    One more vote for cast iron. The 3 pieces I use all the time are at least 40-50 years old and the cooking surfaces are slick as glass. Much of the new stuff has a pebbled surface. I don't know if that's cheaper to make or is supposed to help, but I don't see how you can make it work. I used a sharp paint scraper to smooth a griddle and it was much better.

    Seasoning is like a coating of paint. You have to have it and you can't let it get damaged. I don't baby my cast iron but I try not to be stupid either. I usually use soap on a sponge to clean them but am very careful about anything abrasive. I often use a chain-mail pot scrubber like this: https://www.amazon.com/Ringer-Origin.../dp/B00FKBR1ZG.

    Pre-seasoning is a pain but worth it. I seasoned some cast-iron waffle irons a few years ago by brushing with vegetable oil and heating them outside on a propane grill. Oil lightly, wipe off, heat a few hours, repeat until tired of doing it. Interesting thing was a bristle from the brush got stuck on the outside of one of them and is still there. It made it very clear that seasoning coats the metal as well as filling the pores. When I make waffles, I spray once with Pam but then can do a whole batch with no sticking.

  6. #21
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    One downvote for cast iron skillets, can't stand them. Heavy, does not heat evenly and generally not a great idea for ceramic cooktops. I'd recommend trying out a plain steel pan instead: https://www.culinarycookware.com/bou...rying-pan.html
    Inexpensive, bulletproof and amazingly non-stick once seasoned. As long as you keep them seasoned and dry when not in use, they'll last forever.

    It's also always good to have a non-stick pan around for delicate things like oily fish fillets that might leave some residual smells on a non coated pan. Wouldn't recommend anything other than All-Clad for that.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    They've been in business for over 100 years. Presumably they know something about cast iron cooking untensils.
    I actually have some 100 year old cast iron skillets. Given the way they work, they probably still have some traces of "non-stick surface" that came from pigs my old man ate as pork chops in the 1920s. Still the best non-stick surface if you're cooking on gas heat, for my money. Essentially infinitely renewable and durable.

  8. #23
    Look at Cuisinart's CastLite Non-Stick Cast Iron Fry Pan. The advantages of cast iron without a lot of extra weight and a non-sick coating. Amazon has the best prices and all of the options.

  9. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Rutherford View Post
    One more vote for cast iron. The 3 pieces I use all the time are at least 40-50 years old and the cooking surfaces are slick as glass. Much of the new stuff has a pebbled surface. I don't know if that's cheaper to make or is supposed to help, but I don't see how you can make it work. I used a sharp paint scraper to smooth a griddle and it was much better.
    I don't know if it's true, but there is an urban legend that the pebbled surface is a by-product of cheapening the manufacturing process i.e. eliminating steps. Belief in this legend is why some aficionados seek out vintage cast iron pans that have the smoother surface. Griswold seems to be king. They stopped making them in 1939. Your pans are mere teenagers.

    I use a new-ish Lodge round griddle for crepe making and being a woodworker, what I did was take a ROS to it with 60 grit, then 80 grit silicon carbide paper and it made the surface pretty smooth. I think you could just keep going to get to glass smooth.
    Another tip is to clean cast iron pans when needed with a teaspoon of salt and a good rubbing. The salt works like a mild abrasive to clean the pan which you then simply wipe off with a dry paper towel or cloth. No detergent ever. Better not to use water unless absolutely necessary.

    A lot of professional chefs are big fans of the classic French black steel pans. Look into DeBuyer. They are not particularly expensive and take seasoning just like cast iron, and will last a lifetime just like cast iron. These pans take some knowledge and technique though. The non-stick performance is heavily influenced by knowing how to adjust heat properly. Too high will stick, too low will stick. Trying to turn the food prematurely or just incessantly fiddle with it, will stick. The French seem to know what they are doing.

  10. #25
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    Edwin, it's interesting that you mentioned the DeBuyer black steel pans. I actually considered trying them awhile back, but never got around to it. That said, since I've been cooking "seriously" for a few years now, a big part of my own education has revolved around using heat properly, no matter what the cooking surface, so I'm glad you also mentioned that. This is particularly important with delicate things like fish which can be utterly destroyed if they stick. At this point, I know exactly where my gas needs to be for the burner on my range that I typically cook my protein on has to be set for various types of food and it's made a big difference in the end result. (And yes, for folks who caught the position reference...every burner on any cooktop, regardless of how basic or how high-end it is, will have slight differences in performance from its neighbor(s))
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  11. #26
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    There's a good article on the Serious Eats website regarding cast iron cookware. They've done some serious research & testing of cleaning & maintenance methods. Turns out the "no detergent" thing is just a myth. The baked on oil is so polymerized that the detergent has no effect. I use a bit of dish soap & hot water when cleaning my cast iron pan & it hasn't hurt the seasoning at all.

    As for non-stick pans, I only buy fairly inexpensive stuff cause it's just going to have to be replaced in a few years.

  12. #27
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    Frank, I also use a tiny bit of detergent to insure that any "new" grease is removed from my two non-enameled cast iron pieces after use so it doesn't get rancid. That's especially important for the small grill pan if it was inadvertently used for a meat protein...I normally reserve that for veggies only and use the larger enameled version for meats, but sometimes needs are what they are. I've had no issue with the seasoning being affected as it's pretty much "varnish" at this point.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #28
    Take a hard look at All Clad pans. They are of great quality and won't need replacing.

    Unless you are prepared for some heavy lifting and some cleaning issues avoid cast iron. I would like an uncoated old fashioned pan but my wife won't stand for it and she does most of the cooking.
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  14. #29
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    The metal working site I frequent had along thread go on for weeks about how to season cooking ware. Easy enough in an oven as long as it has handles that can stand the heat.
    My wife doe snot like CI any more she has hand issues and is worried about dropping them on her toes. Do the make solid copper pans that seems like a good idea for even heating.
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  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Null View Post
    Take a hard look at All Clad pans. They are of great quality and won't need replacing.

    Unless you are prepared for some heavy lifting and some cleaning issues avoid cast iron. I would like an uncoated old fashioned pan but my wife won't stand for it and she does most of the cooking.
    Yes, cast is heavy. But I like it because you can get it screaming hot & it will still maintain it's low stick properties. I wouldn't do that with a teflon pan. Cleaning a seasoned CI pan is actually easier than a steel or aluminum pan.

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