A Battle of the Finish

Published on Wednesday, September 5, 2007, by Joyce Slaton / Edit Post

Freaked out by evidence that Teflon may be dangerous, many cooks are blowing off their nonstick skillets in favor of … what? Sure, conventional pans aid in the development of the fond so crucial for a good pan sauce, but what do you reach for when you need to cook an egg, a tortilla espanola, or a bunch of pancakes?

Cast iron, of course, the zeitgeist-y answer your grandma could have given. There’s been a lot of talk about cast iron of late, mostly how to season and care for it; not as much about what cast iron can and can’t do for you in the kitchen.

Cook’s Illustrated leaps into the information gap with a story in its August issue, “Reconsidering Cast Iron,” which pits seasoned cast iron pans against nonstick. Testers cooked scrambled eggs, cornbread, steak with a tomato-caper pan sauce, and chicken cutlets in each pan. The winner? It was a bit of a wash. Nonstick released food effortlessly, was less heavy, and was easier to care for, not requiring reseasoning after each use. On the other hand, the only food that actually stuck in the cast iron skillets was the scrambled eggs, and testers found that the egg performance improved greatly as they used the cast iron over a period of time (and the seasoned coating thickened). Cast iron is also cheaper, more durable, produced a better sear on the steak, and can go directly from the stovetop to the oven.

In the end, Cook’s recommends going with a good cast iron skillet (the testers liked ones by Lodge or Camp Chef) and taking care of it. Follow the magazine’s advice, and you’ll have cookware you can hand down to your grandkids.

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POST A COMMENT |7 Comments

COMMENT

  • Cast iron are too heavy for the common home user. It takes longer to heat, it's difficult to maneuver, their is a danger of rust etc. I can recommend the german brand Woll Cookware. Since I bought one in Germany 2 years ago, I was very happy with my titanium coated frying pan that performs with first rate cooking results, and it's also PFOA free. I can say that this is one of the best frying pans...+READ

    Cast iron are too heavy for the common home user. It takes longer to heat, it's difficult to maneuver, their is a danger of rust etc. I can recommend the german brand Woll Cookware. Since I bought one in Germany 2 years ago, I was very happy with my titanium coated frying pan that performs with first rate cooking results, and it's also PFOA free. I can say that this is one of the best frying pans available. Heavy duty titanium based coating, practicly can be used without oil, easy handling and cleaning. I couldn't find them in the US, maybe someone knows were they can be found? more information can be found at www.woll-cookware.com or www.woll-cookware.co.il-COLLAPSE

  • I switched to Lodge cast iron several years ago when I read about it in Cook's Illustrated. There is an excellent video on Dr. Mercola's website about the dangers of using non-stick pans--a must-see!!! http://products.mercola.com/cast-iron... I love my Lodge skillets and never bought another non-stick pan.

  • I switched to Lodge cast iron several years ago when I read about it in Cook's Illustrated. There is an excellent video on Dr. Mercola's website about the dangers of using non-stick pans--a must-see!!! http://products.mercola.com/cast-iron-cookware/. I love my Lodge skillets and never bought another non-stick pan.

  • I got a cast iron skillet about three years ago, and it has completely changed my relationship to cooking. It is heavy -- I keep it on the stovetop so I don't have to haul it around -- but there's just something so joyful about cooking in it. It's earthy, and makes me feel connected to the ingredients and the cooking process and generations of cooks, whereas polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) makes...+READ

    I got a cast iron skillet about three years ago, and it has completely changed my relationship to cooking. It is heavy -- I keep it on the stovetop so I don't have to haul it around -- but there's just something so joyful about cooking in it. It's earthy, and makes me feel connected to the ingredients and the cooking process and generations of cooks, whereas polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) makes me feel connected to -- well, extraterrestrials.-COLLAPSE

  • Do you think people eschew cast iron because it's heavy or because it's inexpensive? When a friend asked for my advice about a skillet, I suggested cast iron-- she decided I must have been mistaken, since (as we all know, said she) good cookware is costly. She spent $112 more on her non-stick than had she chosen something tried and true!

  • I work in a cookwares store, and all of the time people come in looking for alternatives to nonstick. I driect them right to cast iron, but it can be a tough sell...even though Lodge brand pans last a lifetime with proper care, are extremeley affordable, and are made in America.

    Heavy pans intimidate a lot of home cooks. But a lot of people read Cook's Illustrated like it's the Bible, so maybe...+READ

    I work in a cookwares store, and all of the time people come in looking for alternatives to nonstick. I driect them right to cast iron, but it can be a tough sell...even though Lodge brand pans last a lifetime with proper care, are extremeley affordable, and are made in America.

    Heavy pans intimidate a lot of home cooks. But a lot of people read Cook's Illustrated like it's the Bible, so maybe this will bring them around.-COLLAPSE

  • I've been a cast iron user (and lover) since I learned to cook back in 1961. There's a ton of information on the web regarding use and care of cast iron. Google it.