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Leaving non-stick for cast-iron: where to start?

2,777 Views | 20 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by docaggie
PFG
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AG
My non stick pans are pretty beat up. A good decade of use, but I'm ready to stop re-buying non-stick coated pans in favor of some great cast iron.

So where to start?

Tons of brands out there. Anyone gone this direction and if so, what would you recommend for buy once cry once?
Duncan Idaho
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Cast iron and non-stick serve two very different purposes. So you shouldnt be replacing one with the other.

Also, forget the cast iron and go carbon steel and buy your non stick from Ace or similar restaurant supply store.
powerbelly
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AG
All my good cast iron is old. Hit up estate sales.
dummble
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AG
Tell me more about carbon steel pans
HTownAg98
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Buy cheap non-stick from a restaurant supply house and you won't feel bad about replacing the pans every 7-10 years.
schmellba99
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AG
I have a combination of old and new cast iron - both work well for me. I also still use non-stick for certain applications.

Generally speaking, older cast iron is better simply because the manufacturing process on older stuff included a better finish, and you often have years of use on it that (if cared for properly) has a good seasoning already. But old doesn't automatically mean better either - and you have to be wary of used cast iron because often it was relegated to "other" uses when stainless and non-stick took over and cast iron became secondary.

For example - I've seen several old cast iron cornbread and muffin pans that were used to cast lead ingots. Not ideal to return back to cooking food on. I've seen several that were used for oil pans and that have spent years in barn or other environments that would give me serious pause as to returning them to use for food.

Lodge is the most common modern brand, and they make good stuff. The issue with the newer stuff is lack of a mill finish on the surface, which means it is a rougher surface. If you are halfway handy, it's easy and not time consuming to take a sander and smooth a rough cooking surface out and then re-season.

Older cast iron includes Griswold, Wagner and MSR brands. All made good stuff that if in decent shape now can easily be brought back to life and used well.

No matter what - clean your damned cast iron. Old carbon and grease crusted on the surface is not seasoning, that's piss poor hygene. Modern soaps don't strip seasoning like old fashioned caustic lye rendered in the back yard did 100 years ago, so don't buy into the idiotic mentality that you don't wash or clean cast iron.
Duncan Idaho
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dummble said:

Tell me more about carbon steel pans

Basically everything you want from cast iron with a little less weight, a better profile and a smoother texture off the shelf.
HTownAg98
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And much more upkeep.
Duncan Idaho
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I havent experienced that. I seasoned them the same way I seasoned my cast iron and take care if the the same way.
jh0400
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AG
I'm surprised you got ten years out of nonstick. I have a couple of pans that we use for eggs and a few other dishes, and I feel like I replace them every year or so.

If you're ditching non-stick, I'd recommend replacing with stainless unless you're ready to drop some serious coin on enameled cast iron. There's no way I'd want to deal with the hassle of cooking in cast iron every day.
'03ag
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I have a quality enameled cast iron dutch oven and I like it a lot, but don't consider it less hassle than seasoned cast iron. not by a mile. I'm way more worried about chipping the enamel than I am about anything that could go wrong with my seasoned cast iron.

A lot depends on what you're cooking I guess. None of them work the best in every situation.
jt2hunt
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AG
Search on the outdoors board

Great information on cast iron
schmellba99
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AG
jh0400 said:

I'm surprised you got ten years out of nonstick. I have a couple of pans that we use for eggs and a few other dishes, and I feel like I replace them every year or so.

If you're ditching non-stick, I'd recommend replacing with stainless unless you're ready to drop some serious coin on enameled cast iron. There's no way I'd want to deal with the hassle of cooking in cast iron every day.
What hassle is there exactly?

I cook on cast iron probably 95% or better of the time - it's no different really than cooking on anything else. Cook and clean. Pretty simple.
NoahAg
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Here's a good blog post about seasoning with flaxseed oil.
eric76
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AG
jh0400 said:

I'm surprised you got ten years out of nonstick. I have a couple of pans that we use for eggs and a few other dishes, and I feel like I replace them every year or so.

If you're ditching non-stick, I'd recommend replacing with stainless unless you're ready to drop some serious coin on enameled cast iron. There's no way I'd want to deal with the hassle of cooking in cast iron every day.
It always seemed to me that nonstick pans don't hold up so well if used at even medium temperatures. So last year I bought a non-stick pan that I only use for eggs and never above medium low temperatures. It will be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Trajan88
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AG
I have a Smithey Ironware 10 and 12... awesome cast iron.

https://smitheyironware.com/
Duncan Idaho
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Trajan88 said:

I have a Smithey Ironware 10 and 12... awesome cast iron.

https://smitheyironware.com/


$160 for a cast iron pan?

L O freaking L
Tecolote
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AG
Duncan Idaho said:

Trajan88 said:

I have a Smithey Ironware 10 and 12... awesome cast iron.

https://smitheyironware.com/


$160 for a cast iron pan?

L O freaking L
Got five pieces from pans to pots that are at least 25 years old and even in today's dollars I'm sure they were less than $160 total.

ETA: those cast iron pans do look nice. If one has the money and that's what they want to spend it on that's their choice. I've got some expensive pieces that some would say I overpaid but they are worth it to me.
schmellba99
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AG
Damn, i should buy some $20 Lodge and spend a few minutes sanding and polishing. Could resale for $100 and be ahead of these guys.

Hell, just did that with my skillet, any takers?
bigtruckguy3500
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I was actually thinking about taking my cast iron to a machine shop and seeing if they could send it smooth for me. But not sure if it might cost the same, or even be cheaper to just buy a cheap sander
62strat
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AG
Man we've had our non stick set for 8 years and they seem like they have plenty of life left. How can you tell thy are going bad?

We make the effort to only use plastic spoons/spatulas on them, and hand wash them twice as much as we put in dishwasher.
docaggie
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AG
I used my orbital sander for it with a fine grit
Didn't take long
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