hey /ck/
been wanting to get a cast iron pan. so there's this kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/field-company/the-field-skillet-lighter-smoother-cast-iron
or i could just get the lodge pan that everybody's got.
is the kickstarter actually an improvement/worth waiting til next Jan for?
you're an idiot. you can buy a dremel tool with that amount of money and smooth it yourself.
>>7539439
>retail value $100
hilarious, you could get a copper pan for that price. personally, I wouldn't pay more than $25 for a cast iron skillet.
>>7539499
a few years ago my roommates got one. since moved out on my own. also the pan was ruined when a roommate tried to re-season it in our barbeque grill in our carport and i had to put out the flames with our fire extinguisher.
>>7539439
Carbon steel, nigga.
+Seasons like cast iron
+Lighter than cast iron
+Longer handle than cast iron - won't burn your hand
+Smooth and sexy
+Le french chef oo la la
+Master nip chefs use carbon steel for woks
Go to a thrift store and buy an old cast iron. Mine is simply numbered, it's that old, though it is still a Lodge. The newer one I have just doesn't work as well as the ancient one I have.
>>7539514
Cast iron pans only ruin if they get a fucking hole in them from rusting
sand it out, re-reason properly.
>>7539552
Carbon steel is def. an option. I don't own any, but my dad says they're lighter and better than cast iron. He's worked in some high end restaurants in Manhattan for decades and always complains by cast iron pans are a bit on the heavy side.
>>7539568
My carbon steel pan is De Buyer, which I think fairly common. I bought it at a local restaurant supply store - you can look around.
I prefer Calphalon's anodized pans
>>7539553
good idea.
>>7539591
True, and now a lot of have a high output burner or two that can crank out 15,000btu or even 18,5000, good point for carbon steel nowadays.
>>7539439
>is the kickstarter actually an improvement/worth waiting til next Jan for?
think about what you just asked.
>people have been cooking in cast iron skillets for literally hundreds of years
>THIS NEW CAST IRON SKILLET IS GONNA BLOW THEM OUT OF THE WATER!!! BONUS IS THAT YOU CAN'T PUT IN THE STOVE WHICH IS HALF THE FUCKING POINT OF A CAST IRON SKILLET
>>7539591
It's only nonstick if you have a serious amount of seasoning on it, and more important, you have cooked with fat in it recently and didn't fuck that up.
anybody have babby's first guide to care and feeding of your cast iron/carbon steel pan?
... it's for a friend.
>>7539640
That's the hilarity of the situation, isn't it?
>>7539620
You gotta fuckin be kidding me man, that new breakthrough cast iron pan can't go in the oven? What a fuckin $100 joke.
>>7539657
The FAQs on it say it can go in the oven
>>7539657
>>7539620
The FAQ says you absolutely can use it in the oven
>>7539647
There are lots of debates about best practice.
My experience and best results for typical home scenario:
Pan clean and dry
Put a few drops of flaxseed oil on a paper towel
Rub the pan all over - just enough oil to make the pan shiny
Bake in oven at 400F until dry
Repeat as needed.
If I had a massive 9 million BTU burner and didn't have to worry about fuckloads of smoke, I would use that instead and it would be a lot faster.
At first I avoided deglazing or washing my pan with soap/water, but I think that was actually a mistake. What I ended up getting was actual burnt on food/crud buildup which would never be nonstick. In reality your seasoning should not be coming off that easily, and proper cleaning will help ensure that good seasoning actually does develop.
Now I normally wash with just water and a nylon scrubber, dry well and hang or store the pan where it will get enough air to dry completely. If storing for a while, put a light coat of oil on the pan to ward away rust. If I am going to be using it again shortly I often don't even bother re-oiling immediately.
>>7539684
you use soap and water everyday? not worried about stripping off the oils?
>>7539692
I don't soap and water every day - it depends what I was cooking. I usually just use water.
If I was cooking something extra stinky that I am worried about flavors carrying over (like fish), I will often use soap to clean off all the excess oils. I will then usually re-oil the pan lightly before storing.
For most other cooking, I just use running water and a nylon scrubber, and I scrub until the water runs clear from the pan.
That said, I don't think any of my good seasoning is bothered at all by a quick scrub with soap - I probably could do it every time without issues. There is a big difference between seasoning that is bonded to the pan, and excess oil that is just sitting on the surface.
The main thing to watch out for is stuff that will chemically detach your seasoning from the pan - namely acids - or letting your pan actually sit in water for an extended period of time.
>>7539692
Have you ever seen a cookie sheet with black, burnt-on grease?
That's polymerized fat. That's what cast iron seasoning is made out of. Good seasoning is SUPER fucking tough.
>>7539711
OK, so rust or acid is what I'm worried about. What do I do if I make something acidic? Go ahead and re-season?
>>7539439
first off, if you are buying cast iron you are doing it all wrong to begin with.
a heavy weight teflon pan can do everything a cast iron skillet can do.
now... there will be faggots that will come in here and talk about teflon poisoning and temperatures about 500 degrees... that is all bullshit. mallard reactions happen at around 360 to 400 degrees. above that you are just buring the shit out of everything. teflon can handle every temperature that you will want to cook at while being easier to clean and healthier because of the lower fat content.
if you want really tasty fattening food.. you can add the same amount of fat to a teflon pan and watch it stick even less than a properly seasoned fat ladened cast iron pan.
I have a set of analon pans that i have been using for 15 years and they look brand new.
Don't use PAM on them, don't take metal shit to them.. these are not hard rules to follow. buy yourself some wooden spoons and a couple rubber tipped tongs and a plastic spatula/flipper. educate your loved ones about proper teflon maintenance - just as you would a cast iron pan and its delicate seasoning...
you can pass modern non-stick down to your grand kids too... you probably just don't want your grandmothers 5 dollar wal-mart teflon...
>>7539730
>what do I do if I make something acidic?
pick a different, non reactive pan
>>7539730
>What do I do if I make something acidic?
Use the teflon pan you should have gotten instead.
>>7539692
the thing about using soap is not about stripping the seasoning, but the fact that the taste of soap will linger in your food.
>>7539733
2/10
>>7539741
The thing about soap is in the past when cast iron was in wide use, soap had harsher stuff in it that could strip off the seasoning.
>>7539758
treat them right and they will probably be just fine.
>>7539770
part of the reason i'd want the cast iron is so i can stick them in the oven when needed.
>>7539776
You know there are these things called baking pans.. roasting pans...
literally called baking pans.
called baking pans
baking pans.
>like - 4 - baking
>>7539786
>like - 4 - baking
in an oven no doubt!
>>7539786
its a pain in the ass to transfer, and one more thing to wash.
>>7539822
harder to wash and care for than fucking cast iron?
what evs... you fucking cast iron hipster fags will never learn.
walk into an professional kitchen and count the cast iron pans they have. literally 0 mother fuckers - in every serious restaurant. cast iron is for millenial tool bags yearning for a simpler time.. it's romantic culinary bullshit that doesn't hold up to reality.
>>7539552
>lighter
Weakling detected
>>7539863
A professional kitchen cooks for speed, genius, that's why they don't use cast iron.
>>7539863
eh, i could use a pan with more heat retention that i could throw in an oven if needed. useful for some applications. not for others. which is why i have a bunch of pots and pans.
I have a heavy bottomed copper pan (only the bottom is copper, the rest looks like steel). Is this good enough? I don't get the seasoning part (not that I know enough about it to miss it) but I can put it in the oven just fine since it's all metal.
Do you guys really see a difference from that seasoning in the cast iron?
>>7539822
Then get some CorningWare and go straight from the stove to the oven.
>>7540157
Aint taking the risk of ceramic shards piercing through my body.
Oh my god was that satire? Its a fucking cast iron pan.
>>7539499
Spend the extra dosh on the 12 inch. Believe me you will appreciate it much more.
>>7540140
>Do you guys really see a difference from that seasoning in the cast iron?
Seasoning is necessary for bare iron or carbon steel cookware in order to stop it from rusting. It's pointless on other materials like stainless steel or aluminum.
>>7541042
No. It's a ton heavier and doesn't make sense if your largest hob is 10 inches.
>>7541067
>No. It's a ton heavier
Not really. And even if it was why do you need a light cast iron pan anyways? You aren't usually gonna make things that require you to be constantly moving the skillet.
12 is better. A lot less cramped and makes it easier to cook more food in or prepare a meal for more than one. You can always prepare less food in a 12 inch but the reverse isn't true for a smaller one.
A good example is bacon or pancakes. I can easily fit 3 or 4 decent sized pancakes in it. I don't have to worry about bacon not sitting in it and stretching out. It's nice.
Unless you have a desire to be constantly moving your skillet (which is silly) It's better to get a 12 inch. It ain't heavy. I'm a hungry Skeleton and I don't even find it heavy.
>>7539439
why not steel?
>>7541112
I'm going to be that guy ITT.
They're right. They are absolutely 110% improving over current cast iron pans, and recreating the original functionality of the vintage pans that are increasingly hard to find.
99% of cast iron made in this country since about the late 70's is garbage compared to what we used to make. the reason is cost control drove out high quality casting techniques conclusively during that time.
everything from the mold casting to the finishing and the ability of the pan to take and hold seasoning is spot on the money, and these pans are legit.
that said, if they make it through the initial production runs at a profit and can reinvest, prices will come down quickly, and Lodge will either start making copies at a steep discount or someone will get the bright idea to import equivalent quality pans from China, where they still do high quality iron castings.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/cast-iron-skillet-cast-iron-cookware_60442178074.html?spm=a2700.7724857.29.19.y7HVKf&s=p
Chinese goods are always YMMV, tho, they produce more than enough crapola to offset the high quality goods, so its a risk. or if you want you can spend even more than $100 on cast iron
http://www.finex.com
so the upshot is that this may force a quality war, which is never a bad thing, but you won't have to pay $100 for a decent pan if you wait a year, or take a gamble and get one from China now
>>7541112
> hob
> made up
>>7539863
FYI there are thousands of professional kitchens using cast iron at every service. its totally normal in the South and
>what is a fajita pan
>cornbread pan
>etc etc
>>7541097
>being this autistic
>>7541157
>>7541155
is it sad that i knew what this was parodying as the site layout loaded?
>>7539439
Why is it called number 8 if the pan is 10 inches?
>>7541140
There is not a single task where their "improvements" make that pan better than a lodge for any cooking task. Sure it's better than a lodge for eggs, but why are you making eggs in a vessel with such shit thermal characteristics to begin with? Additionally, it actually retains heat less well than a lodge due to the reduced size, so it's inferior for searing meats. They even market the lack of pour spout as a "money saving feature" but then sell the pan for $100 wtf?
Hammered iron FTW!
Cheapass stuff, works great. Bit thinner than cast iron, bit more flexible, heats up faster. Same finish: season.
>>7541155
>cast iron pan will NEVER be better than a teflon pan for nonstic
it'll be AS good, and a hell of a lot better at heat retention, and more versatile, and a hell of a lot more durable, tho.
I have steel pans that stick and iron pans that don't and teflon can go fucking jump in a lake.
>>7539863
It is popular for serving.
In the kitchen we use copper/steel because they're faster and easier to clean. They're not seasoned.
Many kitchens use cast iron for special dishes. They radiate heat well so they're very versatile, you can bake in them. You just have to take 10 extra minutes to preheat.
>>7542596
heat retention is a bad thing for most non stick applications. eggs is the first thing that comes to mind
>looks like the bottom is almost done, let's turn it down a notch and let the top keep cooking
>oh wait, I can't, since I made the stupid decision to cook eggs on a heat retaining slab of iron
>>7542652
>the guy who doesn't know how to use a steel pan
/I/ don't know how to use a steel pan.
Oh, i've seen places selling cast Aluminium lately, how does that compare with cast iron?
>>7542707
All aluminium is cast. It's much lighter than iron. For pots and pans it's a cheap alternative. Third world countries use a lot of aluminium cookware, as do hikers.
Don't scratch it. Unlike iron it seals itself so no need for seasoning, but it still oxidizes. Make sure your heat source is even. That's the big downside: it doesn't spread heat around.
>>7539453
how exactly would i go about doing this?
i watched a video ages ago, and it was just some drunk guy muttering in creole.
>pic related is my worst cast iron fear
>>7542730
If you get an aluminium pan as thick as a cast iron skillet, sure. But that's not what aluminium pans are made like. They're 1-2 mm thin. If you put your hand on one you can feel where it is on the other side.
>>7542749
If it's 1-2 mm thick, it's not cast aluminum. It's formed from sheet stock.
>>7542726
Install a wire brush or just do it using elbow grease and steel wool. Do it with a new pan, not like you're losing anything more than $20 by fucking up anyway.
>>7542816
>insist that cast iron is good for all kitchen tasks
On a board that can't go two seconds without calling anything that anyone has ever enjoyed anywhere a meme, cast iron pans are literally the God Emperor of all memes
>I only cook my eggs on reclaimed cast iron pans I found with my metal detector and dug up by hand and spent two years of Saturdays reseasoning you dirty flyover pleb
>>7542869
Nice straw man there, kid.
>>7539568
There's Blanc Creatives up in Charlottesville, VA
>>7539439
>1.5 million
the fuck?
>>7542917
hipsterbait
I have a hand-me-down and am perfectly happy with it. Doesn't even have a maker's mark.
>>7541097
My experience with a 12" cast iron pan was that it had wildly different heat between the center and edge because the pan was so much larger than my largest heat element on the stove.
>>7542651
Sounds like you don't know how to cook.
>>7542954
can vouch for this but still use a 12 and just have gotten used to it
the extra space is nice
OP here.
i have a test at work tomorrow, and you've got me grabbing a tape measure to see how big my stove is.
what is wrong with you people.
>>7542959
How does using the right tool for the job imply that he doesn't know how to cook?
>>7543010
i cook eggs in my cast iron all the time and havent seasoned it in years. shit never sticks and turns out great...
>>7543016
Sure you can fry an egg in one but there's no reason to pick it over a nonstick besides poverty. Try making a delicate egg dish like omelette in a cast iron, it probably won't go well.
Isn't Lodge made in China now?
>>7543034
Cast iron works great for any egg dish. Nonstick is cancer causing. Meant to imitate cast iron. Getting it yet?
>>7543068
apparently their enameled line is, but the cast iron is made in Pennsylvania
>>7543068
Their enameled dutch ovens are, but their skillets are still made in murica
>>7543034
make omelettes easily.
not a hipster just don't see the point in having a bunch of pans.
>>7543079
Yeah, and it was probably a shitty omelette. Cast iron simply does not react to heat changes quickly enough.
>tfw use ceramic and it works perfectly fine for everything
>>7539948
There's nothing wrong with wanting a light pan.
>>7543096
It will chip eventually. That's the problem with ceramics, they're absolutely top tier pans but they don't last for more than a couple years.
pyroceram > cast iron
>>7543090
cast iron makes the absolute best omelettes, you tard bogey. consistent and slow drop in heat is the key. I can actually get my cast iron pan hot, cook down the butter, and then turn off the flame and make a perfect omelette without any more heat added.
>>7543272
I'm not the guy you're replying to, but I think it's counterproductive in this case. The point of a cast-iron pan is it's ability to handle high heat and retain that heat well. Thickness helps that. The thicker the pan the better it will retain heat.
I don't understand the motivation for making a cast iron pan lighter.
>>7544876
That sounds like a shitty omelette indeed m8
>>7545130
Gordon Ramsay would let me fuck his wife for one of my omelettes because of the secret ingredient I use.
>>7544880
Yes because all cooking depends on super high eat, right? Cast iron is better for steaks and that's really about it.
>>7544880
The argument for super high heat is to have things sear better.
You only need so much - my carbon steel produces a fantastic sear.
>>7545174
>Yes because all cooking depends on super high eat, right?
Of course not.
But if it doesn't depend on high heat then why use either cast iron or carbon steel? For those applications either nonstick or stainless would be preferable. I can't think of a single situation in which I'd rather have carbon steel as opposed to iron, stainless, or nonstick.
>>7545174
>and that's really about it.
can you stfu about this?
baking grains
roasting meats
oil frying
caramelizing vegetables
eggs
pancakes etc
cast iron is the objectively superior utensil
>including enameled ironware
>>7545580
>baking grains
maybe, but any sufficiently thick slab of stone will work in its stead
>roasting meats
literally any vessel will do, since you roast on top of a rack anyway
>oil frying
not even sure what you mean by this
>caramelizing vegetables
a non reactive pan would be superior, since many vegetables (culinary vegetables, you autists) are acidic
>eggs and pancakes
nonstick is objectively superior for these tasks
educate yourself
https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25717-understanding-stovetop-cookware/
>>7545673
>sufficiently thick slab of stone
I would pay money to see you try and make cornbread, or any batter bread, on a flat rock.
>>oil frying
>not even sure what you mean by this
frying things. in oil. how many times were you dropped on your head as child?
>>7545673
>nonstick is objectively superior
cast iron is non stick. non stick pans that aren't, are objectively INFERIOR because they don't retain and equalize heat as well as cast iron.
>>7545673
>>caramelizing vegetables
>a non reactive pan would be superior
enamel, fool
>>7545691
oil frying, as opposed to what? water frying? do you mean pan frying, deep frying, or something else?
>non stick pans that aren't, are objectively INFERIOR because they don't retain and equalize heat as well as cast iron
heat retention is a bad thing for almost all situations that call for a nonstick surface. furthermore, cast iron is notoriously bad at evenly distributing heat, in fact, it is often advised that you move a cast iron pan around on the stove while preheating it to minimize hotspots
>enamel, fool
enameled cast iron is even worse than bare cast iron in terms of even heat distribution and conductivity, not to mention fast temperature changes will cause the enamel to chip and crack. why not choose a lined aluminum or copper pan instead?
>>7545707
I'm sorry, i didn't realize you were the droll troll from earlier. My bad for taking the b8, m8
>>7545782
>gets btfo
>LMAO NICE TROLL M8
pathetic
OP here. i'm not a regular on /ck/, and now i kinda regret starting this thread with the shitstorm it (inevitably) turned into.
but i did buy a Lodge 10 1/4" pan today from Target.
>>7546003
don't be, we like it.
>Lodge 10 1/4"
thats fine.
>>7546032
ok so /pol/ spills over onto you guys too? /k/ native... it's usually "what gun would you pick to shoot Jamaal when he comes to pick up your lily white daughter?" and other dumb stuff.
i guess i could grab some eggs and see if they stick tomorrow morning.
Bump for moar cast iron drama
Cheryl Cantor blog anyone?
look at all those broken links, a cast iron fanboi mod must have gotten BTFO
Buy a carbon steel pan instead. Lighter, same cooking properties except it doesnt retain heat as well but it heats up way quicker.
>>7546003
>m not a regular on /ck/, and now i kinda regret starting this thread with the shitstorm it (inevitably) turned into.
>but i did buy a Lodge 10 1/4" pan today from Target.
How much you pay? Take a video and fry eggs in it first and post it here! We'll judge your technique and what not.
>>7547951
Op here, I have cerebral palsy I don't want to be laughed at. Also I'm a girl and I might get harassed
