is this a meme? why else would everybody on this board be in agreement that these are finest pieces of cookware available?
>>7417734
because they are extremely versatile. they also have amazing heat distribution and retention and are very durable, pretty hard to warp a cast iron pan. theres a lot more to them, just look it up
>>7417734
They aren't a meme and aren't overrated....but over recommended as being required for everything
The only thing I think they are required for is a steak and oven pizza
>>7417752
>extremely versatile
false, you literally cannot cook anything that requires precise temperature control in one. cast iron has shit thermal conductivity
>hard to warp
why are you doing something to your cookware that can warp it in the first place?
cast iron has its place in the kitchen but it certainly isn't the miracle everyone here seems to think it is
>>7417760
Iron has lousy thermal conduction?
Citation needed.
>>7417771
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-metals-d_858.html
>>7417760
>shit thermal conductivity
This.
>>7417752
>amazing heat distribution
The heat distribution is shit.
You'll see people telling you to literally move the pan around while pre-heating just to get heat across the thing.
The heat retention is due to their thickness. The thickness is also to compensate for the shit distribution, which is the cause of them being fairly slow to adjust.
>>7417771
This is common knowledge. It's better than stainless steel, but there's a LOT of iron between your stove and the actual food. Therein lies the problem.
The one thing I actually dislike about my copper cookware is the cast iron handles. Sure they're durable as hell, but they get really hot and stay that way. Always stuck with wrapping something around them unless I want my hands literally cooked. They're pretty much only cast iron due to being so tough, to carry the sheer weight of the copper.
>>7417775
Yeah I saw that link as well. It shits on stainless.
>>7417783
>the only options for cookware are iron and stainless steel
>>7417788
Ok, you're saying it's copper or it's no good?
>>7417783
See >>7417782
Stainless is more responsive because it's far thinner, but that's about its single merit.
You have to be really poor or uninformed to "invest" in a whole set of stainless.
>>7417788
It doesn't say that anywhere.
What is anodized aluminium? What is copper? What is blue steel?
Oven? Ceramic and pyrex are decent too.
>>7417760
i said its versatile, not perfect for very task. plus you can get great temp control over it if you preheat it long enough. once you get it to temp its point to stay at temp for a while.
i avoid doing anything that will warp my equipment, but even still, fuck up once with most other materials and you've fucked up permanently.
so no, not some godsend piece of equipment that turns everyone into amazing chefs instantly, but when used correctly it is definitely a fantastic piece of cookwear to own
>>7417804
that's not temperature control. try cooking something where you actually have to change the temperature for once
>>7417815
>These are the selfless heroes saving a cooking board on a thai wind surfing exchange.
>>7417775
>>7417782
Thermal conductivity is not what makes cast iron special, thermal inertia is the word you should be googling. Go ahead, I'll wait.
While many materials conduct heat better than iron, not much retains as much heat over time. For instance, if you place a room temperature cut of meat in a pan, it will rapidly lose it's stored heat as it equalizes with the object in contact with. A thick iron pan has a much greater thermal inertia and resists a change in heat much better than any one pan. It takes longer to heat up too, but that doesn't matter for the purposes for which you would use cast iron. The fact it is cheap and can last a century if well maintained is just gravy.
>>7417804
>Have to move the pan around while preheating
>Pan innately has good heat distribution
Pick one
>>7417815
>Being that smug
>Missing the point this badly
It's really not that hard, and again, thick ass base + stainless steel base + stainless steel sides = unresponsive and again inferior to cast iron, and I don't even like cast iron all that much
>>7417815
>even the cheapest stainless steel cookware has at least an aluminum base
Maybe you need to stop shopping exclusively at stores for non-poorfags, I'm fairly certain Wal*Mart or the gas station or wherever your average co/ck/ buys gear has an entire aisle full of 0.5mm thick pure chinese stainless steel pans (now with 50% more cadmium)
Hence why to these people cooking with a $15 (or whatever they cost) lodge pan literally causes angels to materialize out of nonexistence and sing Handel's Messiah, and all of a sudden cast iron pan should be used for everything including boiling pasta and people who use any other cookware let alone have application-specific tools are placebofags who probably think whine isn't a scam to [sic]
>>7417836
Word salad
>>7417841
You are still here? Why have you not killed yourself yet?
>>7417841
>I literally sound out each word as I read it
You're that guy who thinks any post of more than 2 sentences is a copypasta, aren't you
>>7417822
Thermal inertia is a phrase, not a word, and when measuring conductors it's not about "resisting change" it's not managing to transmit heat as possible.
Still yeah, cast iron pans are meant to be versatile. Probably the best thing to purchase as a first pan when on a budget. So credit where credit is due.
Enjoy your straw man.
>>7417865
Point is the conductivity is moot when the material can't hold much heat to begin with.
>>7417734
tldr: versatility
oven safe
can use metal utensils
can get it nuclear hot without giving yourself cancer or fucking up the pan
nonstick
cheap
There are better pans than cast iron but they cost 400 dollarydoos not 15 and in case you didnt know this board is full of poor young people
>>7417880
How do you figure? The point of high thermal conductivity is to be reactive to temperature changes
I use cast iron pan for oven pizza but tefal non stick for everything else
>>7417896
>oven safe
Yep
>can use metal utensils
Maybe
>can get it nuclear hot without giving yourself cancer or fucking up the pan
Yep
>nonstick
Maybe
>cheap
Yep
Cheap, good for getting shit nice and hot, no plastic or temperature sensitive materials.
Great for burgers, steak, roast veggies, searing, moving from the stove to the oven, and oven to stove.
Not great for omelets, crepes, or any other delicate cooking, or low-fat cooking options.
Seasoning doesn't need to be built up, just use the fucking pan. Dont soak it for hours, scrape it with a metal spatula, or let it sit unoiled for very long. Rust is the enemy.
You can clean it with a firmly bristled nylon brush, scrub sponge, even salt, but stay away from steel wool, metal brushes, or metal scrapers. Wipe it dry, throw it back on the hot stove for a second and wipe it down with a drizzle of whatever oil you have.
You don't have to baby it, but in the end it's a chunk of iron and will rust if you let it.
>>7418110
>oven safe
check
>metal utensils
check
>nuclear hot
check
>nonstick
check
>cheap
check
>rusts if you look at it the wrong way
NOPE
>>7418122
stainless steel is never non-stick
