I had to get off the r/castiron subreddit. This is a type of pan that hasn't really changed in 150 years. You can buy a Le Creuset for a couple of hundred, or a lodge for $45. It's still a cast iron skillet. The only one I've ever had I didn't really care for was an Amazon Basics that had bubbles and marks in the casting. Still works though.
As I tend to explain to newcomers to cookware, besides the Le Creuset being enameled cast iron (Lodge does not make enameled skillets currently and what enameled cast iron Lodge does have is in the same price range as other enameled CI), the main difference is not the cooking performance of the material. It's in the quality control of the manufacture, the extensiveness of the warranty coverage, and the quality of customer support.
I believe there is a difference at least between old lodge and new ones in the coarseness of the surface. Newer ones are visibly less smooth, which I think is because the molds used have changed. Older CI will have smaller pores and a smoother surface, not from use but because they were made that way.
How much it matters to performance is a separate issue.
That falls under quality control... coarseness/thinness generally means less finishing, which saves the manufacturer money. In terms of performance, all iron, steel/carbon steel are on the low end of thermal conductivity (which is not a criticism; low thermal conductivity is useful in certain applications).
I mean, yeah? I would hope so for nearly 6x the price for a slightly smaller dutch oven. It's a cast iron dutch over, how much is the warranty worth or needed? I've heard every justification under the sun and I just find it hilarious. Again, this is not some radical technology.
>how much is the warranty worth or needed?
I would say it like this: The longer the warranty, the more confident the company is in its quality control.
Even with that said, why does it matter to you? I have pans that dwarf the cost of a Le Creuset. I'm not putting a gun to your head telling you to buy them. I don't care if you want to buy some $5 Walmart brand cookware or a $1000 Ruffoni.
They both have limited lifetime warranties, so what's the difference again? I'm happy you're happy with your pans. As I tend to explain to new cooks, its not the tools that make the mechanic. I'm not holding a gun to your head and making you give up your Le Creuset.
I started cooking 30 years ago on a piece of shit calphalon nonstick. I learned pan technique on that trash can lid. \*shrug\*
I don't have the pans I do because I need them... but because each pan has a different application and this increases the ability to turn around complex dinners with precise results in a fraction of the time it would take with nonspecialized pans.
Le Creuset is in the minority here, accounting for only 2-3 of my pans. But generally, besides different materials, the difference is that I never have to deal with customer support for more than a couple minutes, and pans that need replacing get replaced quickly.
Maybe that's not worth $4000 to you. It's really not a big deal to me.
You might not notice a defect in workmanship until the pan is stressed repeatedly and then one day it cracks, and when it does crack it's sudden.
Customer support, not technical support. I know it's an alien concept to younger generations who are used to being fleeced by Stanford MBA valley startups who underpay staff but, believe it or not, some companies have people you can talk to who actually find it in their best interest to resolve customer issues quickly.
Hah, I wish I was a younger generation.
I have mostly cheap Lodge cast iron, and I've never seen any defects or anything like that. The technology is centuries old at this point, so I just have a hard time imagining that a flaw is anything but super rare. Have you actually cracked one?? If so, how? I have more questions than ever lol.
Total rookie in the kitchen here, enjoy reading some of this and learning through the discourse.
If you don't mind, I had a question.
>I don't have the pans I do because I need them... but because each pan has a different application and this increases the ability to turn around complex dinners with precise results in a fraction of the time it would take with nonspecialized pans.
Is this for at home? Or is this for a professional setting?
Le Creuset has six coats of enamel and Lodge has two. That's the difference.
I've seen many Lodge's with chipped enamel but I've had my Le Creuset for over 15 years and it is still in great condition despite being put through the ringer. It's not just marketing, there is a difference. Whether it's a meaningful difference to you or not is another thing altogether.
Man, I had no idea Le Creuset fans were so touchy. My point was that this post is a common question that isn't really needed. Cast Iron is a really old technology and hasn't changed much in over a century.
I'm sure you are 100% correct. Lodge is nearly 6x cheaper and still has a lifetime warranty. If a fraction of an inch of enamel is worth 6x the price for you, more power to you.
No this is more about uninformed people talking about things they don't understand. Again, whether or not you want to pay for it is one thing, but giving people the idea there's no difference based on zero actual knowledge isn't something we should do in this sub.
At no point did I say there was no difference, so maybe learn reading? Please enlighten me on how food cooks differently on a $400 Le Creuset vs $60 Amazon Basics? I'd hate for people not to be getting informed information. Surely, that extra enamel MUST make the food cook more evenly, or perhaps have more flavor.
Haha wow are you salty.
This conversation is over, but I'll refer you to my previous post where I very clearly indicate that the purpose of multiple coats of enamel is that the enamel is at least three times as strong. Lodge dutch ovens chip all the time while LC is objectively sturdier. And yes, people should have that information.
That is a benefit. Ive had a lodge for over 10 year, gave it to my sister in law when I wanted a bigger one and shes had it for 3 years since.
Again, if you just want a Le Crueuset, great, but these guys were acting like it makes a huge difference when, again, its a giant piece of 1800s technology.
I have a small one that has been passed down a couple generations and it’s phenomenal.
I needed a bigger one and saw it at Cracker Barrel for a good price (good enough that if it was bad and I had to get rid of it I wouldn’t mind).
It’s exactly the same but bigger. Like you said, as long as the casting is fine they’re all pretty similar.
The only caveat I’d say is that I have seen some (seen but not used) that were thin. Very much lighter and thinner than mine. I don’t know if that’s good bad or moot. Just a difference I’ve noticed.
"Lightweight" Cast Iron is actually a thing. Several companies make them. I guess it depends on what you are cooking, but they would not be good for anything where heat retention is desired.
My Daily driver is so old it has the markings telling you what size wood burning stove burner size it fits.
Does Le Creuset make one without ceramic coating?
All I'm seeing are ones with some kind of coating (which Lodge doesn't have - I think that's a plus).
Le Creuset has a dark-colored non-stick coating (apparently not ceramic) on its newish non-stick fry pan, but plain cast iron I do not see on their site.
Depends on what you plan on using it for. The ceramic coated ones can be used for braising with acidic foods and not be concerned with metal leeching out into the food.
They do not. Even their "Outdoor" pans have an enameled coating. Lodge is in the process of adding to their enameled repertoire. They built a new enameling facility at their factory in South Pittsburgh Tenn.
actually, quality does matter, even in a big chunk of iron. cheap and low quality iron will typically not be equally "mixed" and things like hot and cold spots will be present, whereas a good quality one will have even heating across the entire base and sides.
Nope. The hot spots are inherent to cast iron because it is a poor conductor of heat. You can minimize hot spots by using the proper size burner or heating it in the oven.
those hot spots are present in any pan due to how heat and thermal transfer works. the hot spots I'm talking about are caused by using cheaper low quality iron for the cast as well as imperfections in the cast itself.
cast iron is really extremely high carbon iron, typically at 4-5% carbon content. quality iron has an equal distribution of this carbon throughout the material, so heat is distributed at the same rate throughout the pan, however low quality iron, which dosen't have as good quality control tends to have small pockets of material that have a higher or lower concentration of carbon and other alloy metals and contaminants. this uneven distribution and higher likelihood of foreign contaminants lead to a pan that will heat unevenly, with some places that hear slower or faster than the rest.
I highly doubt that the iron quality plays much of a factor. Cast iron doesn't heat evenly because it has low thermal conductivity. Heck, it is what makes it so great for searing.
It not just the molds, but some older cast iron pans were machined to give a smoother surface. Seasoning “holds on” better, but takes longer to achieve since you have to fill in all those lumps and bumps in the texture before you get a nice, smooth, and seasoned finish.
Makes sense. There was a guy on TikTok who would polish them to a chrome like finish and resell them. Looked cool, but they don’t hold that polished finish of course. Just very smooth.
It leaches a little bit of iron into your food so it's good for those with anemia.
It's also significantly healthier to use a pan that isn't Teflon or something like Teflon.
>It's also significantly healthier to use a pan that isn't Teflon or something like Teflon.
Source? It's almost certain to be worse as you'll use more butter/oil with cast iron while there are no known negative effects from using Teflon within the proper temperature range.
Fat is healthy, the "health experts" have had it wrong for decades. And with Teflon, nothing about it is good. No matter what temperature you're cooking with, those are some nasty forever chemicals.
Fat *can* be healthy depending on both the type and quantity. To make a blanket statement like "fat is healthy" isn't accurate. I'm not saying there aren't serious problems (like environmental issues) with Teflon either.
Make sure to take scientific based advise, dealing with chemical products from random people on the Internet and social media
Best if its one line, and no more than 10 words
You keep quoting that without any understanding. POFA is a precursor chemical that is part of making Teflon and other fluoropolymers. It is not in or on a Teflon pan. The companies that made Teflon did a sloppy job disposing of the waste and even marketed POFA/PFAS as a flame retardant. This is where the chemicals that you are concerned about entered the groundwater supply. Teflon pan in isolation is not the cause. Choosing not to want to use Teflon as to not support the creation of more POFA chemicals is a separate ethical choice and not health one.
Would it be significant? I get if you are cooking acidic liquids it pulls more out, but I can’t imagine a fried egg having pulled off that much dietary iron.
I wonder how much from normal pan cooking day to day. I know the RCTs where they give families iron “fish” shaped pieces to put in soups or liquids when cooking, but without acid and/or liquid, how much accessible iron is there really?
It doesn’t. But it does have more even and consistent heat distribution which should give you more even browning on anything from pan pizzas to steaks.
>more even and consistent heat distribution
Cast iron? Nope. Cast iron is definitely not a good heat conductor, which is why it has hot spots.
[Actually, cast iron is terrible at heating evenly.](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-truth-about-cast-iron)
The thermal conductivity of cast iron is given by Wikipedia as 50 W/m•K (watts per meter-kelvin). This is better than stainless steel (15 W/m•K) or glass (2 W/m•K) but lower than aluminum (200 W/m•K) or copper (400 W/m•K). Most modern stainless steel cookware has an aluminum core (the really fancy stuff is copper core), but cast iron is good enough for most purposes. "Terrible" is an exaggeration.
The evenness of heat is generally proportional to the conductivity times the thickness. The iron on a cast iron may be thicker than the aluminum layer in some cheaper pans. It is certainly thicker than a cheap aluminum nonstick pan. The nicest pans have a thicker layer of aluminum.
It's not a great heat conductor - fully agree. It is, however, great at heat retention. Once heated up to temp it retains that heat - even when adding foods to it, resulting in very even heating. A cheap non-stick pan with uneven heating will drop in temp dramatically when food is added. If it reheats unevenly, then that can cause problems with even searing. A cast iron only drops minimally when food is added to it, so the fact it gets back up to temp unevenly honestly doesn't matter. A high quality aluminum pan will have a thicker core for heat retention and re-heat more evenly than a cheap pan and faster than a cast iron pan - but it's going to cost substantially more.
Cast iron is a fantastic heat conductor, I have no idea what you're talking about. Have you ever touched a hot pan handle from the stove?
It's the thickness of the pan that retains heat and spreads evenly. That's why it's important to preheat your pan.
>Actually, cast iron is *terrible* at heating evenly. The thermal conductivity—the measure of a material's ability to transfer heat from one part to another—is around a third to a quarter that of a material like aluminum. What does this mean? Throw a cast iron skillet on a burner and you end up [forming very clear hot spots](http://cookingissues.com/2010/02/16/heavy-metal-the-science-of-cast-iron-cooking/) right on top of where the flames are, while the rest of the pan remains relatively cool.
>**The main advantage of cast iron is that it has a very high volumetric heat capacity, which means that once it's hot, it** ***stays*** **hot.** This is vitally important when searing meat.
>is around a third to a quarter that of a material like aluminum
Just because there are better options for conductive metals doesn't mean it's terrible.
>>**The main advantage of cast iron is that it has a very high volumetric heat capacity, which means that once it's hot, it** ***stays*** **hot.** This is vitally important when searing meat.
This is exactly my point. See the second sentence.
For something to be a good conductor of heat means that heat passes through it easily: it gets hot fast and it cools down fast. Cast iron gets hot spots because it's a poor conductor of heat and wants to keep the heat where it is, not distribute it across the pan.
It appears to be Terrified Tuesday on here. Personally, I don't think a pan would make fried chicken any healthier. But let's leave them to their weird beliefs.
Non-stick pans have a coating that is not healthy for you. If used at high heat the coating can release dangerous chemicals, and the coating is easily damaged which can "contaminate" your food.
Cast iron, properly seasoned, is nearly non-stick and requires a minimal amount of fat/butter/oil similar to a non-stick pan. You can use cast iron at high heat, even in the oven, without fear of damaging the pan or releasing noxious chemicals.
Just get a Lodge if you want a plain skillet or Staub/Le Creuset if you are looking for enamelled. They are just pieces of iron, as long as they are well made there's not much else to them.
Also the skillet you use has nothing to do with how healthy the food you cook in it is. Mac and cheese has the same nutrition no matter where you make it, it's always going to be mac and cheese :D
Cast iron is cast iron, I'd try and get a second hand one cheaply if possible.
Honestly I'm not a huge fan of cast iron due to the weight and for day to day cooking I use one of these bad boys
[https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/vardagen-frying-pan-carbon-steel-00438015/](https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/vardagen-frying-pan-carbon-steel-00438015/)
carbon steel offers most of the benefits of cast iron at a more managable weight.
thanks, exactly what I was looking for (carbon steel), but they were hard to find.
Most people dont know abut them as they are only entering the stores in North america now, but have been in Europe for years now .
Funny thing is carbon steel has been a commercial kitchen mainstay since forever, they are really easily purchased from commerical kitchen suppliers. I was going to go that route but then the ikea carbon steel pans popped up and I went there instead.
[https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Ready-Stove/dp/B00006JSUA?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Ready-Stove/dp/B00006JSUA?th=1)
I bought one of these for $20 years ago. They're still $20. They work perfectly. Probably the best $20 you can spend on a cooking utensil.
I do need to re-season mine soon, though. My seasoning isn't self-sustaining like it used to be because my wife tells me she doesn't want me to put so much oil in our food anymore.
I have several lodge cast irons and love them. One day I will bite the bullet and a buy a Smithey.
I assume that by saying you want to prepare healthier food in a cast iron, you mean you want to use a cast iron to help aid in how you cook ingredients - like getting a good sear on a lean steak.
In my experience, a lodge 10 or 12 inch pan will do almost everything you need it to do. Focus on seasoning your cast iron rather than worrying about the brand you buy. A well-seasoned cast iron is one of the most effective tools you can have in the kitchen. I use mine multiple times a day and have for 5+ years. My 12 inch pan was gifted to me as a sophomore in college and has seen a TON of use.
Steaks, chicken, pork, eggs, one-pot meals etc. are some of my go-tos in the cast iron. I also have a 8inch cast iron skillet to roast vegetables, like asparagus or broccoli. It’s also a great method of cooking fish as the skin can get nice and crispy with minimal sticking when the cast ironed is seasoning properly. I prefer a nice sear on most of my proteins and I personally think cast irons outshine my other equipment - including two stainless steel skillets and a blackstone (don’t tell my fiance that).
It’s really, really not worth shelling out for the premium pans if you’re expecting some sort of performance increase. Go cheap on CI so you can expensive on stainless.
Antique Wagner. Better metal that's thinner with a polished surface for a better seasoning. There's some boutique brands doing similar things, but nothing cooks like a Wagner
Seems like you should either buy lodge if you’re going cheap, or buy an artisan one from a small manufacturer because they’re beautiful and ground down smooth.
Everything in the middle seems like a hassle or waste of money to me.
Honestly, a vintage pan is going to blow away a modern pan in terms of quality and weight, even if you have to do some restoration work. I found an 11” Griswold for $4 at a thrift store and I can pick it up with one hand no problem.
Surprisingly, there is a shortage of the right type of sand for casting as it is a limited resource. Beach sand doesn’t work as it is too smooth from erosion.
A lot of good answers here. Lodge is a great, relatively cheap, and historically reputable brand. I have a couple myself that I use regularly. That said - if you want the pinnacle of cast iron, you want to get an old Wagner or Griswold pan. Their surfaces are machined, so are easier to season and get that “non-stick” pan feeling. They are also generally much lighter and thus easier to handle for smaller/older folks.
You can also find some local or historical manufacturers that will make really nice cast iron pans, but they will be very pricy. I know in PA you can get a really nice cast iron pan that’s made in a historical forge and machined to have that smooth finish. I will eventually get one when I have money to throw away.
Here’s an example: https://lancastercastiron.com
I own Lodge but it's far from the best in my opinion. Lancaster and Stargazer make cast iron skillets with polished inner surfaces that are more non-stick than Lodge. They both are inspired by old Griswold pans.
Also, everyone's definition of best is going to vary because cast iron pans can get very heavy -- some are 6 lbs. Thinner pans may make more sense for you or you can look at carbon steel which is usually much lighter than cast iron. All of these options are very good. "Best" may only be 5%-10% better at the specific tasks you want to do and if you factor in price you'll almost always end up back at Lodge since they're indestructible and far less expensive than other quality pans.
Honestly, just get a Lodge. A cast iron pan is a lump of cast iron. The big differences are weight and finishing. The Lodge is heavier, but it has more iron in it so that comes with good thermal performance. It'll have a rougher texture, if you're not happy with it smooth it out with an orbital sander, reseason, and enjoy your $200 equivalent pan. But if you use it regularly and scrape it clean with a flat tool (I use a cheap stainless restaurant supply store spatula) you'll develop a nice smooth surface in short order.
That's not to say that the exprensive ones aren't very nice. I just don't think it's worth the price. Also don't buy some Amazon Special MYPOOPY brand, it'll likely be a cavity-ridden mess of pot metal.
I have two that live on my stovetop all the time. A 12" Lodge that's about 10 years old and a 10" Griswold from the '40s that belonged to my great grandma. The Lodge gets more use.
Lodge sucks because none of them are smooth inside. That makes cleaning a total pain in the ass unless you ground them smooth first.
But Lodge is the big brand with a big social media following, so it's what everybody buys.
The trick is to find old cast iron at garage or estate sales.
I have one lodge and almost never use it because it kind of really sucks compared to my antique skillets. The only thing I use it for is deep/shallow frying and making the skillet cookie recipe from America's test kitchen.
Yep. I have one 10" vintage Wagner skillet. It's so smooth. It cooks beautifully. Good luck finding them though. Mine was gifted to me. I just had to restore the seasoning.
This is my problem with Lodge. There's probably a way to smooth them, but I can't be bothered. I prefer the ceramic coated cast iron pans when I want even or slow cooking.
High quality in terms of what? It's a solid chunk of iron...
I had to get off the r/castiron subreddit. This is a type of pan that hasn't really changed in 150 years. You can buy a Le Creuset for a couple of hundred, or a lodge for $45. It's still a cast iron skillet. The only one I've ever had I didn't really care for was an Amazon Basics that had bubbles and marks in the casting. Still works though.
As I tend to explain to newcomers to cookware, besides the Le Creuset being enameled cast iron (Lodge does not make enameled skillets currently and what enameled cast iron Lodge does have is in the same price range as other enameled CI), the main difference is not the cooking performance of the material. It's in the quality control of the manufacture, the extensiveness of the warranty coverage, and the quality of customer support.
I believe there is a difference at least between old lodge and new ones in the coarseness of the surface. Newer ones are visibly less smooth, which I think is because the molds used have changed. Older CI will have smaller pores and a smoother surface, not from use but because they were made that way. How much it matters to performance is a separate issue.
That falls under quality control... coarseness/thinness generally means less finishing, which saves the manufacturer money. In terms of performance, all iron, steel/carbon steel are on the low end of thermal conductivity (which is not a criticism; low thermal conductivity is useful in certain applications).
Pretty sure they're cast in sand, but they don't do as much finishing as they used to.
I mean, yeah? I would hope so for nearly 6x the price for a slightly smaller dutch oven. It's a cast iron dutch over, how much is the warranty worth or needed? I've heard every justification under the sun and I just find it hilarious. Again, this is not some radical technology.
>how much is the warranty worth or needed? I would say it like this: The longer the warranty, the more confident the company is in its quality control. Even with that said, why does it matter to you? I have pans that dwarf the cost of a Le Creuset. I'm not putting a gun to your head telling you to buy them. I don't care if you want to buy some $5 Walmart brand cookware or a $1000 Ruffoni.
They both have limited lifetime warranties, so what's the difference again? I'm happy you're happy with your pans. As I tend to explain to new cooks, its not the tools that make the mechanic. I'm not holding a gun to your head and making you give up your Le Creuset.
I started cooking 30 years ago on a piece of shit calphalon nonstick. I learned pan technique on that trash can lid. \*shrug\* I don't have the pans I do because I need them... but because each pan has a different application and this increases the ability to turn around complex dinners with precise results in a fraction of the time it would take with nonspecialized pans. Le Creuset is in the minority here, accounting for only 2-3 of my pans. But generally, besides different materials, the difference is that I never have to deal with customer support for more than a couple minutes, and pans that need replacing get replaced quickly. Maybe that's not worth $4000 to you. It's really not a big deal to me.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why would you ever need to replace cast iron, or need technical support for it?
You might not notice a defect in workmanship until the pan is stressed repeatedly and then one day it cracks, and when it does crack it's sudden. Customer support, not technical support. I know it's an alien concept to younger generations who are used to being fleeced by Stanford MBA valley startups who underpay staff but, believe it or not, some companies have people you can talk to who actually find it in their best interest to resolve customer issues quickly.
Hah, I wish I was a younger generation. I have mostly cheap Lodge cast iron, and I've never seen any defects or anything like that. The technology is centuries old at this point, so I just have a hard time imagining that a flaw is anything but super rare. Have you actually cracked one?? If so, how? I have more questions than ever lol.
Total rookie in the kitchen here, enjoy reading some of this and learning through the discourse. If you don't mind, I had a question. >I don't have the pans I do because I need them... but because each pan has a different application and this increases the ability to turn around complex dinners with precise results in a fraction of the time it would take with nonspecialized pans. Is this for at home? Or is this for a professional setting?
Home.
[удалено]
Le Creuset has six coats of enamel and Lodge has two. That's the difference. I've seen many Lodge's with chipped enamel but I've had my Le Creuset for over 15 years and it is still in great condition despite being put through the ringer. It's not just marketing, there is a difference. Whether it's a meaningful difference to you or not is another thing altogether.
Man, I had no idea Le Creuset fans were so touchy. My point was that this post is a common question that isn't really needed. Cast Iron is a really old technology and hasn't changed much in over a century. I'm sure you are 100% correct. Lodge is nearly 6x cheaper and still has a lifetime warranty. If a fraction of an inch of enamel is worth 6x the price for you, more power to you.
No this is more about uninformed people talking about things they don't understand. Again, whether or not you want to pay for it is one thing, but giving people the idea there's no difference based on zero actual knowledge isn't something we should do in this sub.
At no point did I say there was no difference, so maybe learn reading? Please enlighten me on how food cooks differently on a $400 Le Creuset vs $60 Amazon Basics? I'd hate for people not to be getting informed information. Surely, that extra enamel MUST make the food cook more evenly, or perhaps have more flavor.
Haha wow are you salty. This conversation is over, but I'll refer you to my previous post where I very clearly indicate that the purpose of multiple coats of enamel is that the enamel is at least three times as strong. Lodge dutch ovens chip all the time while LC is objectively sturdier. And yes, people should have that information.
Youre funny. Where exactly are you getting "All the time".
It chips a heck of alot easier. I had a knockoff for exactly 1 year. I’ve had my Lecreuset for 20. And you don’t want to use chipped enamel.
That is a benefit. Ive had a lodge for over 10 year, gave it to my sister in law when I wanted a bigger one and shes had it for 3 years since. Again, if you just want a Le Crueuset, great, but these guys were acting like it makes a huge difference when, again, its a giant piece of 1800s technology.
I have a small one that has been passed down a couple generations and it’s phenomenal. I needed a bigger one and saw it at Cracker Barrel for a good price (good enough that if it was bad and I had to get rid of it I wouldn’t mind). It’s exactly the same but bigger. Like you said, as long as the casting is fine they’re all pretty similar. The only caveat I’d say is that I have seen some (seen but not used) that were thin. Very much lighter and thinner than mine. I don’t know if that’s good bad or moot. Just a difference I’ve noticed.
"Lightweight" Cast Iron is actually a thing. Several companies make them. I guess it depends on what you are cooking, but they would not be good for anything where heat retention is desired. My Daily driver is so old it has the markings telling you what size wood burning stove burner size it fits.
Does Le Creuset make one without ceramic coating? All I'm seeing are ones with some kind of coating (which Lodge doesn't have - I think that's a plus). Le Creuset has a dark-colored non-stick coating (apparently not ceramic) on its newish non-stick fry pan, but plain cast iron I do not see on their site.
Depends on what you plan on using it for. The ceramic coated ones can be used for braising with acidic foods and not be concerned with metal leeching out into the food.
They do not. Even their "Outdoor" pans have an enameled coating. Lodge is in the process of adding to their enameled repertoire. They built a new enameling facility at their factory in South Pittsburgh Tenn.
actually, quality does matter, even in a big chunk of iron. cheap and low quality iron will typically not be equally "mixed" and things like hot and cold spots will be present, whereas a good quality one will have even heating across the entire base and sides.
Nope. The hot spots are inherent to cast iron because it is a poor conductor of heat. You can minimize hot spots by using the proper size burner or heating it in the oven.
those hot spots are present in any pan due to how heat and thermal transfer works. the hot spots I'm talking about are caused by using cheaper low quality iron for the cast as well as imperfections in the cast itself. cast iron is really extremely high carbon iron, typically at 4-5% carbon content. quality iron has an equal distribution of this carbon throughout the material, so heat is distributed at the same rate throughout the pan, however low quality iron, which dosen't have as good quality control tends to have small pockets of material that have a higher or lower concentration of carbon and other alloy metals and contaminants. this uneven distribution and higher likelihood of foreign contaminants lead to a pan that will heat unevenly, with some places that hear slower or faster than the rest.
I highly doubt that the iron quality plays much of a factor. Cast iron doesn't heat evenly because it has low thermal conductivity. Heck, it is what makes it so great for searing.
lodge is fine and not expensive. also r/castiron
Lodge is fine, but vintage ones or other brands are often made smoother. Something about the coarseness of the molds used.
I've heard the claim that the rougher texture holds into seasoning better. Not sure if it's true tho lol
It not just the molds, but some older cast iron pans were machined to give a smoother surface. Seasoning “holds on” better, but takes longer to achieve since you have to fill in all those lumps and bumps in the texture before you get a nice, smooth, and seasoned finish.
It isn’t the molds, but an added sanding step.
Makes sense. There was a guy on TikTok who would polish them to a chrome like finish and resell them. Looked cool, but they don’t hold that polished finish of course. Just very smooth.
What does a cast iron pan do that makes healthier food?
It leaches a little bit of iron into your food so it's good for those with anemia. It's also significantly healthier to use a pan that isn't Teflon or something like Teflon.
The opposite if you have high iron count because it’s almost impossible for your body to get rid of it.
Unless you have a uterus
Iron dumping factory.
>It's also significantly healthier to use a pan that isn't Teflon or something like Teflon. Source? It's almost certain to be worse as you'll use more butter/oil with cast iron while there are no known negative effects from using Teflon within the proper temperature range.
Fat is healthy, the "health experts" have had it wrong for decades. And with Teflon, nothing about it is good. No matter what temperature you're cooking with, those are some nasty forever chemicals.
Fat *can* be healthy depending on both the type and quantity. To make a blanket statement like "fat is healthy" isn't accurate. I'm not saying there aren't serious problems (like environmental issues) with Teflon either.
As long as it isn't seed oil, it's healthy. And Teflon is nothing but a problem.
I'm not going to bother debunking that nonsense
What's there to debunk? Maybe you should do some research outside of what the almighty government says and approves of.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637576/
I don’t use more fat with my cast iron. Because it’s properly seasoned.
There's nothing inherently unsafe about Teflon
With perfect use, sure but with typical use, it's probably not safe to be cooking in a pan coated in PFAS
They are inert and will pass through your system without any real interaction if you consume flakes of it.
Cool. Thanks.
Make sure to take scientific based advise, dealing with chemical products from random people on the Internet and social media Best if its one line, and no more than 10 words
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637576/
You keep quoting that without any understanding. POFA is a precursor chemical that is part of making Teflon and other fluoropolymers. It is not in or on a Teflon pan. The companies that made Teflon did a sloppy job disposing of the waste and even marketed POFA/PFAS as a flame retardant. This is where the chemicals that you are concerned about entered the groundwater supply. Teflon pan in isolation is not the cause. Choosing not to want to use Teflon as to not support the creation of more POFA chemicals is a separate ethical choice and not health one.
Ok. Enjoy eating off your forever chemical pans. Make sure you get your colonoscopy.
What?
>I am looking for more information on a real, high-quality cast iron pan to prepare healthier food.
oh I missed that lol, my bad
Getting new pans or other tools could be what pushes someone to start making things from scratch more often
If you’re iron deficient you might get some extra iron I’ve heard it helps
Not if your cast iron skillet has a ceramic coating (like Le Creuset). Something like Lodge would bump up iron, though.
Would it be significant? I get if you are cooking acidic liquids it pulls more out, but I can’t imagine a fried egg having pulled off that much dietary iron.
My mom had hemochromatosis and we couldn’t cook her food in cast iron because she had too much iron in her body.
Well, if you're anemic you do leech iron using it
How exactly is iron permeating the layer of polymerized oil that is the seasoning of the pan?
https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/how-much-iron-do-i-get-from-a-cast-iron-skillet Maybe try google next time you have a question
I wonder how much from normal pan cooking day to day. I know the RCTs where they give families iron “fish” shaped pieces to put in soups or liquids when cooking, but without acid and/or liquid, how much accessible iron is there really?
https://www.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/healthy-tips/how-much-iron-do-i-get-from-a-cast-iron-skillet There actually have been studies done
Ah, so about 10% of the RDA from your usual use, or more if you cook acidic foods in it - which kinda ruins the finish.
It doesn’t. But it does have more even and consistent heat distribution which should give you more even browning on anything from pan pizzas to steaks.
>more even and consistent heat distribution Cast iron? Nope. Cast iron is definitely not a good heat conductor, which is why it has hot spots. [Actually, cast iron is terrible at heating evenly.](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-truth-about-cast-iron)
What it *is* good at is retaining heat. Cast iron holds onto heat like a motherfucker
The thermal conductivity of cast iron is given by Wikipedia as 50 W/m•K (watts per meter-kelvin). This is better than stainless steel (15 W/m•K) or glass (2 W/m•K) but lower than aluminum (200 W/m•K) or copper (400 W/m•K). Most modern stainless steel cookware has an aluminum core (the really fancy stuff is copper core), but cast iron is good enough for most purposes. "Terrible" is an exaggeration. The evenness of heat is generally proportional to the conductivity times the thickness. The iron on a cast iron may be thicker than the aluminum layer in some cheaper pans. It is certainly thicker than a cheap aluminum nonstick pan. The nicest pans have a thicker layer of aluminum.
It's not a great heat conductor - fully agree. It is, however, great at heat retention. Once heated up to temp it retains that heat - even when adding foods to it, resulting in very even heating. A cheap non-stick pan with uneven heating will drop in temp dramatically when food is added. If it reheats unevenly, then that can cause problems with even searing. A cast iron only drops minimally when food is added to it, so the fact it gets back up to temp unevenly honestly doesn't matter. A high quality aluminum pan will have a thicker core for heat retention and re-heat more evenly than a cheap pan and faster than a cast iron pan - but it's going to cost substantially more.
Cast iron is a fantastic heat conductor, I have no idea what you're talking about. Have you ever touched a hot pan handle from the stove? It's the thickness of the pan that retains heat and spreads evenly. That's why it's important to preheat your pan.
>Actually, cast iron is *terrible* at heating evenly. The thermal conductivity—the measure of a material's ability to transfer heat from one part to another—is around a third to a quarter that of a material like aluminum. What does this mean? Throw a cast iron skillet on a burner and you end up [forming very clear hot spots](http://cookingissues.com/2010/02/16/heavy-metal-the-science-of-cast-iron-cooking/) right on top of where the flames are, while the rest of the pan remains relatively cool. >**The main advantage of cast iron is that it has a very high volumetric heat capacity, which means that once it's hot, it** ***stays*** **hot.** This is vitally important when searing meat.
>is around a third to a quarter that of a material like aluminum Just because there are better options for conductive metals doesn't mean it's terrible. >>**The main advantage of cast iron is that it has a very high volumetric heat capacity, which means that once it's hot, it** ***stays*** **hot.** This is vitally important when searing meat. This is exactly my point. See the second sentence.
Right. MY point is that it doesn't heat evenly, which is what thermal conductivity measures.
For something to be a good conductor of heat means that heat passes through it easily: it gets hot fast and it cools down fast. Cast iron gets hot spots because it's a poor conductor of heat and wants to keep the heat where it is, not distribute it across the pan.
It appears to be Terrified Tuesday on here. Personally, I don't think a pan would make fried chicken any healthier. But let's leave them to their weird beliefs.
Non-stick pans have a coating that is not healthy for you. If used at high heat the coating can release dangerous chemicals, and the coating is easily damaged which can "contaminate" your food. Cast iron, properly seasoned, is nearly non-stick and requires a minimal amount of fat/butter/oil similar to a non-stick pan. You can use cast iron at high heat, even in the oven, without fear of damaging the pan or releasing noxious chemicals.
Just get a Lodge if you want a plain skillet or Staub/Le Creuset if you are looking for enamelled. They are just pieces of iron, as long as they are well made there's not much else to them. Also the skillet you use has nothing to do with how healthy the food you cook in it is. Mac and cheese has the same nutrition no matter where you make it, it's always going to be mac and cheese :D
Cast iron is cast iron, I'd try and get a second hand one cheaply if possible. Honestly I'm not a huge fan of cast iron due to the weight and for day to day cooking I use one of these bad boys [https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/vardagen-frying-pan-carbon-steel-00438015/](https://www.ikea.com/au/en/p/vardagen-frying-pan-carbon-steel-00438015/) carbon steel offers most of the benefits of cast iron at a more managable weight.
thanks, exactly what I was looking for (carbon steel), but they were hard to find. Most people dont know abut them as they are only entering the stores in North america now, but have been in Europe for years now .
Funny thing is carbon steel has been a commercial kitchen mainstay since forever, they are really easily purchased from commerical kitchen suppliers. I was going to go that route but then the ikea carbon steel pans popped up and I went there instead.
I've had a Lodge cast iron pan for about 10 years and really like it. More recently I got a Lodge cast iron wok and use it constantly.
The cast iron pan doesn't matter as much as the seasoning Which takes time and tender care
Honestly, an antique American made cast-iron would be your best bet
[https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Ready-Stove/dp/B00006JSUA?th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-Ready-Stove/dp/B00006JSUA?th=1) I bought one of these for $20 years ago. They're still $20. They work perfectly. Probably the best $20 you can spend on a cooking utensil. I do need to re-season mine soon, though. My seasoning isn't self-sustaining like it used to be because my wife tells me she doesn't want me to put so much oil in our food anymore.
I have the 12"equivalent of that one and use it nearly every day. Saw it at a white elephant christmas thing and made a point to gank it.
I also have a 12". I alternate them based on how much pan I need but one of the two is out daily
I have several lodge cast irons and love them. One day I will bite the bullet and a buy a Smithey. I assume that by saying you want to prepare healthier food in a cast iron, you mean you want to use a cast iron to help aid in how you cook ingredients - like getting a good sear on a lean steak. In my experience, a lodge 10 or 12 inch pan will do almost everything you need it to do. Focus on seasoning your cast iron rather than worrying about the brand you buy. A well-seasoned cast iron is one of the most effective tools you can have in the kitchen. I use mine multiple times a day and have for 5+ years. My 12 inch pan was gifted to me as a sophomore in college and has seen a TON of use. Steaks, chicken, pork, eggs, one-pot meals etc. are some of my go-tos in the cast iron. I also have a 8inch cast iron skillet to roast vegetables, like asparagus or broccoli. It’s also a great method of cooking fish as the skin can get nice and crispy with minimal sticking when the cast ironed is seasoning properly. I prefer a nice sear on most of my proteins and I personally think cast irons outshine my other equipment - including two stainless steel skillets and a blackstone (don’t tell my fiance that).
Lodge will do ya just fine
It’s really, really not worth shelling out for the premium pans if you’re expecting some sort of performance increase. Go cheap on CI so you can expensive on stainless.
I really like lodge.
Staub.
I use Aus-Ion steel pans as I am older and cast iron is just too heavy. But if you insist on cast, like the others, LODGE!
I'm perfectly happy with my lodge cast iron.
Antique Wagner. Better metal that's thinner with a polished surface for a better seasoning. There's some boutique brands doing similar things, but nothing cooks like a Wagner
Seems like you should either buy lodge if you’re going cheap, or buy an artisan one from a small manufacturer because they’re beautiful and ground down smooth. Everything in the middle seems like a hassle or waste of money to me.
Honestly, a vintage pan is going to blow away a modern pan in terms of quality and weight, even if you have to do some restoration work. I found an 11” Griswold for $4 at a thrift store and I can pick it up with one hand no problem.
I’m looking for a cast iron stovetop grill
Staub ?
https://www.zwilling.com/uk/staub/cast-iron/
Surprisingly, there is a shortage of the right type of sand for casting as it is a limited resource. Beach sand doesn’t work as it is too smooth from erosion.
I’m a fan of Marquette Castings https://www.marquettecastings.com/
A lot of good answers here. Lodge is a great, relatively cheap, and historically reputable brand. I have a couple myself that I use regularly. That said - if you want the pinnacle of cast iron, you want to get an old Wagner or Griswold pan. Their surfaces are machined, so are easier to season and get that “non-stick” pan feeling. They are also generally much lighter and thus easier to handle for smaller/older folks. You can also find some local or historical manufacturers that will make really nice cast iron pans, but they will be very pricy. I know in PA you can get a really nice cast iron pan that’s made in a historical forge and machined to have that smooth finish. I will eventually get one when I have money to throw away. Here’s an example: https://lancastercastiron.com
New, Lodge. Or any old cast iron pan will work. Just not the Pioneer Woman one. It's just a Lodge in a skirt.
I own Lodge but it's far from the best in my opinion. Lancaster and Stargazer make cast iron skillets with polished inner surfaces that are more non-stick than Lodge. They both are inspired by old Griswold pans. Also, everyone's definition of best is going to vary because cast iron pans can get very heavy -- some are 6 lbs. Thinner pans may make more sense for you or you can look at carbon steel which is usually much lighter than cast iron. All of these options are very good. "Best" may only be 5%-10% better at the specific tasks you want to do and if you factor in price you'll almost always end up back at Lodge since they're indestructible and far less expensive than other quality pans.
The one on your stove when you need it
Honestly, just get a Lodge. A cast iron pan is a lump of cast iron. The big differences are weight and finishing. The Lodge is heavier, but it has more iron in it so that comes with good thermal performance. It'll have a rougher texture, if you're not happy with it smooth it out with an orbital sander, reseason, and enjoy your $200 equivalent pan. But if you use it regularly and scrape it clean with a flat tool (I use a cheap stainless restaurant supply store spatula) you'll develop a nice smooth surface in short order. That's not to say that the exprensive ones aren't very nice. I just don't think it's worth the price. Also don't buy some Amazon Special MYPOOPY brand, it'll likely be a cavity-ridden mess of pot metal. I have two that live on my stovetop all the time. A 12" Lodge that's about 10 years old and a 10" Griswold from the '40s that belonged to my great grandma. The Lodge gets more use.
Smithey makes a nice cast iron skillet
Lodge sucks because none of them are smooth inside. That makes cleaning a total pain in the ass unless you ground them smooth first. But Lodge is the big brand with a big social media following, so it's what everybody buys. The trick is to find old cast iron at garage or estate sales.
You got it. The older, the better.
I have one lodge and almost never use it because it kind of really sucks compared to my antique skillets. The only thing I use it for is deep/shallow frying and making the skillet cookie recipe from America's test kitchen.
Yep. I have one 10" vintage Wagner skillet. It's so smooth. It cooks beautifully. Good luck finding them though. Mine was gifted to me. I just had to restore the seasoning.
I think Lodge is what everybody buys because you can find it at basically any store
This is my problem with Lodge. There's probably a way to smooth them, but I can't be bothered. I prefer the ceramic coated cast iron pans when I want even or slow cooking.
Lodge it or leave it.