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OT What cookware do you love?
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I can’t stand one more day of making eggs in my old skillet. I am in desperate need of some new cookware. I also am aware of the health concerns w/ traditional nonstick; however, I need something low maintenance. Do any of you use easy to clean cookware that you love? I have tried a ceramic skillet and it cooks horribly. It does not heat evenly, so it is limiting what I can cook in it. I am ready for something new…please tell me what you love! 🙂
I use cast-iron for almost everything- even eggs, and it is very heathy. I also have a steel wok that I used all the time for Chinese food. I have 4 Chinese children so I wok cook a lot. I also have a Kirkland Signature 18/10 set of pots and pans that I love, but really anymore I only use the pots because I use my cast-iron or wok for everything except pasta, soups and acidic foods. Don’t know if any of that will help, but you couldn’t pay me money to change what I use, because I love it so much! 🙂
I love cast iron as well, but it is very, very heavy. I found it difficult to use for everyday cooking of soups, veggies, etc (lifting to drain and such) so I ended up getting an 18/10 Lagostina stainless steel set. I expected it to stick, but it doesn’t at all. I am finding I really like it.
Love, love, LOVE my cast iron!!! I was unsure at first because it’s SO heavy (I have wrist problems, so holding it with one hand while scooping out with the other is near impossible for me) but, my food always comes out amazing in it! I could never make anything other than scrambled eggs in my other pans but, in my cast iron, I can make them any style and they lift right off. I’m hoping to add a griddle in the near future. I got mine from Marshall’s for just 12.99 (unseasoned). And the lid from my 5 qt. pot works great on it. Okay…love fest over. 😉
I have a cast iron Dutch oven, 10″ skillet, and 14″ skillet and they are pretty much all I use. Eggs don’t stick bc I put a nice scoop of bacon fat in the pan first
I have an Ogreenic skillet that I only cook eggs in. It does need to be seasoned (put veg. oil in it and bake at 350 for I forget how long). But I really like it, even though the eggs do stick some. (I usually use coconut oil and my mom says that’s why the eggs stick….I don’t know. I just like coconut oil.)
I have a stainless steel skillet that I brown beef in. Or brown chicken in. It sticks some, but I wanted to stay away from the non-stick coated, so I put up with it. I might not be doing something right…. I guess I ought to sign up for those cooking classes that are being offered in town! *L*
I have a question for those of you successfully doing eggs and pancakes on cast iron…how do you keep things from sticking? Also, we were hesitant on the flecks of black that was on the food, especially eggs. I season with coconut oil. I assume its just bits of food/oil residue??? Hoping it isn’t iron flecks…doubt it…any advice or thoughts? Thanks!
I am following this thread, too, because I have heard the term “seasoning” for cast iron pans, but I don’t recall exactly how to do it. (I thought you just rubbed oil on it, heated it some, then let it sit….but there is more to it, I think.)
Also, since the oil residue is to be left on it for it to be considered “seasoned,” I forget how you have to clean it. I’m trying to wrap my head around how an oil residue is not going to contain bacteria.
Someone, please enlighten us! Thanks.
I don’t have cast iron, but I know my friends who do just clean it by wiping it out with paper towels or by using water only on it. I know they don’t use soap of any kind.
We threw away all of our non-stick pans and are only using cast iron. I just have the basic Lodge cast iron pan and I use it for everything. It is literally my most used kitchen item. It gets better with time. We cook bacon in it from time to time to season it and never use soap to clean it. You can also season it with coconut oil.
My former boss has a great blog all about cast iron. If you are looking for advice on how to care for the pans or the health benefits of using cast iron check it out:
Cast iron skillets here, too. It is so good, I don’t even know why you would bother with anything else.
I abuse mine regularly with soapy water scrubbings and they take everything I give them. I fry bacon and coconut oil in mine fairly frequently which keeps up the non stick properties quite nicely.
I use Revereware stainless for all my other pots and pans.
I do like my cast iron pieces. The skillet I use occasionally and the griddle I use all the time for breakfast foods – french toast, pancakes. But to cook … really cook … it’s Magnalite all the way! Maybe it’s a Louisiana thing? I learned to cook here in college and it’s a staple in every family here so I just adopted that model. The heat conducts so beautifully. You can’t beat it for gumbo, soups, making stock, etc. etc.
We use cast iron skillets exclusively. I have found that the older cast iron skillets made by Griswold, Wagner, etc. are more lightweight than the newer skillets, and they seem to conduct heat even more evenly than the Lodge that I used for years. You can find them at antique malls, flea markets, peddler’s malls, and occasionally at thrift stores (happy dance required if you find one there!) :0). We also have a couple of Cast Iron Dutch ovens that I use on my cooktop and in the oven. These older skillets are usually seasoned wonderfully from years of use. Some of mine are from the 1800’s! Some that we have bought had a lot of rust or build up on them. We put them either in our fireplace or in a hot oven and let the build up cook off. After it cools, we rub it down with coconut oil or shortening and put it back in the oven for a while. After cooling again, we wipe all of the excess oil off and cook with it. As you can tell, ours is a very precise method. Not.
Oh, after we cook with them I use a metal spatula to scrape the inside of the skillet and then rinse with hot water and scrub as needed. I have even washed a cooled skillet with dish soap when I felt like it needed it…but it’s not recommended. It flows with my very “precise” methods. Ha!
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