Frying pans?

[cevulirn]

I've had enough with cheap non-stick frying pans, and I don't want to go through the hassle of finding good cast iron and seasoning it.... Anyone have a recommendation on a non-stick frying pan that doesn't get scratched up after some mild use?

[old Grump]

You maybe don't want to hear this but good cast iron can be picked up at yard sales, flea markets, auctions for a fraction of their worth and seasoning them is not hard or even very time consuming. They really are worth the effort.

Even a hundred dollar pan is going to get scratched up if you touch it with a metal or wood utensil when it's hot and I have a feeling checking our blood levels and organs will find we all have more than trace amounts of whatever chemical is in the coating they use on those treated pans.

[rci2950]

i use non stick tefal pans. They dont scratch if you use the proper silicone utencels.

[mriddick]

Yeah if you're going with nonstick get the proper tools and don't overheat them. IMO it's sort of stupid to get a nonstick frying pan considering what happens when you overheat most of them... Overall it's really not that tough to have a good cast iron pan, plus a $20 cast iron pan will normally out cook a $300 modern non stick.

[BISHOP]

They say they they ARE now finding teflon in the bloodstreems of people. They say that its a inert substance but still there it is.

cast iron is NOT a hassle, HELL you can buy LODGE pans already seasoned, so look no hassle with seasoning.

You just can't put them in the dishwasher or supposed to scrub the hell out of them when cleaning.
Or do what I used to do before getting married to a woman who gets sick 6 times a month, I never cleaned it. I would just cover it up and use it later for months on end unless I wanted to use it without the little mixed flavor getting in. But mostly it was just butter or beef fat and seasonings in there.

BISHOP

[El Duce]

I have been using the same cast iron pans for 25+ years. Agreed. You can find them at garage sales, flea markets antique stores etc.

[NAPOTS]

we use mostly cast iron in my house. Unlike a fancy expensive non-stick pan, you can royally screw up the finish on your cast iron and re-season it.

You scratch the coating on your designer pan and its garbage.

Plus, I think the cast iron pans cook better.

[samiam]

another thing about cast iron if you get one at a yard sale that is crusty/grungy dirty rather than try to scrub it clean put it in a fire till it turns dull red all the residue will turn to ash after it cools wash and reseason

[El Laton Caliente]

Enameled cast iron. Best of both worlds. Sportsman's Guide was selling sets cheap, but they are out of stock.

I use mostly old Magnalite aluminum cookware. Seasoning it is boiling salt water. The cast Iron was too heavy for a full time RV'er, but now that we have a place I would buy the cast iron, but we already have the Magnalite.

[slamfire51]

Get a cast iron skillet and you'll never regret getting one. Superior heat distribution!!
I have 6 of various sizes including a dutch oven and griddle. I bake cornbread every other day and an iron skillet is the only way to go. NOTHING beats it. They have all been seasoned with lard and 'cooked' on the gas grill. I sometimes use a non-stick cooking spray if I'm cooking food with a lot of sugar as a curing ingredient, such as bacon.

Old timers use to build a wood fire and when the wood turned to coals, they would set the skillet on them to season. After seasoning and after cooking, never, never wash the skillet with anything but water. Wipe it clean and dry.

Get one and try it.

[coppertales]

you need the right kind of cast iron. My preferences are, Favorite, Griswold, and Martin. I have a generic skillet that took me along time to season but it is like teflon now. I am sure there are other brands out there but I don't have any. BTW, those brands I favor are old timey skillets. They ain't cheap.....chris3

[Texas Soldado]

Non-stick pans will get scratches touching other utensils when getting washed. I am going to do an experiment with my Lodge Cast skillet soon. I'm going to use a sander and sanding block to sand down the rough cast surface, then re-season it and see if that works even better than it has before.

[Richard Simmons]

I've had pretty good luck with regular Calphalon but not their nonstick line. Just never tried it.

Their website is having issues but this place has some that you can check out.

http://www.chefscatalog.com/brand/calphalon.aspx


We usually get it at outlet malls and my only complaint has been that the bottoms of the pans aren't completely flat. That might be because the outlet malls are selling factory seconds, I don't know for sure though. On my glass top range it's really noticeable as they wobble some or spin real easy. On a gas range with the burner rack it might not be as much of an issue.

[Warthogg]

I've had enough with cheap non-stick frying pans, and I don't want to go through the hassle of finding good cast iron and seasoning it.... Anyone have a recommendation on a non-stick frying pan that doesn't get scratched up after some mild use?

I don't mean to brag but I will only eat gourmet food. Sooo with that thought in mind, take a look at the pan used by the short order cook at the Waffle House. Those get heavy use and I'm told can be purchased a a restaurant supply house. One of those things I asked about a few years back but then forgot.


Wart

[BISHOP]

I used to use a stiff brush to wash my cast iron, that and soap, but not all of the time with the soap.
But I like to season the pan, so a nice scrubbing on the bottom to get the carbon nastiness is ok.

You ever see what most chefs use to cook their gourmet food? Usually the pan is beat to hell and all seasoned like a cast iron pan though they may be aluminum.

Some of my other pans are quality ones with the ¼" thick plate attached to the bottom of the pan. The plate is thick and flat for even distribution of heat.


BISHOP