I bought a lodge carbon steel pan last year and I'm fairly happy with it. I have a deeper (and smaller diameter) cast iron dish that I can use for sauces and the oven, so the shallow dish has been...
I bought a lodge carbon steel pan last year and I'm fairly happy with it. I have a deeper (and smaller diameter) cast iron dish that I can use for sauces and the oven, so the shallow dish has been a good add for me.
...but as I started cooking more (signed up for blue apron), I realized that the thing that is most valuable to me for any kitchen gadget is the ability to chuck it in the dishwasher. For various reasons, the headache of manually cleaning dishes means that I will simply avoid cooking. It got to the point where I took my under-sink tub of dirty dishes, and replaced everything with dishwasher safe versions (and donated the old stuff). I've been reliably cooking with my rachel ray pans, my ceramic or titanium-coated knives, and a fancy new pizza cutter and cheese grater - and then chucking it all in the dishwasher so I can do it again later in the week.
Not to discourage anyone from getting carbon steel pans - they are great. Just an amusing note on how my cast iron pans, carbon steel pan, fancy victorinox knives and other nice kitchen gadgets have fallen out of favor because I don't have the time or energy to clean them (or give them the other care they really need like sharpening or seasoning).
I've been trying to convince my wife to never wash the cast iron pan she loves, but she insists on using soapy water on it.... but in theory isn't a cast iron pan what you want? it's designed to...
I've been trying to convince my wife to never wash the cast iron pan she loves, but she insists on using soapy water on it....
but in theory isn't a cast iron pan what you want? it's designed to never be washed.
The Truth About Cast Iron Pans: 7 Myths That Need To Go Away Furthermore, today's dish detergents generally aren't made with lye or other harsh chemicals like they were in the past, so there's...
Myth #4: "You should NEVER wash your cast iron pan with soap."
The Theory: Seasoning is a thin layer of oil that coats the inside of your skillet. Soap is designed to remove oil, therefore soap will damage your seasoning.
The Reality: Seasoning is actually not a thin layer of oil, it's a thin layer of polymerized oil, a key distinction. In a properly seasoned cast iron pan, one that has been rubbed with oil and heated repeatedly, the oil has already broken down into a plastic-like substance that has bonded to the surface of the metal. This is what gives well-seasoned cast iron its non-stick properties, and as the material is no longer actually an oil, the surfactants in dish soap should not affect it. Go ahead and soap it up and scrub it out.
The one thing you shouldn't do? Let it soak in the sink. Try to minimize the time it takes from when you start cleaning to when you dry and re-season your pan. If that means letting it sit on the stovetop until dinner is done, so be it.
Furthermore, today's dish detergents generally aren't made with lye or other harsh chemicals like they were in the past, so there's even less of a chance of damage the seasoning.
Regardless of how you clean it, it's generally a good idea to re-season before storing. Mechanically dry it, heat on medium-low stovetop to evaporate any lingering moisture, wipe a bit of your seasoning oil of choice around with a paper towel and heat until starting to smoke, one last rub with a paper towel, let cool.
I wash both my carbon and cast iron with no problem. Once they're well seasoned, they're pretty much good for whatever you want. I wouldn't say either one is specifically designed to never be washed.
I wash both my carbon and cast iron with no problem. Once they're well seasoned, they're pretty much good for whatever you want. I wouldn't say either one is specifically designed to never be washed.
Never washed is a stretch - you still need to wipe them down and season them after use. And its not bad to wash them occasionally as long as you re-season them and don't let them soak/rust. And...
Never washed is a stretch - you still need to wipe them down and season them after use. And its not bad to wash them occasionally as long as you re-season them and don't let them soak/rust. And the ease of the basic wipedown can vary depending on what you cooked. Both cast iron and carbon steel are pretty similar in that regard. I do like them, but its hard to beat the anodized aluminum pans I have - just chuck in the dishwasher and they'll be ready to go next time I cook.
Well, not washed in the same way other pans are. But in many ways they're fussier than, say, a teflon pan - while you don't wash them you do need to wipe them, re-season, etc.
Well, not washed in the same way other pans are. But in many ways they're fussier than, say, a teflon pan - while you don't wash them you do need to wipe them, re-season, etc.
Thanks for sharing! Came at the perfect time, as I've started comparing Carbon Steel pans across the board with the intention of getting one. I decided on the Matfer Borgeat, so I'm glad to see it...
Thanks for sharing! Came at the perfect time, as I've started comparing Carbon Steel pans across the board with the intention of getting one. I decided on the Matfer Borgeat, so I'm glad to see it sitting in second there 👍
Anyone here already using a carbon steel pan? How's it working? Do you recommend? What about CS Woks, since I'm also looking for one of those
Ethics, fair enough, but the toxicity of teflon is greatly overstated. Realistically, even Teflon pans where the teflon coating is starting to scrub off, will have no effect on you. Only in very...
Ethics, fair enough, but the toxicity of teflon is greatly overstated. Realistically, even Teflon pans where the teflon coating is starting to scrub off, will have no effect on you. Only in very extreme conditions that 99.99% of people are unlikely to ever do to their pan will it come up.
I bought a lodge carbon steel pan last year and I'm fairly happy with it. I have a deeper (and smaller diameter) cast iron dish that I can use for sauces and the oven, so the shallow dish has been a good add for me.
...but as I started cooking more (signed up for blue apron), I realized that the thing that is most valuable to me for any kitchen gadget is the ability to chuck it in the dishwasher. For various reasons, the headache of manually cleaning dishes means that I will simply avoid cooking. It got to the point where I took my under-sink tub of dirty dishes, and replaced everything with dishwasher safe versions (and donated the old stuff). I've been reliably cooking with my rachel ray pans, my ceramic or titanium-coated knives, and a fancy new pizza cutter and cheese grater - and then chucking it all in the dishwasher so I can do it again later in the week.
Not to discourage anyone from getting carbon steel pans - they are great. Just an amusing note on how my cast iron pans, carbon steel pan, fancy victorinox knives and other nice kitchen gadgets have fallen out of favor because I don't have the time or energy to clean them (or give them the other care they really need like sharpening or seasoning).
I've been trying to convince my wife to never wash the cast iron pan she loves, but she insists on using soapy water on it....
but in theory isn't a cast iron pan what you want? it's designed to never be washed.
The Truth About Cast Iron Pans: 7 Myths That Need To Go Away
Furthermore, today's dish detergents generally aren't made with lye or other harsh chemicals like they were in the past, so there's even less of a chance of damage the seasoning.
Regardless of how you clean it, it's generally a good idea to re-season before storing. Mechanically dry it, heat on medium-low stovetop to evaporate any lingering moisture, wipe a bit of your seasoning oil of choice around with a paper towel and heat until starting to smoke, one last rub with a paper towel, let cool.
Thanks. I now know why I never had any luck with cast iron pans.
I wash both my carbon and cast iron with no problem. Once they're well seasoned, they're pretty much good for whatever you want. I wouldn't say either one is specifically designed to never be washed.
Why thank you FrankGrimes. btw, I really like your username.
Never washed is a stretch - you still need to wipe them down and season them after use. And its not bad to wash them occasionally as long as you re-season them and don't let them soak/rust. And the ease of the basic wipedown can vary depending on what you cooked. Both cast iron and carbon steel are pretty similar in that regard. I do like them, but its hard to beat the anodized aluminum pans I have - just chuck in the dishwasher and they'll be ready to go next time I cook.
Well, not washed in the same way other pans are. But in many ways they're fussier than, say, a teflon pan - while you don't wash them you do need to wipe them, re-season, etc.
Thanks for sharing! Came at the perfect time, as I've started comparing Carbon Steel pans across the board with the intention of getting one. I decided on the Matfer Borgeat, so I'm glad to see it sitting in second there 👍
Anyone here already using a carbon steel pan? How's it working? Do you recommend? What about CS Woks, since I'm also looking for one of those
warning, carbon steel pans are surprisingly heavy and hard to wash.
i use my light weight, teflon coated, rubber handled pan 99.999% of the time.
I strive to avoid Teflon as much as I can as it behaves as a toxin and the manufacturer, DuPont, is highly unethical about it.
Ethics, fair enough, but the toxicity of teflon is greatly overstated. Realistically, even Teflon pans where the teflon coating is starting to scrub off, will have no effect on you. Only in very extreme conditions that 99.99% of people are unlikely to ever do to their pan will it come up.