Re: Cast iron, revisited.

Quoted message said:

What I like best about CI is the way it "seasons". When you are
browning floured meat, the surface of the pan picks up much less of the
flour coating than other surfaces that I have used, mainly heavy
aluminium and enameled cast iron. They tend to accumulate the
maillardized flour on the bottom of the pan. What this amounts to is
that you can use higher heat with cast iron and work faster. Uncoated
spun steel saute pans also do this well.

D.M.

Howdy,

I know that I am touching upon religious matters here,
but...

First:

You wrote: "you can use higher heat with cast iron and work
faster."

Why can not other pans be heated to the same temperature?

Also:

A few years ago, Consumers Reports did a big piece on cast
iron. In it, they compared many "very well seasoned" pieces
to brand new ones of similar quality. They could detect no
difference.

Neither can I.

If I heat a brand new CI pan, put in some butter, and crack
in an egg, it slides off the pan just as it would with
"Grandma's carefully seasoned since the Lincoln
administration" pan. <g>

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Kenneth" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

You wrote: "you can use higher heat with cast iron and work
faster."

Why can not other pans be heated to the same temperature?

Some pans will warp at the same heat CI can easily take. This is especially
true of cheap, thin pans. Tri-;ply pans are made of different metals. At
very high heat they will expand at slightly different rates. This can cause
delamination.

Most any pan with a liquid in it cannot be overheated. CI, OTOH, can be
preheated to very high temperature when dry. Good for steaks and blackened
foods.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/