Does there exist a non-rust substitute for an iron-cast pan?
I recently bought a new cast-iron pan and I am enjoying very much the upgrade in the quality of my food.
As I understand it, the reason why food cooked in an cast-iron pan tastes better is that the pan heats the food more evenly (due to its thickness). On the other hand a main downside is that cast-iron cookware requires significant maintanance and care.
Is there a substitute that achieves the same effects as an cast-iron pan but does not rust? If the iron in an cast-iron pan was just replaced with another metal that does not rust so easily (but has a similar conductivity to iron) would the results not be the same?
Best Answer
It does exist, is the best of both worlds and what I use and it's called Enameled Cast Iron and I use Le Creuset...
- It's cast iron below the enamel finish
- Doesn't stick as much as real old-fashioned cast iron
- lasts forever as long as you don't drop them. (Your kitchen tiles will break too)
- once every 2-3 months boil them out with bleach for 5 minutes to keep them looking like brand new for >20 years...
Pictures about "Does there exist a non-rust substitute for an iron-cast pan?"
Quick Answer about "Does there exist a non-rust substitute for an iron-cast pan?"
It does exist, is the best of both worlds and what I use and it's called Enameled Cast Iron and I use Le Creuset... once every 2-3 months boil them out with bleach for 5 minutes to keep them looking like brand new for >20 years...What can I use instead of a cast iron pan?
Many recipes may call for a cast iron skillet but if you don't have one there are other options that will still give you an excellent non-stick surface. The best choices for cast iron skillet substitutes are tri-ply stainless-steel skillets, nickel-plated skillets, Dutch ovens, saucepans, or Pyrex casserole dishes.How do I make my cast iron skillet not rust?
Tips for Preventing RustWhat can you put on cast iron to keep it from rusting?
While enamel is useful in that it eliminates the pitted surface of cast iron where food can more readily get trapped and stick, it is not inherently nonstick and does not build up a seasoning. So each time you cook, you'll need a sufficient amount of fat to avoid stuck-on messes.3 Dangers Of Cast Iron #AskWardee 137
More answers regarding does there exist a non-rust substitute for an iron-cast pan?
Answer 2
The seasoning it makes it non stick - not the iron itself. In theory a heavy enough stainless steel pan would have roughly the same heat capacity but stuff would still stick.
There's a few modern non stick coatings - ceramic based ones that might work with a sufficiently heavy base. Essentially though, you want something I've not seen on the market yet.
On the other hand, babying your cast iron is both a modern thing and "modern" seasoning methods are meant to make it easy/consistant once you know what you're doing. As long as you use it oftenish, and don't completely strip out the existing seasoning without redoing it you should be fine.
In India, there was also a habit of simply coating cast iron in fairly heavy edible oil (I remember mom mentioning castor oil) and wrapping it in leaves (but we live in the modern age! Greaseproof or parchment paper would likely serve the same purpose), so much like with anything nice, it needs a bit of care and maintenance.
Also, cast stainless steel isn't a thing. Cast iron is a specific product and a specific alloy. You're likely better off forging steel, just to the same dimensions, and there's likely no magic in the fact that its cast. It just has very good characteristics and a good amount of heft
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Navneet Shanu, SHOCKPhoto by Szoka Sebastian, Pixabay, Engin Akyurt