pots and pans?

[calv]

what's considered SAFE and OK to cook with? I'm a big pyrax gal but is tephlon bad? I have mainly all stainless but those are no good as far non stick goes. HELP!!!!!!! w/the whole going green/chemical/cancer scare, I need to research further what are some good pots and cookware/pans. TIA for your thoughts/advice.

[brittone2]

Well-seasoned cast iron is almost as non stick as teflon (eta: and FWIW, cast iron just rocks for cooking!). It takes a little practice and care to figure out the best way to clean (don't use soap as it strips the seasoning). We use coarse sea salt or kosher salt and a little water to scrub away any little bits, or a pampered chef pan scraper (just a super cheap rigid plastic tool). I also use Pyrex, stoneware (like a pizza stone or muffin pan from Pampered Chef), and plain stainless steel.

The issue w/ Teflon is PFOA. Many people say it is safe to use, but IMO, even if you feel safe using it, it isn't safe for the people producing it or living near the factories. Dh is a chemist, and our family avoids it (because we live in our bubble wrapped paradise and all ) It has shown up in the bloodstreams of most people (90 percent of Americans). I personally prefer to keep poorly-understood industrial chemicals like that out of my body. But I'm crazy like that

Older BBC link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3697324.stm

EWG article on recent study:
http://www.ewg.org/node/26517

[JTsMom]

DH and I love to cook, and we have SS and cast iron stuff exclusively. DH even cooks fried eggs in our cast iron pan with no sticking problems!

IMO, the key to using SS without having food sticking to it is being very careful about temp settings, and not messing with the food too much. For example, if I am cooking chicken in SS, I heat it first, add a little oil, put the chicken in, then don't touch it until it is cooked on the first side, and has released itself from the pan. Once it is ready to flip, it shouldn't still be sticking.

Honestly though, we use our cast iron for almost everything we can b/c we love it so much. The SS is more of a back up these days.

I got rid of everything Teflon (with the exception of a rarely usede electric griddle we haven't found a good substitute for) a few years back, and I've never missed it.

[ThreeofUs]

Another vote for cast iron and stainless. One of the great benefits of cast iron, btw, is that women who cook on it rarely have any problems with low iron.

As a former research chemist, I have to say that Teflon sheds. It just does, even with perfect use. Get a scratch on it and you've increased your exposure by many times. I'd much rather take my chances with cast iron and stainless.

[Karenn]

So those of you that cook with cast iron- do you just have a skillet or do you have other pieces of cast iron cookware? Which ones?

[brittone2]

Originally Posted by Karenn

So those of you that cook with cast iron- do you just have a skillet or do you have other pieces of cast iron cookware? Which ones?

We have two large skillets (one was passed down in DH's family and it has a super slick bottom...no "texture" so it is easier to season/keep clean for things like eggs). The other is a newer Lodge w/ a very slight texture on the bottom.

We also have:
A "fish pan" from Lodge. It is basically like a big rectangular roaster. I like it because I can put two chickens side by side in it, so in cooler weather I tend to roast 2 chickens once a week and that gives us several meals for the fridge/freezer.

A two burner cast iron grill/griddle. That took a little learning to figure out how to make things like pancakes, etc. but I love it now.

A dutch oven, but that lives in our popup camper currently.

I'd like a big enameled cast iron (like Le Creuset) dutch oven yet. Tomato based items will strip the seasoning off of the cast iron, so the enameled surface is nice for things like chili, etc.

I use cast iron for pretty much everything on the stovetop except for a handful of things (salmon I do in a stainless steel pan to poach as the oils tend to seep into the cast iron and it makes everything fishy. Blech. Bad mistake )

[karolyp]

Originally Posted by JTsMom

IMO, the key to using SS without having food sticking to it is being very careful about temp settings, and not messing with the food too much. For example, if I am cooking chicken in SS, I heat it first, add a little oil, put the chicken in, then don't touch it until it is cooked on the first side, and has released itself from the pan. Once it is ready to flip, it shouldn't still be sticking.

ITA with this. I just got an All Clad ss frying pan (as it was the only one i could find that was made here in the usa). If I do manage to burn something on (which happens quite freqently over here) - a little bar keepers friend works miracles in getting the burnt food off.

[brittone2]

Originally Posted by karolyp

ITA with this. I just got an All Clad ss frying pan (as it was the only one i could find that was made here in the usa). If I do manage to burn something on (which happens quite freqently over here) - a little bar keepers friend works miracles in getting the burnt food off.

Agreeing as well that cooking technique makes a difference. It took me a bit to really get cooking w/ cast iron down, but now I love it and think it makes everything better (so much easier to get things carmelized, browned nicely, etc.)

[HIU8]

I had teflon and the coating was coming off after just 4 years and into our food. So, we got rid of them and got stainless steel. I had forgotten how to cook with stainless (that is all my parents had when I was growing up), but it really is easier to me now. Plus, once you get a cleanup routine down it is simple and there is very little scrubbing. Basically, I cook with pam or margarine and I soak immediately after I have taken the food out of the pan. I have stainless steel pots and pans and bakeware. Everything non-stick is out of the house now.

[hellokitty]

I replaced all my stuff with stainless steel and enameled cast iron, BUT a couple of months ago, DH and I agreed to get ONE non-stick pans, b/c there are a few things (like eggs), that are still tricky to cook with SS and ECI unless you use a ton of oil.