Cast iron pans are fantastic investment pieces, loved by chefs for their heavy duty bases with even heat distribution and efficient heat retention properties. However, choosing the right cast iron pan can be confusing. In our comprehensive buyer’s guide, we break down everything you need to know about cast iron cookware, including the best brands to buy and how care for your pans to ensure they last forever.
Please visit our website for more information on this topic.
Sous Chef’s Cast Iron expert Kristin Lohse is our cookware buyer. She has many years of experience using, testing and cooking with a huge breadth of pots and pans. She shares her expertise from her career looking for the very best cast iron pans.
Become a cast iron expert, with our ultimate guide to cast iron pans. And browse all cast iron cookware at Sous Chef.
What are cast iron pans?
Cast iron pans are incredibly durable, with fantastic heat retention properties – this makes them a popular choice for a lot of people, with pans often being handed down in generations. Unlike other materials, cast iron improves with age, creating a natural patina: a non-stick surface that makes it easy to release food from the pan.
What are cast iron pans?
Cast iron pans are incredibly durable, with fantastic heat retention properties – this makes them a popular choice for a lot of people, with pans often being handed down in generations. Unlike other materials, cast iron improves with age, creating a natural patina: a non-stick surface that makes it easy to release food from the pan.
What can I cook in a cast iron pan?
A cast iron pan is a great choice for many everyday cooking techniques:
Great for baking, its ability to retain heat ensures breads and pizzas come out with a crispy crust.
It’s also a good choice for frying, from crispy bacon to golden pancakes, thanks to its steady temperature.
Use it for simmering and sautéing. Its heat retention is perfect for slow-cooking stews and sauces, infusing flavours deeply.
A
cast iron pan
can even be used for outdoor cooking over an open fire, proving its versatility. It's durable, improves with age, and adds iron to your diet.
What is the difference between cast iron and other pans?
Cast iron pans are unique in their material, heat handling, and care needs. And you need to treat them differently to copper, non-stick or stainless steel pans.
Cast iron is heavy and heats slowly but retains heat well. This makes it ideal for searing meat and baking bread. Regular pans, like aluminium or stainless steel, heat up quickly and are lighter. They're great for sautéing vegetables or boiling water.
Regular pans often have non-stick coatings for easy food release. Cast iron, however, develops a natural non-stick surface over time with seasoning.
Care routines are different for cast iron pans. Cast iron requires seasoning and can't be soaked in water.
In terms of durability, cast iron always wins. It can last a lifetime with proper care. Regular pans, depending on their coating and material, may wear out faster.
How can you tell if a pan is cast iron?
Identifying a cast iron pan is straightforward.
First, check its weight. Cast iron is significantly heavier than other pans. If it feels heavy, it’s likely cast iron.
Next, look at the surface. Cast iron has a rough, textured finish. This is unlike the smooth surface of non-stick or stainless steel pans.
Also, examine the colour. Cast iron is usually dark grey or black. This differs from the shiny silver of stainless steel or the colours of coated non-stick pans.
The image below, clearly shows the difference in appearance between a cast iron pan and other - stainless steel and copper - pans in a home kitchen.
What are the disadvantages of a cast iron pan?
Cast iron pans are often heavy, making them harder to handle than lighter pans. They require seasoning to maintain their non-stick surface. This process can be time-consuming for some. Cast iron is not dishwasher safe; it must be hand washed and dried immediately to prevent rust.
Acidic foods like tomatoes can strip the seasoning on cast iron. Cast iron also heats up slowly, which may not suit quick cooking needs. While durable, cast iron requires specific care to keep it in good condition.
However, with all that in mind, we think the benefits of cast iron far outweigh the possible disadvantages!
What are the benefits of a cast iron pan?
Natural patina: Cast iron develops a seasoned surface that naturally prevents food from sticking, minimising the need for excessive oil. This built-in non-stick quality promotes healthier cooking practices by reducing the amount of added fats required for your dishes.
Heat retention: Cast iron's exceptional ability to retain heat makes it a fantastic choice for slow cooking.
siao Product Page
Long-lasting: Unlike traditional non-stick pans, cast iron cookware is renowned for its longevity and resistance to wear and tear.
Versatility: Cast iron pans are incredibly versatile, seamlessly transitioning between different cooking methods. From stovetop frying and oven baking to broiling and more, these versatile pans accommodate a wide range of culinary techniques, allowing you to explore new recipes and flavours with ease.
Is it OK to cook in cast iron everyday?
Yes, it's perfectly fine to use cast iron daily. Its durability makes it ideal for everyday cooking. Cast iron evenly distributes heat, ideal for various dishes. Regular use actually improves its non-stick surface, enhancing cooking over time.
Just avoid cooking acidic foods frequently, as they can erode the seasoning. Proper care, like drying after washing, keeps it rust-free. So, feel free to make it your go-to pan. Cooking daily with cast iron can be a joy for any home chef.
Do chefs use cast iron pans?
Yes, many chefs favour cast iron pans. They're prized for their heat retention and even cooking. Chefs often use them for searing meats to perfection. They're also great for achieving crispy skin on fish. In kitchens worldwide, cast iron is used for baking pizzas and bread. Its ability to go from stovetop to oven makes it versatile.
Whether in high-end restaurants or home kitchens, cast iron is a popular choice. Chefs appreciate its durability and the flavour it adds to dishes.
Which is the best cast iron pan to buy?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which brand of cast iron is best?
Here at Sous Chef, we love and use several cast iron cookware! Including Skeppshult, Lodge, Finex, and Always Pan!
Skeppshult cast iron cookware
Skeppshult cast iron cookware is a Swedish company has been making cast iron products by hand since 1906. The process starts with raw iron that is heated to a searing 1,500°C in the furnaces. The molten iron is then cast into special moulds made from sand, which can withstand the extreme temperatures.
Sand moulds can only be used once, meaning each product is unique.. Skeppshult season their cast iron with rapeseed oil (also called canola oil) from Osterlen to protect it from damage, which his also gives the cast iron its natural non-stick properties.
Lodge cast iron pans
If you’re after a cast iron pan for everyday use, choose Lodge, a family-run American brand that makes pre-seasoned cast iron cookware. What sets Lodge apart from other cast iron brands is that the cookware comes already triple seasoned, is lightweight and has raised handles, making it practical for everyday use.
Finex cast iron pans
Finex is an American brand, based in Portland, Oregon, that has been around since 2012. The founders weren't happy with the available Cast Iron products on the market and wanted to create something different. The first product was the 12" skillet and was launched in Kickstarter with a record setting success.
Finex products are inspired by vintage cast iron pans, with modern twists and improvements added to create truly excellent products. An added bonus is the beautiful design, you can happily keep the items on display in your kitchen, sure to cause cookware envy amongst your friends.
Our Place - A
lways panOur Place is an American cookware brand founded by Shiza Shahid and her husband Amir Tehrani. Their mission is to bring people together around the dinner table to share meals, moments and memories. Their beautiful multi-purpose pans will make cooking easier and more enjoyable, whilst taking up minimal storage space.
The cast iron Always Pan is perfect for the person who wants the benefits of cast iron, but with less maintenance. The Cast Iron Always Pan has an enamelled coating, meaning you don't need to season your pan, and it will be less sensitive to acidic ingredients. As an added bonus it comes in beautiful colours to brighten up your kitchen!
Can you ruin a cast iron pan?
Cast iron pans can be damaged, but with a little care and knowhow, they can last a lifetime. After cooking, it’s important you wash your pans in warm, slightly soapy water, and make sure the pan is completely dry after washing. Remember to always hand wash your cast iron pans. They should never go in the dishwasher, as they will rust, and it will remove the seasoning. For more tips on caring for cast iron, read our guide here.
What should you not cook in cast iron?
Some acidic foods can damage your cast iron pan’s patina, such as tomato sauces, or dishes containing a lot of wine. However, re-seasoning your pan will prevent any long term damage. You may want to wait until your cast iron pan has developed a non-stick coating before cooking delicate ingredients, such as fish, eggs or gyoza..
Shop all cast iron pans here, and read our guide to caring for cast iron pans here.
When it comes to kitchen tools, cookware rarely gets better with age. However, cast iron pans are seemingly a weird exception to this rule. Not only are they generally very affordable, legend has it that if you treat them right and cook with them regularly, not only will they last for a literal lifetime—if not longer!—they'll actually improve with use.
But is this legend true? Do cast iron pans actually get better with age? And why are the pans of our grandparents—the kind that people scour basements, yard sales, thrift stores, and antique shops for—considered so superior to most modern pans fresh from the factory?
Note: Cooking equipment made from cast iron comes in many shapes and sizes, including cornbread molds, deep pots used for making stews or baking bread, and griddles. For the purposes of this conversation we focused on cast iron skillets that do not have an enameled coating.
There are essentially three types of cast iron skillets: antiques, which date up until around the middle of the 20th century and include brands like Griswold and Wagner Ware; modern rough surface cast iron skillets made by companies such as Lodge ; and modern smooth surface cast iron skillets made by companies like Butter Pat Industries and Finex According to Dennis Powell, owner and founder of the cast iron manufacturer Butter Pat Industries, the reason antique cast iron pans are so desirable is because, quite simply, they're superior products. The manufacturing processes of yore resulted in pans that were thinner, lighter, and smoother, which is why antique pans are a delight to hold and use, and why the surface is less bumpy (and thus more non-stick) than you'll find with the more common cast iron pans of today.Modern cast iron skillets are manufactured using molds made of sand, similar to how they were made a century ago. The difference is that in olden days foundries used molds that were much larger and employed a process that was significantly slower and more labor intensive, which simply isn't cost effective anymore. They also used a much finer grained sand than is used today, which produced smoother pans. But that fine-grained sand exposed foundry workers to lung-damaging silica dust, and workplace safety regulations put in place by OSHA have made fine-grained sand casting a thing of the past.First, place the pan on an even surface and see if it wobbles. It's not uncommon for older skillets to experience warping, or for the bottom of the pan to start "dropping out" (bowing in the center). Also skip pans that have significant pitting, any type of cracking, or major rust damage. (Minor surface rust can be removed with steel wool, but major rust damage is a deal breaker.) If the price is within your budget, antique pans are definitely worth adding to your kitchen.Modern cast iron skillets are not all created using the same process, nor do they perform the same.The heavy pans with a rougher surface that most cooks are familiar with, such as those made by Lodge, are great for searing and braising. Iron is a great heat retainer, and once you get it good and hot it'll stay that way without much temperature fluctuation. However, that heat retention also means that skillets like these are not particularly well suited for cooking things that require fine temperature control. The rougher surface also means that food is more prone to sticking, and is the reason that Lodge sells their pans pre-seasoned. The seasoning helps with releasability, but these should not be considered non-stick pans.Skillets from companies like Finex and Butter Pat, on the other hand, have much smoother surfaces thanks to differences in manufacturing, and also have differences in weight.Like Lodge, Finex makes hefty pans suitable for searing or braising. Both companies also use a subtractive method to polish the surface of their pans, meaning that any bumps or uneven patches are ground off until the surface is uniform. Unlike Lodge however, Finex pans have an extremely smooth surface, making them a great choice if you want to sear delicate proteins like scallops or fish without having to worry about them fusing to the cooking surface. It's not non-stick, but for a cast iron product it's closer than not.Butter Pat's claim to fame is that its manufacturing process is not subtractive, meaning that they achieve their smooth surface purely through manufacturing and surface polishing. Butter Pat's pans are also much lighter than Lodge and Finex. This means that they're more suited to baking pies or casseroles and are not going to be quite as effective at searing or braising.Lodge, and other brands that manufacture similar pans, are without a doubt the most affordable option. Lodge's standard 10.25-inch skillet costs a mere $26.75 (and can frequently be found for less than $20), and its newly released premium, lighter Blacklock line is $60 for the same size. For comparison, Butter Pat's 10-inch "Heather" skillet is $195 and Finex's 10-inch skillet is $175. The price differential is because Lodge pans are made using an automated process, whereas Finex and Butter Pat pans are not.Seasoning is perhaps one of the least understood aspects of cooking with cast iron, something which understandably irks Powell, who says, "We've forgotten as a culture why smoothness makes a difference." According to Powell, when pans (like his) have a smooth surface, seasoning isn't explicitly necessary, because the act of seasoning exists solely as a way of compensating for the rough surface of common, modern cast iron skillets.Imagine the surface of a cast iron pan as a series of mountains and valleys. "The seasoning fills in the valleys," says Powell. "When you scrape your tool over the top of it you're shoving the seasoning down into the valleys and slowly you're going to be leveling that material off to the tops of the mountains." It's having an even surface that helps to make the surface non-stick.If you want to season a cast iron pan, apply a thin layer of neutral, high smoke point oil like vegetable, canola or soybean across the surface and bake at 400˚F for one hour. Avoid using rendered animal fat or olive oil though, as they may go rancid. If you're concerned about oil pooling inside the pan while it's seasoning, place the pan inside your oven upside down with a sheet pan underneath to catch any runoff. Regular use will also help to keep a pan seasoned.Clean your cast iron pan soon after using it as opposed to letting it sit around for days with food or liquid inside. And contrary to popular belief, don't be afraid to use a little soap. Soap will break down new fats and oils, but won't damage established seasoning.If your cast iron skillet has food stuck to the interior that can't be removed with a sponge, try using a stiff-bristled brush or a scratch-proof nylon or silicone pan scraper. Seasoning is hardy, but it can be removed if you scrub too hard or use an abrasive tool.Dry your pan thoroughly after washing and use a paper towel to apply a thin layer of neutral oil to the interior and exterior of the pan, which will protect the pan from ambient moisture.Don't leave a cast iron skillet on a lit flame or inside a hot oven for too long unless you're actually cooking with it, as prolonged heat exposure for an empty pan can damage it.Cast iron is sturdy, but it isn't invulnerable. Treat your pans with care and if you're using an antique pan, avoid dropping it or clanging it around too much. Antique pans are thinner and more prone to cracking than modern pans.
For more Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Cookwareinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.