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A comment on Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010). Parent comment

Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by throwaway76543 on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @01:02PM (#15916007)
The weight is an important feature: Cast iron has higher heat capacity and won't lose heat as fast when food is added. This is why cast-iron should be your go-to pan when searing a steak, for example.

The downside is that they take longer to heat, of course, so other pans can be more suitable for some cooking tasks.

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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by deadmetheny on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @01:07PM (#15916058)
Cast iron also has an excellent use case in which you can do any searing and such on the stove, then transfer it directly to an oven to finish. This is the secret to making S-tier steak.
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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by eutectic on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @01:32PM (#15916263)
Reverse sear is even better; by going oven-first you dry out the surface and get a better sear.
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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by deadmetheny on Thursday December 14, 2017 @01:18PM (#15924864)
I look forward to trying this out!
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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by dragonwriter on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @01:40PM (#15916337)
> Cast iron also has an excellent use case in which you can do any searing and such on the stove, then transfer it directly to an oven to finish.

To be fair, lost of pans (not non-stick) can be used this way, it's not a unique feature of cast iron.

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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by munificent on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @02:18PM (#15916704)
This is true, but it's also true of a lot of other non-cast iron cookware. Lots of pans are oven-proof.
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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by sizzzzlerz on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @01:58PM (#15916528)
It also heats very evenly, eliminating hot and cold spots.
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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by lazerpants on Wednesday December 13, 2017 @02:06PM (#15916599)
Cast iron is not ideal for even heating, it's a myth.

http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/02/16/heavy-metal-the-scie...

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Re:Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning (2010) by rhinoceraptor on Thursday December 14, 2017 @01:45PM (#15925335)
Cast iron has low thermal conductivity. You can have oil smoking hot on a cast iron pan, but you can still hold the handle.
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