But both works well enough.
Still very little sticks if you use them enough.
They make some nice stainless and iron gear :) no joints either so nothing to break over time.
Darto makes decent carbon steel that won’t exactly break the bank :)
(I'm a fan of teflon but I like cast iron even more.)
Think of it kind of like a barbecue surface (more accurately like a griddle), which people generally don’t soak in soapy water. I never do the “oil and then bake it” stuff, I don’t think it’s necessary.
I’m torn right now because I also just replaced my nonstick pants with a high quality $70 new nonstick pan, and then came across all these articles about PFAS. I usually only use nonstick for eggs and other delicate items but I’m paranoid now. I’m curious if anyone knows what percentage of exposure is via cookware compared to other environmental sources?
- heat it up so it's warm in the oven
- coat it generously with vegetable oil (it's what I had, but basically any oil will do)
- wipe the excess with a paper towel so it's still shiny but not runny
- put it in the oven for an hour just above the smoke point of the oil
(I'm not really a fan of cast iron, as they are too heavy for my liking and have too much thermal mass to react quickly to temperature changes)
If the coating turns white, recoat with oil and try a lower temperature or less time. Cast iron is an extremely old technology, and was common back in the days of wood stoves. It doesn’t require precision instruments to maintain it.
If you somehow ruin the seasoning, you can always scrape it with steel wool and try again. I once forgot a mini skillet in a frequentLy used propane grill for ~ 3 years, then left it outdoors with a burnt off coating for winter or two. I spent 5 minutes scrubbing rust off it in the sink, then oiled and seasoned it. We use it for sunny side up eggs these days.
By subtle, I mean similar to the difference between veggie oil and olive or canola oil. These all have a distinct taste to me, and I dislike canola enough to notice when it's been used.
The egg by itself has flavors that get dominated by the oil flavors.
To some people it matters. Simple as that.