6 – Carbon-Steel Frying Pans

 Dutch ovens are extremely versatile and can be used for a variety of cooking methods.  Dutch ovens are perfect for stews, soups, chili, braised meats, and roasted vegetables.  A Dutch oven can also be used to bake bread, making the Dutch oven a must-have for home bakers.

But you'll want to factor in that this material is a lot heavier than stainless steel and can be harder to maneuver and lift. There are certain sauces or foods that aren't recommended to be prepared in a cast-iron skillet. If you're simmering a tomato sauce or other acidic foods, or foods that are more likely to stick, such as eggs or crepes, opt for a skillet that isn't cast iron.

Can You Use Metal Utensils on Cast Iron Skillets?

Now that we’re familiar with their sizes, let’s move on to the differences between frypans and skillets in terms of their cooking surface!

Applications of Enamel Cookware:

Best for: Almost any food that needs searing, including steak and burgers. Cast-iron pans are ovenproof, so you can use them to roast meats like beef or pork and to bake cornbread, deep-dish pizza, shepherd’s pie, and more. And they retain heat so well that they’re a good choice for deep-frying chicken, doughnuts, or other foods because they keep the oil at a constant temperature.

The details: Cast-iron frying pans are practically indestructible, and they’re handed down for generations in many families. That makes their typically low price even more attractive. And if well cared for, cast iron develops a patina that releases food almost as well as nonstick. But the pans are heavy, and you have to be patient when heating them up because they don’t come up to temperature fast. Once they do, however, they retain heat.

Our tests of coated and uncoated cast-iron pans show how versatile this cookware can be. We sear steaks, brown scallops, and bake cornbread to see how well a cast-iron pan works for home cooks. The best pans ace all these tests. We also judge how easy they are to clean. Because of the enamel coating, the coated pans are a bit easier to clean than the uncoated ones.

Here are two recommended cast-iron pans from our tests.

Once the pan has cooled, hand-wash the pan in warm water with mild dish detergent and a sponge. Use the rough side of the sponge or wooden spatula to scrape off stuck-on food bits. Never use steel wool or other abrasive scrubbers to clean the pan, as this can scratch the metal.

STAINLESS STEEL FRYING PANS

Cast Iron Grill Pan How To Use  

Best for: Delicate proteins like fish and seafood, melting sugar, making candy, and sauces.

The details: Copper frying pans are expensive, but they offer superb heat conductivity. That means they heat up quickly and cool down just as fast, giving you more control when you’re making something you have to monitor closely, like a caramel sauce. “They’re at the opposite end of the spectrum from cast iron,” Nitahara says. “Because it heats up and cools down quickly, you can bring a sauce right to the brink, then remove it from the heat before it breaks from the high heat.”

Cast iron bacon presses and steak weights are versatile kitchen tools that offer a range of benefits for cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs. This article explores the features, applications, and advantages of these culinary tools, highlighting their ability to elevate the cooking process and enhance the flavors of various dishes.

While it is possible to sauté in a straight-sided sauté pan, it's not easy, requiring constant stirring and turning with a wooden spoon or spatula.