![]() ![]() We also noticed no discernible differences in the quality of the sear between the two styles when using well-seasoned pans, and that thinner, polished cast iron provides a more forgiving cooking surface. In fact, we discovered that food is much more likely to stick to an under-seasoned rough textured pan than an under-seasoned polished pan, since the smooth surface is inherently more nonstick. While polished pans do take longer to build up a consistent seasoning, by nature of being smooth, they weren't any less nonstick out of the box compared to the pre-seasoned rough pans. If rough cast iron is cheaper, easier to season, and sears better, why consider polished cast iron at all? Well, through testing we learned that those claims about the benefits of the rough stuff aren't quite true. These pans also tend to be heavier, and take a longer time to get to an appropriate cooking temperature, but they maintain the heat for longer. Proponents of the rougher-style cast iron say that in addition to being much more affordable, they are easier to season (most come liberally pre-seasoned), and impart a better sear to the meat. Through the later half of the 20th century, these pans fell out of style in favor of the cheaper, easier to produce, rough cast-iron pans. Vintage pans also tend to be thinner and lighter weight, making them easier to handle. The advantages of a polished cooking surface are that it heats more quickly and conducts more evenly, is easier to clean, and offers a nonstick surface that can't be accidentally scrubbed away like the seasoning on rough cast-iron pans. ![]() 10 pan, which is also without a helper handle, but weighs a heftier 6 pounds.)īack in the day, cast-iron pans were ground down and polished to have a smooth, glassy cooking surface, whereas the rougher textured cast-iron pans most people are familiar with typically come straight from the mold. (The same can't be said for Lancaster's 12-inch No. The lack of a helper handle wasn't a huge deal since the No. The Lancaster has two ample pour spouts, but there's no helper handle on the front of the pan. This also means that the pan cools down faster, which made us wonder if the pan would still be able to achieve crispy edges on things like corn bread or spoon cakes. Thicker cast iron can require up to 10 minutes of preheating on the stovetop before it gets hot enough, the Lancaster reached an ideal temperature a little more than a minute, faster than its competition. The pan's thin cast walls and base make for, not only a lighter weight pan, but one that heats up faster and more consistently than a conventional cast-iron pan. At 4 pounds it was the lightest cast-iron pan we tested (For reference: A standard Lodge this size runs 5.2 pounds), and was easy to maneuver with one hand. If you are accustomed to thick and heavy cast-iron pans like your run-of-the-mill Lodge, the Lancaster might take you by surprise. A quality cast-iron skillet is one of the best cookware purchases you can make, and we want to help. Sure, this means they require slightly more effort to clean than your average stainless-steel or nonstick pans, but your reward for diligent drying and seasoning is a skillet that can easily become a family heirloom-and produce tons of excellent meals along the way. Cast-iron skillets are the workhorses in any cookware set, with a natural nonstick coating that builds up when properly maintained. ![]() But they’re also just for anyone interested in owning a virtually indestructible kitchen tool. ![]() These pans are a mainstay in the Epicurious test kitchen, and a necessity for every home cook who wants to bake perfect rounds of cornbread, sauté veggies and sear meats on the stovetop with ease, or roast whole chickens (when recipes call for a "heavy skillet," cast-iron is what you want almost every time). The best cast-iron skillet will be with you for a lifetime, so selecting the right one is a serious task. ![]()
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