When preparing and serving your meals, nothing is more exciting than having the suitable materials for your kitchen appliances. Importantly, it'd be good to choose the appropriate material for your cookware and other kitchen appliances. Stainless steel and cast iron are the two popular materials for selecting materials for your kitchen appliances.
It's usually tough to decide on the suitable one for your kitchen needs when comparing cast iron vs stainless steel materials. However, this article provides an appropriate guideline you can use while choosing your materials. Read through the article to understand the critical differences between the materials to help you make a proper decision.
Differences about these Materials
People have been using cast iron kitchen cookware for a long time. We still have industries manufacturing them, though with relatively low technology. The manufacturers pour a molten cast iron with 2-4% carbon content into a mold when manufacturing this cookware. After pouring into a mold, they allow the iron alloy to cool and harden while shaping the pans or skillets to their desired shape. After the shaping, the manufacturers will blast, polish, rinse and sometimes coat or season it with enamel.
Experts also recognize steel as an iron alloy; however, it comes with less than 2% carbon. Most manufacturers will add up to 10.5% of other elements like chromium to achieve these cookware's highly durable, corrosion, and rust-resistant features. In addition, due to their poor heat conducting feature, manufacturers have to combine them with materials like copper or aluminum, mostly on their base, to enhance the heat conductivity.
Differences when Cooking
When comparing the appropriate cookware between cast iron vs. stainless steel, you can consider their differences when using them for cooking. Due to the numerous benefits, a cast iron pan is the best alternative for your cooking needs, especially short cooking. This pan is heavy to allow an even heat distribution and takes more time to heat up. In addition, it may add some flavor to your food and produce a glossy patina that comes with a partially nonstick surface on the pan.
Nonetheless, before using these pans, it'll be imperative to preheat them to prevent any food from sticking to the cold cast iron. Due to their thickness, it may take a long time to heat up and distribute evenly; thus, it'll be good to start cooking using medium-low heat and then gradually increase. Despite the longer duration these pan takes to heat up, they retain the heat for long, making them a better alternative for low and slow cooking like baking and roasting. Additionally, you can use them for dishes that require movement from the stove-top to the oven.
When using these pans for cooking, we've got certain foods that you've to avoid as they won't cook well or may react with the material. For example, wine and tomato sauce tends to react with the iron when you cook them for long duration making the foods have a funny metallic taste. You should also avoid smelly foods, such as fish and other seafood, as the oils from the meals will make you scrub or scour the pan, which experts don't recommend. Contrary, if you don't scrub, your next meals will taste oily, like salmon filets or other seafood.
In contrast, it's usually a relative breeze when using stainless steel for your cooking needs. When using them in a combination of other outer cookware surfaces like copper or aluminum, these pans heat faster, distributing the heat evenly. Due to the non-reactive property, you can use the pan for cooking any ingredients. Importantly, you'll need to preheat your pan over medium heat for some minutes before your cooking session. You can sprinkle some water over the pan to see if the pan is ready; the pan will be ready if the water particles form some tiny beads.
The top advantage of these pans is that they allow you to set a preferred gauge on the nonstick surface. You achieve this by checking the amount of oils you sprinkle on the pan. Commonly, most experts advise that it's good to coat the pan with up to ⅛ inch of oil and pour out the excess. After which, wipe it using a paper towel to achieve a nonstick stainless steel surface. Lastly, due to the versatility of these pans, you can use them for making pan sauces, sautéing vegetables, making the daily quick dishes, and even searing scallops.
Differences When Cleaning
When having this cookware, the cast iron will require more maintenance practices. When having a bare cast iron, you'll need regular seasoning. Importantly, you'll also need to hand wash it with soap and warm water to remove all the food substances remaining or initial substances from the manufacturer. Experts also advise on proper hand-drying after washing to prevent rusting.
It'd be good to understand that you should clean and oil the pan immediately after use. When washing them, remove all the remaining oil and food bits using a paper towel, then later have hot water to rinse the pan. After washing it, it's appropriate to dry it by backing it over low heat until you can't see any moisture on the pan. It'll be good to avoid drip drying the pan as it may lead to rusting. Lastly, pour approximately half a teaspoon of oil after drying. Ensure the surface absorbs it by spreading the oil over the surface using a paper towel.
On the contrary, maintaining stainless steel is usually very straightforward as it allows for hand washing and the dishwasher machine. You can wash these pans using warm water with soap and a soft sponge. However, if you have used the pans for a tougher job or the food particles have stuck on them, you can try mild cleaners and a plastic scouring pad. After washing, dry the cookware completely before storing them for future use.
Which is better?
These pan materials share many similarities from versatility, producing food with a fantastic sear. However, when you take great care of the cast iron pan, it'll serve you for a long time. The weighty material and even heat distributions ensure you get the most delicious dishes. Lastly, its rustic charm and dark appearance can make your kitchen attractive.
Despite the numerous benefits of cast iron pans, stainless steel is the kitchen's most popular and appropriate material. Stainless steel is non-reactive and lighter, making it suitable for cooking needs. You can use different cooking techniques like frying, poaching, sautéing, searing, caramelizing, and many more. The material is also easy to clean and maintain after cooking.
Final Thoughts
Stainless steel and cast irons are the two common and suitable materials for kitchen software. They come with some similar characteristics but different advantages to your kitchen needs. It's usually challenging for most homeowners to choose the appropriate one when comparing cast iron vs stainless steel. However, due to the numerous benefits such as durability, versatility, most individuals choose cast iron for their kitchen cookware. In contrast, others prefer stainless steel pans for their kitchen pans and pots collection due to their versatility, lightweight, and easy cleaning.
