People Have Lost the Knowledge of How to Work With Pans!
And marketing is confusing us even more! There are so many variations of pans and technologies that it is really hard to educate yourself these days about what pan is the best for your purpose.
Most non-stick pans are carcinogenic or harmful to health, and some coatings are only safe when used with the utmost caution, with wooden utensils for example. But surface abrasion is almost always present, and therefore we will look at pans here that are not only durable but also safe for our health.
Misconceptions:
- I need to season my pan to make it rust-proof!
That is not true, you want to do a blue oxidation process before seasoning your pan and it will be rust-proof. Seasoning can protect from rust but when scratched it is not reliable, you might need to scrub off all the seasoning and clean the rust and start seasoning again, you do not need that when you did a blue oxidation process before seasoning your pan.
- I need to handle a seasoned pan with care! Never wash it in a dishwasher or with soap.
This is partially true, if you have a plant-based seasoning and you want to keep the seasoning then yes. But animal fats can take this once in a while without much degradation, plus the blue oxidation layer is dishwasher safe. So for rust-proofness, you can wash your pan with an oxidation layer anytime in the dishwasher (but I do not recommend it), and for the non-stick properties maybe only once in a while. If you have animal fat-based seasoning and you really want to clean your pan well then use a little soap, scrub it with steel wire and rinse it with water in the sink. Sometimes, you might need to re-season it, it is all about how long the seasoning is in contact with the soap, so the dishwasher is the worst you can do, but I had mine once in a dishwasher and 90% of the seasoning was still on the pan, so this might give you an idea how strong animal fat-based seasoning is.
- Pure copper pans are bad for health!
If you have this concern then copper pans might not be for you. Copper poisoning is only relevant if you plan on cooking a soup or tomatoes in it, or other acidic foods. Also, people who cook often with vinegar might have a problem with these pans. First, the seasoning will protect you against copper poisoning, so I recommend animal fat seasoning to get the best protection for these pans. Copper pans are high-precision pans because the material is most effective in transferring heat and you will have an even distribution quicker than with other materials. So if you are a professional cook who needs to bring out dishes quickly and precisely then copper pans are probably the best for you.
Cooking with Leidenfrost Effect:
It occurs when a liquid, in this case water, comes into contact with a surface significantly hotter than the liquid's boiling point. A layer of vapour forms beneath the droplet, insulating it and preventing the liquid from boiling away quickly. The droplet floats on this vapour cushion, allowing it to move around and appear to hover on the surface.
To find out if you have the effect, preheat the pan and simply drop sprinkles of water on your pan and see if they float (if not raise the temperature). Do not add oil or fat to the pan if you want to use this effect! You can add oil or fat later if you want to cook with medium heat.
Benefits:
- Any foods with high water content (for example: egg) will not stick on the surface.
- No need for oil or fat in the pan before cooking.
What is Blue Oxidation?
Blue oxidation is a process that will make your pans or woks totally rust-proof. It won’t become non-stick, but it will make them rust-proof. For doing the blue oxidation process you need fire otherwise reaching high temperatures will be very difficult. The blue oxidation process is very material-dependent and for all purposes, it is good to have a fire that can reach up to 400°C (that would be 752°F). The process starts when you see the so-called rainbow effect on the surface. This effect can be a bit tricky, and you might need to heat the pan a few times in different spots to get an even result.
- Main Reaction for iron: 4Fe + 3O₂ → 2Fe₂O₃ (blue oxidation)
- Main Reaction for copper: Cu + O₂ → CuO (brown oxidation)
Brown oxidation on copper has the same benefits as blue oxidation.
Process:
- Heating metal to high temperature
- Creates a thin blue-black oxide layer
- Improves corrosion resistance
- Reduces surface reflectivity
Benefits:
- Protects against rust
- Improves wear resistance
- Provides decorative finish
- Creates thin protective coating
How to Season a Pan or Wok?
I have read many guides on how to season a pan, but none of them really were good for me. When we talk about seasoning a pan, we usually mean applying a thin layer of oil to the surface and heating it up. Let it cool down slowly, and you’ll create a protective layer that makes the pan non-stick. But here’s the catch: oil seasoning is super brittle. If you cook acidic foods in it or scrub the pan, the patina will disappear quickly. To better understand this process, I dove into the world of chemistry to find out what really works best.
For the most stable pan seasoning, use lard (pig fat) or beef tallow. Beef tallow would be the best and most stable, but it's also slightly more expensive. Lard is generally sufficient, and the result is much better than seasoning with oil. If you fundamentally reject animal products, then use linseed oil. It forms a very hard patina that, while somewhat susceptible to damage, holds up best among all oils. It's a misconception that using an oil with a high smoke point is always best. This is only partially true because avocado oil, for example, which has the highest smoke point, is not suitable and immediately creates brittle spots in the patina. So linseed oil is normally the right oil if animal fat is not an option.
Another important point is that cooking with high heat will break down a weak seasoning. Sunflower oil seasoning for example is only possible if the pan never goes above medium heat. When you cook with a traditional Wok on a fire stove then the heat can easily reach the point where animal fats work best.
Why animal fats are superior?
For example, with a pan like cast iron that barely moves at high temperatures, plant-based oils can be sufficient when just searing meat. But with a wok, which normally has very thin material, animal fat is practically mandatory. Animal fat does not immediately splinter when the material deforms due to high heat.
Animal fats for seasoning are superior to plant-based oils due to:
Stability
- Higher saturated fat content (patina stability)
- Less prone to rancidity
- More resistant to heat breakdown
Polymerization
- Animal fats create a more uniform, durable seasoning layer
- Better molecular bonding with pan surface
- More consistent patina formation
Chemical Structure
- Saturated fats bond more effectively with metal surfaces
- Create a more protective seasoning layer
- Less reactive compared to unsaturated plant oils
Longevity
- Animal fats produce more permanent seasoning
- Require less frequent re-seasoning
- More resilient against scratching and wear
Alright, let’s start with materials:
Conductivity
Here's how the heat conductivity compares between all important materials:
- Copper: ~385 W/(m·K)
- Aluminum: ~237 W/(m·K)
- Pure Iron: ~80 W/(m·K)
- Carbon steel: ~54 W/(m·K)
- Cast iron: ~45-50 W/(m·K)
- Titanium: ~21.9 W/(m·K)
- Stainless steel: ~15-17 W/(m·K)
Stainless steel has significantly lower heat conductivity. This is why quality stainless steel cookware typically has an aluminium or copper core/layer sandwiched between the stainless steel layers to improve heat distribution and conductivity.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel isn’t really stainless steel, it just has a higher resistance to rust. If you store it with salty water or sweat, it can still rust pretty quickly. But if you use it often and clean it regularly, rust is usually no problem. Sometimes, it can turn a bit discoloured, though.
The thing is stainless steel material can be really confusing and there is a lot of marketing speech, here are some examples of stainless steel types:
- 304 - 18% chromium, 8% nickel - Most common
- 305 - Moderate corrosion resistance
- 316 - High corrosion resistance, contains molybdenum
- 321 - Stabilized with titanium for high-temperature applications
- 310 - High temperature resistance
- 409 - Low chromium, magnetic, used in automotive exhaust systems
- 410 - Martensitic, magnetic, good for cutlery and surgical instruments
- 416 - Easier to machine, contains phosphorus
- 420 - Higher carbon content, used for knife blades
- 430 - Ferritic, magnetic, moderate corrosion resistance
- 440A, 440B, 440C - High carbon content, used for knives and bearings
Durability (strength and toughness):
- 440C: Among the steels listed, 440C is the hardest due to its high carbon content. It's commonly used for high-wear applications like knives and bearings. However, its higher hardness comes with reduced toughness compared to some other grades.
- 410 and 420: These martensitic stainless steels offer good hardness and are durable, making them suitable for cutlery and surgical instruments. However, 420 has higher carbon, which improves hardness but slightly compromises corrosion resistance.
Scratch Resistance:
Scratch resistance correlates with hardness.
- 440C: Again, this grade shines due to its high hardness, making it the most scratch-resistant among the list.
- 420: Also good for scratch resistance, though less so than 440C due to slightly lower carbon content.
- 316 and 321: While they offer excellent corrosion resistance, they are softer and thus less scratch-resistant compared to martensitic grades.
Corrosion Resistance:
While not directly tied to scratch resistance, corrosion resistance might also matter for durability in specific environments:
- 316: Offers the highest corrosion resistance because of its molybdenum content, but it is not particularly hard.
- 305 and 304: These are relatively corrosion-resistant but are softer compared to martensitic or high-carbon steels.
430 Stainless Steel
- Composition: Contains less chromium (around 16-18%) and no nickel, which makes it a ferritic stainless steel.
- Properties:
- Less resistant to corrosion and discolouration compared to 304 stainless steel.
- More prone to pitting and rust in harsh environments (like exposure to salty or acidic conditions).
- Magnetic, which makes it suitable for induction cookware.
- Durability: While it's still durable enough for kitchen use, it's not as tough or long-lasting as 304 stainless steel in demanding conditions.
304 Stainless Steel
- Composition: Contains 18-20% chromium and 8-10.5% nickel, which makes it an austenitic stainless steel.
- Properties:
- Higher resistance to corrosion and discolouration due to the nickel content.
- Non-magnetic (unless it's been cold-worked).
- More versatile and maintains its appearance over time.
- Durability: Superior to 430 in terms of longevity and ability to withstand various conditions, as long as it is properly maintained.
Best Usage for Stainless Steel Cooking:
- It is all-purpose, but it is not really the best at anything that other pans cannot do. It is a brainless pan, so if you want to cook soups in it, you can go ahead.
- It is good if you cook a lot of acidic foods and do not have access to high heat for a blue oxidation process.
You might need to take into consideration:
- If you want it to stay nice and shiny cook only low and medium heat.
- Food will stick really quickly if your cooking technique is inaccurate.
What you can do with stainless steel:
- Blue oxidation is possible but this might discolor your pan. It will give better corrosion resistance though. Your pan might look duller and will not be so shiny anymore. But to be honest there is not much of a benefit in doing this if you have proper stainless steel with good corrosion resistance.
- Seasoning is possible, but then think if you want to cook with acidic foods. Also, the seasoning will not stick as well as with other materials due to the nature of stainless steel properties.
Disadvantages:
- Has the worst heat distribution compared to cast iron, carbon steel or iron pans.
- Therefore less energy efficient and needs to preheat longer if it is a full-body stainless steel pan (reaching the Leidenfrost Effect takes longer).
As you can see there is not much you can do with a stainless steel pan, besides cooking everything with it without true non-stick properties. Seasoning is possible but you might ask yourself why not choose another pan with a better-suited material. You might want to use a stainless steel surface sandwiched with an aluminium outer layer for faster heat distribution. For premium quality, there are copper outer layers for even better heat distribution.
Cast Iron
There are a lot of upsides for normal cast iron. Unfortunately, there are multiple types of cast iron these days on the market, I will try to clear up the confusion:
You may find:
- enamelled cast iron
- polished cast iron
- normal cast iron
Advantages all cast iron pans have in common:
- Can store temperature well.
- It is the most stable for high heat (besides Titanium) and is very difficult to deform.
Disadvantages all cast iron pans have in common:
- Are the heaviest among them.
- Should not be dropped, can shatter or crack.
- The blue oxidation process is not possible.
- A little worse in heat conductivity than carbon steel, but a lot better than stainless steel.
Cast iron pans cannot undergo a blue oxidation process naturally. While steel can be blued through a controlled heating process (which isn't oxidation), cast iron has a different chemical composition that prevents it from achieving this kind of blue colouration through oxidation.
Enamelled Cast Iron
Is basically a glass-like layer over the cast iron, which protects it from rust. The downside is that we are losing any non-stick properties because they cannot be seasoned. It has the same properties as ceramics or glass, with the only upside to hold heat longer.
Advantages:
- Foolproof like stainless steel, cannot rust but that's it.
- Dishwashers save if enamelled over the whole cast iron surface.
Disadvantages:
- Seasoning is not possible.
- Cannot be non-stick.
Makes sense for:
- Pots, or any larger containers for soups or stews.
Polished Cast Iron
These are pans whose surface has been polished to make it smoother, besides the price there are not many upsides. They want to imitate other pans to give people the feeling this is a proper pan. There is absolutely no need to polish the surface, it has the downside that the seasoning will have a lower surface to stick.
There are no real advantages, a normal cast iron will have a smooth surface once it is seasoned, so therefore is absolutely no need to buy a polished surface. Save your money!
Disadvantage:
- Seasoning will not stick as well as with a normal cast iron surface.
- They are often thinner than cheaper cast iron, which defeats the purpose. You want a thicker cast iron pan for storing the heat better and more evenly cooking results. Thicker cast iron is also more resistant to deformation.
Normal Cast Iron
Not only is this the cheapest type of pan you can buy, but it is also the winner in many things. The rough cast iron surface is the best for a strong and thicker seasoning layer. Once strongly seasoned the seasoning will not only stick very well to the pan it will also provide a very smooth - polished-like surface.
Advantages:
- Very durable seasoning is possible (the rough surface helps).
- Because of that, it's the perfect non-stick pan.
- It might take a little while to reach temperatures but once the pan is evenly heated you will have perfect cooking results.
- The performance is on par and sometimes better than with expensive carbon steel pans.
- Extremely cheap.
Disadvantage:
- none, besides its heavy.
Carbon Steel
My favourite among pan materials because, like pure iron, can have a very stable blue oxidation layer while being a little cheaper than pure iron with superior physical properties. Carbon steel is probably the most durable cooking ware material in terms of physical wear resistance. It cannot crack, it can be dropped, and it is harder to bend than pure iron or stainless steel.
Comparison:
- Pure iron has a yield strength of around 50 MPa
- Mild carbon steel (low carbon) has a yield strength of 250-395 MPa
- Higher carbon steel can have even greater yield strength (most pans are high carbon steel).
Facts:
- Pure iron pans are more prone to warping.
- Carbon steel pans hold their shape better.
- Carbon steel is preferred for cookware that needs dimensional stability.
- The higher the carbon content the stronger the oxidation layer durability.
Real high-carbon steel will rust within seconds when exposed to oxygen. Quickly clean the industrial oil with boiling water, wipe it, apply a very thin layer of animal fat and put it on the highest temperature possible. The fat will melt away and the blue oxidation layer will form quickly.
Advantages:
- The strongest blue oxidation layer, which also protects from acidic foods, soap or dishwasher.
- Besides cast iron, is the second most warp-resistant material for high temperatures.
- Will last forever, and can be thrown around without worries.
- Can be properly seasoned to be non-stick.
There are no real downsides to using carbon steel cookware once you know how to handle the blue oxidation process.
Important:
- The thickness of the carbon steel material is important for good performance and durability. A thicker carbon steel sheet will be more warp-resistant to high temperatures. This does not apply to carbon steel woks because of their round shape.
- Make sure you get one-piece carbon steel pans, as they can be produced from a single sheet of carbon steel.
Best use case:
- If you need very large pans or woks, they have a good weight-durability ratio.
- If you want to keep it for a lifetime and never want to buy a pan again.
- When cooking every day with it.
- You also cook at very high temperatures (for example: in a pizza oven).
Pure Iron
Pure iron is probably the oldest known material for pans. It has superior heat conductivity compared to carbon steel but less durability. They have probably the best balance for steaks or other meat-based dishes. Giving meat a good searing is very easy with pure iron pans, as you will reach your critical heat evenly very quickly.
Advantages:
- The blue oxidation process is possible.
- Seasoning is possible.
- Better heat conductivity compared to most.
- Not brittle like cast iron.
Disadvantages:
- Prone to temperature shocks (warping).
- Not as durable as carbon steel (do not drop it).
- Can be expensive.
Suitable for:
- Professional chefs looking for good heat distribution and durability.
- If you cook with small pans often. Pure iron is not suitable for large pans because it can warp easily.
Copper
This is a little the black sheep within the pan space. Copper comes with superior heat conductivity like no other material. As for the copper surface, it is important to only cook non-acidic foods in it. Copper may rust like all other materials, but due to the oxidation process, we can keep it from getting rusty.
Important: Some cheap Turkish cooking ware has a tin layer between the copper surface. I do not recommend this for health reasons. It is not scratch-resistant this way and it makes absolutely no sense. If you need a copper pan without a copper surface, get a copper pan with a stainless steel surface.
Copper will always discolour if you use it, especially if you plan to use it properly. And that's good. Many think copper pans must look stylish and beautiful, think of your copper pan more as a working horse. If you want to use it properly you want to do the oxidation process mentioned above and it will get a duller brownish surface. Once you have this oxidation layer between the copper surface and even applied seasoning there is absolutely no health concern with pure copper pans.
Copper makes ONLY sense when:
- The copper material is thicker, this way it can fully make use of its superior heat conductivity.
- You need to cook fast and efficiently.
- You are very skilled in cooking.
Advantages:
- Fastest and best evenly distribution.
- Precise control over temperature.
- Can be seasoned.
- Brown oxidation process possible.
- You can quickly perform artisan-like searing on all kinds of foods.
Disadvantages:
- Cannot be used for acidic foods, and can even be a health hazard.
- For inexperienced cooks, it can be hard to control heat.
Not Suitable Materials
Now we come to marketing-heavy materials which make absolutely no sense.
Aluminium
You should know that pure aluminium is a health hazard, I hope you never find such a pan. So this is an absolute no-go.
Titanium
While it is the hardest and lightest material, it has almost no upsides besides that. It has the worst heat conductivity of all materials, and it is very expensive. We can often find aluminium pans with a titanium surface layer, but why would you prefer that over a stainless steel pan? Yes, they can be seasoned, but the seasoning will not stick as well on the surface as with other materials. It will also discolour quickly when cooking at high temperatures. It does not make much sense, only if you are on a hiking tour and you need to pack extremely light. But even then I would pack the better pan for better cooking results.
Honeycomb or Other Strange Patterns
These pattern-based pans are often made from titanium or stainless steel. They are marketed as non-stick pans. But this is not true and the only thing they are doing is raising the pan surface and making it easier to remove food that stuck to the surface. Some expensive brands simply use Teflon-based coatings between their patterns to give them non-stick properties, but this again is a health hazard. Pattern pans simply try to make up for your bad cooking skills, giving you the impression the food will not stick as quickly. The food still sticks the same; you can only remove it slightly easier. So no it makes no sense to use such a pattern-based pan, even if they cost a ton and are made of pure titanium or whatsoever. The risk of consuming burnt food is greater which makes it slightly less healthy, and be aware of the non-stick coatings which might be hidden in some brands between marketing speech! Because of the nature of a pattern pan, seasoning and application of proper cooking techniques are not possible, so it makes it the worst pan for a professional cook.
Disadvantages:
- Hard to clean and might contain unhealthy residues.
- Hard to identify if food is burnt or has a proper searing.
