I've heard this assertion before, that a cast-iron or carbon-steel pan can be made just as non-stick as a teflon pan with a proper seasoning. I disagree, based on my own experience.
I have some cast iron pans that I took the care to clean an polish smooth, and season well, and they are seasoned better than most other cast iron or steel skillets I've seen in other people's kitchens. It's smooth enough to cook eggs on, _if_ I use sufficient cooking fat. And even then, even my cheap teflon-coated pans are smoother, and can get away with using less cooking fat.
Yes, a steel or iron pan, well-seasoned, can be used for several tasks that someone might think would require a teflon pan. But even then, there are some things that are just plain easier on a teflon pan than they are on well-seasoned iron or steel.
Carbon steel is stamped, cast iron is cast. Back in the day they used to polish them completely smooth but don’t anymore due to the labor involved. I used to use a seasoned cast iron pan and the carbon steel is massively more nonstick.
Yeah this is my experience too - My carbon steel pan is fine for cooking eggs if I put a dollop of butter in there - my nonstick pan is fine even without the butter. I love the carbon steel for like 90% of my cooking, but if I'm just making an egg or two the teflon is unbeatable.
I used to really like Teflon, but then I watched a lil documentary on the problems that come from manufacturing the coating. DuPont and 3M poisoned nearly the whole planet. “The Devil We Know” is the title.
They just swept the problems under the rug, switched to different chemicals when shit hit the fan, but those chemicals carry the same dangers.
It ain’t just the birds in the house that take a hit. It’s in you forever.
Do you honestly cook eggs without butter or at least some type of fat?
My carbon steel will stick certain things if I throw them in when the pan’s not fully heated and completely dry, so I concede that point to you. I don’t cook like this though and It’s not really a recommended cooking style in general to start with a cold pan and no fat.
Woks are carbon steel and have eggs cooked on them all the time commercially for fried rice and such.
Nah I always have fat in the pan regardless, but it's more that there will occasionally be something that causes egg to stick to the carbon pan which requires a whole process to clean / reseason or whatever when I can just use the teflon without a care in the world and save the carbon for steaks or veggies.
I have some cast iron pans that I took the care to clean an polish smooth, and season well, and they are seasoned better than most other cast iron or steel skillets I've seen in other people's kitchens. It's smooth enough to cook eggs on, _if_ I use sufficient cooking fat. And even then, even my cheap teflon-coated pans are smoother, and can get away with using less cooking fat.
Yes, a steel or iron pan, well-seasoned, can be used for several tasks that someone might think would require a teflon pan. But even then, there are some things that are just plain easier on a teflon pan than they are on well-seasoned iron or steel.