Hacker News Reader

Comment by blendergeek | Hacker News Reader

Would a stainless steel pan, the same thickness as a cast-iron pan, also work?

Would it have a similar "cooking profile" to cast iron while still being easy to take care of?

I realize that it would be prohibitively expensive but I feel that it would virtually last forever.

Basically a wok is typically made of stainless steel and people tend to season those. So, yes that works. The main point with cast iron is that it is not stainless steel (i.e. it rusts). So, seasoning them is not optional. Well used stainless steel pans tend to get a bit of coloring on them that is hard to clean. That's basically a form of seasoning.

Woks are typically made from carbon steel, not stainless steel.

Yes you are right; though stainless steel woks are pretty common too. Either way, you should season them.

I have a couple stainless steel skillets, one of which I use several times a week for eggs. I wash them by hand with soap and water after each use, which is not something I would do with cast iron. If I cook something that gets the skillet really nasty, I simmer some water and baking soda for a while, and then while it's still on the stove I use a silicone spatula to scrape off all the stuff that's stuck to it. This has worked well enough for me for as long as I've done it.

I know some people do season stainless steel, but I've never tried it myself. I do cook with coconut oil, though, so maybe they've kind of self-seasoned over the years.

Yes, you want a carbon steel pan. They are slightly less thick but just as heavy and good as cast iron pans. They season like cast iron too (after you remove an initial wax coating they come with from the factory to protect from rust). They aren't expensive either--about $30 or so for a 12" pan that isn't some boutique brand. Many commercial and restaurant kitchens are loaded with carbon steel pans.

Yes! I started with cast iron pans and used them with middling results. I switched over to carbon steel and I'm in love. They're everything I wanted my cast irons to be.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com