9 Cast Iron Cookware Myths Debunked (With Proof)

In this video, I debunk the nine most common myths about cast iron cookware. Is it really indestructible? Do soap and acidic foods ruin the seasoning? Watch to the end to find out.
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[@ghw7192]

A fantastc review! I am a cast iron fanatic and own and use over 50 pieces. My 5 quart dutch oven has been used for chili and spaghetti sauce for almost 5 decades with only minimal upkeep and I am still using my grandmother's skillet. I am 76 years old.

[@DadsGetDubs]

Thank god for this video. I'm tired of the people who go around saying they never use soap on their cast iron pan.

[@dpelpal]

Anybody who doesn't use soap on their cast iron doesn't know how to season their cast iron. And, not washing cast iron is gross. I've used "lye based" soap that my friend makes on my iron hundreds of times; it makes ZERO difference. Dummies are gon' be dummies lol.

[@DKWalser]

The advice (commandment) not to use soap on cast iron dates to the time when kitchen soaps were lye based. Lye based soaps will remove seasoning from the cast iron. Our modern dish detergents are milder while also being more effective. I mention this only because it helps to explain why what grandma told them is now out of date.

[@DadsGetDubs]

@@DKWalserI’m already aware of this, but thanks for mentioning it for the people who aren’t.

[@brianh2287]

@@DadsGetDubs I just never need to use soap on my cast iron. I just run it under hot water, dry it, and heat it up for a couple of minutes to make sure the moisture is off of it. If I have bits on it after cooking burgers I pour hot water into it before I take it of the stove. This will immediately release all of the bits, then I rinse it with hot water and dry it. If I do get some bits that still remain, which is rare, I simply swirl my chain mail scrubber on it. That always cleans it perfectly. So there just isn't a need for soap on cast iron or carbon steel pans.

[@unclerojelio6320]

It’s not that you can’t use soap, it’s that you rarely need to use soap.

[@CptApplestrudl]

The first thing I did when I got my cast iron pan was sand down the bottom. It was SO coarse, the thought of moving it even slightly on my glas induction stove was not sitting well with me. I sanded the inside a little bit as well, because it was just as rough. I followed this up with washing and seasoning and it works great now. I do apply a thin layer of oil after each use (drying first).

[@godnyx117]

Glad it works well and you have fun! Unfortunately for me, moving my pan when cooking is something I do a lot for a lot of meals I make and that's even worse given the fact that cast iron is very heavy so lifting it up and moving it in the air would be a pain...

[@SeraphimCramer]

Sanding the inside is a bad idea. Nothing wrong with smoothing out the bottom so it doesn't scratch your cooktop, but the rough texture helps to hold on to the seasoning & keep it from chipping. (Though, you say you only sanded it a little bit, so that's probably not an issue, especially if you're happy with how the pan has been performing) Over the years, the cooking surface will actually become smooth on its own as the layers of seasoning eventually build up & fill in the gaps between the grit, but the texture of the cooking surface doesn't play much (if any) role in food sticking.

[@haines96]

Great video, though I will say myth #9 really does depend on the level of seasoning of the pan. For pans that do not have much build-up, a coating after cooking can help since it can build a patina while preheating next time, IMO.

[@KekusMagnus]

Thanks for dispelling these myths. All the internet fuss about cast-iron and carbon-steel being "nonstick" inspired me to switch to them, and I've been quite disappointed. I was used to cracking a few eggs with some oil on a teflon pan and simmering them at a low temperature. This is almost guaranteed to cause a sticky mess on teflon/carbon steel. There is a huge learning curve to cooking sticky foods like eggs or cheese on these pans, and some things you can do on teflon just cannot be replicated, plus waiting for them to pre-heat is annoyingly slow.

[@bikeny]

I am now a subscriber. Thanks for the info. I also want to thank you not only for the good info, but for NOT having any music playing while you were talking.

[@bowow0807]

Oiling after each use is highly location dependent, if you live in a dry climate then yes you can get away with not oiling after each use, but if you live in a super humid area even after oiling it can develop rust

[@russbear31]

That's interesting and makes a lot of sense. I never thought of that. I live in an area that's like a Swedish sauna during the summer. Everything is sticky because of the moisture in the air. Last summer my air conditioning broke down for about a week. There was so much humidity in the air at that time it actually ruined and warped a couple of cheap bookcases. The particleboard soaked up the humidity in the air like a sponge. I could see my cast iron doing the same thing, but I always oil it after every use so I'm safe. 😊

[@dpelpal]

I live in New Mexico, and never oil my pan. There's no moisture in the air.

[@lazygardens]

In a dry, dusty area, oiling just traps the dust and you have to wash the crud out before you can cook.

[@LoJo]

5:33 - Like Uncle Scott, Andrew also hates grill pans. 😆

[@mssixty3426]

Thank you for your sensible reviews!

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

Helpful. Thanks.

[@theronwolf3296]

The trouble with 'non stick' pans is that they are only really non stick when they are new gradually that breaks down and the pan is worthless. The only materials I like are cast iron and layered stainless steel. Those materials last a lifetime

Nah, they'll stay nonstick as long as you don't damage the surface. Years even. They're nowhere near the durability of iron, steel or carbon; but they'll still last quite a long time if you care for them. That being said, I don't use them as much. The reason is that their coating can't handle high heat, metal instruments or produce as good a sear. And if you chip their coating, you don't want to use it because you could ingest teflon. I still think there's a place for them, and for someone that cares for it, they'll last for years just as well.

[@djC653]

for your next myth/verses video how about rough cooking surface vs smooth

[@PrudentReviews]

Great idea!

[@apuz13]

Great video. Thank you

[@bohemiansusan2897]

I grew up with the cast iron pan being put on the stove to dry after towel drying. No rust even if you don't allow seasoning like some I know. For years I been telling folks that if the health inspector were to see that the cast iron cookware isn't washed with soap, we would get shut down. Same for carbon steel pans too.

[@luisa146]

Exacly, how can you clean a pan without soap, some grease and food particles would remain on the pan, and maybe build up over time, it sounds kinda gross to me, i wouldn't want to cook in a dirty pan. Thanks for the advice of leaving it on the stove to dry.

[@bohemiansusan2897]

@@luisa146 one can build up seasoning in the pans while washing them to keep them sanitary.

[@saxon6]

My mom had grandma's skillet. Washed with soap and never seasoned. You can't argue with success.

[@jerrym3261]

But they do argue with success. This seasoning thing started and now it has gotten to the stupid level. 60+ years I've been cooking in cast iron, I've never seasoned, neither did my mom, neither did my grandmas. If I had to do half of what the "experts" recommend, I would have switched to Teflon decades ago. Watch the eggs in rusty cast iron video, do what he does and you won't have any problems.

[@TerryKashat]

I can’t imagine grandma not cleaning her pan with soap. I don’t believe it. That said - I use soap and water to clean my pieces all the time. Only 2 rules. After cleaning - Wipe it down with a towel. Get it hot to evaporate all moisture. Lastly - the new pans with a buffed surface - you can use just a thin layer of butter / ghee / or coconut oil and you’re golden.

[@donb1183]

Great video. I will contest myth #9. I do think a thin oil coating before storing your cast iron is helpful. It will also help maintain the seasoning the next time you cook with it.

[@lizcademy4809]

There is a reason not to use cast iron on a glass cooktop. My ex husband bought a 14" cast iron skillet. I could barely lift it, so never used or washed it. It was fine on a gas stove, but when we moved to a place with a glass cooktop ... he was putting it on the top, it slipped and dropped maybe 1/2", and ... CRACK! I'm not saying never use cast iron on glass ... just be sure you're strong enough first.

[@mildredechevarria8527]

❤ very informative video

[@mencken8]

Saw an old, well used iron skillet break in half while cooking on an old school electric stove= yes, they can and will break.

[@godnyx117]

Thank you for your information! It was for useful, and I like the way you make your videos and how you explain! One thing I always wondered and couldn't test as I never had a cast iron pan myself, would it be possible to achieve the same "performance" of heat retention of cast iron with other pans by turning up the heat once the food is added in the pan for something like half a minute and then turn it down again?

[@PrudentReviews]

Stainless steel, aluminum, and copper pans are a lot more responsive, so when the heat drops from adding food, it quickly bounces back. But you might need to turn the heat up and adjust the dial to get it right. Cast iron holds a more stable temp so once it’s preheated, you don’t need to touch the dial much.

[@godnyx117]

@@PrudentReviews Thanks! Just as I expected, it seems! Have a beautiful day! ❤

[@markdale6104]

This is probably obvious but you need a responsive heat source (gas or induction) to get that to work. Bumping the heat on electric is really hard to finesse. Having said that, I do it all the time.

[@godnyx117]

@@markdale6104 Yeah, I suppose you are right! I was thinking of buying a very simple and cheap, single induction unit, but I didn't do it as I find it unnecessary. I will look at it in the future!

[@KekusMagnus]

You can try, but this is dangerous, as these pans are very easy to overheat, releasing harmful chemicals as the nonstick coating breaks apart. Since they are so thin, you could get dangerous hotspots before you even reach the temperature you want. If you want a uniform temperature distribution AND high heat retention, you need a cladded stainless steel pan (but be warned, almost everything sticks to them)

[@thatcantbeso]

Can you a do a video like this but for carbon steel?

[@PrudentReviews]

Not a bad idea. I cover the key differences between carbon steel and cast iron in this video >>> kzbin.info/www/bejne/ennLanl9h8ylmbMsi=nky1S8tDpw_9QrN_

[@billbanta7189]

I have one non stick skillet that I use exclusively for eggs. I hand wash it. It is never on high heat. I use my cast iron for searing or blackening protein, often finishing off in the oven to temp.

[@fabreezethefaintinggoat5484]

thanks

[@lazygardens]

The "don't use soap" made sense way back when my skillets were new, and soap was lye soap that could be used as paint remover.

[@TheAgentDeus]

I polished bottom of the cast iron pans to mirror finish when I got a new stove, cheaper ones have really sharp notches and the old stove was really scratched because of that. After polishing - no problem at all. Actually you do not need to do a mirror finish, 240 grit with angle grinder is good enough but I did it because of a bet. Heat radiating is also an issue, especially with induction stoves, I have had several times when the stove turns off because of overheating. This is not only cast iron skillet problem, I have had same results with carbon steel and stainless steel pans, never had a problem with aluminum pans since aluminum takes heat off rapidly because of laws of chemistry and physics. Heat conductivity table from worse to best: Cast iron Stainless steel Carbon steel Aluminum (for food safety reasons, most non-stick pans) Copper (for food safety reasons, now days used only as conductor between stainless steel and stove) The worse the heat conductivity, the smoother the heat release and if you want to cook things evenly, you really want a smooth heat release over quick burn. This is also one reason why Stainless Steel is where it is. Acid resistance, rust resistance, salt resistance and thermal properties close to cast iron. Non-stick properties though ... You need skills, a lot of skills compared to Cast Iron or Carbon Steel.

[@aaronpat123]

Preheat cast iron skillet on low for 15 minutes for even heat distribution.

[@TheGotoGeek]

You really should have “Cast Iron Skillet” by Jason Isbell as background music.

[@monaco1964bis]

Nice videos but breaking a cast iron is criminal. It hurts me a lot. So sad

[@PrudentReviews]

It pained me too.

[@danvarnes7127]

I simply dry on the stove and add oil to it while it's still warm

[@trishfitzpatrick2066]

Cast iron is the ultimate bachelor pan. Keep a big ol' 14" skillet on your stove permanently. As long as you are cooking with it frequently, the seasoning gets better and better. In the 19th century, a cast iron pot or pan was practically part of the stove itself. If you are cooking meat all the time, you are creating bits of meat/fat on the surface which is actually a fancy cooking ingredient. The French named it "fond" (French meaning "bottom"). Add broth and simmer, scraping the bits up. Then comes cream (and the French LOVE their cream). Whisk it and simmer until it's turned into a thickness you like for sauce. Add some chopped fresh herbs and salt to taste. VOILA! When it's time to clean, pour in plain water to cover the bottom and simmer again. Wipe it clean and it's done. No need to even carry it to the sink. If you seared a nice steak, pat the excess grease with paper towel and leave it until morning. You'll have the best fried eggs of your life (low temperature, please). Crack the eggs in to the pan once it's heated, splash a wee bit of water in with it and cover. Watch to see how the white on the top steams gently. Remove when it is cooked as you like. You could also use all that lovely fond to cook home fries. On medium heat saute chopped onions (bell peppers too if you like), and then add your diced potatoes. Scrape and saute until all the fond is incorporated into the potato mix. Cover and cook until the potatoes are soft. Add a touch of butter, some seasoning, and finish by browning. Yum!

[@xanperia]

Hi! I just ordered an cast iron pot with a lid that can be used as a skillet. My aim is to use it for roast chicken and stew on a campfire. I honestly had no idea I have to season the pot / skillet. The thing is - I don't have an oven. Can I season it on campire? Above hot coals perhaps? I have no idea what I should do without an oven.

[@PrudentReviews]

I’ve never seasoned over a campfire so don’t want to give you bad advice but if you search online, you’ll find plenty of tips. You can also do it on a stovetop.

[@xanperia]

@@PrudentReviews Ok, thanks! I'll search for more info.

[@TribbleBot]

I wash mine with a little bit of Dawn and a stiff bristle brush, then dry them on the stove, where they remain until the next day. No need to oil after drying in New Mexico, and that sticky layer just traps dust anyway.

[@dpelpal]

I break every single cast iron rule with my skillet. I simmer acidic things in it. I boil water in it. I scrub it HARD with soap, even lye based soap my friend makes. I put it in the dishwasher occasionally. None of it makes any difference. My skillet cooks no differently than it did when I babied it 15 years ago.

[@peterv1318]

So do I. It is fine. I definitely do the acidic stuff no problem and doesn’t taste like iron.

[@TerryKashat]

Me too. Worrying about the seasoning is pointless. Also - I’d you throw this into a grill doesn’t the grill get so hot that it gets rid of the seasoning anyways?

[@ericsandstrom3915]

My induction cooktop sometimes shut down (some safety thing) because of too much heat from pan. But then I have used it for long time and on quite high heat. So? It might shut down, but no harm to neither food nor cooktop.

[@andyking957]

It cook alot with cheap non-branded cast iron. After, j ust put some water in 2-3 time, cook it up, brush, empty and swipe. I have no problem cooking steak and later crepes in he same pan. I scrub them with steel scrubbing pads, even put them in the dish washer (but dry them sortly afterwards). No problem. The only thing you do not achieve is a housewive-friendly totally "clean" appearace. The residual grease resulting from only swiping basically keeps it in good condition.

[@thomaslacy2433]

How about leaching of iron into foods? For people with hemachromatosis (iron overload) this a real concern.

[@BlindTom61]

I've had a Lodge 12" pan for years. I've used it maybe five times. Way too much maintenance, too heavy, awkward and heavy. Waste of money for me.

[@Rockhunter329]

Lodge makes an inexpensive product, but for me, any of their non Blacklock skillets over 10.25" are too heavy for my getting stiff fingers.

[@ande100]

I clean my cast iron after use, dry them and let them rest upside down over the switched off stove coil if it is not in use otherwise. If the oven was used, all cast iron dries off in the cooling down oven while we eat. All pots and pants and the stovetop are soaking while we eat.

[@chargv]

Cast iron and carbon steel pans will definitely cause induction cooktops to overheat. The portable units, no matter their quality, are even worse (never tried the 400 dollars restaurant-grade ones tough).

[@suzieseabee]

My mom loved her cast iron pans. She would have a fit if anyone washed it besides her. She had them sandblasted every few years, then seasoned them. If i oil mine after washing, I need to wash the fuzz off before I use it again.

[@jameslovelady7751]

Years ago my wife got angry and threw a cast iron skillet on the floor. The shock on her face when it broke was priceless.

[@slimyelow]

I h8 cast iron pans (yeah, that lodge one) with a passion.

[@user-fk8rb8ue5h]

I have tried both cast-iron and nonstick. I am still using a nonstick pan which cost $10.20 years on. That will more than do for me.

[@Furree_68]

Ive been using cast iron and carbon steel pans and Dutch owens on my electrical glass stow for 19 years. No scratches and no cracks due to "reflecting heat" So at least for me, there is no issues.

[@sampsqwantch4612]

"next you wanna get your chainmail" Fucking pardon?

[@UnCoolDad]

Soap is fine but it depends how young your seasoning is and how many layers of it there is. Worst case, you re season. Can't do that with Teflon.

[@beastmastreakaninjadar6941]

Also "Lasts Forever", not quite the same as "Indestructible". It may take generations but, even if you take care of it, repeated expansion and contraction will eventually crack the iron.

[@curtismatsune3147]

I never understood people who are slaves to their cookware. My cookware is there to serve me, not the other way around. I don't care how it looks, I only care how it performs. I want to clean my cast iron and carbon steel fast like any other cookware. Sometimes that means soap. Period. No other considerations. I've lost some seasoning cooking tomatoes and other acidic ingredients. I just keep cooking as usual with zero issues. I've had times where I've had to re-season. It's just the tiny downside of getting all the big upsides. Deal with it.

[@finallyfriday.]

I break every "rule". Every meal is still great!!! Fussing is for people who like to fuss. Nothing wrong with that but not required.

[@toddjones1403]

I only sear steaks and roast vegetables in my cast iron, I don’t make scrambled eggs. Therefore I don’t care about‘seasoning’. Wash and dry immediately.

[@billbanta7189]

I use cast iron on glass cooktop all the time

[@jeffdege4786]

I can't imagine why people still use cast iron when carbon steel is available.

[@jeffdiggs7030]

They say don't use acid based foods in it, some say u can use soap, some say don't do it, some say use oil to keep it good and some say it's irrelevant, some say u can't boil in it and some suggest u can do it. This is all too much info, I'll stick to Rachel Ray non stick for now till I get more info or read about healthier types of pans to use.

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

And the winner is… CARBON STEEL! De Buyer #1

[@eliromack457]

Man, he ruined his seasoning doing that for five minutes, scrubbing his pan. He need to put it in the oven again for another hour. how can he not see that he ruined his seasoning? It was almost shining through the metal 😂

[@PrudentReviews]

Might be hard to see with the light shining through the window, but the seasoning did not come off at all

[@jslezak57]

People also fail to mention that non stick coatings ALL begin to break down over time and need to be replaced. Why fork out the extra $$$ for these pans when you can get a good quality OXO non stick skillet for half the price and then replace it after 3-4 years? Also, because these pans still have a non stick coating, they are vulnerable to off-gassing at high temperatures. IMHO, all of this hybrid cookware is a "fad" and not worth the money. I would stick with my AllClad cookware and buy a good quality non stick skillet and replace it every few years for a new one.

[@scottlubsen9004]

Don’t cook tomato dishes in cast iron, it removes the seasoning. Know I made that mistake.

[@lesabe6826]

I am sorry to say this, you are not debunking the myth with old cast iron. The pan you used, although it's a lodge, if it's been made in the last 20 years, there is little to no carbon in the pan and there is a lot of steel in your pan. Old cast iron is 100% iron, for those who may not know, yes there is a difference. Acid and soap will harm the seasoning. Cooking in a true cast iron will up a person's blood level of iron. That being said those with too high of iron levels in their blood work should avoid cooking in true cast iron. I would like to see your - video creator repeat your process on a Griswald, Wagoner or old (40 yr old) Lodge.

[@KekusMagnus]

They've always had carbon in them

[@colonelradec5956]

Soap absolutely does ruin rhe seasoning 🤣 if you just wipe them after use nothing will ever stick so they will never get dirty. All these tips are wrong 😭 use water and your hand. Dry with papertowel or nothing.

[@richard1113]

1,000th like. 😃

[@fabreezethefaintinggoat5484]

fun fact roasting eggplants on cast iron removes all finish and old debris

[@colonelradec5956]

Yea your giving bad tips lol try my cast iron. Its stick proof. I bet yours isnt 🤣

[@PrudentReviews]

Which tips are bad?

[@colonelradec5956]

Soap absolutely stops a finish from ever forming properly. No it's not gonna immediately remove a full finish but it does damage it and it won't grow if you use soap every time. Also that's falls you dont need oil in a well seasoned pan. You think yours are well seasoned but the aren't 😂 same issue that happens to everybody. Blind leading the blind. A true well seasoned pan is black and shines. Yours you what put them in the oven once or twice and washed it like a normal pan rarely using it. To truly season a pan either takes intentional baking or cooking lots of foods with oil or oily foods without using soap in between. If you cook a good 20 30 times in a pan with no soap and you start to get glossy glass polymer thick enough you don't need oil. In my pan not only can I cook an egg without oil I can add sticky cheese to it and stir it around. Doesn't stick whatsoever. I basically use oil as a food topping. Stop using soap.

[@TerryKashat]

@@colonelradec5956what happens when you throw that pan in a 500 degree grill? Doesn’t all the seasoning just start to come off?

[@colonelradec5956]

@@TerryKashat yes which is why you don't. And it's probably over 500 if your seasoning is coming off. What's your point? If you go insanely hot with no food in it it will. But it's hard to get it that hot with food in it.

[@TerryKashat]

@@colonelradec5956 my point is I would only care about seasoning for two uses and reserve 2 separate pans for this. Baking breaded items like desserts - pies - etc. Eggs The 3rd pan would be for everything else. Not caring about seasoning at all. The pans with buffed surfaces operate just fine - and I clean them with soap. I thrilled my pans into the grill often. Yeah you wouldn’t cook food on that temp but flare ups happen. Same if using the pan over a campfire.

[@SupremeOverlord10]

I only use cast iron and always clean with a hot soapy rag. The answer is to put it back on the stove for 2 minutes and rub a little oil in it.