When is cast iron not the best?

DaveS

New member
I recently caught the CI bug, and have been using my new CI cookware for almost anything. I do, however, have some very nice All-Clad aluminum core pans that we got as wedding presents. I've been using one of them for fish, kind of arbitrarily, since I feel like it's a waste to have such an expensive pan sitting in my cabinet unused.
I'm wondering if any of you have dishes that you don't use CI for, and if so, which ones?
 
Boiling pasta or corn on the cob, roasting a turkey, most roasts, sauces, sweet & sour pork, meat loaf, pepper steak, some omelets, turkey soup, spaghetti sauce, bread, a ham, lobster, sauerkraut dishes, corned beef florentine, casseroles, lasagna, round pies, melting butter and most things that go into the oven.

Now make sure you remember all these Dave. Most important is getting to know all your cookware. Then choose the right size and shape for the dish. Now if you still get to make a choice, choose the one that you feel most comfortable with at that time. Wether it is Corning ware, carbon steel, CI, copper, SS, All-Clad or Dollar Store teflon does not matter as long as you feel that is the right vessel for the job or todays learning experience.

Hilditch
 
I don't cook rice in CI.

I do rice in my CI chicken fryer and 5qt DO all the time. I coat the inside with a little olive oil, slowly pour the water in, and then do it just like normal rice. I do the same thing for noodles. I wouldn't do it first thing on a freshly restored piece, but the seasoning isn't any worse for the wear afterward. Its also one of the very few occasions I don't preheat the pan.

After being surprised at how much less the rice stuck to the bottom compared to my copper clad stainless steel pot I switched to CI and never looked back.
 
I shy away from anything tomato based. I usually bake fish but on the rare occasion I fry it, it goes in SS. I think mainly because SS can be scrubbed hard without worrying about loosing seasoning.
Tony
 
Ah so Ty. You have come up with the technique to keep the starch residue from sticking to the seasoning and leaving that white film after washing. A couple of days ago I fried a mess of bacon in my DO just to make that film disappear. Thanks.

Hilditch
 
Hilditch,

If you have a better way, great! Please share. There's no need to berate others. We are here to learn. Thanks.
 
Ty and Hilditch,
I make rice regularly in a #8 WW and yes, it does leave a light layer of starch around the pan. ( I rinse and toast my rice before cooking) However, I always wipe down the interior with canola oil after washing and drying the pan. The white goes away, the seasoning isn't affected ans nothing further is needed.

Jack
 
Ty, I just found out a few minutes ago that among many other names and meanings that Ty is also a Chinese origin surname. The ‘Ah so’ came out of my subconscious instead of ‘Ah yes’ without considering ethnicity. No beratement meant. I apologize to you and anyone else I may have offended.

Jack, I don’t oil my cookware after cleaning so historically I just lived with the starch residue until the next use. Actually, that thin layer of starch covered by oil or frying a mess of bacon will turn into carbon and be a good layer of seasoning down the road. So now we have three ways to handle a starch residue issue.

Hilditch
 
Hilditch,

I was bothered by the "Ah, So Ty" but for a different reason. I figured you were sarcastically poking fun at my inexperience without offering the benefit of your own experience in pointing out a better way. Thanks for the apology but it is not necessary. I took your compliment the wrong way and for that I apologize.

As for the white residue I still get a little and pretty much ignore it since it does seem to help build up the seasoning.
 
But, but, but …… Kevin, isn’t it a law that one has to cook grilled cheese sandwiches on cast iron or they don’t taste good?

Hilditch
 
This reminded me of the worst, uneatable grilled cheese sandwich I ever had in a rural cafe in GA. It came out of something that looked like this, but not that clean.



I watched as the helper swiped two pieces of square Wonder bread with some sort of room temperature liquid, added one slice of pre-wrapped cheese, put it in the sandwich maker and then forcefully pressed down on the top. I took 1/2 bite of this 3/16” sandwich before getting out of there. I didn’t even want my $2 back, I just wanted out!

Hilditch
 
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