If the algorithm does not fail, after reading this article and perhaps searching for a price, advertising about frying pans that promise to last a lifetime and free of any toxic element will not take long to appear on your social networks. My Instagram, at least, is full and those who sell kitchen utensils confirm that, indeed, questions about iron pans and their sale have skyrocketed lately.
But what is true and false in their arguments? Are they really as difficult to maintain as some claim? Do they last a lifetime? To prove it, for a few weeks we have banished our non-stick pan to make room in our kitchen for an iron skillet.
We look into this world, yes, in style: with a cast iron Le Creuset Signature, wooden handle and in a beautiful orange color capable of making any kitchen look more beautiful and the recipes more Instagrammable. It is something like the Rolls Royce of iron pans and its enameling promises to facilitate non-stick, the main problem of any iron pan.
It also does not need to be cured with oil and heat before use, something common in simpler models. A gentle clean with soap and water and it is ready to use. Although the brand does not indicate that you have to rub a little oil after each use before storing it, we have also heeded the advice of the most cautious who recommend doing so.
At the veteran Marc Vidal kitchenware store – in front of the Sant Antoni market in Barcelona – they smile when we ask about iron pans. It has become a common doubt lately, Dani Esparcia points out to the other side of the counter, who has well learned the script for these cases and what must be repeated a few times: they are not non-stick.
It is something that must be made clear to the customer, he explains, so that they do not leave the store with the wrong idea and then disappointment sets in. And the lamentations for the stuck tortilla. They are not necessarily expensive. There are them for just over twelve euros, he tells us, but you have to be clear about what you are buying. The comparison with the classic iron paella pan is very useful for people to understand that, in addition, if it is not used very regularly it will end up rusting.
And what is the reason for this sudden fame of iron? It’s the Teflon’s fault. And the dozens of videos and articles that talk about iron or stainless steel pans as “non-toxic.” Does that mean that the aluminum ones are non-stick?
“Teflon, which is the commercial name for polytetrafluoroethylene, an inert and stable polymer, does not pose a concern for its use in pans and other utensils intended to come into contact with food,” says Miguel Angel Lurueña, better known as @gominolasdepetroleo, doctor in Food Science and Technology.
And then the bad reputation? Are those who talk about toxic pans exaggerating or trying to sell us something? A little, yes. Or, at least, they should give all the data. The fault, Lurueña explains, is the material used to glue the Teflon to the metal of the pan. But prefluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonates (PFOS) have been banned since 2020, she reminds.
“Frying pans have not been made with these substances for years. In any case, in the old pans, the possible problem could arise in very worn and deteriorated pans,” he points out.
More reassured knowing that we did not cook with toxic utensils until now, we return to our brand new cast iron skillet. First rule: no strong fire. We heat it slowly and when it reaches temperature in about five minutes we add the oil. The idea is that a layer of fat covers the entire surface before adding any ingredients.
We start it with a sautéed onion that serves as a base to then sauté some beans and some previously cooked potatoes. All good, but it is true that we have eliminated the tomato from the recipe because we had read that acids destroy iron pans.
And so it is in many, but not in this one. “You don’t have to worry about any ingredient damaging the material. The interior enamel coating allows acid sauces to be cooked over low heat for long periods of time without any problem,” Le Creuset Spain explains to us.
Compatible with all types of fire, including induction, they can also be put in the oven if the handle is made of iron, although without exceeding 200 degrees. Obviously, the trade-off is that, if that handle does not have some protection, it will also burn when cooking normally. In fact, the ability to distribute and maintain heat is one of the properties of iron pans, especially cast iron ones.
Beyond the variety of sizes, qualities and brands, there are two large categories of iron pans: cast iron and mineral iron. The latter tend to be lighter and similar to conventional frying pans, while cast iron ones are more robust.
There are differences in material and manufacturing, but what matters when it comes down to it is that in both cases you have to cure them before using them, dry them well and treat them with oil to prevent oxidation. The only ones that would be exempt from this protocol would be the aforementioned Le Creuset, as they are vitrified or enamelled.
We continued our tests with some hamburgers and a chicken and vegetable stir-fry. Here the pans are in their sauce, because precisely browning meats, fish and vegetables is one of the things they are best at. Does it stick? Yes, but when the first layer of food is golden brown it is easy to turn it over.
The French brand De Buyer is one of the best known in the mineral iron pans segment. In their case, they have a beeswax coating that provides a certain non-stickness, although it is better not to get too confident or expect miracles. Simply put: they will never be like a non-stick aluminum one.
In fact, the only trick to ensuring that an iron pan does not stick or sticks less, whatever the brand, quality and material, is time. With use and fat, they develop a natural patina that will make the work easier and will allow us, for example, to make a fried egg or a French omelette without suffering too much.
In our case we have tried it after a week of use and following the rules. The fried egg has resisted us – we probably lacked oil – but we almost have it under control. French, because we don’t dare with the potato one.
To begin with, the weight of this model makes it impossible to imagine turning a tortilla. But, even at the risk of angering fans of iron pans: having a traditional non-stick pan for acidic sauces and potato omelettes is not a bad idea either.
By the way, no dishwasher. Even those that in theory can go (like this Le Creuset), it is better not to do so so as not to affect that natural patina, they recommend. To clean them, patience.
If something has stuck, we have verified that leaving them with water for a while is enough so that later, without having to rub too much, it will come out.
Having discarded the story of toxicity, assuming the non-stick thing and taking into account the maintenance that most of them require, what is the real advantage of these pans? Even if we resist – we should – buy the story, that of natural versus chemical, it is true that an iron frying pan can last a lifetime.
Now that is a good argument and something sustainable compared to having to change the pan every one or two years. Because, let’s not fool ourselves, this is what happens with many non-stick products when, after using them for the first time, we end up using utensils that they don’t touch, heating them too much or putting them under the tap before they have cooled down.
Iron ones are pans for life. It is a phrase that is often repeated when talking about them. In fact, the best brands usually offer a lifetime guarantee, which reinforces the idea that it is household goods that can be passed down from generation to generation and that the investment is worth it.
But, again, in most cases this eternal duration will be conditional on us following the aforementioned cooking and maintenance rules. If we are willing to do it and a little patience, we will have a frying pan for life.