Petered Pans

Umbra on green cookware 12

Dear Umbra,

I'm thinking it's time to start switching out my family's cookware. When hubby and I got legally partnered, we received some Calphalon (am I allowed to name names?) and pseudo-Calphalon non-stick cookware, and we've used it for a number of years. While the non-stick finish has been well cared for and is not chipping, flaking, or peeling, I have some concern about non-stick finishes and want to be able to put my cookware under the broiler. I know cast iron is supposed to be good, but is the enamel-coated kind OK? (I fear all that seasoning.) Or should I go with steel -- or something else? I hear there's a new Cuisinart Green Gourmet line, but my research seems to indicate there may be some greenwashing there. Help, Umbra, please!

Jenn M.
Raleigh, N.C.

Dearest Jenn,

This week is dedicated to the typing challenge presented by chemical compounds. Conventional non-stick pans have polytetrafluoroethylene coatings (DuPont's Teflon, anyone?) made with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) -- a synthetic chemical that is thought to break down at high temperatures, spew new chemicals about, kill birds, and cause an illness in humans known as polymer fume fever. In 2005, DuPont agreed to pay a record $10.25 million settlement with the U.S. EPA for allegedly withholding information about the health risks posed by PFOA. In 2006, non-stick pan manufacturers agreed to phase out PFOA by 2015. Avoid this slippery slope and lay aside your non-stickers until such time as a good substitute is announced on high.

Have your pans petered out?

Non-stick pans also happen to be short-lived, and hence they are somewhat disposable. Better to go with durable, non-off gassing cookware. For stovetop cooking, these could be made from glass, cast iron, plain aluminum, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, copper, or any of those materials in combination. You would need to check them for broiler approval, of course, though cast iron (for one) will easily move from stovetop to oven. Each type of cookware will have pros and cons, and each carry the burden of resource extraction and processing. Mining is not pretty, and transforming ore and sand into a cooking implement must take quite a bit of energy. But pans as a whole are of small concern compared to the rest of our daily choices, right? In these cases -- where thinking about small stuff is good, but thinking about it too much is not -- we turn back to the three R's. Particularly, Reuse and Reduce. It's key to buy pans that suit your cooking style and last for years so you don't need to constantly replenish your supply.

Out of all the materials I've mentioned, aluminum stands out as one of the more energy-intensive products. On the other hand, anodized aluminum pans work well and last a long time. Well-seasoned cast iron wares are practically stick-free, and maintaining them is not difficult, but if you don't want the hassle, they're not the pans to pick. Cuisinart's description of their Green Gourmet line sounds great, but only in comparison to other non-stick pans. Ditto for another contender, GreenPan (with "nano nonstick technology!"), which claims to be planet-friendly but has gotten mixed reviews from users.

Here is what I recommend: Check out a little roundup from Canada about cooking pans and health. Read it, decide what (if any) materials to cross off your list, and then stop researching the environmental and health angles and focus on what fits your needs. Interview any foodie friends, ask detailed questions of experienced salespeople (if you can find some), and ogle pans at a local store. You might also want to purchase a few with a good return policy, take them home, settle on your favs, and bring back the rest. Then stick (sorry) with them and forget about this issue. Eat hearty.

Hungrily,
Umbra

 

Yours is to wonder why, hers is to answer (or try). Send your green-living questions to Umbra.

Umbra Fisk is Grist Research Associate II, Hardcover and Periodicals Unit, floors 2B-4B.

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  1. RichardWeirick Posted 12:54 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Iron-ically the BestJust my two cents here....but what is so difficult about cast iron?  The "hard" part I guess is the first seasoning for a brand new pan, but that takes the i.q. of a squirrel.  Most come pre-seasoned nowadays anyway.  Just keep cooking and it gets better!  Wipe it out when your done, oil lightly w/ olive oil and you're ready to go next time.  If you burn stuff, don't be afraid to scrub it out - it won't the hurt the pan at all.  Re-oil after.
    These pans wear like....well - iron!  My great aunt had some from her mom.  WAY better than non-stick.  Unless you dunk the whole thing in cold water when it's really hot (something you wouldn't do with any pan) they won't warp, don't ever go bad - even rust will scrub out and then you reseason - and are the ultimate in heirloom durability.
    They say they use more energy to cook with, but since they hold more heat (which means less escapes) they actually are about the same as other pans IF you turn off the heat before you take the food out.  You put all the heat into the pan, simply use it.  It's not as tricky as it sounds.  Also, you can use a much lower heat setting.

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  2. Jeremy Smith Posted 3:00 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Cuisinart Green GourmetI have the 12" Cuisinart "green" non-stick.

    It sticks, burns, and may not even be green.
    I've had mine for about 6 months.  It worked for a  month or so, then started developing "sticky" spots, where eggs would stick during cooking.
    The pan is not very non-stick at all anymore, regardless of the amount of fat I put in.
    Avoid it, get stainless or cast iron.

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  3. mskellyann's avatar

    mskellyann Posted 3:57 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Iron and Bennington wareYes, iron is so easy I can't understand how Teflon ever caught on.  And it doesn't take water to clean, which is even better for the environment.  Also, for those of us who are vegetarian, it gives us much-needed iron supplements!
    In terms of the reduce-reuse-recycle trinity, you can get old cast iron that's just as good as new, and cheaper.  I got a skillet at an antique store this summer that was ridiculously cheap and had been refurbished and pre-seasoned.  
    As for baking dishes, I prefer Bennington Pottery ware.  Not only is it tough and safe, it's also beautiful and distribues heat better than other bread pans or pie plates.

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  4. redambrosia99 Posted 5:23 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Cast IronI have two cast iron pans (well, one is a griddle).  The actual pan I got from my dad, and is older than I am.  I'll probably be able to hand it down to my kids and so forth (or they may have to pry it out of my cold dead hands.. so to speak).  The griddle is a more recent purchase, due to wanting to cook more than one pancake at a time.
    The lovely thing about cast iron pans (imo) is the way they radiate heat.  A good pan will spread the heat out evenly, cooking your food perfectly (this is especially important for pancakes).  I don't get the same even temperature out of my wok pan or my stew pots (respectively made of non-stick aluminum and steel).
    As other mentioned, seasoning them isn't that big of a deal.  Don't was with soap, and especially don't use detergent on it, and your pan won't need to be seasoned very often.
    But the biggest thing is to get pans that will last a good long time.  After all the first R is reduce.

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  5. caliphile Posted 5:46 am
    08 Oct 2008

    should i ditch my nonstick?so, my wife and i received nonstick calphalon pots and pans for a wedding gift a few years ago.  should we stop using them for health reasons and try to phase in alternative material versions?  any advice is appreciated...

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  6. bailsout Posted 7:40 am
    08 Oct 2008

    Pick up a cast(iron)awayNothing better than cast iron. Look in thrift stores. Cheap. Last forever.

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  7. aleta Posted 1:08 am
    09 Oct 2008

    Alternatives to non-stick coating cookwareAbsolutely ditch any non-stick cookware with Teflon brand or any other coating that feels plastic-y.  These pans kill birds when heated - they're our canary in the coal mine.  Stainless steel also has some concerns.  My hodgepodge collection of cookware primarily consists of cast iron and Pyrex (glass).
    A fantastic resource for those looking for alternatives is Debra Lynn Dadd's website and book Home Safe Home.  As someone who experienced multiple chemical sensitivity and recovered, she does very thorough research on what we know about safety of the things in our homes and provides a wealth of information about what alternatives are available.  Debra on Cookware

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  8. kmp Posted 1:24 am
    09 Oct 2008

    One vote for enamelI did have a couple of cast iron pans, back in the day.. too many roommates leaving them in the sink, scrubbing them with Brillo, throwing knives on top of them... yes, they were a pain in the butt.  I left them in an apartment somewhere along the way. I'm sure now that I'm older and don't live with a revolving set of 20-year-olds, they would be easier to maintain but I've never found out, since I bought my Chantal (enamelware) pan set.
    Nearly 20 years ago I convinced my Mom to split the cost of a set of Chantal pots & pans with me as a birthday present.  (At the time she thought I was crazy to be spending so much money on pots & pans when I was just out of college and starving at my first 'real' job.  Shortly thereafter, she went out and bought a set for herself!) These pans have been tried & true, and are still going strong.  They are not non-stick, but things slide off enamel much easier than they do off of stainless steel (although stainless does a better job at browning meat, IMO) and other than the rims being a little dented (from my bad habit of banging wooden spoons and such on the side of the pan) they are in nearly the same condition as 20 years ago.  I'm sure they will be about the same 20 years from now.
    My fiance has a set of Caphalon pans that he used before we moved in together. They now reside in our garage.

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  9. demolitionwoman Posted 4:11 am
    09 Oct 2008

    enamel?Did Umbra not go into enamel or did I just miss it somehow?  I know some chef-type folks who swear by Le Creuset-type cookware and I'm curious about the safety of it...

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  10. jma Posted 11:01 pm
    09 Oct 2008

    Inexpensive enameled cast iron at IkeaThe price of brand name enameled cast iron has always given me pause: a Le Creuset dutch oven costs $200 or more.  The last time I went to Ikea, I discovered their very own enameled oval dutch oven for about $70... and made in France, to boot!

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  11. Pangolin's avatar

    Pangolin Posted 9:01 pm
    10 Oct 2008

    The bamboo brush is key.The secret to maintaining cast iron cookware is to obtain a bamboo cleaning brush at an asian supermarket. Once you are done cooking an item a splash of water and immediate application of the bamboo brush will take off almost anything you've managed to char to the pan.
    Follow with a quick rinse of hot water, return briefly to the flame and let cool and it's done. I'm 43 and I've been using the same cast iron pans that my mother raised me with. The 40 year-old pans are better than the new pans as the years of patina are incomparable as a cooking surface.
    btw- For those disasters where roomates or well meaning guests use detergent on your pans a visit to the interior of the wood stove for a HOT fire will return your pan's virginity. The bottom of a bonfire works well in a pinch also.

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  12. cmalberg Posted 1:27 am
    15 Oct 2008

    Happy cast ironI was thrilled to see so many suggestions for cast iron in the comments. I use cast iron almost exclusively for everything from braising to broiling. One of the most convenient uses is to use your pan to defrost. The iron conducts ambient heat very well, so put whatever it is you need thawed on the pan. It will thaw out much quicker than if you just placed it in a bowl on the counter and uses a lot less energy than the microwave.
    Last but not least, a little trick I learned at work. If you have a gas range with a pilot, you can melt butter by just placing it in a skillet over the pilot. Prep the rest of your things, and the iron will pick up the small amount of heat coming off the pilot leaving you with melted but not hot butter.

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