Cast iron skillets provide even heat without hot spots.
Cast iron and cast aluminum each have their own pros and cons. Cast iron has stood the test of time for millennia, while aluminum as a metal is a more recent innovation. In the time of Napoleon III, aluminum was more highly valued than gold. According to the National Chemical Society, Napoleon proudly displayed a collection of aluminum cutlery, and a rattle for his son made of aluminum and gold. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Properties
Cast iron has been molded into cookware for more than 2,000 years. Cast iron is prized for its precision and lack of "hot spots", or areas of uneven temperature. But this advantage is lost if you cook on an electric range, which will give uneven heat and can warp or crack cast iron pots. Older cast iron cookware must be seasoned to give it a non-stick finish.
Cast aluminum has been used for cookware since 1892, when it was introduced by ALCOA. Cast aluminum can be anodized, a process that places an electrochemically treated layer of oxidized aluminum on top of the cast aluminum core. This seals it and ensures that less aluminum leaching will occur. Aluminum is lightweight and likely to be non-stick right out of the factory, but can be scratched.
Maintenance
Cast iron pots and pans, though tough, can still be damaged if they are treated carelessly. Never add cold liquid to a hot pan, as this can cause irreparable cracks. Even small areas of rust will contaminate your food and affect the taste. Scouring the pot with a steel wool pad will remove the rust and won’t harm the metal.
Use care when you use salt in cast aluminum, since it can cause pitting; ensure salt is dissolved completely. Hard (mineral rich) water can cause cast aluminum to discolor. If discoloration does occur, boil acidic foods, such as tomatoes and rhubarb, in the pan to return the aluminum to its original color.
Curing Cast Iron Pans
To season a pan, What's Cooking America recommends you cover the pan with a thin layer of food-safe oil and rub off the excess with paper towel until the surface is matte. Place a sheet of tin foil in the oven and the pan upside down above it. Heat the oven to 500 F for 30 to 60 minutes; cool the pan and repeat as necessary. The tiny amount of oil remaining on the surface creates a smooth layer on the pan, making it non-stick. Using the pan often will maintain this layer naturally. Cast aluminum pans are almost always non-stick automatically and don't require further treatments.
Cost and Availability
Consumers have a trade-off to make when they purchase cookware. Cast iron is tough, durable and lasts generations if you treat it right; but it's harder to find and can be expensive. Cast aluminum or anodized aluminum is easily found in any housewares section for a relatively low price, but lasts only so long under regular use and is more easily scratched.
Health Concerns
According to Health Canada, the amount of iron leached from cast iron cookware is unlikely to do harm; under 20 percent of total daily iron intake can be traced back to cookware. Although there have been highly publicized reports about a possible correlation between aluminum intake and Alzheimer’s, no link has been proven. Aluminum cookware contributes an estimated 1 to 2 mg of a 10 mg daily total intake, and is considered harmless. However, pitted aluminum leaches more aluminum into food than non-damaged cookware does, and should be discarded.
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