Copper or cast iron?

[LadyShea]

The other day, Frankie asked me what "extras" I want when we get the new house. I think I want some nice cookware that will last forever. I got some decent stuff a few years ago, but I seem to be unable to keep the non-stick surface clean on frying pans no matter how much I spend, no matter how careful I am to use plastic utensils, and no matter how carefully or thoroughly I hand wash them.

My grandma always used a cast iron frying pan, though she used other types of pots for everything but frying. Should I get just the frying pan in cast iron? How about copper? I am not much of a cook, but I do feed us.

Also, I want some copper accessories, but I like the look of aged copper better than brand new shiny. How long does it take to look aged? I have found some "pre-aged" canisters and such, but is it necessary?

[livius drusus]

Copper is beautiful and it conducts heat like nothing else, but it's outlandishly expensive and not worth the price, imo. You have to watch it like a hawk because that great heat retention can translate into scorching and burning before you know it.

Now cast iron, otoh, is slow as hell to heat up but once it does, you're golden. I love cooking with well-seasoned cast iron. It beats nonstick like a redheaded stepchild. The one drawback is its weight, of course.

How about a compromise? Go for stainless steel and you get a beautiful look, outstanding conductivity, manageability and easy maintenance. Then you can supplement with a nice cast iron dutch oven and/or 12" skillet, and assuage your need for copper with a set of mixing bowls (unbeatable for whipping).

[LadyShea]

Copper is beautiful and it conducts heat like nothing else, but it's outlandishly expensive and not worth the price, imo. You have to watch it like a hawk because that great heat retention can translate into scorching and burning before you know it.

Now cast iron, otoh, is slow as hell to heat up but once it does, you're golden. I love cooking with well-seasoned cast iron. It beats nonstick like a redheaded stepchild. The one drawback is its weight, of course.

How about a compromise? Go for stainless steel and you get a beautiful look, outstanding conductivity, manageability and easy maintenance. Then you can supplement with a nice cast iron dutch oven and/or 12" skillet, and assuage your need for copper with a set of mixing bowls (unbeatable for whipping).

There ya go getting all practical ;) Sounds like a good compromise. For some reason, I assumed stainless was a bitch to cook with because of sticking. No idea why I thought that of course.

Oh one more thing. I will have a glass top stove, does that make any difference?

[livius drusus]

You'd have to be veeery careful with cast iron on a glass stop top. Should it slip out of your hands it could easily crack the glass.

Stainless isn't nonstick, of course, and can be a bitch to clean if stuff has gotten burned on there, but no more than copper. As long as you rinse dirty pans asap, it's no huge effort to keep them clean.

[Bella]

For some reason, I assumed stainless was a bitch to cook with because of sticking. No idea why I thought that of course.
It is a bitch to clean, unless you "use" it properly. The pan has to be hot before you put the food in it (unless you're sweating aromatic veggies like onions or garlic and don't want much colour). If you're cooking meat in the pan, make sure you oil the outside of the meat lightly before laying it in the pan. Most proteins will release from the pan as soon as they've formed a crust, which is something you want just because it's nummy, and that makes the pan easier to clean :).

I second liv's idea of getting a cast iron skillet. Lodge makes pre-seasoned ones that still need seasoning (go figure) but are a bit easier to keep up because of the pre-seasoning. You can't go wrong there. Throw in a dutch-oven in enameled cast iron (a la Le Creuset) and you're golden. As far as stainless steel pots and pans go, All Clad is my all-time favourite, but I've heard good things about Viking and Calphalon too.

Oh, and about copper - it looks really pretty but is hella expensive and hard to keep up. The inside of the pot needs to be tinned because copper is toxic, and if you use the pan a lot you need to keep getting it re-tinned.

[lady cop]

i have a rather eclectic collection from my "gourmet cooking" days. i think a couple cast iron pans are basic and necessary. and some calphalon is good, its alloys are quite good at conducting even heat. i love my few stainless pieces, but they need to be good stuff like belgique, and copper is so gorgeous! a pain in the ass, but beautiful. i lust after copper things in the williams-sonoma catalog, check it out! a good copper mixing bowl essential for meringues and a tall copper saucier necessary for hollandaise. only my humble opinion of course, and much depends on your style of cooking. but i would say buy good stuff, it will last you a lifetime. (and get a big stock pot and large shallow pan for turkeys, with a rack, assuming you would use them) have fun! :meatcook: :roastturkey: :pancake: :vegcook:

[Beth]

Nothing like a good cast iron pan.

[livius drusus]

Oh yeah, I second lady cop on the giant stock pot suggestion. It comes in handy in so many ways.

[LadyShea]

We plan to buy a big outdoor boiling pot for low country boil and such. I am not much of a cook as I said, I never make meringue or anything. Basically I broil or barbecue meat and steam veggies. But, I fry eggs and make grilled cheese and brown ground beef and sear meat for broiling and make gravy in the frying pan. I use it more than any other pan.

I think I'll go for a cast iron frying pan, a nice new broiling pan, keep my current pots for sauces and soups and such as they work fine, and save the copper for decorative-only items like canisters and molds to hang on the wall. Whatcha think?

[livius drusus]

I think that sounds a-okay. My parents had a copper chestnut roasting pan they put on the wall. It was gorgeous.

[LadyShea]

I think that sounds a-okay. My parents had a copper chestnut roasting pan they put on the wall. It was gorgeous.

Oooh that sounds gorgeous. Wonder where I can acquire one.

[livius drusus]

Here's (http://fantes.com/chestnuts.htm) a pretty one. The one my parents was a bit larger and had a rim and bigger holes like the steel ones on that page, but I really like the pattern of the perforations on the copper one.

[LadyShea]

I like how the copper one is sorta flat and wide and imperfect. Looks antique and handmade. Very cool, thanks for the link.

[Gurdur]

Copper is (IMHO) only really useful when cooking fish.

You must be careful when using copper cookware, as certain vegetables and fruit will badly discolour or etch the copper in cooking (owing to their acid content).

Massive iron, steel or aluminium cookware holds heat much better than thinner frying pans, and is thus much more better for cooking, unless you have a gas stove, in which case the point is moot, since gas is so quick and direct.

[RevDahlia]

Another vote for cast iron here. I have a billion cooking implements and the cast iron frying pan gets by far the most use.

Consider buying enameled cast iron. It's easier to clean and doesn't rust.

My neighbor has the cutest thing -- an enameled cast iron saucepan with a lid that doubles as an omelet pan. I have doubts about the utility of an iron saucepan, but it's so clever.

[lisarea]

Piggybacking on your question, does anyone have any good information on those All-Clad pots with copper I think sandwiched between inside and outside stainless steel layers? It doesn't seem that the copper would make much difference, but what do I know?

Anyhoose, as to your actual question: I'd go with anodized aluminum for standard pots n pans, because it conducts the heat better than stainless steel. The anodizing process keeps the aluminum from getting into your foods, particularly the acidic stuff like tomato and lemon or whatever.

I'd also heartily nth the recommendation to get some cast iron stuff. I do fine with a bigassed skillet and my "love that dare not speak its name" Dutch oven I'm always bragging about. I prefer nekkid cast iron, because it's fixable if you're a spaz, whereas the enameled stuff can end up getting ruint if you chip the paint. It's also usually way cheaper. Two caveats, though. You need to be pretty careful taking care of it. Season it properly, don't wash with soap, dry it thoroughly, and don't use it for the acidic stuff. (Although you can still fix the nekkid cast iron if you screw it up. My Dutch oven got rusty while it was MIA, and I was able to clean it up, sand off the tiny bits of rust, and reseason from scratch.) The other one is with the glass cooktop. I have one, too, and only use the cast iron on it because I hate my stove and enjoy heaping abuse on it. If you actually want to keep your cooktop, though, you'll have to be much more careful than I probably am.

[Bella]

Piggybacking on your question, does anyone have any good information on those All-Clad pots with copper I think sandwiched between inside and outside stainless steel layers? It doesn't seem that the copper would make much difference, but what do I know?
Supposedly it's supposed to increase the conductivity of the pan. I don't personally think the copper makes that much difference, though. All-Clad pans - even the basic ones - are fantastic. Better than pretty much everything else out there. The only difference is the look, IMHO.

[livius drusus]

I would just like to take this opportunity to brag about my full set of Griswold cast iron skillets originally purchased by my grandfather the Greek immigrant chef in the 20s and used in his diner for 30 years.

:pleased:

[Skep]

Braggart. :flambe: :envy:

[Corona688]

Copper vs Cast Iron (http://googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=copper&word2=cast+iron)

[lady cop]

if you like cornbread, you have to have a cast iron pan...mix up your batter, and put some shortening in a cast iron pan...put the pan in the oven until it's hot as hell, then pour in the batter and bake.... your cornbread will come out perfectly, and crisp at the edges.

[Skep]

That's right lady cop. And pineapple upside-down cake, you need cast iron for that too. :yup: