What Kind of Cookware Should You Buy?

I decided to write this for myself as well as for you. For years I've gotten confused as to the best material that cookware should be made of. I wanted the safest materials. I'd go to the store and call my daughter to remind me what kind of fry pan to buy. Over the years I've learned a lot. The choices boil down to copper, aluminum, stainless steel, Teflon type products and cast iron. There are pros and cons to these but in my mind some are better than others for the reasons I will describe.

Cast Iron: I have a couple of cast iron products. This has been used for hundreds of years because it is so strong and durable. If you've ever picked up a cast iron fry pan you will find it heavier than other materials. I talk about fry pans because I have found cast iron to be great for frying though they also are very good for baking.

Compared to other materials cast iron is less expensive. If you've been shopping lately you may be a victim of sticker shock! You can spend hundreds of dollars on one piece of cooking equipment. I found a cast iron skillet on line in the $20 range.

You will see pans that say they are pre-seasoned. New cast-iron pans have a protective coating on them that have to be removed by scrubbing it. If you find that your pan is rusting it means it wasn't seasoned correctly. Seasoning cast iron is what makes them non-stick. There is a process you will go through to season it but basically you will be rubbing in a coat of vegetable oil put it in the oven upside down on about 400 degrees for up to one hour. Every time you cook in your cast iron pan you are seasoning it.

Cast iron holds heat for a longer time than other material meaning the eggs in the pan should cook evenly.

Safety issues: Cast iron will give you iron as a nutrient however it may contain more iron than you need if they are not seasoned so that's another reason to make sure your cast iron is seasoned. Cast iron is considered a safe product to use and my choice in spite of having to wash it gently and dry it.

Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is actually a conglomeration of many ingredients including the main ingredient, iron as well as copper, nickel, titanium and the most important chromium.