What you’re looking for doesn’t exist. You are going to have to make a compromise on clean up, upkeep, and/or durability if you just want one pan. I wish it wasn’t true, but non-stick fails, cast iron (and carbon steel) requires upkeep, and stainless (or high quality aluminum) can be hard to clean.
The toyota camrys are cast iron and stainless steel. They aren’t always pretty, but with the right care they will last 3 generations.
It can take some abuse, but I wouldn’t use metal utensils. Eventually you will damage the coating from all the scratches. I think they are easy to clean, like you said. I’ve burned food and it comes out with a good soak and a wash.
Interesting. I might just toss all my metal utensils and stick with wood. Silicon or plastic seems to always kind of melt or wear. At least with wood if it wears I don’t have to worry about ingesting plastics.
Yeah, I mostly use my metal spatula in the stainless pans.
I’ll walk back my statement a little though. I don’t think it’s as delicate as I made it sound. :) You can use metal, but you just can’t go crazy with it. It’s not as touchy as non-stick.
I don’t typically toss around my pans or anything. I don’t even lift them unless it’s to put them on or off the stove. I’m not trying to pan-flip anything. My current large 12-inch pan is flaking and I don’t know what it is but it’s probably some sort of teflon non-stick. So I should at least probably replace it. I have a smaller 10-inch non-stick which is newer but already looks a bit worn. Getting sick of non-stick. I still have to use butter or oil for eggs otherwise they will stick. So I might as well buy something that won’t fall a part.
I personally would rather just have stainless. Non-reactive, light, clean however you want, and it will last. The enameled stuff I have used wasn’t easier to clean, and it scratched and chipped (and I am careful with my pans).
From what I read the cleanup is just warm water, soap, soft cloth.
What’s stopping you from using just warm water, soap, and soft cloth on every other type of pan? If the answer is that it doesn’t do a good enough job cleaning those things, then you’ll want a pan that can stand up to more aggressive cleaners/scrubbers.
So the cleanup on enameled cast iron is super easy. Some manufacturers (LeCruset for sure, probably a few others) even bill them as dishwasher safe.
The two big problems for what you’re asking for are that they’re not going to hold up well to metal utensils and, they’re really not anything resembling non-stick. I always use mine for pan sauces because the burnt on bits really add something when you delglaze them into a sauce. As far as something delicate like fish or eggs, you’re gonna have a bad time.
I think they’re a great addition to almost any kitchen but, they’re far from a universal pan.
IMHO, the cast iron wouldn’t be too bad maintenance wise once you got it well seasoned and learned how to use it but, that takes some time so it might be more fussing around than you’d like for the first several months. And even then, you’ll probably still want a non-stick around for some recipes. The stainless sounds like it might be what you’re looking but, I’m not well versed with that. The one time I tried it, the food stuck so bad that I never tried it again but, all the recommendations I’ve read about it since then make me think that was probably user error.
Oven safe to 400° F. You can pretty much cook everything in it. If you need more versatility, they have an entire set for around $100, but this pan is NOT included in that set.
It’s deeper than a fry pan, and it has a support handle and a lid.
It basically does everything those infomercial pan sets say they do, except Bialetti is a known and respected brand.
My personal preference is Le Creuset enameled cast iron, that’s my go-to. Not everybody can afford it. IIRC Bialetti Impact does NOT work with induction stovetops because it’s aluminum. Electric and gas only.
If you have an induction range, look at the Bialetti Sapphire deep saute pan:
It’s not a traditional non-stick coating. It’s created by firing micro pellets at the aluminum to make wee indentations all over the interior surface. There isn’t anything to peel off like Teflon.
Still, I wouldn’t use steel utensils. Scratches won’t do you any favors. Get a good silicone, bamboo or wooden set.
Interesting, that might be the pan I end up with. The other recommendations are getting a carbon steel and stainless steel pan and using one or the other depending on the dish. Carbon steel and seasoning always make me worried I won’t use it enough. Especially if it’s not the one pan I use like every day.
I cook a good bit of fish in my pans. I’ve read that stainless isn’t great for delicate things like that. Do I just need to butter/oil it up before cooking something delicate?
I got rid of all my non-stick pans and almost always use stainless steel. I still have one ceramic pan.
Fish isn't a problem, I cook it a lot too. The first few times it might stick but once you got used to it, it's easy. The important part is for the pan to get to the right temperature and for you to not trying to flip the fish too soon after placing it in the pan.
The only thing that's actually difficult are sunny side up eggs. I just can't get them to work for some reason. Scrambled eggs and omelette work perfectly fine though.
Cleaning them is also much easier than I thought. Just don't let stuff dry in them and they are as easy to clean as other pans. But unlike other pans even if things burn and really get stuck you can still clean them fairly easily. Just let it soak in warm water for a few hours and then you can scrub them clean with stainlesssteel sponge. It might require a little bit more force but since you don't have to be careful it's less frustrating. If something ever got stuck in my non-stick pan, it was the worst.
And being able to just stick the entire pan in the oven is such a convenient thing.
Because you can use metal utensils on stainless, that means that an ultra thin fish spatula is an option when you’re cooking something delicate. Silicone or wooden utensils tend to be too thick and clumsy for working with anything delicate.
Stainless steel is not forgiving for delicate proteins, but it’s not impossible. Oil coverage and temperature control will get you most of the way there. Being patient and waiting for the fish to release (without overcooking) is the tough part.
Cast iron is definitely not the best for lazy cookers. Mine always started to rust after a while. They require a lot of babying to keep them seasoned.
Personally, I like having a regular old carbon steel pan with no non stick surface. A decently sized one so I can meal prep for the week. I can set it high to sear, I can use metal utensils on it. Works great for most of my cooking needs. Clean up is as easy as soaking it for a minute and hitting it with a brush or scrub sponge, with the occasional barkeepers friend to bring back the shine. Its a workhorse of a pan and pretty bulletproof.
The only use for a non stick pan is for frying eggs, and I can usually accomplish that with a cheap non stick pan for $20. Mind you, this pan is ONLY FOR EGGS. I never use it for anything else, or else the non stick coating will wear. I generally hate using non stick pans for other stuff, as you cant crank the temperature very high to sear stuff or to reduce liquids, or else youll damage the coating.
Enameled cast iron is nice, but its also pretty fragile in that you have to baby it so you dont chip the enamel. You cant get it too hot or youll scorch the enamel. Cant go in the fridge, or the uncoated edges rust. Its very heavy. Its more of the kind of pot youd buy for specific use , like making a stew or something that needs to go from stove to oven and retain its heat and moisture.
So tl:dr get a carbon steel pan with no coating, and a super cheap non stick for eggs. Those two pans will do most of what youll need.
interesting, from what I am reading, carbon steel is great for a seasoned pan that will be non-stick once you break it in. Stainless steel might be the way to go for a general-use pan that can be used in the oven and to have a smaller carbon steel pan that I occasionally use. Although I always worry about not using a seasoned pan enough.
Seconding the notes in enameled cast iron. I have some and I love it to death but it’s not great as general use, is nothing resembling non-stick and most importantly for OPs question, it’s fragile as glass (because it’s literally covered in glass). Metal utensils will lead to scratches and chipping of the enamel and once the enamel chips, it’s trash unless you want to risk having glass in your food.
I’m also curious about your carbon steel though. I was under the impression that carbon steel pans were nearly as fussy with seasoning as cast iron. Is that not the case?
Cast iron should not be rusting if you have it seasoned. You never wash these shorts of pans, well not with soap anyway. So I am not sure what care your talking about. You just use it and use it. Maybe I am missing something.
I find cast iron to be a bit heavy for everyday use, carbon steel gets you most of the benefits while giving you more flexibility on the weight.
The only thing I use my non stick for is omelette dishes mostly because it’s much easier to fold French omelet when you can lift the pan easily with 1 hand.
I was reading that while cast iron when seasoned and broken in isn’t good for eggs, carbon steel seems to be great for eggs after it’s seasoned. I don’t know how heavy either really is though.
You could buy a more traditional metal pan like you see in professional kitchens. Non-stick has a lot of issues and some of those are also present in coated cast iron.
One of the main things no matter what kind of pan you use is to use oil and an appropriate temperature. If your heat is too high it’ll make it harder to flip or move anything in the pan. Even a non-coated cast iron can be used if you use oil and a middle temperature heat.
Plain cast iron. Once it’s been broken in it’s mostly non-stick. To clean, scrub with a nylon scrubber or sponge without using soap and the coating will last.
Allow me to introduce my wife’s ice cream recipe. Obviously, your base is going to be different, but I’ll post the whole recipe here to make sure I don’t miss anything.
Strawberry Ice Cream with Lemon and Mint Note: This is more than one batch worth of ice cream (approximately 1 ½ batch for the size ice cream maker I have at home). Fill your ice cream maker to the level recommended by your machine’s instructions. Don’t worry about your mix sitting in the fridge while waiting for your bowl to re-freeze, it just allows the flavors to meld more. Don’t worry about the berries getting too soft. It is ice cream, they will be slightly more firm than everything else, no matter how long it sits. Since my household likes lemon and mint, the below listed amounts are minimum, we tend to use more. Once your ice cream is ready, it finishes beautifully with a bit of huckleberry balsamic vinegar poured over the top when served.
Ingredients: Approximately 32 ounces by volume of fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed
3 tablespoons of lemon juice, more if lower quality(or to taste)
1 cup sugar, divided (into 0.25 cup and 0.75 cup)
1.5 cup heavy cream
0.5 cup whole milk
2 tablespoon fresh mint, minced (or to taste)
Pinch salt
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
approximately 1 lemon’s worth of zest, finely grated (or to taste)
Directions:
In mixing bowl, blend approximately half the strawberries with a stick blender. Chop remaining strawberries (to slightly larger than chocolate chip, so that it does not clog the ice cream machine) and add to same mixing bowl. Add 0.25 cup sugar and lemon juice. Stir together. Set aside in fridge for at least an hour to macerate.
In a small saucepan, warm the dairy, 0.75 cup sugar, salt and mint. Warm the milk mixture, whisking to incorporate flavors.
Whisk egg yolks together with vanilla extract; then temper: when the milk mixture is warm, slowly spoon into the egg yolks, whisking to keep from cooking eggs. Repeat several times until eggs and milk mixture are approximately the same temperature, then whisk yolks into the mixture. On medium to medium-low heat, thicken mixture until it coats the back of a spoon. Let cool.
Combine milk mixture with strawberry mixture and lemon zest and mix well. Chill in fridge until cold enough for your ice cream maker (at least an hour).
Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions.
Serve immediately for soft serve, or place in Freezer for firmer texture.
(extremely loosely based off of “Strawberry Ice Cream Like Ben and Jerry’s”, and “Homemade Ice Cream: Perfect Custard Base”)
Yes! Not to brag but I like it so much better than store bought. Technically I think what I make is frozen custard (whisk 4 egg yolks with 1/2c sugar, slowly whisk in 1 cup barely-simmering whole milk, bring to 165 and chill overnight; stir in 1 cup heavy cream and flavoring before churning).
My favorite flavorings this time of year are pear (poach very ripe peeled pears until super squishy, smoosh them through a fine mesh strainer and discard what gets left behind in the mesh) and pumpkin spice (add half a can of pumpkin when heating the base, and some allspice just before churning).
Yes I want lecithin but it’s very hard to find here in New Zealand. And, I bought granules once, but after a month or so they had gone bad and became a big clump. Do you use granules or powder? And guessing you use soy lecithin?
I also use Guar + Xanthan. Makes a difference. Also I use Maltodextrin in low fat ice creams to increase smoothness, that really helps!
No, but I spent a few years working at a mom & pop ice cream place, and that ruined store bought for me for awhile. It tastes oddly waxy compared to homemade.
Some flavors I remember were coffee made with cold brew, honey + sunflower seeds, and lavender. Lavender was surprisingly good, made by steeping lavender in milk like you would a tea.
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