60mm Sch 80 304 Stainless Steel Pipe Exhaust Pipe AISI 1500mm SS440 904L

60mm Sch 80 304 Stainless Steel Pipe Exhaust Pipe AISI 1500mm SS440 904L

Cast Iron

"There's something very nostalgic about cast iron; it feels homespun, like an heirloom, even if it's a new pan," Pittman says. "It feels like it'll be with you for a long time-because it probably will. "Because cast iron is so dense, it holds onto heat for a really long time, and out of the three kinds of cookware, is best for heat retention. You'll need to pre-heat cast iron longer than stainless steel. "Cast-iron is the go-to pan for deep frying: fried chicken, fried okra," Pittman explains. Fried foods tend to get greasy if the oil becomes cooler than necessary, which can be the case when you add cool food into a hot pan of oil-but since cast iron holds onto so much heat, Pittman says it usually keeps oils at proper frying temps, helping food feel less greasy overall. Cast iron is not well suited to delicate ingredients: Cheese and dairy, especially eggs, don't hold up well. Recipes that call for acid or acidic ingredients are also better suited for stainless steel; tomatoes and citrus, in particular, can strip the pan's seasoning and result in metallic-tasting food.

Some cooks prefer to sear meat in hot cast iron pans, Pittman says, as well as fish since skin can become extra crispy in a shorter matter of time. In her experience, charred vegetables take on a richer flavor in cast iron, and they're often easier to remove in a well-seasoned pan compared to stainless steel because of the cast iron's naturally oily surface. Plus, cast iron is great for baking: "If you're doing cornbread in any other pan other than a cast iron skillet, you're not doing it right," Pittman says. "Cast iron can go from the stovetop into a hot oven, and is well suited for dessert recipes and savory baked dishes like a classic chicken pot pie."

304 Stainless Steel Pipe Specification