I switched from flat tops to cast iron for saute and now I get it

For years I was a flat top guy for all my saute work, you know, just crank it up and go. I thought cast iron was too heavy and took too long to heat up for a busy Friday night rush. Then about two months ago my flat top crapped out mid-service and I had to grab a 12 inch Lodge from the back to finish a batch of mushrooms and onions. Man, the heat retention was wild, even after I dropped a cold scoop of butter in, it barely lost temp and I got a better sear than I ever got on the flat top. Now I keep two pre-seasoned pans on the back burner for protein work and it's cut my cook time on chicken thighs by like four minutes per order. Has anyone else had that moment where you finally try the thing you swore you'd never bother with?

3 comments

3 Comments

val94911d ago

Hold up, are we sure that's actually true about the butter not dropping temp? I mean, sure, cast iron holds heat way better than a flimsy flat top, but drop a cold scoop of butter in there and it's gonna drop temp a little, just not as much as you'd think. I've done the same thing and the pan still hissed nicely, but my infrared thermometer showed a solid 20 degree dip before it recovered. Still, you're right about the sear being better, the even heat distribution is the real game changer. My chicken thighs come out way more consistent now too, so I'm with you on that timing thing.

jake63811d ago

Got to admit I was in the same boat for a long time. Thought cast iron was just too much hassle for a busy kitchen and stuck with my flat top for everything. But once I tried it on a busy night out of desperation, the even heat sold me right away. Now I use it for most of my saute work too and I can't believe I waited so long. It really does change how you think about heat control.

cameronn6211d ago

That "even heat sold me right away" part from @jake638 is exactly what I felt too lol. I was the same way, swore off cast iron for years and now I grab mine for searing steaks every time.