Is a cast iron pan worth it for a home cook?

Cast iron inspires devotion. Some people treat their pan like a family heirloom; others find it heavy, slow and fussy and go back to their non-stick in a week. Both are right. It depends on what you cook and how you like to cook it.

What cast iron does well

The big idea: cast iron is heavy and holds a lot of heat. Once it is hot, it stays hot, even when you put cold food in it. That makes it excellent for:

• Browning and searing. Mushrooms, halloumi, cauliflower steaks, courgettes, tofu: anything you want deeply coloured.
• Crisp potatoes. Fried, sautéed or roasted. See crispy roast potatoes.
• Eggs and frittata. A well-seasoned pan releases fried eggs nicely, and it can go from hob to oven for a frittata.
• Flatbreads and pancakes. Even, steady heat across the base.
• Oven cooking. No plastic handle, so it goes straight into a hot oven. Excellent for focaccia, cornbread, roast vegetables and, in some kitchens, pizza.

It also lasts. Treated reasonably, a cast iron pan outlives most of the people who own it.

What it does less well

• It is heavy. Tossing pasta or flipping food with a flick of the wrist is not its strength.
• It heats slowly and can heat unevenly on a small burner. Give it time to warm up properly.
• Long-simmered acidic sauces. A tomato sauce left bubbling for a long time can wear the seasoning and pick up a metallic taste.
• Delicate food that needs quick temperature changes, like a butter sauce that must come off the heat the instant it is ready. Cast iron holds onto heat after you have turned it off.

Living with seasoning

"Seasoning" is the part that puts people off, and it is less dramatic than it sounds. Wikipedia's entry on seasoning) describes it as a corrosion-resistant layer of polymerised fat formed by heating oil on the pan. It protects cast iron from rust and makes it less sticky.

The same article notes that the layer is not very susceptible to soap, but that long soaking can make it flake off. In practice:

1. Wash it soon after cooking, with hot water, a brush and a little soap if needed.
2. Do not leave it soaking in the sink.
3. Dry it immediately, ideally over a low flame for a minute so every drop evaporates.
4. Wipe on a very thin film of oil while it is still warm.

Cooking with fat builds the seasoning up over time. Frying and roasting help; boiling water in it does not.

On acidic food, the same article) says that cooking acidic food for a short time in a well-seasoned pan is unlikely to cause problems, but a long-simmered tomato sauce gave a metallic taste in one comparison. So a quick splash of wine or lemon is fine; a slow Sunday sauce belongs in a different pan.

Enamelled cast iron

Enamelled cast iron is a different animal. It holds heat the same way but needs no seasoning, and it is perfect for slow-cooked stews, soups, beans and acidic sauces. Its downside is price, and the enamel can chip.

So is it worth it?

If you have one good non-stick pan and want a second, cast iron is a strong choice: it does the jobs non-stick does badly. If you want only one pan for everything, a good stainless steel or non-stick pan may suit you better. See choosing your first frying pan.