Non Stick pans.

[Bubba27]

Best nonstick pans of 2022 | CNN Underscored

A quality nonstick pan is a true kitchen essential; from stir-fries to burgers to omelets, the stovetop staple basically does it all. And after we tested some from top brands, we found out you don't have to spend a fortune on a good one, either.

www.cnn.com

Anodized Aluminum?

Bird safe ...?

 

[wrench13]

MHO, is that none of these is safe for use with parrots in the house or apartment. When they say anodized aluminum, they mean the outer surface of the pan.

 

[SailBoat]

Anodizing has long been used to treat the surface of aluminum components and products. It provides protection for those items by limiting oxidation of the surface, or under some applications can to a degree enhanced the surface strength. The most common use tends to be for identification /location of the item using color. Coatings are relatively thin and have been known to flack /rub-off with wear /use. Point being, they will have a limited life as the surface will wear.

Sorry Al, it appears we were responding at the same time.

 

[LeeC]

That first pan is not plain old hard-anodized aluminum. It still has the T-FAL non-stick coating on top of the hard-anodized aluminum.

From the manufacturer's product page:

Tefal/T-fal non-stick coating is a technical coating made from a polymer name polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is PTFE which gives the cookware the non-stick properties. Public health authorities in Europe and in the USA (ANSES, EFSA, FDA) demonstrated that PTFE is an inert substance which does not chemically react with food, water or domestic cleaning products. It is totally harmless in case of ingestion. These Public health authorities confirmed the harmlessness of PTFE non-stick coatings in cookware. In fact, PTFE is so safe that it is frequently used in the medical profession to coat pacemakers and the tiny tubes made to replace arteries. It is also used for surgical procedures for the benefit of patients with severe kidney disease, and some joint prostheses are also partly coated with PTFE.

[Edit] To be clear, PTFE is also known as Teflon, which is toxic to all bird species.

Teflon Poisoning in Birds | Causes, Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

As a bird owner, did you know that nonstick pans can put your pet at risk? Learn more about the dangers of teflon poisoning (or PTFE intoxication) to birds.

www.petinsurance.com

See the FAQs on the product page:

Ultimate Hard Anodized Titanium Nonstick 12 In. Deep Saute Fry Pan with Lid

Now with Titanium reinforced nonstick, T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized range is even stronger and lasts even longer.

www.t-falusa.com

If you use the "Where to Buy" button, it will take you to the same Target item as that review article.

 

[LeeC]

This seems like a good article, with specific recommendations.

What Kind of Cookware Is Safe for Parrots? [A Complete Guide]

Parrots have sensitive respiratory systems and can die suddenly from inhaling toxic substances. One of the most serious types of toxicosis, called Teflon poisoning, is due to non-stick cookware. If […]

www.allaboutparrots.com

 

[wrench13]

Good article, Lee, it sums it up pretty well. SHould mention oven - never use the self cleaning cycle unless the bird is out of the house, as that makes the oven temp go WAY WAY up, carbonizing any residue and gunk in the oven - the fumes from that cycle are tough for even me to take. Best done on a nice sunny day, with windows open and your little friend out in the yard somewhere.

 

[Bubba27]

I use cast Iron, but would love to find a safe NOT so friggin Hvy alternative.

 

[SailBoat]

Stainless Steel could well be the alternative that you are looking for.
In the vast number of cases, by simply learning to place the proper sized pan of the correctly sized burner and setting the heat level to below medium (or lower) and a bit cooking oil or butter of your taste is 40% of the process, the remaining 60% is simply staying with what you are cooking!! The next trick takes a bit of practice; turn-off the heat and let the heat in the food and pan complete the process.
Most individuals overcook the food and as a result they drives the flavor out of it!!
Undercooking is dangerous, but overcooking is a waste of a great meal!!

 

[LeeC]

I wanted to love stainless-steel cookware, but even the best quality is "reactive", which becomes an issue at some point. I came to love Pyroceram! It is vintage Corning Ware. I got mine on eBay. With a generously tasty amount of fat(s):

• grass-fed tallow
• grass-fed ghee
• pasture-raised lard
• grass-fed butter
• organic coconut oil
• MCT oil

(I love them all!) ...and appropriately low heat, I rarely have issues with anything sticking.

Most individuals overcook the food and as a result they drives the flavor out of it!!
Undercooking is dangerous, but overcooking is a waste of a great meal!!

Absolutely! Overcooking is a kitchen crime. :]

Regarding undercooking, for the most part, the danger is not in the cooking temp; it's in the handling of the food. Sashimi (raw fish) is safe if it is handled well from catch to table, served raw. I eat raw egg yolks almost daily, for nearing a decade now, and I've never had an issue. I get pasture-raised, soy-free eggs from my local Amish farmer, or in a pinch, Pete and Gerry's at the supermarket. It has never been an issue. Oh, bonus, I peel the shell membranes out and eat those raw, too. It has to be a pretty healthy egg to easily peel out the membrane. I do not eat the whites raw because they are difficult for humans to digest that way.

There are exceptions, as I would not eat undercooked chicken, but as @SailBoat points out, most chicken is over cooked. (I don't eat chicken at all—just unborn chicken as raw yolks and membranes.)

 

[Bubba27]

Anyone know about Enameled cast Iron?

Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red​

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Enamel...5051a20d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1

• WHAT IS PORCELAIN ENAMEL ON CAST IRON? It is actually glass that becomes bonded to the cast iron at high temperatures. A particulate of glass, called frit, is applied to the cast iron vessel and then baked at temperatures between 1200 and 1400° F. The glass frit melts and fuses to the cast iron, forming a bond. Porcelain enamel on cast iron is heat tolerant and impervious to water and other consumables.

 

[SailBoat]

Cast iron by itself is a safe product and because of its strength makes a solid base to add Porcelain on to it. Enamel makes a great colored surface. NOTE: Porcelain can be chipped if not handled with care. Think Cast Iron, Porcelain coated bath tubes.

 

[HeatherG]

My plain cast iron works well but is hard for me to carry as it’s so heavy.

 

[goalerjones]

My plain cast iron works well but is hard for me to carry as it’s so heavy.

Our cast iron just stays on our range, we have a skillet and a more shallow version which is good for pancakes and easier to control items.

 

[Niner10Tango]

Stainless Steel could well be the alternative that you are looking for.
In the vast number of cases, by simply learning to place the proper sized pan of the correctly sized burner and setting the heat level to below medium (or lower) and a bit cooking oil or butter of your taste is 40% of the process, the remaining 60% is simply staying with what you are cooking!! The next trick takes a bit of practice; turn-off the heat and let the heat in the food and pan complete the process.
Most individuals overcook the food and as a result they drives the flavor out of it!!
Undercooking is dangerous, but overcooking is a waste of a great meal!!

Sailboat, I only use stainless steel because I find it to be the safest cookware in my home. You are absolutely right about the settings on the burner. Took me a few years and some ruined meals to learn the science of cooking with stainless steel. My nephew asked me just last week "how can I cook using that junk"?.. I told him "you don't cook everything on high"!!! I have been using stainless for nearly 30 years, practice makes perfect

 

[Niner10Tango]

My plain cast iron works well but is hard for me to carry as it’s so heavy.

Yes, cast iron is heavy, but it makes the best bacon and then you scramble eggs in the bacon grease!! Yum!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Not sure what is meant by stainless steel being reactive…I use stainless pans with copper/aluminum layers, never need more than medium heat. If something sticks, I dissolve it in water or wine to make sauce. You can clean up with barkeepers friend if something goes seriously awry. Cast iron is also great, takes some seasoning in the beginning and is a bit more trouble to maintain, plus it’s heavy.

Carbon steel pans, like the ones most restaurants use, are inexpensive and indestructible. They also need seasoning, but a very light weight compared to cast iron or heavy stainless. They might be a good option for you.

There are nonstick ceramic pans that don’t contain any Teflon-like chemical coatings at all. Some are oven safe up to 600 degrees. I had some older ones, which started losing their nonstickiness after a few years and have been researching replacements. Le Crueset makes a “toughened nonstick pro hard anodized” pan that seems to be PFOA free. I think the ceramic non-stick coatings are silica based. They aren’t reported to be as durable or as non stick as Teflon, but we can’t use Teflon, so there. The main trick I found with any nonstick pan was to avoid all cooking sprays. They have some kind of light oil in them that seems to varnish itself onto the pan and never come off.

 

[LeeC]

Not sure what is meant by stainless steel being reactive…

Reactive means the cooking-vessel's surface material (because many cooking vessels are plated, coated, have "cladded" cores, etc.), will react chemically with the food contents, vice versa, or both. The "pan" affects the food and/or the food affects the "pan". Stainless steel is generally considered non-reactive, but it is actually just a lot less reactive than other steel alloys.

The following quotes are from the best article I could find quickly.

Food Science: Explaining Reactive and Non-Reactive Cookware

Over our years of cooking, we’ve constructed a (very) vague idea of what constitutes a reactive or non-reactive pan and an even more vague idea of when to use each one. After our mishap with mozzarella, we decided it was past time to get it straight!We make the majority of our cookware out of...

www.thekitchn.com

Ceramics and stainless steel are considered non-reactive. While these don’t conduct heat very well and tend to have ‘hot spots,’ they won’t interfere with the chemical structure of the food in such a way that changes the look or edibility of our food. Their other big advantage is that once they’re hot, they stay hot for quite some time!

Stainless-steel's inferior heat conductivity is the reason most decent SS pans have an aluminum core "clad" with stainless steel. Those separate if the pan gets overheated, then the pan never performs the same again. Staying hot is a disadvantage in many cooking scenarios. I should be able to quickly end the cooking by removing the vessel from the heat source.

Aluminum, copper, iron, and steel (not ‘stainless’) are all reactive. They conduct heat very efficiently, and therefore, do a great job of cooking our food evenly. However, these metals are reactive with acidic and alkaline foods. If you’re cooking with ingredients like tomatoes or lemon juice, your food can take on a metallic flavor, especially if the cooking time is very long. Light colored foods, like eggs, can develop gray streaks.

It is important to understand that stainless steel is just a special alloy of steel, and it comes in many grades. The "recipes" vary widely to achieve corrosion resistance, strength, cost effectiveness, etc. There is no one stainless-steel—and, stainless still is never completely non-reactive or completely corrosion "proof".

Foods will also pick up chemical elements from reactive cookware, causing us to ingest metals like copper and iron. Our bodies process iron relatively easily, so using iron cookware regularly isn’t a problem. Our bodies have a harder time eliminating copper. When copper cookware is used to occasionally whip egg whites or sautéd vegetables, the small amount we ingest isn’t enough to harm us, but you definitely don’t want to use copper for every day use.