T&T: Cast Iron Cookware

[Arild Jensen]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: LA Licata
> I know that cast iron cookware is heavy, and can rust, but my
> experience shoreside is that it is easier to cook with them than
> stainless and usually, just a snap to clean.
>
> What is the downside, other than heavy, and need to keep oiled, using
> them while cruising?


REPLY
Cast iron has mass and more mass requires more heat input to reach a certain
temperature for the entire pot or pan.
It would all depend on what you use as an energy source whether this
represents an unwanted additional expense.
Aluminum cookware initially gained acceptance because it heated up so
quickly.  Now that we know the downside to aluminum, stainless steel seems
to be gaining favor. Even so, professional cooks have their own favorite
type of cookware.

Cooking with gas seems to be a problem in some parts of the world due to
limited availability of refill stations.
Cooking electrically will now mean you run the genset longer to cook a given
meal in cast iron cookware compared to some other cookware that heats up
quickly.

Induction cooking promises faster heat transfer compared to conventional
resistance heat elements in a typical household stove. In terms of energy
demand on the genset, induction cook stoves require as much wattage as a
conventional stove.
So cast iron will still require more time than stainless steel.

Now here is the rub. Cooking a meal can be as mundane as microwaving frozen
TV dinners or become an elaborate artistic effort that consumes a great deal
of time. Depending on your own preferences some cooking methods simply are
not acceptable.
The rate of heat transfer into the food and the temperature of the cooking
surface is critical to achieving culinary perfection.
Choice of meals also plays a critical part. A crock pot (slow cooker) can
cook a meal using much less energy than doing the same batch on a stove top
using a conventional pot. Some of the new countertop kitchen appliances uses
much less electrical energy  to achieve the same end result. Quartz tube
radiant heat toaster ovens are much faster than conventional resistance
element toaster ovens.

If cast iron cookware is your preference, I suggest getting an induction hob
instead of the conventional stoves.
Storing the cast iron pots will require care to avoid any non ventilated
cooler locations. It definitely will require more care than ashore.
Maintaining the seasoned surface intact is your best bet for keeping the
rust away.


regards
Arild