He doesn’t know how to use the stainless steel. He can use medium heat on the cast iron because it has a high capacity of holding heat. The stainless steel does not have that capacity and requires high setting on the stove because the steak itself will cool the pan. Also, he should flip the steak not at the center of the stainless pan but instead from one edge of the pan to the other untouched edge that hasn’t been cooled yet by the steak. Again, this is because of the lower heat retention of the stainless pan.
This is also why there is a bunch of liquid in the pan which is the reason the coloring is different. Why trust a guy who cant cook? Flipping steaks 3-4-5 times? Picking them up and talking at the camera. Geez.
Cast iron is best for heat retention. It does however take longer to get to the temperature you want. ⚠️ DO NOT use high heat. Allowing it to heat up longer on medium heat allows the heat to spread evenly through the pan and has less possibility of causing damage to the pan. It also takes a long time to cool down after you are done cooking. ⚠️ DO NOT try to cool down the pan by putting water in it!!! It can damage the seasoning layers or even break the pan from the thermal shock! Slow to heat up, slow to cool down.
@@Redmeatlovermaybe the stainless steel needed a higher temp stove because it didn’t retain heat as well to get the maillard reaction Btw the iron from cast iron pans makes your body age faster. Stainless is healthier.
@Datamining101 It absolutely does!!! My Great Grandfather cooked on cast iron almost all of his life and he only lived to be 94 years old. I'm like, he could have lived to be 95 or 96 even if he had avoided the cast iron. LOL!!
In my 20s I couldn't cook a steak to save my life. It wasn't until I got a cast iron skillet did my steak game improve. That, along with a good instant thermometer, and my familiarity with the stovetop I was using, made all the difference in the world. I will say it does take more effort to clean the cast iron but I can see the appeal of cooking on stainless. Good video, well presented info 👌
Actually cleaning cast iron is very simple. Add some water to the hot pan and anything stuck will loosen. NEVER use any soap inside the cast iron or you'll have to reseason it
@@crisc9280 You can use soap in cast iron. The days of not being able to use soap in a cast iron pan are over. Soap used to have lye which affected the seasoning, but you'll be good. That's just an outdated myth.
Forget the probes, use three of your senses, sight, smell and touch, only you know how you like your steak and these three will ensure you perfect it 👍
Here’s what you did wrong: 1) You used WAY too much oil in the stainless steel pan. Do it again with less oil. 2) You need to place the steak toward the side of the pan, not dead in the center. When you flip the steak, put it on the other side of the pan. Both of these things are absolutely crucial. Once you learn how to use stainless steel, you’ll never go back.
Why even bother with stainless steel? I've switch from stainless steel and cast iron to 3mm carbon steel. Never looked back. Easier to lift and flip, holds a season, and holds a ton of heat.
@@TwoWheels47 Actually, very good point. I love carbon steel. I should get one. I find it this year and the caramelization on stainless steel is spectacular. Do you feel that the carbon steel will deliver that better?
@@TwoWheels47 because you can do things like create a reduction sauce on stainless steel. plus you don't have to worry about cleaning it right away, seasoning it, etc.
The difference in the steak in the stainless-steel skillet is it was not allowed to sit against the pan, you messed with it and talked over it constantly, rather than leave it sit and sear. Cast iron is good for stews and other long cooking time dishes, steak will be negligible difference, they are fast cook items. I am a retired professional cook and ample heat and time down on the grill is important. I only turn steak once in the cooking process, not flip flopping up and down. The third turn is onto the dish and then rest.
It's a proven fact that multiple flips result in more even cooking. He messed with both of the steaks equally during cooking. Sear on the second side of the stainless steel steak was not even close to cast iron since the cast iron holds heat much better.
This is now considered one of those old-wives-tales of cooking. Modern consensus is that you should flip the steak every 30 seconds until it's done. Check out Chris Young's videos about doing this (his thermometer is great for this as well). Cast iron makes this process easier than stainless because it is essentially nonstick. I don't personally find that there's any difference in browning when doing this with expensive laminated stainless vs cast iron, but I find that I get more fond and thus a better pan sauces out of the stainless (and it's a lot easier to manipulate the pan when doing so). This being said, when I'm not planning to sauce I just use the cast iron because it's just easier.
Threw your "don't need a hot pan" idea out the window...neither of those steaks have a great sear on them...because the pans weren't hot enough. That's the only reason you need a really hot pan for steak...because you get the sear without cooking it right through.
Yes. Also, they hold heat a lot different. The stainless needs a lot more heat to get the same result as the cast iron. I like both, but they both need to bu used a bit different.
@@IWasNoah So, by your logic, a one-inch thick piece of stainless steel large enough to accommodate a steak is going to perform worse at cooking compared to a cast iron pan heated to the same temperature? Personally, I have several stainless pans that will outperform my cast iron pans. The only reason why I reach for my cast iron is because it's non-stick.
I use cast iron thats over 100yrs old. Got from my great oma over 35 yrs ago. Tried all kinds of other including heavy stainless, always go back to cast iron. More work to maintain, however far premium to any other pan for any cooking.
I think cast iron is much easier to maintain. I just wipe out any grease, rinse under running water and run a stainless steel scrubber over it IF it needs it. Most of the time all it needs is to dry with a paper towel. I put it back on the stove and heat it up to make sure it's dry, use a little avocado oil on the cooking surface and put it away when it's cool. Before cast iron I spent countless hours trying to get stainless steel skillets clean.
@ Your ritual makes no sense. Wash your cast iron pan just like the stainless steel one in hot soapy water, use a steel scrubbie if needed, rinse, dry and put away. See how simple that is.
I use cast-iron for everything, except cooking pasta, rice and water for tea. I have some old Danish pots with a very durable enamel, you can even make long-simmer tomato-ragout (Bolognese etc) in them...
@@baileylugnut Stainless steel for everything. My pan, kettle, fork and drinking "glass" are are all 304 stainless steel. I can eat and cook anything without care in the world, store food in them and they will last literally a lifetime
Not all stainless steel is created equal. I use a full body tri-ply stainless steel skillet. It is heavier than most stainless steel. I prefer it over cast iron as another commenter mentioned, it allows for a great pan sauce. In my experience the full body tri-ply cleans up better than other stainless steel as well.
Cast iron for all. I use cast iron or carbon steel for everything and cook more fish than any other meat. Don't own a stainless at all (and would never buy a nonstick).
Try fried rice in a genuine hand hammered steel wok made in China in the traditional shape (not flat bottomed) You can get an adapter ring to use on your most powerful gas burner. It becomes seasoned just like a good cast iron skillet and becomes non stick even for eggs. A good hand hammered (very thin) wok is light enough to toss food and with practice you can achieve what is known as wok hei, a special interplay of science, art, and magic. You can never achieve that in a stainless steel skillet. I've got a large selection of cast iron, forged steel, and stainless steel pans. I like SS for steak, but in my experience you need to spend a bit of money on a good, multi-ply SS pan to get good results. My forged steel pans are also high-end, but only because I like the handle designs and other features. Cheap ones cook just as well. My best pan is a really cheap Lodge cast iron I bought new over 50 years ago.
You are using a induction-heatsource, right? Maybe it's just the model I have, but the cast-iron skillet does not get as hot as on a gas-stove, or any other stove with constant heating.
Absolutely, that's indeed a Duxtop induction cooktop, so the whole test is kinda misguided. I mean, if he wanted to test "induction burner AND skillet material" combined, then it would be fine, but he didn't, and the result could be different with e.g. a gas stove.
I love cast iron for almost anything - except steak. The problem with your experiment was that you were trying to use both pans as close to the same way as possible. While that may seem like a good "scientific test", it doesn't work simply because with different tools you need to use different techniques. A good heavy stainless steel pan, used correctly, will give you the best crust you've ever tasted. **But you have to use it like a stainless steel pan, not like a cast iron pan.** The complete technique is to get the stainless pan hot (to that "mercury ball" temp), salt & pepper the steak and put it into the hot pan (if you add much else in the way of seasoning on the steak, depending on what you add, it may burn). You will probably get some smoke. Also, the steak will stick initially (don't have a heart attack), but after 1 or 2 min or so it will release. Give it 2 to 2.5 min on first side, then check the pan-side of the steak. You should see the crust has already formed on the first side. If not, you may need to give it a little more time before flipping. Check the color/crust before flipping until you get the hang of how long to leave it before flipping. Once you've flipped it, let it go for the same amount of time on the second side. Then, remove the steak from the pan. Cool the pan down (so you don't burn the butter you're about to add). Then add a good amount of butter (or ghee, if you prefer), plus any flavoring herbs (rosemary & thyme is a good combo) and put the pan back on the heat but only at medium to medium-high. You want it hot enough that the butter begins to bubble, but try not to let it brown. Put the steak back into the pan, tilt the pan so the butter pools, and begin spooning the butter/herbs over the steak, constantly basting the steak. At this point, you already have the perfect sear/crust on both sides of the steak. You are basting it to finish cooking it to the internal temp you like (medium rare, please). You can flip it if you want, but really basting it constantly is, in effect, deep frying it. Basting also keeps the butter from burning down in the edge of the pan that is the only part of the pan directly on the burner (remember, you're keeping the pan tilted so the butter pools in one edge). When the steak is cooked to almost the temp you like, remove it from the pan, cover, and let rest for at least 5 min. While its resting, use the beautiful fond in the pan to make a sauce of your choice. Best. Steak. Ever. Trust me. I have been on team cast iron for many years. I absolutely love my cast iron pans. And for years I tried many methods to cook a steak in cast iron, and not without some success. But this method with stainless steel beat them all, hands down, the very first time I tried it.
6:53 I've wondered if the meat releases so quickly on the stainless after the flip because the pan has lost a substantial amount of heat when warming the uncooked side. If that's the case, to correct you'd want to hold the steak off the pan for a minute or so before flipping.
Great video that covers alot of maybe beginner questions like, when is the pan really heated; look out for smoke; and add oil AFTER its heated. That said, I have no idea how you're bare handing that cast iron pan handle - seriously what am I missing? It has to be hot enough that your palm should be getting scorched....
Excellent experiment and vid. One of my first jobs many, many moons ago was grilling steaks for Ponderosa Steak House. These days I only cook steaks a few times a year. I just marinated and froze a few rib eyes. Will use my cast iron pot or Ninja grill when time to prepare. I have that same Ben Franklin air freshener that you have on your fridge. 👨🍳 😅
Thank you my friend, you hit all the points in showing the difference in using stainless vs cast iron. Now, we just have to get used to the process for properly maintaining cast irons!
My question would be- was it a three ply or five ply stainless steel pan? I’ve been cooking steaks in cast iron for many years and only recently purchased (my first) 5 ply stainless steel 12” skillet. I cooked several ribeyes in it- doing exactly as you did the “mercury ball” test and used avocado oil. My steak ended up being as brown with a nice crust as any steak I’ve ever cooked in my cast iron. A little less smoke, a lot less weight and a nice fond on the skillet for a deglazed pan sauce, that you don’t really get with a seasoned cast iron skillet. I’ll be cooking all of my steaks in my stainless steel skillet from now on.
I just got a 5 ply pan im excited to try a steak tomorrow. Can i ask what temp did you heat the pan up at? And when you put your steaks did you turn down the heat or leave it as is?
@@PhatBoySteven Heat it up on medium but give it time, at least 5 minutes. Use the Leidenfrost effect test to determine if the pan is ready. When you put in the stake, it's now the war between the water from the meat and the heat from the pan, so do not turn down the heat. On the contrary, maybe even go up a little. Sear for two minutes then keep flipping the steak every 30 or 60 seconds. See the "cold sear" technique for details (the original idea uses the nonstick pan but I have great success with the steel). Use a good thermometer to understand when the steak is done. I stumbled upon this video thanks to YT algorithm and this is the worst stainless steel pan stake I have ever seen in my life. The beginning was fine but then he clearly did not have enough temp to keep searing the steak. Your 5-ply should not have that issue assuming you preheat it properly and keep pumping the appropriate level of energy to it.
@@aneshiem2915 This is an oversimplification. You're mostly correct but number of ply helps with heat distribution and adds resistance to warping. As for what pros use, sure, weight matters when you juggle things for eight+ hours.
It's not warped. My stove isn't quite level and oil still pools on the high side edge of the cast iron some as well. If you swirl really hot oil in a clean pan and tilt it slightly you can see it flow uphill away from the center surprisingly fast.
Thanks brother, Walmart is the #1 seller of beef in the US and that’s where we get most of ours. And remember, make it either choice or prime or don’t wast your time!
I just purchased and received two cast skillets with glass lids. One round with a flat bottom, and the other square, with grill plates on the bottom. Have not used, just opened the boxes. Is there anything that one would use the grill plate skillet for, instead of the flat bottom skillet? If not, it might wind up as a "gift" for someone. - I will try a steak and some fajitas in the flat skillet. Thanks! ps: great review!
I have both flat bottom and ridged grill pan skillets. I prefer the ridged bottom cast iron grill pan for excellent surface markings on steak. Harder to clean but worth it. BTW it was a 10 inch Victoria.
I use cast iron and SS to sear steak. I don't have that issue of an anemic side. They are 2 totally different pans and work differently. The ss doesn't hold heat as well, so you don't plop the steak in the same place in the pan every 30 seconds. I have both 3 ply and 5 ply ss and use them for the majority of my cooking. I don't use induction for anything. A lot of ss and cast iron are slightly concave on the bottom because the expanding metal has to go somewhere, and the theory is that it keeps the bottom from getting a high spot. Some induction capable ss doesn't actually conduct as well ss presented in their literature because of that.
I'm with the French chef in Elizabeth David's book. People would drive a hundred miles for her steaks. Hot pan. Brush the steak both sides with oil. Cook one side. Flip and salt the cooked side. Turn out onto a plate and salt the other side. Keep warm for 2-5 minutes. "C'est tout."
Been using a cast iron skillet as my main pan for the last 27 years. The teflon skillet is used for frying eggs, sauteeing, and making gravy. Hardly ever use the SS skillets, though the pots and pans get used regularly
I use a 10-year-old Teflon (after the dangerous chemicals were removed from Teflon) 8 1/2" inch pan for fried eggs. It is STILL non-stick. Of the modern non-sticks, most don't stay non-stick more than about 6 weeks at most (look great when new in a commercial). Greenway pans (which have the rivets also coated with non-stick surface, a GOOD thing) last a lot longer, but don't expect them to make it through a year. I have an 8 1/2 inch copper omelet pan that I've had for decades and an 8 1/2 Zwilling/Henckel non-stick that is heavy, distributes heat well. I can make eggs, or anything you would make in any other surface pan well with this, but I usually save it for veggies. Its sides are curved just right for flipping. It has been non-stick for over 2 years so far.
Cast iron can be used for eggs too. Shouldn't stick if you're usinythe pans right. Most people have sticking issues that think you can't use soap on them which is not.true.
I've grilled steaks outside during hurricanes, winter storms, ice storms, and beautiful sunny days. Just can't beat a grilled steak. Cube steak is the only steak in a pan in my house. Thank you for the video though.
In your experiment, the cast pan has less oil under the steak, giving it a better brown. the stainless steel pan, retained the oil under the steak giving a less seared steak.
Would have been nice to know what kind of steak you were cooking. Does it have a name? I'm trying to even learn what type of steak to buy. Usually I either buy rib eye or top sirloin but there are so many others out there, curious what others use and what this was specifically.
Why are so many Americans allergic to scientific terms and systematically replace them with toddler-friendly phrases like "mercury ball effect"? Dude, just call it "Leidenfrost effect" like everyone else. It's not hard to say, it's not hard to remember and it's understood pretty much universally. What do you call the Maillard reaction, the "Browny-Yummy"?
You are correct about reading the surface temperature of a bare stainless steel skillet with an IR gun, because the emissivity of the IR guns are set for high emissivity surfaces like cast iron and seasoned carbon steel. However, if you add oil and let it heat up for a 5 or 10 seconds, the IR gun will read the correct oil temperature, because the emissivity of hot oil is about the same as that of cast iron or seasoned carbon steel. That's an important thing to know when trying to determine the temperature of a stainless skillet.
Your ''mercury ball test'' is the Leidenfrost point. The water is supported or suspended on a thin layer of steam. It is definitely a good indicator of when you are good to go with a SS pan/skillet. Personally I would have had both pans a little hotter . Having said that I am sure they were both really tasty.
I would love to cook with my cast iron more often but the only thing I have is an electric stove and I seem to have problems with using it on the electric stove or I’m doing it wrong.
In my 25 years experience as a chef, I find they are both capable of doing the job to 100% of what you want. The cast iron is just easier for the every day person to achieve that success at a higher rate.
I'm not sure, but my theory as to why the "secondary side" didn't get the good crust would be due to moisture. At the beginning the outside of the entire steak is very dry which allows for the crust, and it is going onto the oil, i.e no water. As the first side is cooking that secondary side could be getting moist, and moisture is being released onto the bottom of the span, so the secondary side when it is put face down it is doing so in a more moist environment, which doesn't allow for the same good sear.
4 things I would do differently to get a decent pan steak 1 - Forget the SS and use the iron pan. 3 - More heat under iron for initial sear, flip soon to sear other side then turn heat down and flip a couple of times. 4 - Remove at 110 degrees and rest about 8 minutes. But hey, this is not my experiment, so thanks for your comparison! 👍
you reminded me of that steak i had several days seasoning now,,, so im off to the kitchen for a late night meal baby ,,ohhhh yeahh and i recently got gifted cast iron skillets set too
In the end, since you can get great results no matter which skillet you're using, what's going to matter most to most people is going to be how easy the skillet is to clean, and how well they hold up over time.
A year ago, I had moved and I was able to buy a quarter of a cow. So the first thing I cooked was the T-BONE. As it was winter and South Dakota, yes, I'm doing this indoors. I get the oven ready at about 250 but first get the cast iron nice and hot, yes, smoking. I put the oiled up steak on the skillet and no surprise it starts smoking. Timed for 2 minutes. Flip. 2 more minutes. By now, the kitchen and living room are looking like a firefighter's training environment, as it was really smoking. Mind you, I had the exhaust fan cranking. I opened the kitchen door which leads to the garage and the smoke goes out there. I call my landlord downstairs and he comes up asking what am I doing? I tell him, and by now the skillet and steak are in the oven. He has me open the living room door direct to the South Dakota outdoors to let the smoke out. He's wondering why the smoke detectors haven't gone off. But he then looks at the exhaust fan set-up. Turns out it was NOT vented to the outside and it just pulled the smoke up from the stove top and back over my head. So, if you plan to move, be sure to check the exhaust fan so you don't do that. He hadn't checked because he doesn't really cook. And before I made an offer on my new house here in NYS, I had my real estate agent and my brother confirm that the exhaust fan vented. And, yes it was. Oh, my landlord did order a bunch of new smoke detectors that night. I just couldn't do any more high temp cooking.
I've used and do use cast iron, stainless and also a heavy weight natural finish-NO TEFLON (Volrath brand) aluminum pan for cooking steaks and they all work and work well as long as the pans are properly maintained and used at the proper temperature for that particular pan. However, the cast iron for me edges out the other 2 as far as the crust.
Great video. Wintertime steak cooking is always on cast iron, no comparison to non-stick or stainless surfaces. Heat retention, heat transfer, meat temp is always more controlled when using a more consistent heat source output, Great steak starts with great methods. Thanks for the video.
I am wondering why , you did not sear the steak edge ( Fat Cap) first. Or do you normally not do that.? I prefere to do so , it gives the fat that extra boom of flavor and it sears up well. Great video throughout. Also I love to cook with Grass Fed Beef Tallow, it too is perfect for High Heat Temp. searing
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Same.
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OMG 😮 1) you cut steaks at least 50% thicker 2) you turn steaks only once. So these steaks are seared to leather status...
I use cast iron for my steaks. Great video as always! I don’t think I’m even gonna bother trying the stainless steel pan. By the way, I still use your chicken wing technique to this day. 30 minutes at 250° and then 45 minutes at 4:25°. Delicious!
Thanks for the great feedback and support of our channel, truly appreciated! I had no idea that wing video would be one of the most viewed on our channel and glad you enjoy the recipe - Joey
Sharing my experience, cast iron is more versatile and good. The negative is oil tends to splatter everywhere and makes for a super greasy kitchen. The stainless steel is actually very good, but it's enemy is moisture on top of the steak. Even the slightest moisture will cause lots of fond, and once that develops, it's so hard to get a crust because the fond sucks that searing heat from the pan, and little left to the steak. My solution, I reverse stear my steaks. I put them in a low heated oven, maybe for 10-15mins tops. My objective is for the skin of the steak to be dry. Once that happens, I cook it on the stainless steel skillet and crust develops evenly and beautifully with minimal oil splatter. I prefer stainless steel, but it requires a little bit more work.
I don't think I would go with the same temperatures on the pans giving the different characteristics of the material. Given that, the stainless steel pan will be heated a bit hotter, then I would just make sure the internal temp would be equal on both steaks.
Large cast iron from Smithy. Love it but yes the oil pull to the edges. It's flat but my stove is not and oil just pools that way. I'll cook steaks on the oil edge, toast bread in the middle, then veggies or eggs on the other edge. It works great just gotta learn it.
Not sure if it mentioned anywhere, cast iron loads much better than any other "cooking" surface, heavy gage carbon steel is close. Heat is absorbed by cold, so a metal that does not load (hold heat) will cool down in the cooking process, therefore less Maillard. You can move to a new location in the pan or just use cast iron. Remember to pat dry those steaks before dropping into the pan
I can't keep my cast iron in good condition, so I've given up using them. Going to get a good ss pan. However, for simple indoor steaks I usually use the broiler about 4 min on each side.
Agree def bit more maintenance but versatile from stove to oven, grill to campfire, etc. I have several Lodge’s as other poster recommended and they’re pretty good
But any cheap cast iron pan it should last a lifetime. Don't soak it get a scrubber and a plastic scraper. Re season with a drop of oil every use and most of all USE DISH SOAP!
this may not be related to the pan searing of steaks, but i find pansearing a little messy and frankly not as good as a bbqed steak.... i am on the carnivore diet and i eat steaks at least 10 times a week, i however am too lazy to light the pit every time i want to cook the steak, so i use this method: i usually whack the 3/4" steak into the pre-heated airfryer at 205 degrees celcius for about 4 minutes, then use a blowtorch to sear the steak right in the basket that you of course remove from the machine and place on the counter or a fire resistant surface... just take note not to burn the plastic bits.... i salt and pepper after searing both sides of the steak.... put on a little steak sauce or kewpie mayo and drizzle some of the renderings over the steak.... i feel that the flavour is really pure and unadulterated with butter..... most importantly, there will likely not be the usual smokeout of when raw meat hits a hot pan and cleanup is a breeze. i kinda enjoy some seared and slightly burnt bits.... i feel that the flavour beats panseared any day....
I have an extensive cast iron cookware collection and some stainless that I never use. For steaks I always use carbon steel...it works best for me. Great video as always, have a great day
The only thing that makes cast iron the "to-go steak pan" is that its usually thick. Thick = heat retention = heat. Any stainless pan that are thick and even heating is gonna make a good steak sear. Many of my stainless are thick bottomed and heavy. Many of my cast irons are from taiwan, which are usually thinner and lighter (which makes it easier to handle). So i usually use my stainless /carbon steel pan to sear instead of cast iron.
Wrong re cast iron. It has a lower thermal conductivity than steel, which makes it slower to heat up and slower to cool down. Therefore, the cooking temperature is more stable.
@tedstarr7942 you are correct, however this factor is not as big as the fact that its usually just thick. Ive tested this myself. But yes, its thermal inconductivity is a part of why its helpful and easy to cook with.
You should talk about the induction cook tops. We use stainless but most the time is we eat a steak on the gas grill outside. Phoenix Az. And yes, I have been looking at garage sales for a good cast iron pan.
I have both types of pans but I can't say I've ever hit up yard sales for stainless like cast iron. Cast will last a lifetime and you can use them on the stove, in the oven and over a fire if you have to.
just to be clear: Teflon isn't a Pan it's a coating. The actual Pan would have been Aluminium or Stainless Steel with a Teflon coating. The Author is confused
Simple explanation... cast iron is thicker and retains more heat to give to the food. Both work well as long as you understand how the pan works with the meat.
Thank you, I'm a cast iron nerd that hasn't compared them with stainless. You should try the early 1900s skillets if you like good iron. Nothing made today can compare and it is possible to spend $200 on a new cast iron #8 skillet. You can get very good restored cast iron from eBay and Etsy cheaper than that. People just don't know. Any Lodge no notch or one notch, any Red Mountain Series BS&R, any Griswold or Wagner that isn't marked Made in USA. The quality declines in the mid 60s when that started. Most of what you'll find that is 1900 to 1950 will be better and cheaper that what is available new. Hope this helps someone.
I am addicted to a cast iron skillet. I have tried with stainless steel many times, yet never have I received a palpable result. Cast iron is my go-to solution when making steaks. I do used stainless pans for vegetables.
I bet that had a lot to do with the fact that the cast iron accumulated the liquids on the borders, while the stainless steel accumulated them in the center. Specially because the first side of the steak was ok with the stainless steel, and that's when liquids didn't accumulated yet. The 2nd side of the steak was more like boiled with the liquid released by the steak. That's what i think. If that's correct, it could be fixed by modifying the geometry of the stainless steel pan, like hitting it from the back at the center.
I have been using my new 'Tastee Air Fryer' lately with outstanding results. Quick and perfectly done because of the built in thermostat. Otherwise in the past, I used my 12" cast iron skillet I inherited from my granddad.
Properly maintained a cast iron pan will last forever! I have an 18" pan that was made in 1843 and it looks almost like new. It was passed on to my grandfather from his grandfather and eventually I will pass it on again. I bet it will still be in really good condition 1000 years from now. 😁
He doesn’t know how to use the stainless steel. He can use medium heat on the cast iron because it has a high capacity of holding heat. The stainless steel does not have that capacity and requires high setting on the stove because the steak itself will cool the pan. Also, he should flip the steak not at the center of the stainless pan but instead from one edge of the pan to the other untouched edge that hasn’t been cooled yet by the steak. Again, this is because of the lower heat retention of the stainless pan.
couldn’t have said it better
This is also why there is a bunch of liquid in the pan which is the reason the coloring is different. Why trust a guy who cant cook? Flipping steaks 3-4-5 times? Picking them up and talking at the camera. Geez.
Cast iron is best for heat retention. It does however take longer to get to the temperature you want. ⚠️ DO NOT use high heat. Allowing it to heat up longer on medium heat allows the heat to spread evenly through the pan and has less possibility of causing damage to the pan. It also takes a long time to cool down after you are done cooking. ⚠️ DO NOT try to cool down the pan by putting water in it!!! It can damage the seasoning layers or even break the pan from the thermal shock!
Slow to heat up, slow to cool down.
@@garygerman2685You should flip a steak every 20-30 seconds
in other words cast iron is better because its much easier to cook with and also gives great results
The sticking for stainless steel is a positive if you are planning on making a pan sauce after searing- for deglazing the deliciousness.
Absolutely agree
@@Redmeatlovermaybe the stainless steel needed a higher temp stove because it didn’t retain heat as well to get the maillard reaction
Btw the iron from cast iron pans makes your body age faster. Stainless is healthier.
@@Elohim-and-Marcel mind blown
@@Elohim-and-Marcel Cast iron makes you age faster? Like, you read that somewhere official? Sounds like fud to me.
@Datamining101 It absolutely does!!! My Great Grandfather cooked on cast iron almost all of his life and he only lived to be 94 years old. I'm like, he could have lived to be 95 or 96 even if he had avoided the cast iron. LOL!!
Mercury ball effect is officially called the leidenfrost effect
I was going to say the same
"Mercury ball effect" is for many lay people watching the video. I'm sure Red Meat Lover knows the correct term.
Same here, too.
In my 20s I couldn't cook a steak to save my life. It wasn't until I got a cast iron skillet did my steak game improve. That, along with a good instant thermometer, and my familiarity with the stovetop I was using, made all the difference in the world. I will say it does take more effort to clean the cast iron but I can see the appeal of cooking on stainless. Good video, well presented info 👌
Actually cleaning cast iron is very simple. Add some water to the hot pan and anything stuck will loosen.
NEVER use any soap inside the cast iron or you'll have to reseason it
@@crisc9280 You can use soap in cast iron. The days of not being able to use soap in a cast iron pan are over. Soap used to have lye which affected the seasoning, but you'll be good. That's just an outdated myth.
A seasoned castie is way easier to clean than a stainless. Not even a debate.
Forget the probes, use three of your senses, sight, smell and touch, only you know how you like your steak and these three will ensure you perfect it 👍
@@RossLemon agree just go mild with the soap.
Here’s what you did wrong: 1) You used WAY too much oil in the stainless steel pan. Do it again with less oil. 2) You need to place the steak toward the side of the pan, not dead in the center. When you flip the steak, put it on the other side of the pan. Both of these things are absolutely crucial. Once you learn how to use stainless steel, you’ll never go back.
Why even bother with stainless steel? I've switch from stainless steel and cast iron to 3mm carbon steel. Never looked back. Easier to lift and flip, holds a season, and holds a ton of heat.
@@TwoWheels47 Actually, very good point. I love carbon steel. I should get one. I find it this year and the caramelization on stainless steel is spectacular. Do you feel that the carbon steel will deliver that better?
@@TwoWheels47 because you can do things like create a reduction sauce on stainless steel. plus you don't have to worry about cleaning it right away, seasoning it, etc.
Or you can use cast iron and take a break from all mental gymnastics! Not to mention cook a dynamite steak!
@@TwoWheels47Very thick and heavy stainless steel is comparable to cast iron. There are only a handful of companies producing such pans.
The difference in the steak in the stainless-steel skillet is it was not allowed to sit against the pan, you messed with it and talked over it constantly, rather than leave it sit and sear. Cast iron is good for stews and other long cooking time dishes, steak will be negligible difference, they are fast cook items. I am a retired professional cook and ample heat and time down on the grill is important. I only turn steak once in the cooking process, not flip flopping up and down. The third turn is onto the dish and then rest.
Yep
Another factor is using the induction heater for cooking steaks. I don't know if anyone serious about steaks uses electric heat.
It's a proven fact that multiple flips result in more even cooking. He messed with both of the steaks equally during cooking. Sear on the second side of the stainless steel steak was not even close to cast iron since the cast iron holds heat much better.
This is now considered one of those old-wives-tales of cooking. Modern consensus is that you should flip the steak every 30 seconds until it's done. Check out Chris Young's videos about doing this (his thermometer is great for this as well). Cast iron makes this process easier than stainless because it is essentially nonstick. I don't personally find that there's any difference in browning when doing this with expensive laminated stainless vs cast iron, but I find that I get more fond and thus a better pan sauces out of the stainless (and it's a lot easier to manipulate the pan when doing so). This being said, when I'm not planning to sauce I just use the cast iron because it's just easier.
Have you ever butter basted a nice steak on a cast iron pan?
Threw your "don't need a hot pan" idea out the window...neither of those steaks have a great sear on them...because the pans weren't hot enough. That's the only reason you need a really hot pan for steak...because you get the sear without cooking it right through.
And he was talking about how the stainless steel wasn't as hot as the cast iron, while it was hanging half off of the cooktop.
This is my observation too. Niether of those pans were hot enough, by a long shot. I would be disappointed with myself if I made these...
Yes. Also, they hold heat a lot different. The stainless needs a lot more heat to get the same result as the cast iron. I like both, but they both need to bu used a bit different.
think he did this so it was a fair comparison cast iron gives a better sear at the same temp
@@IWasNoah So, by your logic, a one-inch thick piece of stainless steel large enough to accommodate a steak is going to perform worse at cooking compared to a cast iron pan heated to the same temperature? Personally, I have several stainless pans that will outperform my cast iron pans. The only reason why I reach for my cast iron is because it's non-stick.
Is it preferable to use a standard flat bottom cast iron skillet or a ridged cast iron grill pan for stovetop cooking?
I use cast iron thats over 100yrs old. Got from my great oma over 35 yrs ago. Tried all kinds of other including heavy stainless, always go back to cast iron. More work to maintain, however far premium to any other pan for any cooking.
Yeah, cast iron all day.
Same. I am 4th generation on my cast iron pans and I am 63.
LOL, just wash in soap and water like any other pan. Rinse, dry and put away.
I think cast iron is much easier to maintain. I just wipe out any grease, rinse under running water and run a stainless steel scrubber over it IF it needs it. Most of the time all it needs is to dry with a paper towel. I put it back on the stove and heat it up to make sure it's dry, use a little avocado oil on the cooking surface and put it away when it's cool. Before cast iron I spent countless hours trying to get stainless steel skillets clean.
@ Your ritual makes no sense. Wash your cast iron pan just like the stainless steel one in hot soapy water, use a steel scrubbie if needed, rinse, dry and put away. See how simple that is.
I eat steak and asparagus basically every night. Steak in cast iron, sauté veggies in stainless. This is the way
I use cast-iron for everything, except cooking pasta, rice and water for tea.
I have some old Danish pots with a very durable enamel, you can even make long-simmer tomato-ragout (Bolognese etc) in them...
Living the life!
Cast Iron Skillet, Avocado Oil, Clarified Butter or Tallow, Celtic Salt and a big juicy, well marbled Ribeye... Heaven on Earth!
@@baileylugnut Stainless steel for everything. My pan, kettle, fork and drinking "glass" are are all 304 stainless steel. I can eat and cook anything without care in the world, store food in them and they will last literally a lifetime
Not all stainless steel is created equal. I use a full body tri-ply stainless steel skillet. It is heavier than most stainless steel. I prefer it over cast iron as another commenter mentioned, it allows for a great pan sauce. In my experience the full body tri-ply cleans up better than other stainless steel as well.
Hi are you able to name the brand?
@@tooekneee The skillet is Cook's Standard. My sauce pans are Avacraft. Can't tell any difference in the two brands.
Use the 5 ply by made in brand, nothing beats it in stainless steel pans
@@gregbrunner599The Demeyere Proline/Atlantis 7 does. It's the heaviest and thickest.
@@biblebelter9772 thanks
Pork and beef. Cast iron.
Fish, Stainless.
Fried rice Stainless.
Bacon... Cast iron. Always.
Great tip!
What about chicken?
@@marvinprado1700 Those are just his opinions. You can cook all that on stainless perfectly and easily. It won't ever rust or need "seasoning".
Cast iron for all. I use cast iron or carbon steel for everything and cook more fish than any other meat. Don't own a stainless at all (and would never buy a nonstick).
Try fried rice in a genuine hand hammered steel wok made in China in the traditional shape (not flat bottomed) You can get an adapter ring to use on your most powerful gas burner. It becomes seasoned just like a good cast iron skillet and becomes non stick even for eggs. A good hand hammered (very thin) wok is light enough to toss food and with practice you can achieve what is known as wok hei, a special interplay of science, art, and magic. You can never achieve that in a stainless steel skillet.
I've got a large selection of cast iron, forged steel, and stainless steel pans. I like SS for steak, but in my experience you need to spend a bit of money on a good, multi-ply SS pan to get good results. My forged steel pans are also high-end, but only because I like the handle designs and other features. Cheap ones cook just as well. My best pan is a really cheap Lodge cast iron I bought new over 50 years ago.
What was in that bottle you used between tasting the pieces of stake?
You needed more heat to begin with in both pans. THAT's what gives you a good sear.
There's a lot of differences in ss pans, some are thin bottomed and some have thick bottoms with copper clad.
What do you use to clean your palad bro? Great video!
Have you,or can you do a three-way? Cast v. SS v. Carbon? I love your methodology and would accept your results as definitive.
Carbon is the best of all worlds
You are using a induction-heatsource, right?
Maybe it's just the model I have, but the cast-iron skillet does not get as hot as on a gas-stove, or any other stove with constant heating.
Absolutely, that's indeed a Duxtop induction cooktop, so the whole test is kinda misguided.
I mean, if he wanted to test "induction burner AND skillet material" combined, then it would be fine, but he didn't, and the result could be different with e.g. a gas stove.
Excellent. If we disregard the thermal capacity of metals, the heavier pan will always have a greater thermal carrying load than the lighter.
Great vid. Answered persistent question. Like the insight about "mercury ball effect". Have not seen such comparison before. Thanks much.
Thanks for the feedback and your support of the channel! - Joey
The Leidenfrost effect is what homie is describing as the "mercury ball effect." Worth a quick read up on.
I love cast iron for almost anything - except steak. The problem with your experiment was that you were trying to use both pans as close to the same way as possible. While that may seem like a good "scientific test", it doesn't work simply because with different tools you need to use different techniques. A good heavy stainless steel pan, used correctly, will give you the best crust you've ever tasted. **But you have to use it like a stainless steel pan, not like a cast iron pan.**
The complete technique is to get the stainless pan hot (to that "mercury ball" temp), salt & pepper the steak and put it into the hot pan (if you add much else in the way of seasoning on the steak, depending on what you add, it may burn). You will probably get some smoke. Also, the steak will stick initially (don't have a heart attack), but after 1 or 2 min or so it will release. Give it 2 to 2.5 min on first side, then check the pan-side of the steak. You should see the crust has already formed on the first side. If not, you may need to give it a little more time before flipping. Check the color/crust before flipping until you get the hang of how long to leave it before flipping.
Once you've flipped it, let it go for the same amount of time on the second side. Then, remove the steak from the pan. Cool the pan down (so you don't burn the butter you're about to add). Then add a good amount of butter (or ghee, if you prefer), plus any flavoring herbs (rosemary & thyme is a good combo) and put the pan back on the heat but only at medium to medium-high. You want it hot enough that the butter begins to bubble, but try not to let it brown. Put the steak back into the pan, tilt the pan so the butter pools, and begin spooning the butter/herbs over the steak, constantly basting the steak.
At this point, you already have the perfect sear/crust on both sides of the steak. You are basting it to finish cooking it to the internal temp you like (medium rare, please). You can flip it if you want, but really basting it constantly is, in effect, deep frying it. Basting also keeps the butter from burning down in the edge of the pan that is the only part of the pan directly on the burner (remember, you're keeping the pan tilted so the butter pools in one edge).
When the steak is cooked to almost the temp you like, remove it from the pan, cover, and let rest for at least 5 min. While its resting, use the beautiful fond in the pan to make a sauce of your choice.
Best. Steak. Ever. Trust me. I have been on team cast iron for many years. I absolutely love my cast iron pans. And for years I tried many methods to cook a steak in cast iron, and not without some success. But this method with stainless steel beat them all, hands down, the very first time I tried it.
Medium heat?
6:53 I've wondered if the meat releases so quickly on the stainless after the flip because the pan has lost a substantial amount of heat when warming the uncooked side. If that's the case, to correct you'd want to hold the steak off the pan for a minute or so before flipping.
Having a wine stash above the cooker is beyond insane.
Lol i noticed that as well
Could i interest you in some well above room temp wine? Lol
Heat is great for the aging process. Everyone knows that.
bro couldn't cook a steak to save his life. Cast iron is and always will be champ.
Great video. I'm going with cast iron and hexclad.
Steak made in a cast iron skillet tastes better. Especially if served to people who have had a lot of cold beer or red wine.
How can you touch the handle of that cast iron pan. Mine gets mad hot 😮😊
Because the pan is not hot enough.
Great video that covers alot of maybe beginner questions like, when is the pan really heated; look out for smoke; and add oil AFTER its heated. That said, I have no idea how you're bare handing that cast iron pan handle - seriously what am I missing? It has to be hot enough that your palm should be getting scorched....
Excellent experiment and vid. One of my first jobs many, many moons ago was grilling steaks for Ponderosa Steak House. These days I only cook steaks a few times a year. I just marinated and froze a few rib eyes. Will use my cast iron pot or Ninja grill when time to prepare. I have that same Ben Franklin air freshener that you have on your fridge. 👨🍳 😅
Thank you my friend, you hit all the points in showing the difference in using stainless vs cast iron. Now, we just have to get used to the process for properly maintaining cast irons!
My question would be- was it a three ply or five ply stainless steel pan? I’ve been cooking steaks in cast iron for many years and only recently purchased (my first) 5 ply stainless steel 12” skillet. I cooked several ribeyes in it- doing exactly as you did the “mercury ball” test and used avocado oil. My steak ended up being as brown with a nice crust as any steak I’ve ever cooked in my cast iron. A little less smoke, a lot less weight and a nice fond on the skillet for a deglazed pan sauce, that you don’t really get with a seasoned cast iron skillet. I’ll be cooking all of my steaks in my stainless steel skillet from now on.
I just got a 5 ply pan im excited to try a steak tomorrow. Can i ask what temp did you heat the pan up at? And when you put your steaks did you turn down the heat or leave it as is?
@@PhatBoySteven Heat it up on medium but give it time, at least 5 minutes. Use the Leidenfrost effect test to determine if the pan is ready. When you put in the stake, it's now the war between the water from the meat and the heat from the pan, so do not turn down the heat. On the contrary, maybe even go up a little. Sear for two minutes then keep flipping the steak every 30 or 60 seconds. See the "cold sear" technique for details (the original idea uses the nonstick pan but I have great success with the steel). Use a good thermometer to understand when the steak is done.
I stumbled upon this video thanks to YT algorithm and this is the worst stainless steel pan stake I have ever seen in my life. The beginning was fine but then he clearly did not have enough temp to keep searing the steak. Your 5-ply should not have that issue assuming you preheat it properly and keep pumping the appropriate level of energy to it.
The number of ply is not important but instead the thickness of each layer. With that said, a professional generally choses 3-ply
@@aneshiem2915 This is an oversimplification. You're mostly correct but number of ply helps with heat distribution and adds resistance to warping. As for what pros use, sure, weight matters when you juggle things for eight+ hours.
Why not 7-ply? That's what I use. Demeyere Atlantis 7.
It's not warped. My stove isn't quite level and oil still pools on the high side edge of the cast iron some as well. If you swirl really hot oil in a clean pan and tilt it slightly you can see it flow uphill away from the center surprisingly fast.
What steak did you use?
What is the brand of your burner and stainless steel skillet? Thanks - I have an ancient electric stove that heats horribly...
what about chrome plated cast iron?
Does the mercury ball effect work on a seasoned carbon steel pan?
I'm guessing it would, but, because it's seasoned, like a cast iron pan, you could just go by the smoke.
What tongs are those?
Going out on a limb with my choice B4 I watch... CAST IRON!
I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "i-run" (iron) like that before.
Your steaks always look great. Where do you get them?
Thanks brother, Walmart is the #1 seller of beef in the US and that’s where we get most of ours. And remember, make it either choice or prime or don’t wast your time!
I just purchased and received two cast skillets with glass lids. One round with a flat bottom, and the other square, with grill plates on the bottom. Have not used, just opened the boxes. Is there anything that one would use the grill plate skillet for, instead of the flat bottom skillet? If not, it might wind up as a "gift" for someone. - I will try a steak and some fajitas in the flat skillet. Thanks! ps: great review!
I have both flat bottom and ridged grill pan skillets. I prefer the ridged bottom cast iron grill pan for excellent surface markings on steak. Harder to clean but worth it. BTW it was a 10 inch Victoria.
I love my cast iron skillets. My mother cooked with cast iron skillets. I keep mine seasoned. You can’t go wrong with the cast iron.
Just started regularly using my stainless steel pan. I always get a nice crust on the stainless, not sure what happened in this video lol
Same. SS sears both side super well normaly
Too much oil, and flipping.
I use cast iron and SS to sear steak. I don't have that issue of an anemic side. They are 2 totally different pans and work differently.
The ss doesn't hold heat as well, so you don't plop the steak in the same place in the pan every 30 seconds.
I have both 3 ply and 5 ply ss and use them for the majority of my cooking.
I don't use induction for anything. A lot of ss and cast iron are slightly concave on the bottom because the expanding metal has to go somewhere, and the theory is that it keeps the bottom from getting a high spot. Some induction capable ss doesn't actually conduct as well ss presented in their literature because of that.
I'm with the French chef in Elizabeth David's book. People would drive a hundred miles for her steaks.
Hot pan. Brush the steak both sides with oil. Cook one side. Flip and salt the cooked side. Turn out onto a plate and salt the other side. Keep warm for 2-5 minutes. "C'est tout."
Been using a cast iron skillet as my main pan for the last 27 years. The teflon skillet is used for frying eggs, sauteeing, and making gravy. Hardly ever use the SS skillets, though the pots and pans get used regularly
I use a 10-year-old Teflon (after the dangerous chemicals were removed from Teflon) 8 1/2" inch pan for fried eggs. It is STILL non-stick. Of the modern non-sticks, most don't stay non-stick more than about 6 weeks at most (look great when new in a commercial). Greenway pans (which have the rivets also coated with non-stick surface, a GOOD thing) last a lot longer, but don't expect them to make it through a year. I have an 8 1/2 inch copper omelet pan that I've had for decades and an 8 1/2 Zwilling/Henckel non-stick that is heavy, distributes heat well. I can make eggs, or anything you would make in any other surface pan well with this, but I usually save it for veggies. Its sides are curved just right for flipping. It has been non-stick for over 2 years so far.
There should be no problem cooking eggs in cast iron.
Cast iron can be used for eggs too. Shouldn't stick if you're usinythe pans right. Most people have sticking issues that think you can't use soap on them which is not.true.
108 this year-used cast iron pan-skillet-wok for 90 years-carbon good for skin complexion-iron good for blood-longevity-organic.
I've grilled steaks outside during hurricanes, winter storms, ice storms, and beautiful sunny days. Just can't beat a grilled steak. Cube steak is the only steak in a pan in my house. Thank you for the video though.
You could use a Typhur Sync thermometer. You can get two wireless thermometers and you can measure the temp at the same time.
In your experiment, the cast pan has less oil under the steak, giving it a better brown.
the stainless steel pan, retained the oil under the steak giving a less seared steak.
Would have been nice to know what kind of steak you were cooking. Does it have a name? I'm trying to even learn what type of steak to buy. Usually I either buy rib eye or top sirloin but there are so many others out there, curious what others use and what this was specifically.
He was cooking boneless ribeye steaks.
Porterhouse #1
What kind of oil
Why are so many Americans allergic to scientific terms and systematically replace them with toddler-friendly phrases like "mercury ball effect"?
Dude, just call it "Leidenfrost effect" like everyone else. It's not hard to say, it's not hard to remember and it's understood pretty much universally.
What do you call the Maillard reaction, the "Browny-Yummy"?
You are correct about reading the surface temperature of a bare stainless steel skillet with an IR gun, because the emissivity of the IR guns are set for high emissivity surfaces like cast iron and seasoned carbon steel. However, if you add oil and let it heat up for a 5 or 10 seconds, the IR gun will read the correct oil temperature, because the emissivity of hot oil is about the same as that of cast iron or seasoned carbon steel. That's an important thing to know when trying to determine the temperature of a stainless skillet.
Your ''mercury ball test'' is the Leidenfrost point. The water is supported or suspended on a thin layer of steam. It is definitely a good indicator of when you are good to go with a SS pan/skillet. Personally I would have had both pans a little hotter . Having said that I am sure they were both really tasty.
Excellent work! I learned a lot!
Cast iron always get me a great crust on both sides. Great experiment!
I would love to cook with my cast iron more often but the only thing I have is an electric stove and I seem to have problems with using it on the electric stove or I’m doing it wrong.
In my 25 years experience as a chef, I find they are both capable of doing the job to 100% of what you want. The cast iron is just easier for the every day person to achieve that success at a higher rate.
I'm not sure, but my theory as to why the "secondary side" didn't get the good crust would be due to moisture. At the beginning the outside of the entire steak is very dry which allows for the crust, and it is going onto the oil, i.e no water. As the first side is cooking that secondary side could be getting moist, and moisture is being released onto the bottom of the span, so the secondary side when it is put face down it is doing so in a more moist environment, which doesn't allow for the same good sear.
4 things I would do differently to get a decent pan steak
1 - Forget the SS and use the iron pan.
3 - More heat under iron for initial sear, flip soon to sear other side then turn heat down and flip a couple of times.
4 - Remove at 110 degrees and rest about 8 minutes.
But hey, this is not my experiment, so thanks for your comparison! 👍
you reminded me of that steak i had several days seasoning now,,, so im off to the kitchen for a late night meal baby ,,ohhhh yeahh and i recently got gifted cast iron skillets set too
Thank you so much 😊for the video. Very well produced and crystal clear.
How do we keep from all the heavy smoke that leads to the fire alarm going off at home?
Put on the exhaust fan, open outside doors and windows.
In the end, since you can get great results no matter which skillet you're using, what's going to matter most to most people is going to be how easy the skillet is to clean, and how well they hold up over time.
I can honestly say that I absolutely love my Forman grill. I have one at home and at my work and I use them all the time. Perfect steaks All the time.
Please note that the Foreman pan has a ridged bottom. Better markings.
A year ago, I had moved and I was able to buy a quarter of a cow. So the first thing I cooked was the T-BONE. As it was winter and South Dakota, yes, I'm doing this indoors. I get the oven ready at about 250 but first get the cast iron nice and hot, yes, smoking. I put the oiled up steak on the skillet and no surprise it starts smoking. Timed for 2 minutes. Flip. 2 more minutes. By now, the kitchen and living room are looking like a firefighter's training environment, as it was really smoking.
Mind you, I had the exhaust fan cranking. I opened the kitchen door which leads to the garage and the smoke goes out there. I call my landlord downstairs and he comes up asking what am I doing? I tell him, and by now the skillet and steak are in the oven. He has me open the living room door direct to the South Dakota outdoors to let the smoke out. He's wondering why the smoke detectors haven't gone off. But he then looks at the exhaust fan set-up. Turns out it was NOT vented to the outside and it just pulled the smoke up from the stove top and back over my head.
So, if you plan to move, be sure to check the exhaust fan so you don't do that. He hadn't checked because he doesn't really cook. And before I made an offer on my new house here in NYS, I had my real estate agent and my brother confirm that the exhaust fan vented. And, yes it was. Oh, my landlord did order a bunch of new smoke detectors that night. I just couldn't do any more high temp cooking.
Those are rare, not medium rare….totally red inside, but thanks for the info. anyways.
I've used and do use cast iron, stainless and also a heavy weight natural finish-NO TEFLON (Volrath brand) aluminum pan for cooking steaks and they all work and work well as long as the pans are properly maintained and used at the proper temperature for that particular pan. However, the cast iron for me edges out the other 2 as far as the crust.
Great video. Wintertime steak cooking is always on cast iron, no comparison to non-stick or stainless surfaces. Heat retention, heat transfer, meat temp is always more controlled when using a more consistent heat source output, Great steak starts with great methods. Thanks for the video.
I am wondering why , you did not sear the steak edge ( Fat Cap) first. Or do you normally not do that.? I prefere to do so , it gives the fat that extra boom of flavor and it sears up well. Great video throughout. Also I love to cook with Grass Fed Beef Tallow, it too is perfect for High Heat Temp. searing
Same.
OMG 😮 1) you cut steaks at least 50% thicker 2) you turn steaks only once. So these steaks are seared to leather status...
Cast iron skillet can be bought at a yard sale for $5 and it will cook excellent steaks.
I use cast iron for my steaks. Great video as always! I don’t think I’m even gonna bother trying the stainless steel pan. By the way, I still use your chicken wing technique to this day. 30 minutes at 250° and then 45 minutes at 4:25°. Delicious!
Thanks for the great feedback and support of our channel, truly appreciated! I had no idea that wing video would be one of the most viewed on our channel and glad you enjoy the recipe - Joey
Sharing my experience, cast iron is more versatile and good. The negative is oil tends to splatter everywhere and makes for a super greasy kitchen.
The stainless steel is actually very good, but it's enemy is moisture on top of the steak. Even the slightest moisture will cause lots of fond, and once that develops, it's so hard to get a crust because the fond sucks that searing heat from the pan, and little left to the steak.
My solution, I reverse stear my steaks. I put them in a low heated oven, maybe for 10-15mins tops. My objective is for the skin of the steak to be dry. Once that happens, I cook it on the stainless steel skillet and crust develops evenly and beautifully with minimal oil splatter.
I prefer stainless steel, but it requires a little bit more work.
I don't think I would go with the same temperatures on the pans giving the different characteristics of the material. Given that, the stainless steel pan will be heated a bit hotter, then I would just make sure the internal temp would be equal on both steaks.
Please pretty please with sugar on top, do not play any music while you are talking. It is distracting to your dialogue. Thanks.
Agreed
Can confirm
This
Yeahh its an amazing video everything is perfect besides the music
And the music does not even have anything to do with a steak. I could have suffered through Bonanza or High Noon, but not that whatever it was!
Large cast iron from Smithy. Love it but yes the oil pull to the edges. It's flat but my stove is not and oil just pools that way. I'll cook steaks on the oil edge, toast bread in the middle, then veggies or eggs on the other edge. It works great just gotta learn it.
Not sure if it mentioned anywhere, cast iron loads much better than any other "cooking" surface, heavy gage carbon steel is close. Heat is absorbed by cold, so a metal that does not load (hold heat) will cool down in the cooking process, therefore less Maillard. You can move to a new location in the pan or just use cast iron. Remember to pat dry those steaks before dropping into the pan
They do make full cover tri-ply stainless/aluminum skillets. You used stainless with tri-ply bottom disk.
I can't keep my cast iron in good condition, so I've given up using them. Going to get a good ss pan. However, for simple indoor steaks I usually use the broiler about 4 min on each side.
Buy a Lodge one.
Made in America.
Agree def bit more maintenance but versatile from stove to oven, grill to campfire, etc. I have several Lodge’s as other poster recommended and they’re pretty good
But any cheap cast iron pan it should last a lifetime. Don't soak it get a scrubber and a plastic scraper. Re season with a drop of oil every use and most of all USE DISH SOAP!
this may not be related to the pan searing of steaks, but i find pansearing a little messy and frankly not as good as a bbqed steak.... i am on the carnivore diet and i eat steaks at least 10 times a week, i however am too lazy to light the pit every time i want to cook the steak, so i use this method:
i usually whack the 3/4" steak into the pre-heated airfryer at 205 degrees celcius for about 4 minutes, then use a blowtorch to sear the steak right in the basket that you of course remove from the machine and place on the counter or a fire resistant surface... just take note not to burn the plastic bits.... i salt and pepper after searing both sides of the steak.... put on a little steak sauce or kewpie mayo and drizzle some of the renderings over the steak.... i feel that the flavour is really pure and unadulterated with butter..... most importantly, there will likely not be the usual smokeout of when raw meat hits a hot pan and cleanup is a breeze. i kinda enjoy some seared and slightly burnt bits.... i feel that the flavour beats panseared any day....
I have an extensive cast iron cookware collection and some stainless that I never use. For steaks I always use carbon steel...it works best for me. Great video as always, have a great day
Along with steaks and bacon, I use my cast iron pan for making deep dish pizza! Works awesome and easy cleanup with a quick wipe with a paper towel. 😁
The only thing that makes cast iron the "to-go steak pan" is that its usually thick. Thick = heat retention = heat. Any stainless pan that are thick and even heating is gonna make a good steak sear. Many of my stainless are thick bottomed and heavy. Many of my cast irons are from taiwan, which are usually thinner and lighter (which makes it easier to handle). So i usually use my stainless /carbon steel pan to sear instead of cast iron.
Wrong re cast iron. It has a lower thermal conductivity than steel, which makes it slower to heat up and slower to cool down. Therefore, the cooking temperature is more stable.
@tedstarr7942 you are correct, however this factor is not as big as the fact that its usually just thick. Ive tested this myself. But yes, its thermal inconductivity is a part of why its helpful and easy to cook with.
What is "IRUN"?
You should talk about the induction cook tops. We use stainless but most the time is we eat a steak on the gas grill outside. Phoenix Az.
And yes, I have been looking at garage sales for a good cast iron pan.
I have exactly one cast iron skillet, 10 inch, which is used exclusively for steaks. Beef steaks. That's it.
Great video
I have both types of pans but I can't say I've ever hit up yard sales for stainless like cast iron. Cast will last a lifetime and you can use them on the stove, in the oven and over a fire if you have to.
Just started using my cast iron pan with beef and chicken, my cooking has greatly improved. I hated chicken cooked in my other pans. Loooove cast iron
just to be clear: Teflon isn't a Pan it's a coating. The actual Pan would have been Aluminium or Stainless Steel with a Teflon coating. The Author is confused
Simple explanation... cast iron is thicker and retains more heat to give to the food. Both work well as long as you understand how the pan works with the meat.
is that crisco?
He not only said what it was twice, but also showed the bottle. wow!
Thank you, I'm a cast iron nerd that hasn't compared them with stainless. You should try the early 1900s skillets if you like good iron. Nothing made today can compare and it is possible to spend $200 on a new cast iron #8 skillet. You can get very good restored cast iron from eBay and Etsy cheaper than that. People just don't know. Any Lodge no notch or one notch, any Red Mountain Series BS&R, any Griswold or Wagner that isn't marked Made in USA. The quality declines in the mid 60s when that started. Most of what you'll find that is 1900 to 1950 will be better and cheaper that what is available new. Hope this helps someone.
I am addicted to a cast iron skillet. I have tried with stainless steel many times, yet never have I received a palpable result. Cast iron is my go-to solution when making steaks. I do used stainless pans for vegetables.
Why cook in oil?
I bet that had a lot to do with the fact that the cast iron accumulated the liquids on the borders, while the stainless steel accumulated them in the center. Specially because the first side of the steak was ok with the stainless steel, and that's when liquids didn't accumulated yet. The 2nd side of the steak was more like boiled with the liquid released by the steak. That's what i think. If that's correct, it could be fixed by modifying the geometry of the stainless steel pan, like hitting it from the back at the center.
I have been using my new 'Tastee Air Fryer' lately with outstanding results. Quick and perfectly done because of the built in thermostat. Otherwise in the past, I used my 12" cast iron skillet I inherited from my granddad.
Properly maintained a cast iron pan will last forever! I have an 18" pan that was made in 1843 and it looks almost like new. It was passed on to my grandfather from his grandfather and eventually I will pass it on again. I bet it will still be in really good condition 1000 years from now. 😁
I don’t add salt at all just peeper butter works great