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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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 👍
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.
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.
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.
This is great! Team cast iron here. I love the scientific approach and experimental observations. Maybe using a FLIR camera can give a visual reference for temperature reading along with the other devices. The FLiR may also be affected by the reflective surface of SS BUT (big butt here), you can read the temperature ad different angles for an average. Thanks for doing this✌️
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.
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
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.
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 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
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....
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.
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.
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...
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
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 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.
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....
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.
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.
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 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
Your video was nicely done..... I live in an apartment and can't have a outdoor grill. I really miss the flavor of a charcoal grill. With that said, I've tried ALL kinds of cookware pans and have tried stove top and even baking. I've tried a LOT of different seasongs trying to duplicate the flavor of the charcoal and even tried using a Air Fryer. To me the Air Fryer just rendered a steak that was too dry as the juice (flavor goodness) just drips off, so I rarely use my Air Fryer. My preference is to season with salt, pepper and meat tenderizer and putting them in the fridge in ziplock bags for a couple days. Then prior to cooking I remove them from the fridge and let rest on the counter top 30-45 mins then put a thin layer of steak sauce on it and wrap in tin foil and cook in a pan metal or roasting pan or even a corning ware baking dish SOMETHING THAT HAS A LID. I then cook low and slow around 200-250 F and closely monitor the temp. (my preference is medium rare) and I use a wireless blue tooth thermometer. I really don't care about the crust from the sear..... I want a steak thats extremely tender (very easy to cut) and that is flavorful. I also like eating a steak that has a lot of fat cap (yes... I know its not good for me) but we all "like what we like" I don't even care about its color.... again its all about tenderness and flavor. Then when plated and served, depending on its taste.... I may or may not add a little more steak sauce. For me, its ALL about tenderness and FLAVOR so I even blend my own steak sauce. Closing words..... do as I have and EXPERIMENT AND FIND OUT WHAT "YOU" LIKE making notes of how you did it so that if its GOOD you can duplicate it. Thats my take..... hope you find something useful with my method.... Also remember that cooking and experimenting is supposed to be fun so..... HAVE FUN !! The other night I was dining out at a chain restaurant with my son and the tables were fairly close together and I couldn't help but over hear a table of ladies and when one was asked what they had for dinner the night before.... the other one replied... "I made a pizza" I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as no one I know these days "makes pizza"!!! REALLY ? WHO DOES THAT? "Making" something implies being made from scratch and if truth be known.... she probably needs her husbands help to even turn on the stove's oven. It is what it is. Bon Appetit
You get uniform browning on both sides. I recently started doing this and my steaks come out better. Each side is browned the same amount but still pink in the center.
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
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.
so the key is you can't use the exam same method. it might because the temperature drop a lot more than the cast iron when you flip. it might be good just let the pan hot again after dropping the meat, or just use wider stainless pan so you don't use the center of the pan but on the side for each side of the meat.
I didn't understand the problems with temperature. Isn't that an induction plate set to 300f? Then you know what temperature the pan is. Right? It's one of the huge advantages with induction. When I deep fry something, I just set the pot to 160C and wait and it'll be the correct temperature.
Those are induction burners. Firstly warping isn't going to make a difference and iron is going to absorb the magnetic fields so much better. Plenty of other issues with the induction.
Best steaks are not seazoned before cooking. They're salted after and covered to release myoglobin and then reabsorb it (rest). A reverse sear is a pretty good method of cooking it to get a perfect crust. Also, you don't need so much grease at all.
Today was actually my very first clad stainless steak experiment. Very similar to this. I'll stick to cast iron or right on coals on the hearth. But it was not an unacceptable variation.
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!
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.
It’s always better to cook with gas for even heat, portable induction tops have a very small inducer so the heat is not going to have hot rings. You use too much oil, unless you want to pan fry and not seer.
I use both as my cast iron can do 1 steak and my stainless steel can do 2. I heat the stainless ever so slightly more and use coconut oil - then I get the same crust on both
I use cast iron for nearly all of my frying . I guess it's more personal preference , but I find that cast iron gives a better flavor to the meat than stainless steel. I have one carbon steel pan that I rarely use , so I can't say anything about the cooking with it , other than it does a good job when making a stir fry dish .I do like the idea of using ghee instead of oil or just plain butter .
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 never rest my steak on a flat surface because it will steam between surface and steak I rest on a metal grid to protect the crust, and only need to rest a lot less as both sides are exposed to the air
I use non-coated stainless steel (Fiskars), cast iron, and enameled cast iron (Le Creuset). My fav is the latter, but the stainless steel works surprisingly well, it's wide range and cleans easily. Cast iron has narrower range of applications, but there it excels.
One thing to note would be the difference in the "magnetic properties" between cast iron and stainless steel. With induction, the heat transfer will be more efficient with cast iron as it is more ferrous than induction friendly stainless steel (just use a magnet to test). - Cheers!
I prefer stainless over teflon, but a well seasoned cast iron is going to do an excellent job on a sear for sure. I have glass stove tops so I can't REALLY use cast iron without damaging it so it's stainless for me, BUT, if you get a pan with a good thick bottom for better heat retention and distribution you can get some really great results still. Allclad makes a great pan for that and I even can bake with it in the oven, which is how I make a roast beef with a mushroom pan gravy recipe that Chef John has on his channel. Usually though, I use the method you showed for broiling a steak in an electric oven. I did that last weekend with a few boneless New York strip steaks and they were perfect. Great crust and perfect medium rare color.
I can prepare steak with almost anything. For the most part, it comes down to manipulating the tools you have to reach your desired result. My favorite it cast iron sear followed by 500° oven. I like heavy SS if planing to use the fond. I love the taste of grilled steak, but charcoal grilling takes a bit more care.
Cast iron for everything! That all our grandparents used and most of them have out lives mostly everyone's expectations. Plus iron is good for your health and blood.
My computer screen must be glitching, left side of my screen looks borderline blue while the right side looks red. I prefer my cast when cooking steak but its been my go-to for decades. I've only been using SS for the past 3 years and honestly I instinctively keep reaching for the cast every time.
When I use my stainless to make a steak I crank up the heat a few seconds before flipping and you definitely have to give the other side a few minutes longer. Cast iron retains and distributes the heat better. I definitely prefer to cook a steak in my cast iron skillet.
A lot of good advice in these comments (and some not so good :)). One thing I do to assure an even sear is use some weight on the steak (like one of those smash burger tools, for instance). It will eliminate the pockets of light brown on the sear surface.
Should have added a little more ghee to the stainless steel pan when you flipped the steaks. Also worth using a burger press weight on both pans. Finally, it should also be noted that the stainless pan will experience cooling when you flip the steak, whereas the thicker cast iron pan is heavier and less affected. Turn up the heat on the stainless to compensate.
I love carbon steel, cast iron and stainless. I like carbon steel better than cast iron and stainless but stainless has advantages when used properly. I love that I can boil, reduce liquids and throw stainless in the dishwasher.
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.
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 can easily say, you lacked temp control with the stainless pan to produce a proper sear on the first flip., you simply had to give the pan more heat to get a beautiful sear. I use both stainless and cast iron on the weekends when I make dinner for the fam. I never let my steak come out of the pan without a proper sear and i make sure I keep them med-rare in the process
Bottom line, SS or Cast Iron need to be hot. Our brother proceeded to try and sear a steak on medium plus flipping it every minute. Unfortunately that's why you ended up with a couple mid steaks.
Obviously not a trained Chef or even a cook. Back th the burger bar with you. Turn a piece of beef every minute? Constantly moving the meat? Were you cooking a steak? Because it looked as though you were sauteing mushrooms, Maybe you should press a few more juices out
I'm not a cook or chef, but I have to wonder whether the fact that he was using induction cookers which may transmit energy a bit differently on cast iron vs stainless steel. See comments from JamesCAsphalt8 and hypercube69.
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?
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.
Mercury ball effect is officially called the leidenfrost effect
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.
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.
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 👍
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.
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.
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...
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.
This is great! Team cast iron here. I love the scientific approach and experimental observations. Maybe using a FLIR camera can give a visual reference for temperature reading along with the other devices. The FLiR may also be affected by the reflective surface of SS BUT (big butt here), you can read the temperature ad different angles for an average. Thanks for doing this✌️
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.
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.
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
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.
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 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
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
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....
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.
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.
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.
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...
Excellent. If we disregard the thermal capacity of metals, the heavier pan will always have a greater thermal carrying load than the lighter.
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
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 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.
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....
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.
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.
Just out of curiosity, is it considered normal to cook without a smoke extractor kind of machine in western countries?
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.
Which is healthiest?
108 this year-used cast iron pan-skillet-wok for 90 years-carbon good for skin complexion-iron good for blood-longevity-organic.
What steak did you use?
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
Going out on a limb with my choice B4 I watch... CAST IRON!
You need the temp up on the stainless midway through
Why didn’t you sear the sides?
Great vid. Answered persistent question. Like the insight about "mercury ball effect".
What tongs are those?
Your video was nicely done..... I live in an apartment and can't have a outdoor grill. I really miss the flavor of a charcoal grill. With that said, I've tried ALL kinds of cookware pans and have tried stove top and even baking. I've tried a LOT of different seasongs trying to duplicate the flavor of the charcoal and even tried using a Air Fryer. To me the Air Fryer just rendered a steak that was too dry as the juice (flavor goodness) just drips off, so I rarely use my Air Fryer.
My preference is to season with salt, pepper and meat tenderizer and putting them in the fridge in ziplock bags for a couple days. Then prior to cooking I remove them from the fridge and let rest on the counter top 30-45 mins then put a thin layer of steak sauce on it and wrap in tin foil and cook in a pan metal or roasting pan or even a corning ware baking dish SOMETHING THAT HAS A LID. I then cook low and slow around 200-250 F and closely monitor the temp. (my preference is medium rare) and I use a wireless blue tooth thermometer.
I really don't care about the crust from the sear..... I want a steak thats extremely tender (very easy to cut) and that is flavorful. I also like eating a steak that has a lot of fat cap (yes... I know its not good for me) but we all "like what we like" I don't even care about its color.... again its all about tenderness and flavor.
Then when plated and served, depending on its taste.... I may or may not add a little more steak sauce. For me, its ALL about tenderness and FLAVOR so I even blend my own steak sauce.
Closing words..... do as I have and EXPERIMENT AND FIND OUT WHAT "YOU" LIKE making notes of how you did it so that if its GOOD you can duplicate it.
Thats my take..... hope you find something useful with my method.... Also remember that cooking and experimenting is supposed to be fun so..... HAVE FUN !!
The other night I was dining out at a chain restaurant with my son and the tables were fairly close together and I couldn't help but over hear a table of ladies and when one was asked what they had for dinner the night before.... the other one replied... "I made a pizza"
I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as no one I know these days "makes pizza"!!! REALLY ? WHO DOES THAT? "Making" something implies being made from scratch and if truth be known.... she probably needs her husbands help to even turn on the stove's oven. It is what it is.
Bon Appetit
Why flip them every minute??
You get uniform browning on both sides. I recently started doing this and my steaks come out better. Each side is browned the same amount but still pink in the center.
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.
Excellent work! I learned a lot!
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.
Did nobody see that you mixed up which steak was from the cast iron pan when you put them on the cutting board ?
Why cook in oil?
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.
so the key is you can't use the exam same method. it might because the temperature drop a lot more than the cast iron when you flip. it might be good just let the pan hot again after dropping the meat, or just use wider stainless pan so you don't use the center of the pan but on the side for each side of the meat.
I didn't understand the problems with temperature. Isn't that an induction plate set to 300f? Then you know what temperature the pan is. Right? It's one of the huge advantages with induction. When I deep fry something, I just set the pot to 160C and wait and it'll be the correct temperature.
Is he touching the cast iron handle bare handed??
Those are induction burners. Firstly warping isn't going to make a difference and iron is going to absorb the magnetic fields so much better. Plenty of other issues with the induction.
What is the brand of your burner and stainless steel skillet? Thanks - I have an ancient electric stove that heats horribly...
Medium heat?
Best steaks are not seazoned before cooking. They're salted after and covered to release myoglobin and then reabsorb it (rest). A reverse sear is a pretty good method of cooking it to get a perfect crust. Also, you don't need so much grease at all.
Is your kitchen on the second floor 🤔
Thank you so much 😊for the video. Very well produced and crystal clear.
Cast iron/stainless with mapp gas blow torch assistance. Get that crust you want. Great for the edges. Fried and flame broiled at the same time.
Today was actually my very first clad stainless steak experiment. Very similar to this. I'll stick to cast iron or right on coals on the hearth. But it was not an unacceptable variation.
I suspect I need less oil in the stainless the=an I would in a cast
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.
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!
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.
I have started using a Blackstone Griddle.....
It’s always better to cook with gas for even heat, portable induction tops have a very small inducer so the heat is not going to have hot rings. You use too much oil, unless you want to pan fry and not seer.
I use both as my cast iron can do 1 steak and my stainless steel can do 2. I heat the stainless ever so slightly more and use coconut oil - then I get the same crust on both
I use cast iron for nearly all of my frying . I guess it's more personal preference , but I find that cast iron gives a better flavor to the meat than stainless steel. I have one carbon steel pan that I rarely use , so I can't say anything about the cooking with it , other than it does a good job when making a stir fry dish .I do like the idea of using ghee instead of oil or just plain butter .
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.
Having a wine stash above the cooker is beyond insane.
The answer and the third pan that you should have tested is Carbon Steel. I like it better than my cast iron.
I have exactly one cast iron skillet, 10 inch, which is used exclusively for steaks. Beef steaks. That's it.
I never rest my steak on a flat surface because it will steam between surface and steak
I rest on a metal grid to protect the crust, and only need to rest a lot less as both sides are exposed to the air
I use non-coated stainless steel (Fiskars), cast iron, and enameled cast iron (Le Creuset). My fav is the latter, but the stainless steel works surprisingly well, it's wide range and cleans easily. Cast iron has narrower range of applications, but there it excels.
One thing to note would be the difference in the "magnetic properties" between cast iron and stainless steel.
With induction, the heat transfer will be more efficient with cast iron as it is more ferrous than induction friendly stainless steel (just use a magnet to test).
- Cheers!
I prefer stainless over teflon, but a well seasoned cast iron is going to do an excellent job on a sear for sure. I have glass stove tops so I can't REALLY use cast iron without damaging it so it's stainless for me, BUT, if you get a pan with a good thick bottom for better heat retention and distribution you can get some really great results still. Allclad makes a great pan for that and I even can bake with it in the oven, which is how I make a roast beef with a mushroom pan gravy recipe that Chef John has on his channel. Usually though, I use the method you showed for broiling a steak in an electric oven. I did that last weekend with a few boneless New York strip steaks and they were perfect. Great crust and perfect medium rare color.
I can prepare steak with almost anything. For the most part, it comes down to manipulating the tools you have to reach your desired result. My favorite it cast iron sear followed by 500° oven. I like heavy SS if planing to use the fond. I love the taste of grilled steak, but charcoal grilling takes a bit more care.
Cast iron for everything! That all our grandparents used and most of them have out lives mostly everyone's expectations. Plus iron is good for your health and blood.
My computer screen must be glitching, left side of my screen looks borderline blue while the right side looks red.
I prefer my cast when cooking steak but its been my go-to for decades. I've only been using SS for the past 3 years and honestly I instinctively keep reaching for the cast every time.
Surface differences are negligible. What matters is time and temp, always.....
What kind of oil
You need to press down on the steak with a weight or spatula apply pressure for at least 1 minute on each side using the stainless pan
I use my old cowboy Skillet love that thing.
I will definitely try using the cast iron method.
When I use my stainless to make a steak I crank up the heat a few seconds before flipping and you definitely have to give the other side a few minutes longer. Cast iron retains and distributes the heat better. I definitely prefer to cook a steak in my cast iron skillet.
A lot of good advice in these comments (and some not so good :)). One thing I do to assure an even sear is use some weight on the steak (like one of those smash burger tools, for instance). It will eliminate the pockets of light brown on the sear surface.
Should have added a little more ghee to the stainless steel pan when you flipped the steaks. Also worth using a burger press weight on both pans. Finally, it should also be noted that the stainless pan will experience cooling when you flip the steak, whereas the thicker cast iron pan is heavier and less affected. Turn up the heat on the stainless to compensate.
I love carbon steel, cast iron and stainless.
I like carbon steel better than cast iron and stainless but stainless has advantages when used properly.
I love that I can boil, reduce liquids and throw stainless in the dishwasher.
Cast Iron Rules!
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.
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.
Great video but it's very easy to get that same crust on stainless. My dude had a yellowbellow too!! Nice!!
I can easily say, you lacked temp control with the stainless pan to produce a proper sear on the first flip., you simply had to give the pan more heat to get a beautiful sear. I use both stainless and cast iron on the weekends when I make dinner for the fam. I never let my steak come out of the pan without a proper sear and i make sure I keep them med-rare in the process
Bottom line, SS or Cast Iron need to be hot. Our brother proceeded to try and sear a steak on medium plus flipping it every minute. Unfortunately that's why you ended up with a couple mid steaks.
I just cooked a steak on cast iron and I can concur. The cast iron did a better job providing a better browned crusty surface on both sides.
Obviously not a trained Chef or even a cook. Back th the burger bar with you.
Turn a piece of beef every minute?
Constantly moving the meat?
Were you cooking a steak? Because it looked as though you were sauteing mushrooms,
Maybe you should press a few more juices out
I've found that if you treat stainless steel like cast iron, it will act like cast iron. No soap and oil it after use.
Personally prefer a decent thickness carbon steel pan for steaks. Cast iron is a very close second tho
I'm not a cook or chef, but I have to wonder whether the fact that he was using induction cookers which may transmit energy a bit differently on cast iron vs stainless steel. See comments from JamesCAsphalt8 and hypercube69.