Is there a safe non-stick pan??

[macimom]

My kids love to make scrambled eggs with cheese and it turns out to make a pretty hard to clean mess in the pan. Does a safe non-stick pan exist? Thanks!

[fruitfulmomma]

I use an enameled cast iron pan that has been heated to very high and then add my oil or butter to it. Not totally non-stick but the best option imo.

[Pepper44]

Nothing at all sticks to my cast iron skillet! Not even cheese. What little bit does stick peels right off. I seasoned it by rubbing bacon grease on it and heating it after each use/rinse.

[serenbat]

I use an enameled cast iron pan that has been heated to very high

You need to be careful, not enameled cast iron is designed to use HIGH heat.

We use Le Creuset.
A well seasoned regular cast iron will not stick.

www.lecreuset.co.uk/en-us/Care--Use/Cast-Iron/

[fruitfulmomma]

You need to be careful, not enameled cast iron is designed to use HIGH heat.

What would the issue be? I don't know my brand but I've been using it that way for several years with no noticeable problems.

[cristeen]

Of the brands labeled "non-stick" in the store - no, there are no safe ones (that actually work). Cook's Illustrated just reviewed them in the last issue.

I stick with my cast iron, like the pps. Once you get it well-seasoned and have learned how to use it, eggs come right out of it.

[BedHead]

Another vote for well seasoned cast iron

[LianneM]

After a few tries, I got the hang of scrambed eggs (with cheese! Yum!) with no sticking in my cast iron

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Cast Iron, the original non-stick! No problems at all. If it does stick, just heat the pan back up and use a brass pan brush to scrub it under hot water. Then heat the pan again to dry.

I was so very lucky to get an entire set of Cuisinart Green Pans from my darling, thoughtful, and well-fed DH for Christmas last year. But they took some getting used to. They are enamal/ceramic coated and CANNOT be used on high. MedHi is the limit. Also absolutely no metal in them, or scouring pads. But they are great. I adore them.

[Yulia_R]

I use cast iron or stainless steel. Both are pretty non-stick to me. Stainless still does get messy with eggs, but I'd put some water in it afterwards and then when I have the time it takes 1 minute to clean the egg leftovers softened by water.

[serenbat]

What would the issue be? I don't know my brand but I've been using it that way for several years with no noticeable problems.

Most pans are not designed to be heated that hot and most do not need you to waste the heat when they conduct just as well at a lower setting. I also find that clean up of sticky items is much better when you use no more than medium heat. Most pans to have marking on the back- some of the more popular pans like that are - Copco, Le Creuset, Dansk, Descoware, etc. (there are others)
I have some of all of these brands and love them, plus regular hundred year old cast iron. The fact that you can cook just as well at a lower setting and clean up is a breeze.

[Drummer's Wife]

I would love to start using cast iron, but until then, I have stainless and don't find it's that messy to make scrambled eggs. I just have enough fat in the pan before pouring the eggs in, and if necessary I use a wool pad to scrub it.

[BaBaBa]

There's an article on 'green' non stick skillets in the current Cook's Illustrated. I recommend you pick it up

Regular non stick coatings use two dangerous chemicals, PFOA (linked to birth defects) and PTFE (toxic fumes). Some 'green' skillets have eliminated both but many still contain one.

The CI review found that none of the 'green' skillets where good performs. Even the best of them (Scanpan, Earth Pan and Demeyere-Resto) were only recommended with reservations. While their performance was good, they rated fair or poor on design and durabilty.

Their recommendation is the original green skillet...... cast iron

[springbabes]

Just have them run water into the pan immediately afterward and let it soak. It should be very easy to clean.

[foreverinbluejeans]

I've read that with regular non-stick pans it is the high heat that cause the problems with the chemicals. Peeling is not supposed to hurt you, the chips pass right through unchanged. I don't use non-stick much, less than once a week.

I have waterless cookware that I got in the 1970s that doesn't stick even after all these years. It costs a lot but as you can see it lasts. Mine still looks almost new even after having 3 sons have cooked in them.

[fruitfulmomma]

Most pans are not designed to be heated that hot and most do not need you to waste the heat when they conduct just as well at a lower setting.

Okay, Well I should clarify...I did not mean turning the burner up on high. I have a gas range so we don't even have a "high" setting and I very rarely turn it up all the way. What I meant by "high heat" was to have the pan thoroughly heated before you start cooking. This is what was recommended to me by Mother Linda (http://www.motherlindas.com/ - She writes for WAPF) when I asked her the same questions about using non-stick pans and she said that having it heated first was the best way to keep eggs from sticking.

[Pepper44]

For what it's worth, I always heat the pan on medium heat (6 on my electric stove) and melt butter in it, then add the already scrambled eggs.

[CrunchyMamaToBe]

Our go-to skillet/frying pan is a Calphalon hard anodized pan. That's supposed to be pretty safe as long as it's not scratched. I've had it 10 years and no scratches yet.

It's not non-stick, but after finally reading the care instructions on their website (no "seasoning," scrub with soapy water, use lower heat that you think you might need), it's pretty stick-free. Things stay in the pan, but they come right out with washing. Occasionally we have to leave it to soak and then scour it, but that usually happens when we accidentally burn something or don't use enough butter/oil to start.