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Safety of Iron or Copper Pots and Pans?

Posted By Sue (St. Jospeh, Mi) on 02/02/2017

I am wondering if anyone can tell me if it's o.k. to cook in cast iron pans. I was also wondering about these new copper pans they are advertising on t.v. that nothing sticks too. My gut tells me they probably aren't healthy to cook on. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about the iron or the copper.

Replied by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/03/2017

Dear Sue,

I have been eating food cooked with cast iron my whole life. I have 2 cast iron skillets and one cast iron griddle that I keep on my stovetop because I use them constantly. Taken well care of, they will last for generations. My son has has one of my mother's skillets in his kitchen!

It will leach some iron into your food, which is good for many people. Those with high iron levels though, may need to choose something other than cast iron.

Cooking with cast iron is an art and takes some getting used to, but it is so worth it.

Somethings like chili and cornbread, taste better cooked in a cast iron skillet than glass pans, IMO.

Now, I may be biased in favor of cast iron because I have used it so long and love to cook with it.

I do not know anything about cooking with copper pans, on the other hand.

I do like glass cookware and my large stainless steel pots for many things.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Michael (New Zealand) on 02/04/2017

Hi Mama to Many (Tn)! My Pardner just asked me, "Does she (that's you! ) cook with gas OR this new-fangled electricity thingummy please?" We still have a set of cast iron pots which are now too heavy for her to lift and have been relegated to the DÃƒÂ©cor Department. But I must confess to quite liking my cast-iron frying pan (the one I use on the burglar) for the occasional treat of bacon and eggs (I am not allowed to do that as often as I used to though! ). We are thinking of getting a ceramic hob now, as our old stove/oven is costing us a lot to keep repaired, as our power fluctuates so much in our country area that it is hard on the element controls would you believe! How we will get on with the ceramics is a mute / moot point though!

Cheers, Michael

Replied by Mama To Many (Tn) on 02/04/2017

Dear Michael,

I am actually blessed to have two stove in my kitchen - a gas and an electric. The house came with electric but I am partial to gas, so we put one in. I use both. Daily. And I use my cast iron on both. The cast iron heats up more quickly on the gas stove, but the electric stove fries perfect eggs. I just have to let the skillet heat up for a while on a low-medium setting.

My electric is a glass cook top. And cast iron is a no-no. But I am careful. However, one of my cast iron skillets has this little lip around the edge. It really won't work on the electric. But the skillet that is completely flat on the bottom works.

I had an electric stove with coils in one of my houses and used the cast iron on it, too.

Oh - I guess the other reason I keep all my skillets on the stove top is because, yes, they are very heavy and I probably wouldn't use them so much if I had to put them in a cabinet.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Timh (Ky) on 02/05/2017

M: You may consider purchasing a Voltage Regulator on E-bay or Amazon. I have been having problems with my electricity because of Negative Ion Generators for Air Purification (they tend to depolarize the current). My unit helps prevent any sudden surges like when the refrigerator or especially the heat unit kicks on.

Replied by Michael (New Zealand) on 02/06/2017

Thanks to Mama to Many and Timh for your responses.

Yes, we will have to watch this fluctuations business whilst cooking in the future! Apparently, as the voltage shoots up or down, it is not the volts that does the damage but the corresponding, sudden change in the amps. We had those spike protectors years ago but have recently up-graded them on most valuable appliances but have neglected to do the same on the stove/cooker, as that draws higher amps. Shall seek out better protection for ceramic hob. City folks will not have this problem I guess. Lucky them. Getting a tad mechanical for this Health Site I suspect. A fella should change to gas but on LPG the savings (over electricity) would not be huge over here (circa 15%). Mmmm. What to do?? Sorry Deirdre.

Cheers, Michael

Replied by Sue (St. Jospeh, Mi) on 02/07/2017

Thanks everyone for your input. I have used cast iron for years and love it but I was wondering if the iron that leached into the food was a "heavy metal". Thanks Mama to Many. I LOVE my cast iron too. I even have a huge pizza pan that makes the best pizza crust you will ever have! Thanks again everyone for your input.

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