Should one season nonstick cookware?
I've lost count of the nonstick pots and pans I've replaced over the years because of the coating eventually flaking off. I hate throwing things away but am not keen on ingesting bits of industrial who-knows-what. I've just gone on a virtual shopping spree to replace two more pots and in the course of researching brands came across a blog whose author states that nonstick cookware should be seasoned periodically. This is news to me, and I wonder whether anyone else has heard of this. Has anyone here done this, and, if so, did it make a difference in the longevity of the pan?
I should add that I always use wood or plastic utensils and hand-wash my dishes, so it's disheartening that, no matter how much I spend on a pan, its deterioration seems to be inevitable.
6 Comments
Unsurprisingly consumers mostly abandoned cast iron and carbon steel in favor of convenience. You can toss a nonstick pan into the dishwasher, something that would strip the carefully developed seasoning layer off an iron/steel pan.
There is nothing that prevents you from owning both nonstick and iron/steel fry pans since they can be both acquired inexpensively. When my last 6" nonstick fry pan wore out, I decided not to replace it and just to stay with my cast iron skillet.
I have 10" fry pans in cast iron, carbon steel, and a cheap Winco nonstick (the latter will be found in pretty much every restaurant kitchen in the USA). I will select the one most appropriate for what I am cooking. None were pricey. I do know that I will need to replace the cheap Winco in 4-5 years. The other two will outlive me.
I have never heard of any recommendations to season nonstick cookware and I have been using this type of cookware surface for nearly three decades. Combined with other family members we have been using various nonstick pans for nearly half a century. None of our family was ever under the impressions that this stuff would last forever. Heck, even enamel chips.
The best approach is to buy something that doesn't need to be babied but doesn't cost a fortune. Thus I buy my nonstick frypans at a restaurant supply company. If I pay $20-30 for it and it lasts 7-8 years (under normal household usage), I'm fine with that. It doesn't owe me anything beyond that.
I have quite a few pieces of Scanpan, which I love, and so far they’ve held up. I’ve never seasoned them, and, according to their website, you can pan fry without oil (which I haven’t tried). I also have a small oxo skillet, which has also held up well. There are no instructions about seasoning on either website. I hope this helps.