Cooking For Engineers

Cormega · Guest

As a steak lover, I absolutely love cooking with cast iron. The lady and I recently moved and despite all my protesting, we ended up with a smoothtop stove. As many of you probably know, pretty much all the stove manufacturers warn against using cast iron on smoothtops because it can cause scratches.

So what to do? I'm thinking about putting a sheet of aluminum foil between the burner and the cast iron pan. Any idea if this would work without ending in a disaster? I read somewhere about aluminum foil melting in someone's oven, but it was not clear whether it was regular aluminum foil or coated aluminum foil.

If anyone has any ideas, please share! I miss my steak. Sad

CookNewb · Guest

Would buying a separate electric burner be out of the question? Or perhaps does cooking the steak in the over still in the cast iron vessel?

Cormega · Guest

Auspicious · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 3:39 pm Post subject:

Why electric at all? Get a portable gas burner. They are frequently used by caterers and outdoor chefs. They aren't expensive and the butane canisters are readily available.

Guest · Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:10 pm Post subject:

Are there any ill effects to using a portable gas burner indoors or is it not much different than a gas stove?

To be honest, the main reason that I'm staying away form this sort of solution is because the Mrs. refuses to let me get anymore kitchen gadgets. Anger

So, anyone have any idea about that aluminum foil? Sad

GaryProtein · Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 535

Howard · Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 64

If you don't espouse the sear-then-bake method, get an outdoor turkey fryer burner. Doubles as a sweet (and might I say tasty) wok burner.

IndyRob · Joined: 17 Dec 2006 Posts: 77

When a steak meets my cast iron skillet, the skillet is usually on my outdoor gas grill. I find I can get around a 760 degree F surface temp on the pan - versus around 400 degrees on my gas 'power burner' on my stovetop. So my first suggestion would be to try it outside. That's where men should be cooking anyway Wink

. I give the the steak about a 1-2 minute sear on each side and then put the pan into a 425 oven to finish.

So, if an outdoor grill is something you've acquired before the embargo, then that's what I'd recommend. I'd be curious to know if anyone has measured them surface temp of a cast iron pan on a charcoal grill.

But electrics (I'm talking about coils here), in my own anectotal evidence, seem to get hotter than gas stovetop burners (despite the low thermal reaction time). (I'd also be curious about measured temps there as well.)

It seems like a couple layers of aluminum foil could guard against scratches. If I recall correctly, the melting point of aluminum is above 1100 degrees F. That's about what Ruth's Chris has said their broiler temps are at.

But use this info at your own risk of course.

Guest · Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:35 am Post subject:

I use my cast iron my glasstop all the time. I figure if it scratches, it will be a good excuse to switch to gas.

Jim Cooley · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Posts: 377 Location: Seattle

I'd strongly suggest skipping the aluminium foil idea -- on high heat you could melt the foil and end up with a huge mess on your hands.

I too love cast iron, but it doesn't work well on my smoothtop primarily because it's not perfectly flat. When I really need to use it, I have a single burner propane (or butane?) unit that works just fine.

http://www.amazon.com/000-BTU-Portable-Burner-06-0004/dp/B00125R7SU

kevenjoo · Joined: 12 May 2010 Posts: 1

It is maybe the foil which is not coated or the regular one. We had this smoothtop oven too. We've been using that for so long.

An-Engineer's-Wife · Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Posts: 1

I use baking paper/parchment paper - between the pan and the smooth top of my induction cooktop. Works great!
Please don't use foil. You could end up ruining your cooktop.

DJLake · Guest

I'd be careful, sometimes (according to Reynolds) aluminum foil will react when in contact with other metals, notably cast iron skillets, and the foil will end up with lots of holes in it as the aluminum turns to aluminun salts due to the reaction. Supposedly they are not harmful to humans if accidently consumed.

MichelCleark · Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 11:15 am Post subject: Tools, Equipment, and Gadgets

Using a aluminum foil in your kitchen will not harm you physically and I think it takes time to turn aluminum to aluminum salt. It is not a fast process, though it is a continuous process.

dlmz06 · Joined: 11 Dec 2014 Posts: 3

I just set the corner of Reynolds aluminum foil on fire. I had it extending beyond the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Yes the pot heated ok. But where the foil curled and contacted the outer grounded metal frame it flared orange and ignited! Small flame but sufficient to catch any spilled oil on the cooktop or any flamable nearby on fire. I'd say not safe. As for parchement paper,
If an empty pan is placed on the cooker on high power, I char even the high temp parchement paper.

A fine sprinkle of baking powder works great. Just a fine dust, sprinkled like salt. Acts as a dry lubricant. Also the manufactureres recommend it as a glass cleaner. Cleans up with a wet paper towel. And the layer of dust is so thin it doesn't affect the induction field pot heating in my tests. It also doesn't char or burn Smile

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