There is nothing I love more in this world than my cast iron skillet. It’s by far my favorite pan in the kitchen. People talk a lot about the differences between non-stick and cast iron, and while non-stick pans are great for things like eggs, that’s all they’re really good for (in my opinion). The cold hard truth is that cast iron pans get hotter, they are really easy to maintain, they are easy to clean, and they will last pretty much your entire life if you take care of them properly (which sounds intimidating, but isn’t hard at all). The one problem with it is this: they’re so heavy. Every time I use mine I break a sweat, and not because it’s hot. It’s like lifting a bag of rocks. But this was something I told myself I needed to learn to love, and I thought this would never change, not in a million years. And then I came across the No. 8 pan from Field Company.
It’s masterful: they somehow made a cast iron skillet that is both lightweight and smooth. Now, just to clarify, The Field Company pan is not light as a feather, but if you hold up another brand’s cast iron and compare, you’ll notice one arm will be significantly more tired than the other. Having a lighter cast iron pan means you can cook, stir, sautee, and toss easier in your pan, and all of it requires less muscle. The pan is also smoother than most. You can barely feel the metal rivulets, in fact, it feels closer to a non-stick than it does to a cast iron, making it great for cooking even more delicate foods. If you’re wondering what size, I recommend the No. 8. It’s big enough to hold four fried eggs at once to give some perspective, and is best for everyday cooking. The pan comes pre-seasoned, so you don’t need to worry about doing it yourself, and although some bits might end up sticking to the pan after cooking because it’s already coated, it’s super easy to clean them off. But the best part is, they were able to do all of this while keeping the price low, and it’s pretty good for the environment, too. Eighty percent of the pan is made out of recycled iron.
At the end of the day, a pan is a pan, I’m not going to argue that. But a pan that is this good is one you will have for the rest of your life, and one you’ll actually want to cook on daily.
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