Coatings

[brianWE]

I am sure this one has been covered, before...but I haven't worked out the finer points of navigation, yet.:in_love:

Anyway, I use my landlord's kitchen for cooking.
He is a good cook....but pretty hopeless with caring for his gear. For instance, the few Teflon coated pans get severely scratched from scraping off burnt-on crud. (he does burn stuff when he wanders off and starts other jobs)

The question: assuming that the bits of coating, sometimes, find their way into food, does ingestion have any dangers?
Or would the particles be to small and too few to do harm?

[Calicolady]

Can't help with this one, brian.
But did want to welcome you to NCT.
Why don't you post an intro thread?
We'd like to hear about you.

[joec]

Teflon coating are known to kill birds that are close to them while being heated. Here are some tips for non stick surfaces I've picked up through the years. First low heat cooking only unless you are a TV chef that gets brand new pans every show. They just won't hold to searing meats or high heat as the bonding agent will separate over time. If you must have one or two either invest in cheap ones for eggs or go with the new high end ones that don't use Teflon but ceramics. I have only two a 10" and 12" ScanPan Pro which are PFOA-free (what kills birds). I really don't care what the manufacturer says about them I will not take the heat over medium and if I need more heat it will be tri-ply stainless, carbon steel or cast iron. Oh and scan pans are fine for metal utensils as well as a few others.

Oh and before I forget one the surface becomes scratched it is time to dump them period. Just my personal opinion on this as I can't quote post any facts but I'm sure they are some where out there.

[brianWE]

Thanks, Joe.
All very helpful......
I think I will stay with the stainless and cast iron pans.

[brianWE]

Can't help with this one, brian.
But did want to welcome you to NCT.
Why don't you post an intro thread?
We'd like to hear about you.


Thanks, Calico!!!
Not much to tell....too young to have much history.
Heck! I don't turn 70 until June.

[joec]

Glad to help another old timer since if you are turning 70 in June that makes you 7 years older than me as I turn 63 in June. Cast iron and carbon steel pans are really about the best non stick once seasoned properly and carbon steel is fairly light weight to boot. The only problem with both is they can sometimes impart tastes from the last thing cooked in them though not often. I use a lot of aluminum or copper core stainless as it has good heating properties, but does require oil, butter or some other substance to keep foods from sticking. They are also easy to clean with the right methods.

[brianWE]

Thanks, again, Joe.


Ah...to be 63 again:thumb:

From memory (or what is left of it), 63 was about the time everything started on the down-hill slide :confused:

[joec]

Actually for me partner it was 56 when things started to go down hill, though I'm still going strong but just not like I used to. Besides I already beat the odds since I have out lived both of my parents but 3 years now. :wink:

[Maverick2272]

The Teflon particles are not good for you. I never did hear the end of the debate on just how bad, but unhealthy for sure in the long run.
You might get by with a scratch or two, but once it flakes you have to chuck it. So, if you are cooking eggs one morning and notice a bunch of bits of Teflon came off and is stuck to the eggs... they say chuck the eggs and the pan!

[Rob Babcock]

Cast iron is great, I really love it. But pry my nonstick egg pans from my cold dead fingers!:yum:

[Locutus]

I use teflon quite a bit.

But like JoeC, ONLY for low and medium (actually low-end medium) heat.

Everything has it's place, and high heat applications is definitely not teflon's place. ( OTOH, I can't imagine usng anything else for scrambling eggs! ) :chef:

[brianWE]

Some really good stuff, here!!!