Cookware for vegan meals
I have a stainless steel pan which works great to fry most veggies, but I can't manage to cook tofu, tempeh and meat alternatives in it. They just stick too much, no matter how much oil and patience I try. Then I have a non-stick pan which is kinda old and it needs to be replaced.
What do you use? I think about getting a cast iron or carbon steel pan, but I don't know how well it will work and if it's worth it...
7 replies
RE cleaning stuck on food, I swear by bamboo pot scrubbers for this. Cheap and last for years.
debuyer makes some lighter carbon steel pans that are easier on your wrists compared to cast iron tanks ☞ https://www.debuyer.com/fr/454-cuisson-acier
we use stainless, carbon and cast iron. Don't torture yourself with cast iron unless you want a workout too while cooking.
I bought a de buyer mineral b in the end and i'm quite happy so far!
🤜🤛
I've been using cast iron for years. I'm not even sure how I'd get tofu of tempeh to stick to it.
I just use about a tablespoon on olive oil, heat it to low medium, then put whatever I'm cooking on.
Clean with soap. Leave to dry on stovetop (low heat) for about 5 minutes. If it needs more slide, reapply a tiny bit of oil and smear it around into a thin layer. Turn off the element when it starts smoking.
That's all there is to it.
I think previously I used too much heat and before the pieces could be turned they were already burned. Now with my new carbon steel pan I use lower heat and let food sit for a while and it works great!
Yeah, for heat I pretty much never go over the middle (medium) setting on my stovetop unless I'm boiling water or trying to make a resto style stirfry. I pretty much treat medium as my highest setting for virtually all of my stovetop cooking.
How does carbon steel compared to stainless steel would you say? I don't really have any complaints about stainless if it's oiled and preheated properly.