People tend to feel connected to their cast iron pans after using them for a long time. Cast iron pans are ideal for roasting potatoes, cooking pasta sauces, frying bacon, and many more. They are very resilient and versatile. While this type of cookware is easy to clean and maintain, there will be a point when you need to replace them.
If your cast iron pans look sad, it might be time to replace them. Below are some signs you need to dispose of your old cast iron pan and get a new one.
Table of Contents
It has a crack
Observe your cast iron pan for any cracks. Once you see one, replace it immediately before it splits in half while you cook. Even a hairline crack becomes bigger as heat and cold make cast iron expand and contract. Cracks can also become a breeding ground for bacteria and rust.
Fortunately, cast iron is recyclable. So instead of throwing them away, you can sell your damaged cast iron pans to recycling facilities like Langley Recycling, which will also help reduce landfill waste.
It has a wobbly base
Cookware warps due to temperature fluctuations or very high heat. When a cast iron pan is warped, it could have an uneven base. You can test it by placing it on a burner and pressing it down by the handle. Once you do this, a cast iron pan with an uneven base will wobble.
It might not affect your cooking performance, but an uneven pan heats unevenly. If you insist on using wobbly cookware, you have to stir the food frequently and check on it from time to time. If the wobbling is too much, it might cause food to spill from the pan. Replace the pan to avoid these issues while cooking.
It has a hole
A cast iron pan that has a hole is no longer usable. Imagining how a hole appears in a cast iron pan on its own might seem impossible, but rust can cause it. Some people also deliberately put holes through things previously used for toxic chemicals such as motor oil or lead. Better buy a new one if you inherited a cast iron pan with a hole.
Rust
Rust is a common problem of cast iron cookware users. But unlike holes and cracks, you can usually remove rusts on cast iron. If you have a rusted vintage pan at home, you can always clean it. Remove rust in cast iron using steel wool, rinsing, and re-seasoning it.
It has dust all over
You can always wash off the dust all over a cast iron pan, but dusty cookware shows you no longer use them. People usually store away things that they seldom need. For example, cast iron that is too inconvenient to use is often kept in kitchen cabinets. If you want to save space in your kitchen, pass your cast iron pan to someone else.
Conclusion
To conclude, cast iron pans might last long, but they don’t last forever. One day, you will have to replace them. So, once you see signs of damage in one of your cast iron pans, replace it right away.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos/xV7y6lQ90FM
