Gas is better. You can't commit suicide by sticking your head in an electric oven. 
Actually, electric hobs have one great drawback: You can't cook on them using a wok. The base of the wok doesn't actually contact the rings, so no heat transfer takes place. For that, you need a gas flame. But why bother cooking anyway? That's what takeout was invented for.
Actually, electric hobs have one great drawback: You can't cook on them using a wok. The base of the wok doesn't actually contact the rings, so no heat transfer takes place. For that, you need a gas flame. But why bother cooking anyway? That's what takeout was invented for.
I know what you mean, I lived in Italy for three years and never used my oven after the first time. It wouldn't draw enough air to keep the flame going nd then would fill with gas and FOOM! Door blow open, big fireball. After that I figured out how to bake on the stovetop real quick.shemp said:
roger
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Reb,
the gas vs electric issue was well covered, but your question about the cast iron still needs to be addressed.
Cast iron has very low heat conductivity compared to materials used in other pans (alum., copper, etc). They are made very thick to help with heat distribution, but it doesn't make it perform like copper pans (which have excellent heat conductivity).
Iron pans are used because the have great heat retention, much better than copper.
The results of this made clear:
Put an iron pan and a copper pan on identical heat sources.
1-2 minutes into the heating, the copper will be equally hot throughout, while the iron pan will have a hot spot concentrated at the burner.
5-10 minutes into the heating: the iron pan achieve thermal equilibrium (really depends on a lot of factors, simplifing here)
Now slap a thick, cold steak in each pan.
The copper pan immediately releases its heat into the meat, and the surface temperature decreases markedly.
The iron pan releases its heat into the meat, but the surface temperature does not change, thus the meat continues searing.
So for searing a piece of meat, iron performs very well, but for doing something like preparing a delicate sauce, copper performs better because you can very quickly regulate the temperature.
You will see some pans made with sandwiches of materials, cast iron plus some other metal, to try to get the best of both worlds.
the gas vs electric issue was well covered, but your question about the cast iron still needs to be addressed.
Cast iron has very low heat conductivity compared to materials used in other pans (alum., copper, etc). They are made very thick to help with heat distribution, but it doesn't make it perform like copper pans (which have excellent heat conductivity).
Iron pans are used because the have great heat retention, much better than copper.
The results of this made clear:
Put an iron pan and a copper pan on identical heat sources.
1-2 minutes into the heating, the copper will be equally hot throughout, while the iron pan will have a hot spot concentrated at the burner.
5-10 minutes into the heating: the iron pan achieve thermal equilibrium (really depends on a lot of factors, simplifing here)
Now slap a thick, cold steak in each pan.
The copper pan immediately releases its heat into the meat, and the surface temperature decreases markedly.
The iron pan releases its heat into the meat, but the surface temperature does not change, thus the meat continues searing.
So for searing a piece of meat, iron performs very well, but for doing something like preparing a delicate sauce, copper performs better because you can very quickly regulate the temperature.
You will see some pans made with sandwiches of materials, cast iron plus some other metal, to try to get the best of both worlds.
pgwenthold
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Kimpatsu said:Gas is better. You can't commit suicide by sticking your head in an electric oven.
Actually, electric hobs have one great drawback: You can't cook on them using a wok. The base of the wok doesn't actually contact the rings, so no heat transfer takes place. For that, you need a gas flame.
This is when I miss my gas stove the most. I just can't get enough heat on the wok with the electric stove. I've turned my wire base upside down to get the wok closer to the filament, but it still doesn't cut it. We also have one of those electric woks, but that doesn't get hot enough either.
Anyone have any suggestions?
roger
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pgwenthold said:
yep. ditch the wok. Replace with a 12" saute pan. This is standard advice for Asian cooking in Western kitchens. Woks are designed for very high BTU's which even regular gas stoves are not capable of producing.
General concept is to heat the saute pan very hot, saute each ingredient in small batches (so pan retains heat), and then transfer to a holding plate. With a wok you'd push the food up the sides of the wok, but dumping it in a holding plate (pre-warmed if you like) serves the same purpose.
This advice applies even for gas stoves - unless you have a special wok burner with the BTU's necessary, you will end up steaming your food, not stir frying it, if you use a chinese wok.
bjornart
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Fade said:
Right, that would be an induction hob. Instead of having a high resistance coil in the hob and heating that, you have a highly conducting coil, which induces a current in your cookware. The cookware of course has to be conducive enough to allow the current to flow, while being just resistive enough to heat up.
If they ever become popular they will probably be a new scare. Just think of the EM field!
