Cast iron vs stainless for searing - which actually gives you a better crust in a pro kitchen?

I've been on the line for about 3 years now and always used cast iron for steaks. But last month I picked up a heavy stainless pan from a garage sale and tried it side by side with my old Lodge. Same steak, same heat, same oil. The crust on the stainless one was honestly way more even and came off the pan cleaner. Cast iron gave better color in spots but had way more sticking. Now I'm wondering if I've been wasting time with cast iron for searing in a rush. The stainless cleaned up in like 30 seconds too. Anyone else made this switch or got reasons to stick with cast iron?

2 comments

2 Comments

mia7481d agoTop Commenter

Idk, I've been on the cast iron train for years but your point about even crust is making me rethink everything. I mean, that spotty color thing is real, especially when you're trying to get a perfect sear on a busy night. The cleanup part is huge too, cast iron is such a pain to scrub when you're slammed. Maybe it's just me, but I think stainless might actually be the better move for speed and consistency in a pro setting.

brian_rivera591d agoMost Upvoted

Gotta disagree hard here. In my experience, that spotty color issue with cast iron is usually from rushing the preheat or using too much oil, not the pan itself. Stainless will give you a more even crust on paper but it sticks like crazy unless you nail the temp and technique every single time. Cast iron might need a bit more care on cleanup but once you get the seasoning right it's basically non-stick and you can scrape stuff off without ruining it. Stainless is a nightmare when you're busy because if something sticks its game over for that batch. Take this with a grain of salt but I've seen way more wrecked stainless pans in busy kitchens than beat up cast iron.