My first time trying a cast iron skillet went so wrong I almost gave up - what happened?

So my grandma gave me her old cast iron skillet, said it was the best thing ever. I seasoned it like the internet said, but my first batch of eggs stuck so bad I had to scrub for 20 minutes. Now I'm wondering if I messed up the seasoning or if nonstick pans are just better for some things. Has anyone else had a total failure with cast iron at first?

2 comments

2 Comments

thompson.reese1mo ago

Oh man, I gotta say I think you're overthinking this whole thing... cast iron is honestly overhyped for most people. I tried it for years and finally gave up because it's just too much work. Eggs always stick unless you use a ton of oil, and then you're basically deep frying your breakfast. Nonstick pans are way easier for delicate stuff like eggs and fish, and you don't have to baby them or worry about rust. I mean, my grandma's skillet probably worked for her because she cooked everything in lard and didn't care about sticking... but we don't live in the 1950s anymore.

parker1831mo ago

This reminds me of how everyone wants the "authentic" way to do things but forgets it came with a lot of grunt work back then. People see a vintage tool and assume it's automatically better without thinking about how much time and effort went into using it daily. Your point about the lard is spot on too, we've traded some old school elbow grease for convenience and that's not necessarily a bad thing.