That cheap $15 cast iron pan from the flea market warped on me after one high heat sear

I figured a little warping wouldn't matter but now the oil pools to one side and the steak cooks unevenly, has anyone had luck fixing a pan like that or do I just buy a new one from a real store?

3 comments

3 Comments

davis.adam25d ago

I saw a video from some old cooking guy once where he said even high end pans can warp if you shock them with heat too fast. Sounds like that flea market pan was just too thin to handle it, you know? The oil pooling thing is a dead giveaway that the warp is permanent in my experience. I've read that you can try tapping it with a hammer on a flat surface but honestly that usually just makes it worse or cracks the seasoning. Save yourself the headache and grab a Lodge or something from a real store, they're not that much more and they'll take a beating.

the_wren25d ago

Wait, it warped after just one sear? That's wild even for a cheap pan. I've had bargain bin pans last longer than that.

the_eric25d ago

That 30 second preheat on high is exactly what kills thin pans. The metal expands unevenly and you get that permanent dip in the middle every time. A Lodge costs maybe 25 bucks and even if you drop it off the counter it'll still sit flat on the burner.