I’ll start out with something scary…at least it scared me when I first heard about it. Studies were conducted on Teflon cookware to test for toxicity, and they came back positive!
At high temperatures (approximately 750 degrees F) Teflon will create toxic off gas. Now it seems like no one in their right mind would cook at 750, but if you’re preheating Teflon cookware with no food or liquid inside it can easily reach temperatures that high.
Why risk it?! These studies were enough for me to start looking for alternate cookware. I was pleasantly surprised to find some old classics that were more feasible than I gave them credit for.
OPTION 1: Copper Bottom Cookware
There is something to be said for combining metals in cookware, as long as it embraces their strengths. Stainless steel is known for being durable and easy to clean, but it isn’t the best at conducting the heat by itself.
Have no fear! That is where copper comes in. I now have one piece of Revere copper bottom cookware in my collection. The stainless steel is great, and the copper bottom conducts the heat quickly and easily. This way you get an even cooking heat.
The stainless steel isn’t as nonstick as Teflon, but it can be nonstick enough with a little cooking oil or butter, and anything that sticks can handle the scrubbing in the sink to get it off.
OPTION 2: Cast Iron Cookware
This one I didn’t expect to be interested in as an alternative. Mostly because I had only seen cast iron cookware that hadn’t been well cared for. After looking into it I found that cooking with cast iron can be great as long as you give it the proper upkeep.
UPKEEP
For starters, cast iron can rust easily, so always dry it immediately after washing.
As far as cooking on a nonstick surface is concerned, cast iron may not look like it is even close. The other upkeep process that you need to do is seasoning.
To season cast iron cookware there are a few steps:
-wash and dry your cast iron skillet or cookware
-preheat your oven to 250 degrees F
-wipe down your cookware with a thin layer of cooking oil
-Place in the oven for two hours
The heat opens up the pores of the iron, letting the oil seep in and seal them up, thus creating the nonstick surface.
There are even more Teflon-free options out there, but these two were on the top of my list. Hopefully, they’ll work for you.