Is It OK to Use a Cast Iron Skillet on a Glass-Top Stove?
While there are pros and cons to both gas and electric stovetops, there’s one thing you can feel good about regardless of which cooktop you’re using: cooking with cast iron. Yes, it’s true — electric stovetops (even ones with glass tops) can handle the trendy, trusty, and very heavy cookware, both regular and enameled.
We understand the fear: You’ve spent money on a shiny new glass-top stove (or are renting a space that has one), and you’re hesitant to use cast iron for fear of scratching, cracking, or staining it. But if you pay attention to the following reminders, you’ll be searing and sizzling away in no time.
Can You Use Cast Iron on a Glass-Top Stove?
Yes, you can safely use a cast iron skillet on a glass-top stove! Just make sure you follow the precautions below so you don’t damage the skillet or the surface, and you’ll be good to go.
How to Prep Your Cast Iron Before Cooking
Wash It Thoroughly Before Use
Oil and other residue on the bottom of cast iron cookware can carbonize when heated, leaving a black mark on a glass-top stove. Make sure your cast iron skillet is thoroughly washed and dried prior to use to avoid any stains or damage.
Wipe the Glass Down
Wipe the glass off before (and after) every use. We’ve created a handy step-by-step guide to cleaning a glass electric stovetop — but also check out the comments below, where dozens of readers have shared their favorite methods and products.
Watch for Chipped or Rough Edges
Be extra gentle with cookware that is chipped or has rough edges, as this is more likely to cause damage to the glass. However, engraved skillets or ones with designs on the bottom are fine to use.
Tips While Cooking
Preheat Your Griddle
Cast iron heats more slowly on a glass-top stove. If you’re using a cast iron griddle that spans two burners, allow the griddle to preheat for several minutes before cooking. The test kitchen team at Lodge Cast Iron, the oldest manufacturer of cast iron cookware remaining in the U.S. (and a favorite among Kitchn staffers), cook with cast iron on glass-top ranges every day. Lodge recommends heating cookware on low, and slowly bringing the heat up to medium or medium-high for the most consistent results and even heat distribution.
Give Yourself Ample Cooking Time
Because an electric cooktop needs to time to warm up (whereas heat from a gas flame is immediate), a dish made in a cast iron on an electric stove may take slightly more time than the same dish cooked using gas. During the testing for their book Cook It In Cast Iron, America’s Test Kitchen cooked each recipe twice: once on a gas stove, and once on an electric range. Their conclusion? “If you’re using a cast iron skillet on an electric range, you may find that you need to cook things slightly longer — use the upper ends of the timing ranges given in our recipes.”
What to Avoid
Don’t Slide the Skillet Around
While Lodge cooks with cast iron often, they still recommend exercising a certain amount of caution. “As with any heavy cookware, we take care not to drop it or slide it across the surface,” they wrote in a thread on their Facebook page dedicated to the topic.
Don’t Slam Your Skillet Down
Cast iron is heavy. Take care when moving it around or placing it on your glass-top stove so it doesn’t create any cracks or damage.
Don’t Leave the Skillet On the Stove After Cooking
Cast iron retains heat for a long time, so its best to not walk away after you’re done cooking. To avoid any marks or stains, remove the cookware from the stovetop immediately after using, and thoroughly wash both the interior and exterior of the pan after every use.
Check it out: Our tour of Lodge Manufacturing in South Pittsburg, Tennessee
Ready to get cooking? We have plenty of recipes to get you started.