How to Use Cast Iron Cookware on Glass Top Stoves

Cast iron cookware is the preferred cookware among many home and professional cooks. Due to the weight of cast iron cookware, you must take special care to use this cookware if you have a glass top stove. Pay close attention to how you place the cast iron cookware down on the glass top of the stove and never slide it because this can create permanent scratches on the stove top.

Things You'll Need

• Glass top stove cleaner and pads
• Dishcloth
• Oven mits

Instructions

1. Clean the top of the glass top stove and keep it clean when you are using cast iron cookware. Baked-on food residues on the stove top that come between the cooking surface and cast iron cookware can cause damage to the glass surface because it will scratch the glass surface. Apply a special glass top stove cleaner to the surface of the stove top and use the scrubbing pad to remove any food stains and cooked-on foods. Keeping your stove top impeccably clean will minimize damage and scratches from the cast iron cookware.

2. Wipe the bottom of the cast iron cookware with a damp dishcloth before placing it onto the stove top. This will help ensure the cast iron does not damage the glass stove top. If there is food residue on the bottom of the pan, this can scratch the glass stove top surface when you place the pan on the stove top.

3. Place the cast iron cookware directly down onto a burner. Never slide the cast iron cookware on or off a burner. Always set the cast iron cookware down gently and never drop it or bang it down onto the glass top.

Tips & Warnings

• Because of the superior heat conduction of cast iron, many cooks prefer using cast iron for their cooking and baking. Just because you have a glass stove top does not mean you cannot use your cast iron. You must use it with care, however.

• If you are baking with cast iron, use thick oven pads and mitts as you are removing the cast iron cookware from the oven. Cast iron gets exceedingly hot in the oven and if your oven mitts are not thick enough you may burn yourself. Always set a hot cast iron pan down onto the stove top gently to avoid breaking the glass stove top.

References

• Cooking in Cast Iron: Glass Top Stoves