How to Use Cast Iron on Smooth Top Stoves

Cooking with cast iron can be a treat, allowing you to prepare meals the way centuries of chefs have prepared them. Unfortunately, cast iron and modern smooth-top stoves don't go well together. The base of your cast iron cooking implements can contain imperfections like burrs that can create scratches on the smooth-top surface, not only marring the stove's appearance but also affecting the even heating capabilities of the stovetop. Fortunately, there's a solution that avoids damage while still allowing you to enjoy a bit of cast iron cooking. Using a heat diffuser on your stove will create an intermediate smooth layer between the stove and pot, protecting the stove's surface while evenly distributing the heat to your cast iron cookware.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler
• Ceramic heat diffuser
• Cast iron pot or pan

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place a ruler across the center of the bottom of your cast iron pot or pan to measure its diameter.

   • 2

     Place a stovetop diffuser that's at least the same diameter as your pot or pan over the burner you wish to use on your stove, centered with the burner's location. The diffuser is a flat ceramic plate that fits onto the burner between the pan and the stovetop.

   • 3

     Place the cast iron pot or pan onto the diffuser, centered with the diffuser's position.

   • 4

     Turn on the burner and allow a minute or two for the diffuser to heat completely and transfer the heat upwards to the pan. Cook using the pan normally. When finished, turn off the burner and remove the pan as the diffuser may take a few minutes to dissipate the heat generated from the burner.