this post was submitted on 16 May 2025
370 points (96.5% liked)

You Should Know

38548 readers
896 users here now

YSK - for all the things that can make your life easier!

The rules for posting and commenting, besides the rules defined here for lemmy.world, are as follows:

Rules (interactive)


Rule 1- All posts must begin with YSK.

All posts must begin with YSK. If you're a Mastodon user, then include YSK after @youshouldknow. This is a community to share tips and tricks that will help you improve your life.



Rule 2- Your post body text must include the reason "Why" YSK:

**In your post's text body, you must include the reason "Why" YSK: It’s helpful for readability, and informs readers about the importance of the content. **



Rule 3- Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here.

Do not seek mental, medical and professional help here. Breaking this rule will not get you or your post removed, but it will put you at risk, and possibly in danger.



Rule 4- No self promotion or upvote-farming of any kind.

That's it.



Rule 5- No baiting or sealioning or promoting an agenda.

Posts and comments which, instead of being of an innocuous nature, are specifically intended (based on reports and in the opinion of our crack moderation team) to bait users into ideological wars on charged political topics will be removed and the authors warned - or banned - depending on severity.



Rule 6- Regarding non-YSK posts.

Provided it is about the community itself, you may post non-YSK posts using the [META] tag on your post title.



Rule 7- You can't harass or disturb other members.

If you harass or discriminate against any individual member, you will be removed.

If you are a member, sympathizer or a resemblant of a movement that is known to largely hate, mock, discriminate against, and/or want to take lives of a group of people and you were provably vocal about your hate, then you will be banned on sight.

For further explanation, clarification and feedback about this rule, you may follow this link.



Rule 8- All comments should try to stay relevant to their parent content.



Rule 9- Reposts from other platforms are not allowed.

Let everyone have their own content.



Rule 10- The majority of bots aren't allowed to participate here.

Unless included in our Whitelist for Bots, your bot will not be allowed to participate in this community. To have your bot whitelisted, please contact the moderators for a short review.



Rule 11- Posts must actually be true: Disiniformation, trolling, and being misleading will not be tolerated. Repeated or egregious attempts will earn you a ban. This also applies to filing reports: If you continually file false reports YOU WILL BE BANNED! We can see who reports what, and shenanigans will not be tolerated.

If you file a report, include what specific rule is being violated and how.



Partnered Communities:

You can view our partnered communities list by following this link. To partner with our community and be included, you are free to message the moderators or comment on a pinned post.

Community Moderation

For inquiry on becoming a moderator of this community, you may comment on the pinned post of the time, or simply shoot a message to the current moderators.

Credits

Our icon(masterpiece) was made by @clen15!

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

No, this isn't a cast iron thing. Using stainless pans, you can get nonstick effects that, in my experience, far outperform Teflon anyway. The process is called "spot seasoning." I have cooked crispy, cheesy rice noodles with eggs with zero sticking.

I love my cast iron pans, but stainless is my daily go-to. Added bonus: use 100% copper wool to clean your stainless pan. The copper-coated wool at most grocery stores is problematic; you might get a few uses out of the coated garbage and then it starts shedding metal bits.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] SplashJackson@lemmy.ca 47 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

Isn't teflon a cancer-causing "forever chemical"?

[–] Dindonmasker@sh.itjust.works 47 points 2 weeks ago

Veritasium just released a video about teflon and it's impacts yesterday https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY tldw they say that it's fine for non-stick pans at lower temperatures but the smoke it creates at high temperatures is where the danger is. Especially for pet birds.

[–] Zagorath@aussie.zone 32 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Teflon itself is perfectly safe. It's far too large for your body to absorb.

But many of the byproducts involved in the production of teflon are much less safe.

In other words, if you already own a teflon pan, you're fine. Keep using it. But if you're considering buying a new pan, there are good reasons to avoid teflon.

Recent Veritasium video about "forever chemicals".

[–] frezik@midwest.social 10 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

It's also important to note that Teflon (PTFE) is used in a multitude of stuff, and there's no easy replacement. Got a 3D printer? The tube connecting the extruder motor to the hotend is probably PTFE.

The PTFE industry isn't going to collapse just because we all switch to different cooking pans.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 weeks ago

I have heard that coats are often covered with PTFE as well, as it makes the rain roll off rather than soak in

[–] Damage@feddit.it 2 points 2 weeks ago

Lots of food machinery is Teflon coated, for example mozzarella machines

[–] paraphrand@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Hey, did you hear veritasium made a video?

[–] huppakee@lemm.ee 7 points 2 weeks ago

No I didn't, you have a url for me? /s

[–] inlandempire@jlai.lu 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Yes

Idk what else to say so here's my favourite recipe

Ravitoto MalagasyIngredients:

Serves 8

1.5 kg beef

500 g pounded cassava leaves

2 large onions

6 cloves garlic

1 shallot

1 ginger

1 stock pot

salt, pepper

STEP 1

If you're not keen on pounding the cassava leaves yourself, you can find them in Afro-Asian grocery stores. You can even find them in the frozen section under the name 'saka saka'.

STEP 2

Cut the beef into large cubes, then sauté in oil until browned (about 10 minutes). Add a little water to cover the meat and cook for 20 minutes.

STEP 3

In a pot (such as a cast iron pot), brown the sliced ​​shallot in a little oil, then add the garlic and ginger.

STEP 4

Add the cassava leaves, salt, and a little more water and oil. Heat over low heat for about 30 minutes. Remember to stir regularly.

STEP 5

Peel and finely crush the garlic and add it to the mixture, continuing to stir. Let it heat for a good 10 minutes.

STEP 6

Then check that the water has drained. When the juice darkens, the dish will soon be fully cooked. The cassava leaves should have turned from green to black. Now pour in the broth and stir lightly.

The ravitoto is best served with rice.

[–] Hadriscus@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

oooohhh I was just in Nosy Be, I ordered a ravitoto once, unfortunately they didn't have the ingredients on that day. It's still a mystery to me. Mais j'adore le nom il me fait rigoler, j'imagine un mélange de Toto et du Ravi de la crèche

ah et je vois

1 ginger

je suis plutôt châtain j'espère que ça fout pas la recette en l'air

[–] inlandempire@jlai.lu 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Haha oui, en malgache ça se prononce presque comme raftoute !

Tu peux customiser la recette comme tu veux, l'important c'est le saka saka, je suis même en train de réfléchir à l'adapter en version vegan pour les gens qui ne mangent pas de viande!

[–] Hadriscus@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Saka saka c'est le feliki ? le manioc ?

[–] inlandempire@jlai.lu 2 points 2 weeks ago

Oui c'est ça, feuilles de manioc pilées, ça se trouve sous forme de boule surgelée

[–] AnarchistArtificer@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago

Is there a particular cut of beef that's ideal for this?

[–] SerotoninSwells@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Veritasium did a video on this topic a few days ago. I highly recommend it. There's a bit of nuance here, from what I understand, regarding PTFE which is the chemical composition that Chemours markets as Teflon. The video talks about PTFE being rather inert, passing through our bodies if we ingest it. The real issue is heating the substance above 350° C (662° in freedom units).

I'm not an expert but I think it's worth reading up on the subject. If there's anyone else more read up on the subject please let me know if I'm wrong here.

[–] _haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 8 points 2 weeks ago

They are used to produce teflon and will be released if the coating is damaged.

[–] fokker_de_beste@feddit.nl 5 points 2 weeks ago

Veritasium made an interesting video about this. The teflon on pans shouldn't be dangerous (unless heated above 350°C), but in the process of making teflon dangerous "forever chemicals" do get released

https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY

[–] Pothetato@lemmy.world -2 points 2 weeks ago

Veritasium just made a great video about the history of Teflon and related chemicals. I got claude to help me put here:

Teflon and PFAS Health Concerns

Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE) and related compounds have several health concerns:

Teflon itself

  • The intact, long-chain PTFE polymer generally passes through the body without being absorbed, as you noted
  • Not considered directly toxic when ingested in its stable form

Related harmful compounds

PFOA (C8) and PFOS:

  • Used historically in Teflon manufacturing (not present in final product)
  • Extremely persistent "forever chemicals" that bioaccumulate
  • Associated with:
    • Various cancers (kidney, testicular)
    • Immune system impairment
    • Thyroid disruption
    • Reproductive issues
    • Developmental problems

Shorter-chain PFAS (including C6):

  • Introduced as "safer" replacements for C8 compounds
  • Still very persistent in environment and bodies
  • Growing evidence suggests similar health concerns to longer chains
  • May be more mobile in environment

Heating concerns

Teflon breakdown:

  • At normal cooking temperatures (below 500°F/260°C): minimal risk
  • At high temperatures (above 500°F/260°C): Teflon begins to degrade
  • At very high temperatures (above 660°F/350°C): releases toxic gases including:
    • Fluorinated compounds
    • Particulate matter
    • Can cause "polymer fume fever" in humans (flu-like symptoms)
    • Fatal to birds due to sensitive respiratory systems

Recommendations:

  • Don't preheat empty pans
  • Avoid high-heat cooking with Teflon
  • Replace scratched or damaged Teflon cookware
  • Consider alternatives like cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic

I have never has success with stainless steel but I will definitely try the heat/wipe/fresh technique if I get a chance.