# Stopping an excessive smoking from a pan?



## MERTON (Sep 4, 2006)

i use a cast iron skillet to cook hasbrown, vegetables, and eggs. when i cook the hashbrowns and veggies smoke just fills the whole apartment.

how do i stop this?


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## VegasDramaQueen (Sep 4, 2006)

_That's an easy one.  You have the heat turned up way too high.  Because cast iron holds the heat better than any other metal, turn your heat down to med/low at best.  Anything higher and you'll either burn your food or you'll create smoke. Maybe both.   If you pan is smoking  check the heat  level.   I cook all my meals on cast iron and never have this problem.  _


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## Gretchen (Sep 4, 2006)

As suggested, it doesn't have anything to do with the pan. You are cooking at too high a heat so that the grease is burning and smoking.


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## Mel! (Sep 5, 2006)

*smokey pan reply*

Hello Merton
When your pan starts smoking u could remove it from the heat for around 30 seconds, and then resume.
Mel


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## expatgirl (Sep 5, 2006)

Use peanut oil-----it can cook at higher temperatures---don't know if you can regulate your stove top or not-----if you had the gas burners I had in Egypt you had to invest in a heat diffuser which you can get here in the states. It's a round flat metal plate with lots of holes in it attached to a handle. You just place it over your gas burner and then put the pot on top.  The holes help to distribute the heat so that it's not as hot otherwise.  A lifesaver, believe me.


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## Robo410 (Sep 5, 2006)

cooking does require ventilation...no getting around that.


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## expatgirl (Sep 5, 2006)

Oh, I forgot to add that if  it is difficult for you or anyone else to regulate your flame, I have  found these heat diffusers at dollar and discount stores-----they're used  in a lot of 3rd world countries which is where most of the good stuff in dollar stores come from.  Good luck-----if you decide to throw out your cast iron skillet, however, let me know.  Ha!!


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