The main difference between smooth and textured cast iron is the presence of a pebbly surface in textured cast iron. On the other hand, smooth cast iron is polished after it is made, which gives it a smooth surface.

Regardless of their texture, textured cast-iron cookware can become non-stick if you season it the right way, while smooth cast-iron cookware usually has a non-stick coating that does not need to be seasoned.
Another critical difference between these two types of cookware is the price point: textured cast iron pans tend to cost less than smooth ones. Read on to learn more interesting similarities and differences between smooth and textured cast iron cookware and see which one you should get.
Table of Contents
- What is smooth cookware?
- How is textured cast iron cookware different?
- The Benefits and Drawbacks of Smooth Cast Iron
- The Benefits and Drawbacks of Textured Cast Iron
- Which one of these two is better overall?
- Easier Seasoning
- What to Cook with Smooth Cast Iron Cookware
- What to Cook with a Rough Carbon Steel Skillet
- One-Pan Meals
- Can you smooth/polish it and how should you do so?
What is smooth cookware?
Smooth cast iron cookware gets polished upon removing it from a mold. This is a nonstick pan, as long as you season it properly. Those that were manufactured during the late 19th and early 20th centuries are mostly in the smooth category of cast iron. This means that they have a smooth, nonstick coating. The major difference here when it comes to manufacturing is that there’s a polishing step before they’re ready to be put in boxes and sent out to the stores.
You may wonder if there’s any serious differences in regard to the effectiveness and how food tastes, as well as maintenance of these two types of carbon steel cookware. There are some beyond who they’re made, which we’ll get into right now.
How is textured cast iron cookware different?

One of the most notable ways to tell smooth and textured cast iron pans apart is that the rough cast iron has a pebbly surface. They are also nonstick as long as they are properly seasoned. Not every Lodge skillet cookware owner knows how to do this, and some may not even be aware that this is a necessary means of maintaining it.
In the long ago past, the technique for making such cookware involved pouring melted steel and iron into a mold. Then, they would remove it and grind the pans down by hand. This is a process that would usually take several days, and it resulted in cast iron pans that had a shiny, smooth nonstick surface.
Over time, companies began to produce cast iron by using new techniques such as the lodge pan. This is when they started to make textured cast iron cookware. Today, they’re able to produce these pieces within only about 2 hours. This is because they’ve done away with the polishing step.
Modern cast iron pans are pre-seasoned, whereas the vintage cast iron from the early days of making them were not made in this manner. Regardless, you can’t just sit back and not think about ever seasoning your pan again, as they do need frequent seasoning after you use them for the first time. It would benefit you to read up on the best ways to season rough cast iron cookware so you can keep them in good condition, working how you want them for many years.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Smooth Cast Iron

Pros
- There is a nostalgia factor when it comes to smooth cast iron since it’s likely what your parents or grandparents used.
- It has a non-stick enamel coating to it as long as you’re using the pan often enough and properly maintaining it.
- It likely cooks as well now as it did many years ago, if not better.
Cons
- Though smooth cast iron pans are a part of a time-honored tradition, many companies have discontinued the production of them.
- Enameled cast iron pans are smooth and can lose their texture over time if you’re not careful when using them, such as scraping them when using a metal spatula and similar utensils.
- You likely need to continue to polish cookware that has a smooth surface.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Textured Cast Iron
Pros
- Rough cast iron pans and cast iron pot tend to cost less due to skipping the polishing step, which equates to less time and money spent by the company.
- Some pans are textured on purpose and this leads cooking oils to adhere to the surface while undergoing the foundry seasoning process as well as during cooking and home maintenance.
- When rough cast iron skillets came into production more, there was a higher demand and more innovative designs were put on the market.
Cons
- Many fans of cast iron believe in choosing traditional cookware over the textured kind.
- Polishing your own frying pan can lead to major issues that include even breaking the pan. For this reason, it is preferable to bring them to an expert on this method.
- Some people think of smooth cast iron as more non-stick, though this isn’t necessarily true.
Which one of these two is better overall?

When you think about cookware, you may not have a strong opinion on whether you prefer smooth or rough cast iron. This is especially the case if you don’t have your own cast iron pans or haven’t owned any for all that long. If you have a family member or friend who gives you cookware they have no use for anymore, you would do well to learn about how they differ, what you need to do with them for maintenance, and what foods each of them cooks the best.
Over the last few decades, the number of individuals who liked smooth cast iron instead of textured pan steadily decreased. This is telling when you consider how people’s cooking practices have changed over time and how they have wanted more affordable options while having the ability to smooth/polish and otherwise care for their cookware themselves.
Easier Seasoning
It’s said that rough cast iron cookware is easier to season. This is due to the fact that the indents that make the pans rougher allow for vegetable oil and other varieties of oil to adhere. If you favor having something with non stick pan properties, then you’ll want to opt for smooth cookware.
Whichever of these varieties you end up choosing, you should know that both of them can be seasoned well. It’s good to keep in mind that unsuccessful cooking results tend to happen when you have cast iron cookware with uneven seasoning.
What to Cook with Smooth Cast Iron Cookware
When you’re working with a non-stick pan, you can cook things like delicate fish and eggs that wouldn’t do well in a traditional pan, but you should avoid acidic things such as lemons and tomatoes since this might react with the metal and make it leach into the food.
What to Cook with a Rough Carbon Steel Skillet

Textured pans can be used to cook a wide variety of foods. Of course, they work even better as time goes on since you’ll be seasoning them, so they create a natural non-stick surface.
Because cast iron is a dense metal, it takes longer to heat in general. The great thing is that it has better heat retention overall. It’s ideal when it comes to searing proteins and getting a wonderful outer crust on something like porterhouse steak or browning a meal such as pork chops with potatoes. You have the added benefit of moving this to the oven so that you can finish cooking your proteins after the initial browning.
One-Pan Meals
It truly is wonderful to have a simple cooking experience, and that’s what you get with cast iron cookware. Yes, you do need to learn certain kind of cooking technique just like with any other type of cooking, but you can put several things together in your rough cast iron pan and reduce your stress. This means less pans to wash, less headache, and more quality time with loved ones.
Some top meals you can make in a textured cast iron skillet include chicken or veggie stir-fry, beef curry with rice, cornbread topped chili, and pan fried pork chops. Make this next dinner party an easier process by using these pans to prepare a few dishes so you have plenty of options and don’t need to spend half the day cooking.
Can you smooth/polish it and how should you do so?
While cast iron cookware is typically rough, it can be smoothed or polished. This is an individual preference, though more modern manufacturers may offer rough pans, there are still some that come polished. This was typically how cast iron cookware was manufactured since the 1800s. However, manufacturers started making them rough because they hold "seasoning" better. The matter of which is better is hotly debated by many people.
If you choose to polish a cast iron pan yourself so it is smooth, you must take care to not over polish it. Cast iron is already brittle due to its nature and taking away too much of the metal can make the carbon steel pan thin. Avoid using any steel wool to clean it. This can lead to uneven surfaces which will affect its ability to cook. It can also weaken the metal and make it break. A professional manufacturer or someone who knows how to smooth cast iron cookware will be able to polish pans correctly. If you value your nonstick cookware, it may be worth it to have a professional perform this service.
There’s a great deal to love about cast iron, and no matter if you select smooth or textured cast iron, you’re sure to learn many things. Get started with pans made from stainless steel, carbon steel, and enameled cast iron today.