I don't see why a cast iron pan wouldn't work. Your timing would be a little different because they retain heat better. Once you get used to it, it shouldn't be an issue. Keep in mind though that the size of the pan needs to be appropriate to the piece of fish you're roasting as discussed in the video.

For what it's worth, the pan used in this video is made by Update. I was able to pick a bunch up at my local restaurant supply store on sale for $12 a pop. They great pans.

@ Mastayoou,

If I brine the fish first (which is almost always) I don't add any seasoning during the cooking process. All of the seasoning is coming from my brine. I've brined fish for up to 24 hours and haven't really noticed a difference in flavor. As long as you let it sit in a 5% brine for at least 2 hours, you're good to go.

Since the brine seasons the fish from the inside out, the flavors are much more balanced instead of just having a salt crust on the exterior. I also find that it gives me a better crust when I sear and releases from the pan much easier once the pan roasting process is completed.

Regular canola oil will work just fine. You'll get slightly better results with the 50/50 mix but it isn't completely necessary. Whole butter will brown and burn too quickly, which is why you only want to use it in its clarified state for high heat cooking methods like pan roasting.

The reason why you always hear me talk about canola oil is because I can buy it in 5 gallon containers for the restaurant, it's reasonably priced, has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor.

The darker the olive oil, the more dissolved particulate matter. This means more flavor, but also a lower smoke point. So with that said, something like light olive oil would work great as a substitution for canola oil in a high heat cooking process. Just taste it first to make sure it has a somewhat neutral flavor.

As far as baking is concerned I'm pretty sure that's application specific. Obviously you wouldn't want to use it in pie crust instead of butter, but that could be said of all oils. Also, when you add olive oil to something like focaccia, you actually add it for its flavor. I would have to see it in context to understand why they don't recommend light olive oil for baking.

@ debs20,

Take the total weight of your water and multiply by .05 (5%). Add this amount of salt to your water and you'll have a 5% brine. For example, if you had a 100g water, your calculation would look like this:

100g x 0.05 = 5g of salt

5g salt + 100g water = 5% Brine.

@ Patrick,

The pans that I have at Stella are Update. They're the same pans I use in the video and for the price I absolutely love them. They're usually only available in Restaurant Supply stores but very reasonably priced. A small one will cost you about $15 and a large pan about $30-$40 (sometimes cheaper if you can find them on sale).

There's nothing wrong with All Clad, they're great pans, I just think that Updates work just as good for a fraction of the price.

I've had these particular pans for about a year now and we use them more on a nightly basis then you probably will in 6 months. They're definitely durable. Look for a pan with a thick bottom that's made of stainless steel and you'll be in good shape.