Most people who cook with cast-iron pans love them with the heat of a thousand suns. They’re a must for so many one-skillet meals and handy for everything from breakfast to dessert.

However, as good as your skillet can be for making all these favorites, it’s not a tool suited for all foods.

Delicate Fish:

The same heat retention that means your steak will get a beautiful brown crust in a cast iron pan will probably be the end of your lovely piece of trout or tilapia. Save the delicate fish for the non-stick pan. However, salmon and other meaty fish that can stand the heat are fine.

Eggs and Other Sticky Things (for a while):

Once your pan is well-seasoned, no problem at all. But when your pan is new, even though it’s seasoned, sticky things like eggs still may present a problem. Unless you like brown eggs and a gunky pan, relegate them to a regular non-stick pan for a while.