Carbon Steel Skillets... do you love it more than Cast Iron?

[Bad Badger]

I have a pile of Lodge Cast Iron Skillets. I've always liked them, but I've recently been reading how Carbon Steel heats more evenly, is much lighter and cleans up easier.

I've been highly tempted to give the Matfer Bourgeat a try. It's made in France, 12 5/8", and about $50 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00076QWUY/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_9?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Anyone have experience with these? Do you like them much more than Cast Iron?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stamasd]

I use cast iron frequently, but as for carbon steel - I do have one, but don't find it useful. It doesn't heat evenly because it's much thinner than any cast iron pan. Food gets stuck to it very easily and burns. Forget about searing a steak.

 

[paintflinger]

I completely disagree with everything the poster above me stated.

I have and use both all the time. Carbon steel works as good or better in all cases.

I've got Debuyer Mineral B pans

 

[davent]

I completely disagree with everything the poster above me stated.

I have and use both all the time. Carbon steel works as good or better in all cases.

I've got Debuyer Mineral B pans

I've one of those De buyers as well, 11", plus a few no name cast irons in smaller sizes and i'm happy to grab whichever one is size appropriate for what i'm cooking. I'll add the Debuyer is a pretty heavy piece of steel, the 12" has a second handle to ease hauling around.
dave

 

[shavefan]

I own and use both. I actually have the exact pan the OP is interested in as well as several cast iron pans from several manufacturers. I like both.

Cast iron pans vary depending on quality. Years ago they were actually machined to have a very flat and even bottom. Today they are simply cast with a pebbly texture on their bottom which makes seasoning and the non stick properties a bit harder to achieve and in my opinion never will get as "good" as a machined cast iron pan. But they still are great. Cast iron is virtually indestructible, heats very evenly, and retains heat very well. It's also, relatively, very heavy.

Carbon steel pans are thin, relatively light, and great heat conductors. They are also very easy to season and get a slick non-stick coating. They also warp easier so demand a higher level of care as compared to cast iron.

The Matfer is an excellent pan.

 

[Ufgoodies]

I have grown a passion (read obsession) for cast iron cooking. I have rescued and reasoned close to 40 different vintage pans made out of cast iron, and i simply love them. I too read the joys of Carbon steel and accidentally found a Matfer bourgeat pan at a goodwill for $2 and could not pass it up. This pan was great at non stick, solidly built, nice thick metal on cooking surface, and had many similar cooking properties as cast iron...however it also weighed more than most of my antique cast iron and since it has the long handle it was as difficult to move one handed as my finex 12 (read lump of metal). The angled sides in the matfer also make cooking a little less enjoyable.

About 9 months ago i was at an antique store and found the Aus-ion solidteknics one piece pan for $32, and jumped on it. the metal isn't as thick though the way it's built also feels like the bends help reinforce the structure. The seasoning is not a beautiful pristine monotone, but it's just as nonstick as my cast iron. it does everything as good as cast iron, except scramble large batches of eggs. It doesn't have enough heat retention to maintain the temperature for scrambled eggs, but it sears meat like a beast. the best part is it heats in no time. If i want to fry up a few eggs, or warm something up real quick this is my go to pan. the transition from cooking surface to side wall is nice and round too, instead of angular like the Matfer.

 

[Alacrity59]

Carbon steel seems a tiny bit lighter and a bit easier to maintain.

 

[novitiate]

At one point I had a whole shelf of vintage Griswold & Wagner. I still have a current Lodge square skillet that I'll use but it's rotation is less frequent now. The reason is my wife started cooking w/ Le Crueset & Staub as well as ScanPan skillets. Once I started using those it got harder & harder to use my cast-iron and I sold a lot of it off. The ScanPan skillets have a ceramic coating over a stainless steel & aluminum base. They cook just like cast-iron IMO.

 

[paintflinger]

For the long handles with carbon steel, I grab it farther down the handle and use the handle behind this to brace against my underarm. Really helps with weight and handling.

 

[Red Rider]

Reserve black cast iron for BBQ and in oven cooking only . For stove top prefer either heavy gauge stainless steel or enameled cast iron such as Le Creuset or Staub of France. SS 3 ply plans I like All-Clad, Kirkland signature and old brand Cook-O-Matic.

 

[kelbro]

I tried them. Switched back to cast iron and my AllClads. Just didn't fill any gaps in my cookset.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

I have Matfer, and Staub, and All-Clad, and Viking. Love em all. Carbon steel, enameled cast iron and clad cookware all serve different needs.

Mac

 

[natenaaron]

I have a glass top stove (freaking hate the thing) so I don’t use cast iron. I’m afraid of breaking it. My carbon pans get a work out though and I really like them. I’ll use cast iron at my parents’ house. The only differences I see is thicker metal means it holds heat longer and takes a little longer to heat up. Weight! I have a bad wrist and the carbon pans are much lighter. YMMV

 

[kelbro]

I have a glass top stove (freaking hate the thing) so I don’t use cast iron. I’m afraid of breaking it. My carbon pans get a work out though and I really like them. I’ll use cast iron at my parents’ house. The only differences I see is thicker metal means it holds heat longer and takes a little longer to heat up. Weight! I have a bad wrist and the carbon pans are much lighter. YMMV

You make a good point. I'm about to move and our current house has a badass gas stove. The new one has a glass top. I may have to semi-retire my cast iron (just use for cornbread in the oven) and give the carbon another chance although I haven't seen anything yet that my AllClad 5-layers can't do.

 

[TexLaw]

I really have not ventured far into the world of carbon steel skillets. I've thought about it from time to time, but I love my cast iron. I have a bunch of Griswolds which are lighter and a heck of a lot smoother than what you can Lodge. The dadgum things are so smooth, you might think they were enameled or ceramic or something.

I like the weight of cast iron, and I don't see it as a downside unless you need to be very nimble with temperature control--not something I typically need. I do, however, enjoy stirring something in even a small skillet without needing to hold the handle, freeing up my other hand to grab or hold something I'm about to pitch into the mix.

 

[Ufgoodies]

You make a good point. I'm about to move and our current house has a badass gas stove. The new one has a glass top. I may have to semi-retire my cast iron (just use for cornbread in the oven) and give the carbon another chance although I haven't seen anything yet that my AllClad 5-layers can't do.

research the different kinds of carbon steel because between the two that i own, there's a world of difference. Matfer won some online review as the best carbon steel pan, but it doesn't do it for me really. The Solidteknics does wonders. If the carbon pan that you own doesn't seem great, it might be the pans fault

 

[kelbro]

research the different kinds of carbon steel because between the two that i own, there's a world of difference. Matfer won some online review as the best carbon steel pan, but it doesn't do it for me really. The Solidteknics does wonders. If the carbon pan that you own doesn't seem great, it might be the pans fault

Nice looking pans. I'm afraid that I don't have enough years left in me to get the value out of those. And, my daughter would probably sell them for $5 a piece at the estate sale!

 

[Alacrity59]

My glass stove top came with the house 20 years back. Maytag ceran top. I've been hoping the thing would die as I'd like to try induction. Cupboards are too close to do gas safely.

The stove top cleans up nice. It really does not look new . . . should I worry? The stove top is there to serve me. I'd rather be remembered for providing nice meals in a comfortable environment than entertaining in a place so perfect it is uncomfortable. Look. . . . tons of middle ground there.

Try not to yell at me without a trigger warning or making certain I'm close to a safe room.

 

[shavefan]

I use cast iron pans on my smooth glass top all the time, going on 8 years now. Unfortunately the top has held up very well. I hold out hope that the top will break to give an excuse to replace it with a gas cooktop. I really dislike the glass top. Really, really dislike it...

 

[stamasd]

Huh, so much hate for glass cooktops. I love mine. It's a Bosch. Been using cast iron on it for many years without a problem. No problems with other heavy objects either, up to and including 6-gallon batches of beer.