Give Me A Primer On Carbon Steel Frying Pans

[Phog Allen]

Okay gentlemen, I am going to be buying one of these pans for two reasons. First, I have wanted to do so for a long time. Second, our Tramontina 12" non-stick straight sided frying pan/chicken fryer/whatever style you need to call it is not working out. It is too thin, warped way too easily, and the coating is not that great. So with that, the carbon steel models are on the block for purchase. This will be an addendum to the 'kitchen gadgets' thread I started a few days ago.

I know the brands De Buyer and Matfer(I think?) and of course have watched YouTube videos on the matter. Just a few points to consider. First is weight. I have always seen comments that these are lighter than cast iron by quite a lot but a number of reviewers at Amazon refer to these as rather heavy. We also have an old 12" Lodge cast iron pan that is seasoned to perfect blackness and it is indeed heavy with a full load of taters or gravy in it. Seasoning. I have seen several 'perfect' methods offered as the only real way to do it. From heating with salt and working potato skins around the pan to pre-heating it to around 200F in the oven and adding just a thin layer of flax seed oil and then putting it back in the oven and raising the temperature up to 500F or so for about two hours and then killing the heat and letting the pan cool down in the oven without opening the door. Sounds reasonable to me since consistency is a good thing when tempering or seasoning metals. What say ye? Thanks.

 

[Tannhauser]

It's steel, so it'll be heavy, but not as heavy as cast iron. I seasoned mine with vegetable oil and "cooked" it on the stove, getting the oil to just smoking and then tilting the pan to move the oil around as it created that nice layer of polymerization on the surface. Mine is the Matfer brand. Was hard to get as Cooks Illustrated had recommended it, had to wait for a restock.

 

[Extrawurst]

I have done both, seasoning with oil, salt and potatoes and wiping it with flax seed oil. Both methods work fine. Which way you choose doesn't matter very much because the final seasoning builds up when using it.
Be sure the pan base isn't larger that the hotplate, otherwise it might warp. I also recommend a metal spatula to clean the pan while cooking, this way all you need is a kitchen paper to clean it up afterwards.

P.S. I think most people compare the weight to their aluminum non-stick pans.

 

[ciderguy]

I'm following to see what people's opinions are. I normally prefer cast iron for my cookware, but when I saw that Lodge makes carbon steel pans in the US I became interested in them.

 

[Extrawurst]

In my opinion they're as good as cast iron pans but have 2 advantages: They heat up much quicker and are easier to handle, especially for women.

 

[ouch]

I have a Matfer-Bourgeat, a Mauviel, a De Buyer, and a ridiculously priced Alessi. All are excellent.

Save the cast iron for searing steaks and use the carbon steel for most non acidic applications. Buy the thickest you can handle. They will last forever and improve with age.

 

[davent]

I can only speak to de Buyers, some of their larger pans have a second bail type handle opposite the regular handle to make dealing with a heavy load more easily managed.

dave

 

[Phog Allen]

Thanks gents. Good, sound advise. Amazon has some good pricing on the Matfers if you select the right options in the size box.

 

[Alacrity59]

When you cook with carbon steel or cast iron you learn things you should have known. Setting the temperature on high is great for boiling water but for me meat is best done at medium high. Eggs and pancakes at no more than medium.

I almost can't admit how many years I started breakfast by throwing the Teflon pan on the stove top and cranked it up full blast. Only turning it down when stuff began to burn. Followed by replacing my Teflon pans on an annual or even quicker basis.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

I own the Matfer-Bourgeat and really like it a lot. Heavy, but that's what's good about it. Building up the seasoning can be tricky. I don't cook acidic sauces and such like tomato sauce, it strips off some of the seasoning. Cleaning is not bad, sometimes with just a swipe from a paper towel. Most of the time I'll need to run some hot water and use a plastic bristled brush to get it clean from stuff that stuck.

 

[CurtisB81]

I have one from lodge, but the handle needs to be shorter..