Need help finding more info on Professional Pro Steel Blue Carbon Steel frying pans

[endeavor]

ps,
pannacotta, I wasn't able to edit my post again above, so had to make a new one but also wanted to add:
..the wife asked me to say that this is the one she was going to get, before, she got the one at TJMax and then was excited that she saved $ ..however when she found out about the Coating on the Lotus Rock Carbon we got, not being really sure the bottom line truth of it if good, bad, or indifferent, she's second guessing herself till she knows the truth. Also she said she likes the (DeBuyer) one you mentioned and that she looked it up.
LoL, next time I am going to get her to post

 

[pannacotta]

Hi Endeavor..

Thanks for the 2 posts!

Little kid home from school today so not a lot of time ! Thank you for correcting me on the link - I got them all mixed up and greetings to your wife

I looked up her pan and I have to say it feels 'safer' as I know it's steel with no coatings. I *just* bought a second Nambu Tekki skillet days before I stumbled into TJ Maxx Home whatever it's called.. so I might give the pocket book a rest for a bit but I've put it on my list for sure - thank you Wife (;

Below is the name of the Mineral B - Had a beeswax coating originally, and basically works beautifully EXCEPT for the dome in the middle. I still use it for gallettes and crepes despite this so it's not too bad. I'm not sure if I got a bad one or perhaps overheated it at some point. I got mine in Paris and it was cheaper than Amazon here (few years back don't remember price.. difference enough that I lugged it back in my suitcase) but I notice some of the Amazon reviews mention the convex problem too.

MINERAL B Round Carbon Steel Crepe/Tortilla Pan 12-Inch

I did send a bunch of questions to the LotusRock people so let's see if they reply. I'd like peace of mind basically when I use the pan.. but I figure that at $17 for 2 pens if I start to get twitchy about using them I can always donate to Goodwill. I lived/worked in China and also inspected many a factory in China so am super aware of the worthlessness of many factory's claims to 'eco this' and 'safe that'. Not all factories in China are bad of course, just as not everything made in the US or Switzerland is good (Switzerland because it's much touted as a paragon of clean manufacturing!) but in general, in a developing country like China..I've found the priority of a majority of factory managers is to make as much money as possible, and the minute the inspector is out the door quality can dramatically change.. to save a bit. Some even made a wonderful product in a batch of 100 and send that for testing.. but that's not what's made on the production line normally.

What puzzles me about this company is the contrast between seemingly willing transparency - see the FAQ with good English answers, and the complete opaqueness of what company this is/who runs it/ how did it start. All we have to go on is a brand name which one of you found out with some digging. It's not on the packages and we don't even know where in China it's made. Why the mystery.. and also why sell only to TJ MAxx which is hardly a big mover of kitchen stuff, compared to say, Macy's or Williams Sonoma.

It's just a bit odd!

But for now I'll use it and see.. so far cooking on it has been a dream.

Sorry I went on a bit! Happy evening from Massachusetts to you and Wife!

 

[endeavor]

We both lived in Massachusetts for a while as well ..and are still now not too far away.
Awesome that you lived in China - I love the Orient and many things about their cultures.
Sometimes, when I hear certain music from those countries, I feel a longing in my soul..
Also love to watch movies from Oriental countries as well, especially, quality, martial arts; so does the wife!

Here's the DeBuyers ones she looked at too:
Mineral B
Regular
...seems she is really into the 12" ones, but has smaller ones too.
Years ago, LoL, she bought a Wolfgang Puck set of SS pans from TV, and still has them too!
Actually they were pretty good pans, and of course, he bought them in quantity from a supplier that their job is to cater to quantity buyers who create their own name.

Yeah $17 for your two pans was an Excellent! buy, good for you.

I don't think that Lotus Rock just makes it for TJMax brand, I think, as it was alluded to previously, that Lotus Rock makes pans for any Celebrity or Anyone with deep pockets and can buy Quantity, they buy and put their name on it. Somehow I think TJMax gets their odd and ends, etc? ..and then slips that generic label on it we all are seeing. I don't know all that for a fact, but that was my impression. That's why you never see TJMAx have a complete supply of them, just ones and twozies ..well that is unless at your store they do have the full line?

Maybe Lotus Rock doesn't say exactly where they get it, so that someone else doesn't get the idea to become a distributer too, and then be in competition with them ..is my guess

Okay ...have a good weekend
Wife says hello, and she is off for Saturday morning grocery shopping ..said she may even swing buy our TJMax store for the heck of it, because she has the buyer there checking on things about this pan for her; hopefully she gets some good info.

I am going to have her type all this the next time <vbg>
She is the gourmet cook of the house though, I am the gourmet techie..

 

[natenaaron]

I have two of the DeBuyer black steel pans and they rock.

 

[Mick]

SWMBO picked up this new black steel pan at the thrift store. Yes, the price tag does say $4.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Score!

 

[Mick]

Score!

It's not as thick as I would have liked but no way would I complain.

 

[alirz]

So I bought three of these pro steel blue carbon pans (nit thefrom tj max. I’m trying to understand why are they black? What is the coating they have? Isn’t a carbon steel pan non coated? Should I be following the usual steps of seasoning these pans?
The discoloration the op shows in his pan, I’m starting to get that also so it seems like whateve black coating they have on these is burning off? Needs to be reseasoned as other steel pans?

 

[endeavor]

hello alirz,

The color of the pan brand new is a black/blueish color, and that is just how it is.
Yes they do put a coating on when new, they say that right on the tag,
On the first use the pan was excellent non-stick, etc, with all that ..but yes it does wear off soon after as you go along.
The cooking discoloration is normal.
Yes it's very good to season it, at least my wife does every time after she is finished washing it, dries it, and then puts a thin coat of olive oil on it. Also, every other time after coating with olive oil, heats it on the stove just Before it would smoke, shut the burner off leaving it to cool, and then wipe out the pan and then rinse with water only no soap, and puts it away.
She is saying she does not heat it every single time, depends on how it looks, but she does wipe it down with olive oil every time and wipes that in.

However on the tag that comes with the pan how and why to season it does it a little differently, which is.... well, it's too much to type, so I will just scan what the tags on one of her pans say here, and post it.

Do what is right for your particular situation, experience, and usage....
My wife is an Exceptional cook, like many of you are I'm sure!

 

[alirz]

Well, part of my pan had burnt after first use of searing a steak in it. So I decided to take a scotch pad to it and some comex powder. That basically stripped the black coating from the pan, exposing the silver metal. So I said ok I'll just season it like a carbon steel pan usually is. Same steps as they suggested.

After seasoning it, I decided to make an omelette in it. I used a decent amount of oil but that omelette bonded with the pan like freaking glue...looks like I might just have to throw this pan in the garbage...I had really high hopes that perhaps I had found the holy Grail of a non stick pan...but sadly no.
This is how it looks at the moment, I've pretty much scrubbed it down again to remove some of the seasoning, thinking what I should I do next.

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[kelbro]

I've never had good luck with eggs right after seasoning. Need to do some bacon, some potatoes, etc... and build up a natural seasoning before trying eggs.

You didn't say how many coats of seasoning that you did.

May have been too high of heat or you didn't let it soak at the low heat long enough before you put your oil in and started cooking.

 

[alirz]

Well in honesty, it was just the first coat of seasoning after which I tried eggs. Are you suggesting that I keep using the pan for other stuff till a good seasoning develops on it?
Based on what I know now, this pan was never meant to be seasoned like this. The blackish blueish coating it comes with is it's non stick surface. Once you scrub that off it turns into a regular steel pan .

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[kelbro]

Well in honesty, it was just the first coat of seasoning after which I tried eggs. Are you suggesting that I keep using the pan for other stuff till a good seasoning develops on it?
Based on what I know now, this pan was never meant to be seasoned like this. The blackish blueish coating it comes with is it's non stick surface. Once you scrub that off it turns into a regular steel pan .

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Yes, build up a 'seasoning' with a few cooks before trying eggs.

Then, low to medium-low heat. Oil/fat shimmering. Add huevos.

 

[shavefan]

I have a carbon steel crepe (Matfer Bourgeat) pan that was a bit of a bear when new, even after seasoning. A couple years later, eggs slide around on it like those Copper pan things in the infomercials. Keep using it, they get better.

One important thing about carbon steel, heat slowly and never let them overheat. Ruins them.

I did this for the initial seasoning. Worked really well...
https://cdnimg.webstaurantstore.com/documents/pdf/how-to-season-your-black-steel-pan_1.pdf

 

[alirz]

Thanks for the info. However the thing is that your pan or most other carbon steel pans don't have any coating on them so you can season them as usual. I have the same one as the OP and they are not bare steel, they have some type of forged seasoning. so heaTng them with oil does nothing.
But now I've gone ahead and scrubbed it with steel wool as it had gotten all burnt due to over heating. So now it's factory coat is pretty much gone.
So now I am aim to season it. However I don't plan on waiting years before I can use them for eggs. Lol

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[shavefan]

Oh, it didn't take years, I was just saying how good it is. Probably took half a dozen seasonings/usages before it was good to go. They just keep getting better if you use them and treat them right. And yes, you stripped any "factory seasoning" it may have had.

 

[alirz]

What do you recommend I fry in there other than potato skins to get the seasoning going? Do wash with soap after each soap? Doesn't that simply remove the seasoning somewhat?
Am I supposed to be able to feel the seasoning later with my nails or it should be smooth?

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[alirz]

I ask the above because my first seasoning is not uniformly smooth.it seems blotchy and grimy in places.i was expecting a super smooth later you can barely even feel with your fingers
You can see in the pic below what I'm talking about.again this is just the first seasoning coat.

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[shavefan]

What do you recommend I fry in there other than potato skins to get the seasoning going? Do wash with soap after each soap? Doesn't that simply remove the seasoning somewhat?
Am I supposed to be able to feel the seasoning later with my nails or it should be smooth?

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This should help. They go into seasoning and cleaning...

 

[Graydog]

I am always amazed at the wisdom of this forum