De Buyer steel frypans

[11.4]

I've used these pans for years, in preference in particular to cast iron. Hey, it's the same element and just finished better with better handles and design, and much more crack resistant if you put it down too hard.

Amazon is now carrying the Eiffel Tower version of these pans (same pan, just with the top-of-the-line cast stainless handle in the shape of the Eiffel tower) and the prices are crazy low. The 24 cm pan is $40 and the 28 cm has been $47. They also have the 20 cm and the small blini pan, all in the same style. This handle doesn't conduct heat to the hand like the little strip metal ones, plus it's the widest so it best resists torquing of the pan in your hand. Plus it's cool. If you've wanted to try a pan you cure, or wanted to get into steel pans in a bigger way, it's a good deal.

[ericpmoss]

Yup -- buy these pans! The Eiffel tower version is really pretty, and I like the handle. The normal handle works great for a hand in a towel, but this is great for bare hands.

[darkmother]

Ordered one. Excited to try it out. I use my cast iron pan almost every day, curious to see what carbon steel is like.

Thanks for the tip.

[caleb]

I wish they'd bring back the carbon steel pans with cast iron handles. I've searched all over for them without luck.

[Too Tall]

I wish they'd bring back the carbon steel pans with cast iron handles. I've searched all over for them without luck.

Don't overlook the upcoming sale here >> https://bluskilletironware.com/updates/

[ericpmoss]

Don't overlook the upcoming sale here >> https://bluskilletironware.com/updates/

Thanks for that! I do like the deBuyer pans (I have two), and for a commercial environment, they make far more sense than a BluSkillet. However, the BluSkillet French skillet I bought is the best frying pan I've ever used. Ever. Not sure why it would be, but it just is. I have to be more careful than I might with a $50 pan, but holy crap it's the pan for anyone that can justify (honestly or not) $300 for it. Don't take me too seriously, though -- I just got my insanely expensive Nakiri knife, and feel like it was totally worth it. It's so satisfying cutting 1/32" tomato slices just using the weight of the blade. Ahem -- I had a bowl of corn flakes for supper.

[11.4]

I wish they'd bring back the carbon steel pans with cast iron handles. I've searched all over for them without luck.

They got crazy expensive, just a little less than the copper ones with cast iron handles.

I do have a matched set of four crepe pans in that design if you're interested. Treated but never used.

[darkmother]

Slight thread drift, but how do you season the carbon steel pans? Previously I seasoned my cast iron pan baked in the oven with many coats of flax oil at 500 F, but I doubt I will repeat that process, too smoky and hot.

Cook a bunch of bacon and call it good?

[caleb]

They got crazy expensive, just a little less than the copper ones with cast iron handles.

I do have a matched set of four crepe pans in that design if you're interested. Treated but never used.

Huh, the cost explanation makes a little more sense than the tale about the foundary burning down, but how expensive and/or difficult can it be to get some cast iron handles knocked out to spec? Both the sourcing and cost explanations seem a little strange. The Smith Foundary is maybe a half mile down the Greenway from me here in Minneapolis, and they could probably have a container of cast handles waiting at the factory in France when the workers get back from their August vacation. I have to imagine there are places in France that could do it too, and it seems odd that they'd be any more expensive than the stainless handles that Mauviel has gone as far as to color black to look like cast iron. Anyway, the whole anti-cast handles thing seems weird to me, especially since a good one conducts less heat than a stainless equivalent.

I sure don't need another crepe pan, but if you have an extra 28cm frying pan with a cast handle that hasn't been sprayed with oven cleaner around, I'm your man.