Carbon Steel Saute Pans

[darkmother]

I have a De Buyer carbon steel pan that I use predominantly for cooking omelettes. Once seasoned, it has a smooth glassy finish that I can't get from my Lodge cast iron pan.

I like the cast iron pan for searing steaks. ,,

[gt6267a]

Since this is a forum about hand crafted, hard to find, and esoteric items ...

Blu Skillet

[guido]

Since this is a forum about hand crafted, hard to find, and esoteric items ...

Blu Skillet

Those pans are stunning!

[dgaddis]

so some call them heavy, but are they more light than cast iron? cast iron is ok for cooking certain things, but you dont get the heat control or ability to flip wth them being so heavy. my stainless pans work fine, so im not sure why im eyeing a carbon one, maybe because i enjoy my wok so much when i get to use it... i could imagine a smaller version being awesome for certain things.

Lighter than cast iron for sure. But if you're going to toss stuff in the pan, the weight over a stainless pan (which usually has a bottom that is mostly aluminum) is noticeable. I made fajitas on the grill once, used the pan for the peppers and onions. After a bit of tossing my arm was sore the next day haha.

Also, the Lodge silicon(e? I always get them confused) handle made for their carbon steel (NOT IRON) pans fits these Matfer pans perfectly. Because they're heavy you have to choke up on the handle, and it can get hot. FYI.

[skouri1]

Anyone have photos for size comparison?
I am considering getting an 11" or so and one slightly smaller for good omelettes. I know cook surfaces are different dimensions, I am just trying to figure out what I need so some more action shots would be great.
Dustin, thats the 12.5"?

[Dmoeny]

Came across this tonight. These look pretty. Custom Wrought Iron Design and Fabrication | Santa Barbara Forge

[dgaddis]

Anyone have photos for size comparison?
I am considering getting an 11" or so and one slightly smaller for good omelettes. I know cook surfaces are different dimensions, I am just trying to figure out what I need so some more action shots would be great.
Dustin, thats the 12.5"?

I believe mine is the 11-5/8" model. I also have a smaller one (8"?). I'll take measurements tomorrow and post pics.

[echelon_john]

I have a couple of Mauviel M’Steel pans (an 8” and a 12”) and reach for them first for everything other than pan frying steak, for which I use cast iron. Great value and excellent non-stick once seasoned.

[COVRTDESIGN]

These are the exact ones that I use in professional kitchens. I normally season them when received, about 10 times, then they normally stay in the oven throughout service. I normally only ever use them to finish food or hot hold before serving.

Paderno Black Steel Pans | knifemerchant.com

[rydesteel]

These are the exact ones that I use in professional kitchens. I normally season them when received, about 10 times, then they normally stay in the oven throughout service. I normally only ever use them to finish food or hot hold before serving.

Paderno Black Steel Pans | knifemerchant.com

Have you tried the Carbon Steel line? Is it thicker than the Black Steel line? I understand what you use the Black Steel for, how does it hold up to a full gas high heat sear? Nice Website BTW lot's of nice toy's there.

[guido]

Way too many nice toys there...

[COVRTDESIGN]

Have you tried the Carbon Steel line? Is it thicker than the Black Steel line? I understand what you use the Black Steel for, how does it hold up to a full gas high heat sear? Nice Website BTW lot's of nice toy's there.

From them, no. I almost always cook on high heat and quickly thanks to way too many years as a chef for most dishes. I haven't ever had a problem with the black steel. I don't think that it is much thicker than the carbon line.

I season all of my pans whether black steel or cast iron, once a week. 450* for one hour coated with flaxseed oil.

As for the website, they are my go to if Carbon Knife Co Japanese Chef Knives, Sharpening Stones, Chef's Supply here in Denver doesn't have what I need. I just spent another $300 on goodies last night. Can't wait for them to arrive!

[rydesteel]

From them, no. I almost always cook on high heat and quickly thanks to way too many years as a chef for most dishes. I haven't ever had a problem with the black steel. I don't think that it is much thicker than the carbon line.

I season all of my pans whether black steel or cast iron, once a week. 450* for one hour coated with flaxseed oil.

As for the website, they are my go to if Carbon Knife Co Japanese Chef Knives, Sharpening Stones, Chef's Supply here in Denver doesn't have what I need. I just spent another $300 on goodies last night. Can't wait for them to arrive!

Nice!

[dgaddis]

I believe mine is the 11-5/8" model. I also have a smaller one (8"?). I'll take measurements tomorrow and post pics.

Hey it's been 3 weeks, but here's some measurements of the two I have.

Big one - 11.75" x 8.75" (that's lip diameter vs the bottom diameter)
10.5" long handle
2400g = 5.29lbs

Small one - 9.75" x 6.25"
7" long handle
1465g = 3.23lbs

[gt6267a]

Carbon steel thoughts …

Thinking a gratin style (two small loop handles) pan might look great for service and trying something new might be fun, I bought from Blu Skillet a few years ago. Having no, zero, zilch, nada, zip … experience with cast iron and seasoning, I was wondering how this was going to workout. Upon receiving the pan, I followed the seasoning instructions and looked forward to slip sliding eggs around the pan, perfect omelets, and general non-stick loveliness. Talk about expectations and reality not matching! Everything stuck to this pan. Why buy Velcro when you have carbon steel?

An expensive piece of cookware sat around the drawers in the kitchen like a turd in a box for a while. Sometimes we would pull it out, have a bad time, and stuff it back in a cabinet. It was a running joke between us how I bought this exclusive piece of crap.

One day I read an article about seasoning. The instructions were to melt a little coconut oil in the pan, wipe it around with a paper towel, get the pan hot, and let it cool. Rinse-wash-repeat x 5 before use. Since then, the slippery goodness is real. Omelets fold up and slide out better than non-stick. Potato hashes are beautiful. This strange but excellent rice, cheese, and broccoli thing formed a great bottom crust. Basically, we just needed to learn how to season and use it.

Something that we have not tried much of … pan sauces. I should think deglazing with wine or stock will send us back to the 5 x seasoning. Yes? No?

[guido]

I season all of my pans whether black steel or cast iron, once a week. 450* for one hour coated with flaxseed oil.

How much do you grind/scrub the interiors before weekly re-seasoning?

[COVRTDESIGN]

How much do you grind/scrub the interiors before weekly re-seasoning?

Not much at all. I use a green scrubbie pad and hot water. I only apply one to two very light layers of flaxseed oil.

[Mark Kelly]

If your green scrubbie pad is the same as mine (scotchbrite brand), the embedded ceramic is extremely abrasive, being based on aluminium oxide which is about ten times as hard as steel.

We have a couple of black steel pans which my wife found in an op shop for $2 each, I clean them with stainless steel scourers since SS is slightly softer than carbon steel.

[Mark Kelly]

I should think deglazing with wine or stock will send us back to the 5 x seasoning. Yes? No?

The polymer* formed on the pan surface is resistant to mild acids (wine) but will be damaged by alkali.

*The "seasoning" process is just high temperature oxidative polymerisation of the fatty acids which is why things like flaxseed oil are recommended: the fats in flaxseed oil are identical to those in raw linseed oil.

[COVRTDESIGN]

If your green scrubbie pad is the same as mine (scotchbrite brand), the embedded ceramic is extremely abrasive, being based on aluminium oxide which is about ten times as hard as steel.

We have a couple of black steel pans which my wife found in an op shop for $2 each, I clean them with stainless steel scourers since SS is slightly softer than carbon steel.

I've never had a problem with them at home or in a professional kitchen. I don't put any elbow into it as I season them every week. Most everything cleans right off with hot water and a quick wipe.

If I had a 6 month seasoning schedule, I would certainly use the stainless steel metal scrubbie.