Matfer Bourgeat 062005 Frying pan, Steel, Gray

Product Information

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for seasoning. But most will be similar to this: Add a small amount of a cooking oil, like vegetable or canola, to the pan. Use a paper towel or dishtowel to spread the oil across the bottom and up the sides of the pan until it is barely shiny and mostly absorbed. In fact, many people are iron-deficient, so carbon steel may actually provide a healthy dietary supplement.

Matfer Carbon Steel Pan: Seasoning, Cooking UPDATED MODEL Matfer Carbon Steel Pan: Seasoning, Cooking

It’s nice to put cookware into the dishwasher and let the machine do all the hard work. Unfortunately, carbon steel cookware is not dishwasher-safe. Carbon steel cookware is an excellent choice for daily cooking because it’s lightweight, easy to use, versatile, and durable — but the advantages don’t end there. The shape is also great, especially if you prefer a more traditional shape or even a straight-sided sauté pan, which this comes dangerously close to being. This means you can safely deep fry in this pan as well as do everything else that carbon steel skillets are great at. Dry the pan thoroughly with a towel, then heat in a 250°F oven or on the stove to evaporate any remaining moisture.

It Only Gets Better With Time

Unseasoned carbon steel pans will definitely need seasoning before use. Most manufacturers include instructions, or you can google, or find YouTube videos that show you how. As we've already mentioned, we think Sheryl Canter's seasoning method is the best option. Wash and dry the pan. Many unseasoned carbon steel skillets will come sealed in a beeswax coating that prevents the pan from rusting in transit. Use hot water, a gentle dish soap and a sponge or gentle dishcloth to wash the pan until the waxy coating is removed. Dry the pan thoroughly.

Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Blini Pan, 4 3/4 Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Blini Pan, 4 3/4

The thermal conductivity (the rate at which heat passes through a specified material) of carbon steel is significantly lower than aluminum . Made In:Made In gets tons of positive press and a lot of people really love this brand. Their carbon steel--made in France, not the US--is good quality, but it's quite a bit more expensive than other French-made brands. Second, the handle is very high, which helps keep it cool and could be great for tall people, but can also make it harder to maneuver and store, and possibly harder to fit in an oven. If you’re looking for affordable new cookware that you can use for most foods, speeds up your cooking time, and lasts for years—then yes, you should buy carbon steel cookware. As the marketplace changes and more people discover the benefits of carbon steel, we expect to see more carbon steel cookware on the market, possibly entire sets.

First Things First

Summary: As with so many cookware decisions, there's no wrong choice. We like the traditional carbon steel design, but all the designs are functional. What's best for you depends on your personal style and how you'll use the pan. Made In has a sort-of set of carbon steel that has a skillet, a wok, and a roasting pan, but these aren't the traditional pieces you find in a set (e.g., no sauce pans, etc.)

Black Carbon Steel Paella Pan | Products | Matfer Bourgeat USA Black Carbon Steel Paella Pan | Products | Matfer Bourgeat USA

When you’re cooking on the stove, the angle of the flame and the height and length of the handle will determine whether the handle gets hot and how hot it gets. The wide base of the pan allowed the spatula to enter easily. While we feel the handle is a little long, we like its triple-riveted design and hanging hole for storage. Finally, according to the manufacturer's instructions, acidic ingredients, abrasive cleaners, and even salt (when not on food or diluted with water) can damage the pan’s surface. It came out of our tests unscathed, which bodes well for it holding up under normal use and with proper care. Turn the stove to high heat so that the entire pan surface is heated. Remove the pan from the heat once it is fully heated. Although this type of cookware is more common in restaurants than home kitchens, you don’t need to be a professional chef to qualify for carbon steel.It’s versatile but reacts to acidic food, so you have to avoid cooking tomatoes, wine, vinegar, citrus, etc. Turn on a fan or open the window in the room where the carbon steel pan needs to be seasoned so that all smoke and fumes can escape.