Equipment Review: Best Carbon-Steel Skillets (Can This One Pan Do It All?) & Our Testing Winner
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- Опубликовано: 9 авг 2015
- Buy the Winning Carbon-Steel Skillet: bit.ly/3JQeVJB
Full testing details and ranking chart: cooks.io/1guhd0N
What if one pan could do everything the best traditional stainless-steel, cast-iron, and nonstick pans can do-and, in some cases, even do it a little better?
We tested 8 carbon-steel skillets to find the best one:
Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Round Frying Pan, 11 7/8"
Blu Skillet Ironware 13" Fry Pan
Mauviel M’steel Round Fry Pan, Steel Handle 12.5"
Turk Heavy Steel Frying Pan 11"
De Buyer Mineral B Frypan, 12.6"
Paderno World Cuisine Heavy Duty Polished Carbon Steel Frying Pan, 12 1/2"
Lodge 12" Seasoned Steel Skillet
Vollrath 12 1/2" Carbon Steel Fry Pan
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Even if you’ve never heard of a carbon-steel skillet, you’ve almost certainly eaten a meal made in one. Restaurant chefs use these pans for all kinds of tasks, from searing steak to sautéing onions to cooking eggs. French omelet and crêpe pans are made of carbon steel, as are the woks used in Chinese restaurants. Even Julia Child had a few carbon-steel pieces alongside her familiar rows of copper cookware. In European home kitchens, these pans are hugely popular. Somehow, though, despite their prevalence in restaurants, they’ve never really caught on with home cooks in the United States. Given their reputation for being as great at browning as they are at keeping delicate foods from sticking, we wondered if it was time that changed.
We bought seven carbon-steel skillets, all as close as possible to our preferred sizeof 12 inches for a primary skillet, priced from $39.95 to $79.95. For fun we also threw in a $230 hand-forged version made in Oregon. Bearing in mind carbon steel’s multipurpose promise, we decided on a range of recipes for our testing: frying eggs, turning out cheese omelets, pan-searing steaks, and baking the traditional French upside-down apple dessert known as tarte Tatin, which begins on the stove and moves to the oven. Along the way we’d evaluate the skillets’ shape, weight, handle comfort, and maneuverability. Washing the pans after every test would let us judge how easy they were to clean and maintain. Our key question: Could this one type of pan actually make owning the other skillets we’ve always had in our arsenal-stainless-steel tri-ply, cast-iron, and nonstick-more of an option than a necessity?
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This person is one of the best presenters I have seen. She is very succinct, getting right to the point in a very informative and engaging way.
My condolences
That's Lisa McManus! Fun fact I learned: she graduated from the Columbia school of Journalism, and it shows. She is efficient and has great camera presence and communication skills. I love watching her present.
100%
Yes Braedon I will have your babies
Lisa is the best.
I love how this presenter skipped all the fluff and bs and got straight to giving info
Hear hear !!
that's ATK for you, dude. they're here to go "here's what works, here's what doesn't, here's some nifty tips".
And NO ridiculous background music!!
Holum agree!! Thank you for the professionalism and advice. Look forward to more
Me too! Some just talk to hear themselves talk.
That potato peel + oil + salt trick is the best thing ever. I tried it on my (so far) only carbon steel frying pan and right after I fried an egg. After frying, that thing slid off the pan like it was relieved. Zero sticking, zero problems. Thanks for the tip!
What'd you do for the exterior?
@@Ryan_Carder To be honest, I pretty much ignored the exterior. I believe the exterior still has the original storage coating.
What type of oil did you use?
@@DanielV1775 de Buyer recommends grapeseed oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil.
@@DanielV1775 Recommend using grapeseed. extra virgin-based oil is something smell on seasoning. canola smoke point is low. grapeseed is ignored these disadvantages.
My favorite presenter in ATK. She is by the far the most informative and cover most of her bases unlike other presenter. No fluff, no bs.
Nice demo; excellent script. I like this lady's lessons. Thanks.
GizmoBee1702 i saw her first...jerk.
Thank you; this is the kind of clarity I expect in an informative video.
Very nice! Thorough without getting bogged down in details yet rich in information. Really enjoyable and valuable.
This was probably the best video I’ve ever seen. Hugely informative, direct and to the point, covering every aspect one could want. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I did the "salt, oil n potatopeel" cooked for 9 mins and got a brilliant result!!! Thanks!!!😘❤💗👍👍👍👍👍
This sure seems to be the winning ticket. I've never heard of this and have seasoned plenty of woks perfectly fine. I'll give it a shot.
@@JustinEmlay This works great. This is the Matfer Bourgeat recommendation, although my instructions had you do it twice. In any event, it works great and makes the pan non-stick. They only thing is not to cooke acidic foods in these steel pans or cast iron. It will strip off the seasoning, so I just use a non-stick pan for those chores.
@@belaircarguy Yup, worked great for me. I did two rounds of potatoes and a round in the oven for full coverage. Egg slid like glass. Cooked a few dishes so far with zero issues. Cleanup is a breeze!
@@belaircarguy what oil did you use?
@@nanaobx I used canola oil
I've been a lifelong cast iron user but tried carbon steel and love it. Temp distribution is more even, warms faster, is lighter. Once it's seasoned it's just as not stick as Teflon. Definitely recommend, especially with a silicon handle cover.
It was sooo informative. Thank you I love the standards you use to test kitchenwares these helps a lot.
I had heard the name 'america's test kitchen' a lot while watching babish videos but for some reason thought it was just an online recipe database. I am beyond thrilled to see such an informative, no nonsense, review of cookware. Instant subscribe.
In Hungary, the traditional crêpe skillets are carbon steel and passed down generations. We have a 50 year old at home and it’s the best.
This was awesome, as it featured the type of pan that I first cooked with as a child, but which I've not seen in perhaps 50 years! I do have a couple of carbon steel griddles (which I love), but WOW, the mystical frying pans of my childhood? Fantastic! Guess what I'm shopping for in about 30 seconds, from... Now!
Really well done review. I appreciate your "lets get to the point" style and at the end where you spoke about handle length and pan depth. Very comprehensive.
Thank you.
This vid is actually important to me!
My favorite pan is my 1978 wok.
Just as black and non stick as you can get.
Like you stated though I've never known it was anything but in my wok.
So thanks, my kitchen gets an upgrade!
This was an excellent presentation! I appreciate how you got right to the topic without a meandering preamble like most videos seem to do.
I've always owned woks...because Asian. And I heard so much about these pans...and finally came across one at an estate sale. I recommend keeping an eye out for things like that. When you end up hitting the kitchen of a true home cook, you really dig up treasures that have been tested!
oh, it doesn't matter what style of cooking (or anything else that requires metal) you're into. if you ever, EVER come across good quality carbon steel or cast iron, you snag it. period. stainless steel and other steel alloys, even non-steel alloys, are amazing and can sometimes outperform anything else. but, there is a reason that carbon steel and cast iron have lasted this long. they require a loving hand, but they are absolute workhorses with basically no limit on anything they can do.
My first carbon steel was a Joyce Chan wok in mid 1980. I still use it today.
No bs explanation of the product. No wasted time and running around the bush. Excellent explanation and video. Thank you for not wasting my time.
Great video, helped me to season a crepe pan and now I'm hooked on carbon steel.
I've had tbe Matfer pan for over a year now. It's a lot heavier than the skillets used in professional kitchens that I've seen, but it's great. I use it for everytbing from searing steaks to making pancakes. It's my most used pan.
I love my carbon steel cookware. I keep it seasoned with lard or bacon drippings. I never wash with soap but with hot water and a steel chainmail scrubber or a bamboo scrubber. Easy peasy...
Thank you, Ms McManus. You're so well spoken!
This was an excellent very well planned and put together video. Very informative.
I tried the seasoning method, even with very small amount of potatopeel, it's work really great with only 1x seasoning
Never knew seasoning can be this easy and cheap haha
Thank you!
Great informative video--I've "only" watched it 5 or 6 times now. Time to buy a couple of these terrific looking pans and get rid of those awful nonstick ones.
I am in love with my hand-forged Blanc Creative carbon steel pan. Similar to the Blu SKillet, same price, also comes seasoned but even better looking.
thanks for the great video, straight ot the point and detailed. No over production.
I cook mostly on carbon, awesome pans! I got a new 12” at a kitchen supply for 12$ Canadian, 9$ US in 2017, still great today. Way better than cast iron for most uses…
Thank you for considering the shorter cook!
Excellent review and video. I always enjoy watching your review videos because I always learn something new and very useful, especially in this video. I'm not buying any more ceramic non-stick pans. I going for that $44 carbon steel skillet.
I have a Lodge Carbon-Steel Skillet that I use with my BBQ grills. I absolutely love it and the versatility a skillet brings to a BBQ grill no matter if the grill is propane or charcoal.
I have a Blackstone griddle made of carbon steel . now i dont need a bbq. !
@@charliemartin5482 Griddles, grills, and smokers are all cooking tools. I try not to limit myself to one tool in the kitchen.
What is the surface like inside the pan? I've read that Lodge pans have a textured surface much like their cast-iron pans, versus the very smooth surface found on most other brands. Not necessarily a bad thing; just different.
@@davidkulmaczewski4911 it is slightly textured but I have no poles with anything sticking. I use the pan for medium depth frying, shrimp, and for making sauces then adding the meat into the sauce.
I was fortunate enough to get a Matfer about a month ago for a little over $40 out of my own pocket after using a $25 gift card I had for Amazon. It's a wonderful piece of cookware, and I expect it'll have a permanent spot on my stovetop. Just be sure to get all the shipping wax off. Took a good amount of elbow grease under a hot faucet, and subsequently using the seasoning method to get the rest out, but well worth the effort.
Love the Matfer. Great Pan.
I purchased both a 12.5" De Buyer Mineral B and a 12-5/8" Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel. After seasoning, the Matfer is definitely nonstick and a fried egg slides all around like a hockey puck. Eggs still stick a bit to the De Buyer.
Great Infor, direct & to the point. Thank you
Best way to cook IMO, doesn't stick nor break.. Had mine for 2 decades bought it for 2$ in the 90s 😉
I just bought a black steel pan. It's spectacular how it enhances flavor. No more Teflon for me.
I’d be interested to see how standard wall ovens compare, microwaves, and do multifunctional tools live up to the manufacturer’s specs (for example attachment pieces for kitchen aid stand mixer or air fryer dehydrator combos, etc.). 👍🥰
Amazing stuff! Love your videos
I absolutely love my carbon steel pan I bought a year ago. It's my go-to pan for just about everything.
When I bought the recommended Matfer skillet several years ago, I had big problems. I followed the instructions for preparing the pan, but it wasn't nonstick at all. Eventually, I figured out that I hadn't actually removed the waxy coating, despite scrubbing hard. (I heard that they later started shipping with an easier-to-remove coating.)
I ended up stripping the pan and starting over. (For stripping, Easy Off heavy duty oven cleaner works well, though vinegar can work with lighter messes.)
Also, it's not necessary to sauté potato skins. Just apply a very thin coating of oil (a few drops of vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil, but not flax) and wipe away ALL excess with a paper towel until the pan looks almost dry. Excess oil will become a sticky mess when heated and you'll have to strip the pan and start over (I speak from experience!).
Then heat the pan until the oil smokes. One video said keep the heat on until the smoking stops, but I think I just turned it off when the smoking started. Let it cool, and you're done.
After a single round of seasoning, I was able to cook a scrambled egg (in olive oil) with no sticking.
How do you season the outside of the pan to prevent rust?
@@slothymango I don't usually worry about that (and haven't had any rust) but you can do the same as for the inside.
@@BobKartyMusic thanks
Thanks i am a new listener to ure podcast, and i am happy to find ure RUclips channel, this is my first video, i love the look of those skillets
Wow... what an amazingly informative review and video!
Excellent video!!! purchased the Matfer and smile every time I use it. I happen to have a couple of Matfer spatulas and they are excellent as well. Thank you.
My Lodge ones so far seem to work just fine. And I like the low sides on them.
Same here. I've had my Lodge since about the time this video came out. I think the low(er) sides are a good feature. Easier to get in there and flip.
bought the pan the Matfer Bourgeat pan they recommended. It. Is. Awesome. Hands down my new favorite. Still a bit heavy, but awesome. The video is no lie.
Same here! As my arthritis in hands and wrists gets worse I use it all the time now. But it is heavier and I do still use my lighter stainless pans when pain is bad.
Excellent review. very professional, doesn't waste my time. just the facts.
Recently got the Matfer as a gift from the wife. Great pan so far.
It's 4 am and I'm watching a review about a skillet, and I enjoyed it
You can absolutely wash a seasoned pan with a a scrub brush and dish soap without harming the polymerized coating. As the video mentions, you can simmer an acidic base for a short while with no problem. Hot tap water and dish soap is an even more mild combination. Wash your pans, dry them well, it's fine.
Also yes you can make the pan "non stick" but it will never be close to a Teflon pan. The opening shots show the eggs sliding around on a layer of oil or butter. Well of course it won't stick to that. Cook with some oil, but do it because it makes food better. Carbon steel is a good jack of all trades, somewhere between cast iron skillet and a teflon frying pan,but they are all fine and all have they strong and weak points.
Get the most affordable carbon steel pan with good construction and go cook, it will be fine. They're not using $100+ carbon steel pans in a restaurant kitchen. They use whatever is most durable for the price.
Soap isn't acidic so that's not really an Apple to Apple comparison even though your information might be correct. I don't know as I don't cook nor wash dishes.
Polymer is a really weird long chain stuff. Solvent can be anything or just something depend on the complex criteria
Fantastic presentation - thank you!
My parents had one they got in the 50s. Cooked everything so well. Wish I had it now.
I've been cooking with cast iron for 50 years, I just recently discovered carbon steel skillets when I got a 10" Blue Carbon steel skillet from MadeIn. I love that skillet, and just ordered a Matfer Black Steel skillet in 11 7/8" for when I need two skillets at once. I have 3 Field Company cast iron skillets that I love, they are smoooooth inside and cook wonderfully. The skillet I am waiting for will complete my collection.
How did your 11 7/8 Matfer compare. Is it as good as your other carbon skillets?
The Matfer is a good deal heavier than the MadeIn. Both perform the same basically, but the MadeIn looks better. I don't buy cookware for looks though. In my kitchen, the Matfer gets used far more.
@@k1hasard Thanks!
This lady is great and should run the show entirely.
As for tomato sauce in skillet can’t do that in Iron pan so makes sense that something is based on a seasoning layer on the pan that you can’t use acidic sauces as it will strip seasoning
she speaks very concise and clear, well done
Thanks for another great review!
I love my mineral b carbon steel pan its the only way to cook. Every once in awhile I get minor sticking. No problem that's when I heat the pan on low, turn the faucet on hot and go directly in the hot Water witb the hot pan. The steam will make stuck on food super easy to clean with just a soft sponge.
i have two de buyer carbon steel pans (a 30cm frypan and a smaller crepe pan) and after 3 or 4 months of use, mainly frying steak and onions and bacon etc. they have developed a great seasoning and nothing really sticks to them, with the odd exception. got them from a catering shop, both for about $75 australian dollars and i want more. one of the good things is that because they go in the oven you can use them as roasting pans also, roast chicken on a bead of potato medallions comes out tasting out of this world! highly recommend
Straight to the point! Love it
Amazing and complete explanation .. thanks!
I bought their recommended Matfer Bourgeat pan which I took a few days to season properly. I didn't use the potato salt and method, instead using the professional restaurant method of heating the pan with canola oil wiped inside until it smoked then continued until it actually stopped smoking, then letting it cool down on the stove top. After 10 or 12 repeated seasoning coats this thing rocks! Seared NY strip steaks with a nice crust, and a rare center is a snap. Sticky cheese omelettes slide out, and pancakes brown fast and fluffy. Beats the heck out of my 30 year old cast iron skillets.
Immersive Gaming
Olive oil is good for cooking, but not for seasoning pans: it'll degrade before it can get hot enough.
Sorry, I don't know the smoking point of coconut oil, so, not sure about using it to season pans.
Keet Randling Az
The best oil for seasoning is flaxseed oil or linseed oil (food safe). What you look for is oil high in omega 3.
The next best is canola oil, which is also cheaper than the first 2.
I purchased a high dollar, All Clad pan. It includes the copper layer and everything. Everything sticks to it! No matter how many times I season it, food still sticks!! Clean up is frustrating! I'm ordering the Matfer.
Coconuts, grape seed, peanut, sunflower, safflower, canola, any of the high heat oils are fine!
On the Test Kitchen's recommendation I bought the Matfer Bourgeat. It's simply superb. After the first seasoning, the pan is already completely nonstick.
The seasoning, however, took me 20 minutes instead of the instructed 10. Just keep going until those potatoes are entirely crisped.
Does the handle get so hot it requires the use of a hot pad? As far as I can tell this would be the only draw back.
The manufacturer recommends doing it for 15 minutes and repeat. Wish I had done that method in the beginning,
I've seen them use silicon thingies in these videos--basically silicon tubes you place over hot pan handles. Looks like a great gadget to have.
Can you use them on electric stoves?
@@dta97392 yes of course. They work beautifully on induction as well.
bought 2 lodges,12"&10" 5 years ago.magnifique! crepes,omeletes,even over easy eggs, no problem.used almost daily for 3 yrs, then I went back to trucking. I check them every weekend home and no rust or other issues. btw, there's no such thing as a nonstick pan, but plenty of bad cooks. non-attention #1 sin.
I have the Matfer Bourgeat pan and it has replaced all my frying pans which I have 14 of... Out performs anything on the market, I have cast Iron, Copper, Stainless Steel and non-stick. this is the one!!
I bought the matfer bourgeat because of this video and i use this pan for everything.
mileszd now i want one.
I use soap when needed for both my cast iron and carbon steel and it's not problem. I don't use a alot, but sometimes depending on what I cooked it helps out.
The whole "no soap" rule was from the days when soap used to have lye, as that would eat away at the seasoning. Today, Easy Off oven cleaner is a popular method for stripping the seasoning off of a cast iron pan because it does contain lye.
If you didn't use soap, you wouldn't need to use soap. It becomes a vicous circle
@@joedennehy386 I don't use soap every time. It depends on what I cooked. And it doesn't become a vicious cycle.
@@duckpwnd yea lol dont be afraid to use soap on your pan, it's fine. if you feel like its losing its touch then season it up... its a block of steel or iron at the end of the day dont be afraid of hurting it.
Thanks for the video! Does this seasoning method work with a grill pan?
this channel has earned a place in my RUclips test kitchen :) subscribed!
Cost Plus World Market has an excellent choice carbon steel skillet for $20 that's been amazing. I've used it daily for months and have seared steaks, baked brownies, Carmelized onions, made countless eggs, bacon etc. really love it and don't use my cast iron lately. The fact that it's not picky about seasoning like cast iron and it's easier to lift and less stress on my wrist.
I love World Market! I'll definitely check it out :p
I'm from Oakland, CA, originally.
It bugs the crap out of me that Cost Plus now emphasizes that their name is "World Market". "World Market" used to be a tiny descriptor after, or under, their original name: Cost Plus
(Still like the store, though!)
That was really informative. Thank you very much indeed. Have been Googling the French brand "de buyer." And will probably get it now. The height of the handle is precisely my concern.
I have six DeBuyers, from really large to really tiny, and after years and years of use they only get better... Totally worth their price!
Thank you ClaudeSac.
Just a note.... De Buyer pans (at least their Mineral B line) have an epoxy coating on the handle, so they are only over-rated to 200 C (396 degrees F) and only for like 20 minutes. If that's important to you....
It's not important to me, and I love my Mineral B small (8") frying pan. I may spring for a larger 10" model eventually....
I bought the Matfer Bourgeat black carbon skillet because they grind out the rivet heads inside the cooking area and it's much better without them. I didn't realize when I bought it that it was such a high quality pan. I have the Mauviel M'Steel in 14" and they cook and season identically, but the handle angle and no rivet heads make the Matfer a better pan overall and for literally half the price.
Thank you for this excellent, succinct, and succulent video.
I read multiple reviews on Amazon of the Matfor Bourgeat Black Steel Round Frying Pan. All said it warped. Not a problem if using a gas burner stove. A real problem for electric stoves with flat surfaces, such as glass.
I read Amazon too. Out of over 6,124 reviews less than 1/2 a dozen claim warpage. I will take 1 in 1,000.
@@alexandergriggs9934 Good point! Thanks for that. I'll go back to tyake another look. Just checked. Unfortunately, no longer $44 for this pan. That said, I'm ordering the 10.25-inch version for $55.
I own 3 DeBuyer pans..love them the most I ever do to them ids scrub them with a copper scrubber dry if possible sometime with some water ..never soap...I find they are more forgiving than cast..Even if you loose the seasoning easy to get back..
+CHILEDOUG KIZERIAN When I got engaged, I got my wife a diamond ring and she got me a DeBuyer Frying pan and I'm totally happy with that!
The small one I use exclusively for eggs it has a great seasoning..
+CHILEDOUG KIZERIAN what do you mean by more forgiving? I didnt understand that part.
I've actually had a better experience with my lodge cast iron pan than my debuyer's. The seasoning lasts longer for my cast iron whereas the debuyer doesnt cuz smooth surface. The patina has nothing to hold on to. Also, the rusts builds up instantly with my debuyer as soon as I rinse it before I apply oil to store it. And my wooden spatula removes the patina effortlessly on the debuyer. On the other hand, my lodge had a rough surface so patina would hold on to it, I could actually use metal utensils for cooking, rusts didnt occur instantly, and overall lodge pan was a tank. The only advantage has been that the steel pan heats up quicker but that's about it. It has given me way more work than my cast iron, which I dont like. And I have had more episodes of food sticking to the steel pan than my cast iron even after using same amount of oil for either pans.
the amount of oil used is not the key, it is thin layers added to the pan and letting it cook into the pours. Then making sure you do not remove them with acid or soap. If you do need to scrub your pan for any reason just throw in 1 to 2 tbsp of salt and rub it around with a paper towel while the pan is still warm. Then rinse quickly and dry immediately, do not let them air dry. rub lightly with a high temp oil afterwards like canola or peanut (coconut works too).
Vegetable oil works too. No need to get fancy.
That was really interesting. This lady did a very nice job!
What kind of oil did you use to season the pan? Thank you. I like your channel very much!
Vegetable oil
How do you season the bottom of the skillet?
thank you so much for this, have ordered my Matfer and thinking about the seasoning. I am thinking I can use Avocado oil since it is a high heat oil. I am wondering how to season the underside of the pan. And it appears that you don't have to season the handle?
If cooking a steak or chicken with the intent of making a pan sauce, do these skillets produce enough fond? Would I be better off using my All Clad if a pan sauce is my goal? Thanks for the great videos.
Tip: the long handle is built so it can rest on your forearm. You need to hold it with your hand in the middle of the handle, and rest the tip just below your folded elbow.
Do the handles get hot? I assume you use a towel to prevent getting burned.
What's the point of resting the handle on your forearm? Get a nice looking brand seared into your arm?
I've never had a carbon steel pan that didn't eventually warp. If you have a gas range this doesn't really matter but it ruins the pan for use on an electric. Keep this in mind when deciding.
At least, unlike cast iron, the pan can be hammered and warped back into shape.
you sold me with this review. I will buy one to cook on a campfire to see how it performs. i like it that it is lighter. thank you for this video.
I recently bought a 12" Carbon Steel pan from Turk (Germany) cost just 30€, they are very similar to Matfer Bourgeat with a welded handle aswell, they are great and seasoning is very easy I got experience with a Carbon Steel Wok, so no big deal.
Thanks for the video, I ended up buying the Matfer Bourgeat carbon pan that won your review. However, I noticed the metal on the pan scratches easily and carbon steel is very hard and should not scratch easily. After reviewing the Matfer pan's description it says no where that it's made from carbon steel but only says that it's made of "black steel" which is ambiguous if it contains any carbon at all. This is important because soft metals will chip off into the food instead of being scratch resistant. What is this pan made out of that it scratches so easily?
Steel is literally made by adding carbon to iron. So if it's a steel pan then it has to contain carbon
The pans are made of carbon steel. Their site says the call it "black steel" because that's what they call it in France. Same thing.
I followed the seasoning instructions closely, fried 3 burgers. They stuck, badly. I'll keep trying. The protective coating was also a booger to remove. No, I didn't scratch the skillet.
I just took delivery today of my Matfer 11 7/8 carbon steel pan. I seasoned it on the stove top per the manufacturer's instructions, with the potato skins, oil, and salt. Then, I wiped a very thin layer of oil into the pan and heated it. I did that only a few times, wiping it down when it smoked, and putting another thin coat of oil on for the next heating. In maybe 20 minutes time, the pan had a beautiful deep bronze patina and was as shiny as a mirror. I cooked on it tonight and it performed as well as my seasoned cast iron.
Best presentation and helpful
I'd like to add one more request to my prior post. I've seen a lot of discussion on the use of flax oil for seasoning; the propensity of flax to form a varnish-like cross-linked layer (as it does when it is used in wood work as "linseed oil") allegedly makes it a good seasoning oil, but a lot of folks who have tried this method report that the seasoning eventually flakes off. Could you also test various oils for seasoning, including products specifically marketed as being superior for seasoning, such as the Crisbee and Larbee seasoning pucks? I'd love to see ATK's level of testing and rigor applied to this longstanding debate, as well as whether or not the oxide treatment (both versions-blackening, and heating it back to the dark silver color) add any benefit to seasoning and rust resistance, and the aesthetics of the pan.
Flax Oil here is expensive as hell too. I can get a liter of Canola for like 4 bucks but 250ml of Flax is like $25 lol
On my Blackstone carbon steel griddle i use corn oil because i had a gallon .the best seasoning is to use it often with any oil !
Use unflavored Crisco, or any brand of Shortening and/or Clarified Butter. They have smoke points around 500-degrees nd have proven equal, if not better, nonstick compared to Flaxseed/Linseed Oil. Its like $3 for a can of Crisco... Also, it wont form a "varnish" or flake off, like the horror stories you hear of Flaxseed Oil.
I use flax oil and it works great. You must wipe on a little, heat the pan up, let cool and reheat just to the smoke point but no further. A tip is to put a lid on the pan so that the cooling is as slow as possible to allow the oil to polymerize. The best oils for seasoning are unsaturated vegetable oils because they oxidize. For cooking, I use butter exclusively for eggs, and reserve one pan just for eggs. The foods you must avoid cooking on carbon steel are anything with lots of water and acid. These will dissolve the patina and you’ll have to re-season.
Happy to be the 2000th Thumbs Up. I've been a fan of America's Test Kitchen for a long time.
Great to see a non-sensational, logical, unbiased review of carbon steel pans. It isn't 'brain science'. It's very straightforward.
Thin, lightweight carbon steel pans can get 'too hot', so that's the only thing you've got to keep an eye on. I also use AUS-ION carbon steel pans which are slightly heavier, come pre-seasoned and improve every time you cook with them. Like all carbon steel, the AUS-ION has never seen soap or detergents. I just give it a light scrape with a spatula, metal's OK, or a gentle rub with a plastic brush; rinse off with hot water, dry and very lightly oil for next time. Soon these pans become more non-stick than any chemical based cookware out there with zero chance of food contamination. Give 'em a try.
Bought the matfer 12 5/8 inch pan. One size bigger than this recommends and i'm glad I did. I seasoned exactly as shown here. Then dumped skins, wiped out and then put back on the stove with another oil wipe and got it just to smoking point and thats when in really changed color and seasoned. Egg test immediately following and it was like teflon but obvi a much better pan. Then blackend some chix thighs and fried some potatoes. This pan is a gem and retiring my off gassing teflon to the basement.
I just bought a cast iron skillet, but must say these look pretty good.
Now you know why I buy carbon steel skillets at yard sales & flea markets. Often only a dollar or two because today people want / think they NEED stainless or non-stick. The only caution with this type purchase is to make sure the bottom is warped from improper heating. Especially when put into a hot fire to strip off old seasoning to re-season. BTW, they are fairly easy to properly strip & restore, even if coated with rust. Watch for them at places mentioned. They came in a variety of sizes back in the days before stainless became available/popular. (Would also love to have the hand crafted one, too, but sadly beyond my budget in a kitchen already overstocked with skillets.)
I love my old iron frying pan, but sometimes I really want something lighter in weight. I hate the idea if Teflon, and I don't like aluminum. Maybe the Matfer could fit the bill. It's not drastically pricey. I wish it came with a lid though.
They sell great universal lids on Amazon and one of my stainless lids fits perfectly on mine too
Merten and Storck (not tested here) is the Epicurious review winner and is pretty cheap and the pre-seasoning was good enough that I've never had to season it
I love cast iron, every time I go to a place that sells it I have to look at it even though I really dont need anymore ...bought a debuyer omelet pan and fell in love with it....it does eggs better than cast iron imo, though nothing beats cast iron corn bread ...the downside is carbon steel will lose its seasoning easier with tomato sauces etc...so I use it for browning meats and breakfast foods ...I now also have a matfer 11-7/8 pan for my big skillet use, much easier to maneuver than a 12 inch cast iron skillet ...here is a tip, you can also season these pans in the oven, I would keep the temp no higher than 400 degrees....a gas burner stove does a great job getting the sides seasoned too
I'm surprised that the carbon steel pan from Made-In wasn't reviewed. It's fantastic, affordable, and is hugely popular with chefs all over the world.
This video was made 7 years ago. That might be why.
Can you guys please explain whether or not there is a discernible difference between the Matfer Bourgeat 11 7/8" pan and the 11" pan? If the 11 7/8" has been sold out for months, then why not just get the 11"? Why the wait? How does an extra 7/8" make a difference? Thanks in advance for answering!
gezz, it's a size man... take what you want
I want someone to explain to me how any pan cooks differently from anything else.
@@CatskillsGrrl I think it comes down to listening to the chefs. They know what works best because they do it all day.
Gail, it all comes down to heat conductivity. Every metal is a little different, and different thicknesses also have an effect. Last week, I made 4 steaks, and I couldn't fit all in my carbon steel, so I cooked 2 in cast iron. The difference in the sear was obvious. I love cast iron, but the carbon steel pan just works better for certain things
@@CatskillsGrrl just like with everything...theres cheap crap (teflon pans) and then there stuff that works (seasoned carbon steel)
Great review! Thank you.
I am getting one. Thanks. I trust this lady's point of view.
*Wow square meat! I thought there was French toast in the pan, looking at the thumbnail photo from my iPhone! lol*