Sometimes in this wild life, you stumble across a rabbit hole that ends up looking like a vast abyss. There is a state of interest and appreciation for the world of carbon steel pans. One might think that this humble cooking knob could be bypassed in favor of heritage-approved cast iron, a handy non-stick or hexagonal hybrid trend pan technology. You would be wrong; Carbon steel has no well-ran, no runner.
There is such a passionate, intense community of fans for this style of cookware that it shocked even me, and I write about mineral water influencers. From busy subreddit to the secret world of haunted houses and professional chefs to custom carbon steel artisans who sell their products with raffle tickets, dedications and reviews high for carbon steel is profound. It’s a burgeoning American culinary subculture that’s gone largely uninvestigated by the widespread press, and I can only hope to scratch the surface of doing it justice to instructions (of course after the surface is scratched, I recommend re-seasoning the pan with grape seed oil at high temperature).
What is carbon steel? It’s a middle-of-the-road pan (made of an iron-carbon alloy) that more or less splits the difference between the easy usefulness of stainless steel and the long-term hardiness of cast iron. With proper storage and use, carbon steel pans move easily between different cooking styles, allowing you to fry eggs And grill the steak, all using the same pan. It’s a bit difficult to learn how to use these pans, where YouTube and forums (like the Reddit hub above) are your friends. But they are also tanks—they stand up to use and wear, and can Re-season repeatedly to get the most out of your cooking experience.
Also be sure to check out our guides to Best Espresso Coffee Maker, Subscribe to the best coffeeAnd Best food delivery service.
Power up with unlimited access to STRINGED. Get the best reporting that’s too important to ignore $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Sign up today.
Which carbon steel pan should you buy?
Carbon steel pan makers come in many sizes and styles, from tiny artisan operations to long-established heritage brands to crafty Instagrammy upstarts (like look into a pan-shaped mirror of America). Of course, price plays an important role in the choice, and as I’ve been testing and cooking with the pan for several months, I’ve been surprised and impressed with how well some pans cook at lower price points.
Hear me, and other carbon steel enthusiasts out there, when I say that your first carbon steel pan will not be your last. Because this cookware varies so widely in size, depth, and best uses, it’s hard to stop at just one type. Flat pans are suitable for a number of cooking styles; for other styles, a large, deep skillet or even a saucepan is what you’re really looking for. My advice is to start with one of the entry-level pans in this guide, then—when you’re completely #CarbonPilled—consider investing in a small-production, heirloom pan from a maker. produced independently. If treated right and loved, a carbon steel pan can become a family heirloom, an item you’ll pass down to your children and display proudly in your home.
I cooked, cooked, and cooked with these pans over the course of three months, putting various makes and models through their paces and making the recommendations above. Each pan in the guide has a few basic cooks—a fried egg, a sauteed onion—and then as I got to know the pans better, I started to think of them in terms of certain dishes. and certain applications, boiling chicken in a pan. such as a deep Smithey Forge pan or using a Lodge to fry bacon.
A variety of pans were tested for each product category, focusing on pans under $55 as well as “deep” pans and flat pans.
