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Sometimes in this wildlife you encounter a rabbit hole that can be like a great abyss. This is a state of interest and appreciation of the world of carbon steel pans. One would think that these low-end cooktops would be overlooked in favor of the classic, stainless steel, or A hybrid of hexagons pan technologies. You may be wrong; carbon steel is no longer fast, there is no speed.
There’s a lot of passion for this type of cooking that surprised me, and I wrote, like, salt water advocates. From busy subreddit in the secret world of home cooks and professional chefs to seek out carbon steel artisans who sell their wares with a raffle ticket, the dedication and appreciation for carbon steel runs deep. It’s a native American foodways subculture that hasn’t been explored by much of the media, and I can only hope to scratch the surface to do this book justice (when the surface is scratched, of course, I recommend repainting the pan and olive oil at high temperatures).
What is carbon steel? It’s a medium-sized pan (made of an iron-carbon alloy) that splits the difference, more or less, between the ease of use of stainless steel and the long-term durability of cast iron. With proper care and use, carbon steel pans move effortlessly between different types of cooking, allowing you to fry an egg. and Sear the steaks, both using the same skillet. There is a bit of a learning curve to using these platforms, which are YouTube and forums (like the Reddit hub above) and your friends. But they are also tanks—they stand to be used and worn, and they can be be considered again repeatedly to get the most out of your cooking.
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What Kind of Carbon Steel Pan Should You Buy?
Carbon steel manufacturers run the gamut of sizes and styles, from small artisans to mainstream brands to crafty Instagrammy upstarts (it’s like looking in an American mirror). Price certainly plays a big role in the selection, and when I tried and cooked with pans for a few months, I was surprised and impressed by how well some pans at the lower end of the price range cook well.
Take it from me, and to the carbon steel nerds of the Internet, when I say that your first carbon steel pan will not be your last carbon steel pan. Because these recipes vary so much in scope, depth, and purpose, it’s hard to pin down just one. A crock pot works well for some recipes; for other styles, a large, deep pan or even a wok is what you’re looking for. My advice would be to start with one of the entry-level pans in this book, then – when you’re completely #CarbonPilled – consider investing in an heirloom, small cooker from an independent manufacturer. Treated and loved well, a carbon steel pan can become a family heirloom, something you can pass down to your children and display proudly in your home.
I cooked and cooked and cooked with these pans over the course of three months, putting different colors and styles through their paces and coming out with the ideas above. Each pan in the book was given a few basic recipes – a fried egg, fried onions – and then when I got to know the pans better, I started thinking about them for dishes and other jobs, killing chicken in a pot. deep Smithey Forge pan, for example, or using Lodge as I go for frying bacon.
Several pans were tested for each product group, focusing only on pans under $55 as well as “deep” pans and skillets.
