# De Buyer Pans



## ams

Has anyone used de buyer pans either professionally or at home? They appear to be used in many high-end kitchens so obviously they must be pretty good. One chef I talked briefly with said once you use their fry pans for cooking meats you'll never use anything else. Their conical saute pans look interesting too.

The only de buyer pans I can find online are the mineral series, not the steel or stainless steel ones.


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## shankster

"once you use their fry pans for cooking meats you'll never use anything else."

I do concur with this sentiment..best pans I've ever used.I have the carbone plus line,which is similar to the mineral,but cheaper and less fancy(no silicone sleeve on the handle).
Not sure why the carbone + aren't more widely available,but you won't go wrong with the mineral series either.


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## Lefty

+1


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## lowercasebill

i have an 8 in. mineral and want the rest of the sizes. a joy to cook with . eggs, grilled cheese and searing duck breast.


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## schanop

Got a carbone+ in 26cm and a force blue in 20cm. Love them both. They have their places in my kitchen along side lodge 12" and a chinese cast iron wok for the old school, cast iron/steel cookware theme.

Carbone+ and force blue are not expensive, don't think you'll regret getting one.


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## kalaeb

Great pans, you can't go wrong with any series.


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## Seth

The four minerals I have are in constant use, the allclad is mostly in storage.


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## ams

Where did you guys get your pans? I'm not really interested in the mineral series, looking to find a source for any steel series.


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## Deckhand

lowercasebill said:


> i have an 8 in. mineral and want the rest of the sizes. a joy to cook with . eggs, grilled cheese and searing duck breast.



For just under $50 looks like a cheap way to join the club. I am going to try one thanks.


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## Miles

Great pans. That's almost all I use at home. The All Clad, Calphalon, and all the rest seem to sit in the cabinet.


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## schanop

ams said:


> Where did you guys get your pans? I'm not really interested in the mineral series, looking to find a source for any steel series.



They are at many cookware and hospitality shops around here that carry some basic carbon steel lines, but very few places sell them at a good price. One shop happens to be just two minutes down the road.


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## wenus2

The chowhounders had been sourcing the Carbone pans from
http://www.finestcookware.com/catalog.php

Supposedly the Mineral is mostly just a better finished version of the Carbone. I am unsure why you dislike the Mineral line, but it's what many of us here own, and I assure you it's performance is not lacking.


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## jgraeff

What's the difference between the lines?


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## Kyle

DeBuyer pans rule. I have a 12" mineral and 9.5" blue steel. Not sure why you're opposed to the mineral, it's thei top of te line series and is thicker. They are slightly more expensive but it'll all last forever. Get anything you can get your hands on and you'll like it


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## cookinstuff

I really like my De Buyer pans, I have some Force Blue, the only pans I like more are Falks. Falks are like magic, but they are so damn expensive, De Buyers are a good choice, cheap, durable and better than alot more expensive stuff.


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## SameGuy

How good are they on glass cook tops? Every pro kitchen I've seen that uses carbon pans does it over gas, and they are so well seasoned I can't imagine them ever sticking. Do they tend to warp over higher heat (which would kill them for a glass top but have no effect over gas)?


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## shankster

SameGuy said:


> How good are they on glass cook tops? Every pro kitchen I've seen that uses carbon pans does it over gas, and they are so well seasoned I can't imagine them ever sticking. Do they tend to warp over higher heat (which would kill them for a glass top but have no effect over gas)?



I use mine on glass/ceramic with no problems whatsoever.From stove top to 450 deg oven...sweet :thumbsup:


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## SameGuy

Nice. I'm trying to slowly replace all the wedding-gift 18/10 pots and pans that we've owned for 16 years (Tramontina and Lagostina, all Brazilian-made). I had a nice Meyer commercial NS pan for easy day-to-day use that got warped after about 12 years on our old, post-war coil range, as well as a couple of Circulon and Calphalon commercial NS that I now use with care on the Ceran top. But I've been taking my time about getting new searing and saute pans, and a new sauciere.

My wife hates all my "over-priced" kitchen stuff, and when she caught me looking at the All-Clad and Faulk sites a couple of weeks ago she said, "I'll kill you."  But I still want a copper sauciere...


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## SpikeC

Hey, she can only kill you once!


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## Lefty

Depending on what you cook a lot of, I'd look at the 10.25" Force Bleu crepe pan. I, personally prefer the low sides on the crepe pans better than the twice as high Lyonnaise pans. I'd get it in the smallest, largest and the country pan in a big effer size. For like a hundred bucks, you'll be set.


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## Mucho Bocho

I love this forum. something about guys that love fancy knives seems to be connected by other interests: pans, watches, stereo's, bicycles.... Maybe its cause we all like to spend $$$$.

I have five debuyer pans: 14" and 8" french skillet, 12" crepe, 9" country mineral and a debuyer short-walled roasting pan. They're the bomb but understand that they will get ugly, blackened, multi-colored from intense heat. They're a very useful pan for what they are, but they're not for every cooking task either. Also, take several uses before they break in and never leave them in water.

Something just occurred to me, was thinking they are like my carbon knives, and then through, thats because the are both made of high-steel carbon. surprised myself with my keen ingenuity


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## Mucho Bocho

Actually they perform admirable on smooth-top-stoves. I will not cook at my friends house unless I have my Debuyer.

FYI, Falk is having a sales (thing today is last day) on at least two of their fry pans. Like 30% off which is crazy cheap for that stuff. Nothing I have ever cooked with compares to falk. I have the 12" saute and the 3QT saucier pan. 

Also, maybe goes without saying but falk and debuyer are heavy pans, like cast iron. I think my 12" falk weight 15 pounds without food.


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## Andrew H

Mucho Bocho said:


> Actually they perform admirable on smooth-top-stoves. I will not cook at my friends house unless I have my Debuyer.
> 
> FYI, Falk is having a sales (thing today is last day) on at least two of their fry pans. Like 30% off which is crazy cheap for that stuff. Nothing I have ever cooked with compares to falk. I have the 12" saute and the 3QT saucier pan.
> 
> Also, maybe goes without saying but falk and debuyer are heavy pans, like cast iron. I think my 12" falk weight 15 pounds without food.



Mind giving a link to the sale?


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## Deckhand

http://www.copperpans.com/
The email says use code memorial15
You can see if code still works.


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## Mucho Bocho

I just put a call into Michael. Seems that the sales did end yesterday but I bet he will be willing to hook us up on this forum. When he calls back i'll update you guys. ok


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## Justin0505

Deckhand said:


> http://www.copperpans.com/
> The email says use code memorial15
> You can see if code still works.



It says it only applies to "certain store items" but doesn't say what they are


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## clayton

Another thing to look at are the Bourgeat carbon steel pans. Very similar to deBuyer minus the rivets and a tad heavier gauge (at least mine are). I use both and like them both. The deBuyer "Country" pan is one of my favorites and in continuous rotation and I use an 8" Bourgeat as an omelet pan. 

Now time to check out that Falk sale...


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## Deckhand

Justin0505 said:


> It says it only applies to "certain store items" but doesn't say what they are


It was for any 32cm/12.5" diameter pieces the original email said they had bought to many in that size and wanted to reduce stock. There were four or five in that parameter, but the link to that page was gone when I checked for you just now.


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## clayton

Deckhand said:


> It was for any 32cm/12.5" diameter pieces the original email said they had bought to many in that size and wanted to reduce stock. There were four or five in that parameter, but the link to that page was gone when I checked for you just now.



Well that makes me feel better. Been eyeing their stew pan and sauciere for a looooooooooooooong time now. If they were 30% off that would have likely forced me to finally pull the trigger.


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## Justin0505

Ah well, thanks for checking. I did see that they have codes f1, f2, f3 for discounts of 10-20% depending on total order cost. With the F2 code I can get the monster 9.5qt pot w/ lid and 1.5qt w/ lid and save $100... but it's still almost $800 total.

I'd imagine that the copper would really shine in applications where you're trying to maintain temp w/o burning the bottom of large volumes of liquid (like soup / stew) or where you're trying to very precisely heat small volumes (like melt butter / make sauce). 
Well, thanks again KKF/ Deckhand for adding yet another expensive line to my wishlist.

Back to the OP though, I had a debuyer mineral pan for years. It warped very early on but I kept using it because my apt's crappy coil electric burners where not level anyway. However, I recently moved and I've got one of the equally annoying ceramic top ranges, so the uneven bottom of the pan would cause it or spin and wobble and slide all over. I never had a warping problem with the pan, and when I finally returned it, I found out that W.S. stopped selling them awhile ago because so many people had the same problem. Perhaps there was some defect in their early mfg process that created uneven stresses in the metal? 

Anyway, I dug though a bunch of reviews and ordered a "Paderno Heavy Duty Carbon Steel 11 Inch Frying Pan" - should be here next week.


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## clayton

No warping problem on my Standard blue deBuyer. That being said the Bourgeat does feel more solid and is thicker.


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## jgraeff

Falk put back up 15% off under code "memorial15".


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## foreleft

I haven't used them, but saw that Lodge released a line of pre-seasoned carbon steel pans not too long ago that are made in the USA.


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## dmccurtis

foreleft said:


> I haven't used them, but saw that Lodge released a line of pre-seasoned carbon steel pans not too long ago that are made in the USA.



The Lodge are pretty terrible. Maybe 2mm at the thickest.


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## mpukas

Love my De Buyer carbon pans. Never use cast iron pans any more. As someone said earlier, they're not for eveything. I still have a couple of SS and a ScanPan NS that also get regular use. There's no such thing as the perfect pan, and these have a niche for things like searing, saute, etc. Not so good for things like steaming and dishes that have a suace with an acid in them, like a tomato based ragu or pasta. 3mm steel and mo issues w/ warping. 

I have these pans w/ cast iron handles - more expensive than the strip steel handles, but worth it to me. If you leave the pan on the haet for a long time the handles will get hot. 
http://www.lacuisineus.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_11 

If you not concerned about the handles, this site has wholesale prices. 
http://www.capitalcityrestaurantsup...399,L,Eurodib USA > Professional Cookware,MX1


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## mhlee

Have you purchased those pans from Capital City? If so, do you know if they're the Carbone Plus or Mineral line?


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## SameGuy

You can get the three-pan Mineral fry pan set (8", 10", 12") for $149.95 with free shipping from Chefs.com. Add the 10" Mineral Country saute pan ($69.95) and you can get $25 off the entire order ($25 off $200 or more), or $195 for all four pans.

Interesting deal.


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## DeepCSweede

I am really frustrated right now. A couple months ago I ran across a blog through oiu, chef that the individual identified differences between the different lines of pans and the thicknesses of each line. I believe that the carbonne plus was the thickest followed by the mineral and the force blue. However, over the last few days I have tried to reaccess it to get a link and it is telling me that the site is under maintenance. I am considering getting the mineral 10" since any heavy searing I use cast iron.


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## Lucretia

The Debuyer web site (www.debuyer.com) has the information on the different lines. It's not the most friendly site, but the information is there. Go to www.debuyer.com, click on "catalogue" and then select "steel". You can then select the line you're considering. (Hint--there will be pictures at the bottom of the page--click on the picture to get information on that pan type.) It lists all the dimensions of the pans, including thickness, gives weights, etc.


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## SameGuy

Yeah, I did that earlier to find out which line La Cuisine is selling that has "cast handles." I can't seem to find any info about them anywhere. FWIW I ordered a 12" Minerale B Element crepe pan for my mom from Amazon this evening. I'll probably get one for myself before long.


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## mpukas

Lucretia is right - just go to their website and play around a bit... 

Capital City sells the Carbone Plus pans. The 5110 are round steel pans - 18cm-14 cm are 2.5mm, 26cm-50cm are 3mm; 5111 are oval steel 2.5mm & 3mm; 5120 are pancake pans 2.5mm. the round country pan in blue steel 2mm is the Force Blue. The grill pan in Carbone Plus in 2.5mm. 
They also sell a few copper models. 

La Cuisine sells the Carbone Plus 5910 pans with cast iron handles - 20cm-24cm pans are 2.5mm, 28cm-50cm pans are 3mm. They ahev pancake/crepe pans too. They've added sizes that they carry in the past year. 

I downloaded the De Buyer PDF catalog in 2010 and that has more products in it than the website. I think that's where I first saw the 5910 cast iron handle model. I e-mailed De Buyer as to where to find that model in the US, and they responded w/ La Cuisine's website. I inquired w/ Capital City to see if they could get the 5910 series and they can't. It appears th current PDF catalog doesn't have the 5910 series listed. too bad...


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## SameGuy

dmccurtis said:


> The Lodge are pretty terrible. Maybe 2mm at the thickest.


I'm curious about this. Lodge claims it is "12 gauge steel" which would make it at least 2.6 mm thick.


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## dmccurtis

SameGuy said:


> I'm curious about this. Lodge claims it is "12 gauge steel" which would make it at least 2.6 mm thick.



Just measured one. It's a hair under 2mm at the lip.


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## Keith Sinclair

This back of the house thred is going to lighten my wallet!At home now I'm using a Circulon 12",I'm not a big fan of nonstick pans,but the Cir. works well esp. cooking fish wt< or no oil.Macy's had a sale & I picked it up for 50.00.

I have used carbon steel knives at work many yrs.,also at home.Would like to get a good De Buyer for home use.Do you season these pans?I like the larger pans wt. handle for cooking curries etc..Use alot of garlic,onions & ginger.

This is not for heavy duty industry use.Just home cooking for 3-4 people.Any suggestions for me & where to get it?


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## SpikeC

If the pan starts out at 2.6 mm buy the time it is squished into shape the rim will be quite a bit thinner.


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## Keith Sinclair

Well I just ordered my first De Buyer pan the largest mineral-B 14.2,That should be big enough for most of my cooking,I have a good copper bottom stew pot for larger needs.Deff. looking forward to cooking in this pan.


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## SameGuy

Picked up my 7.9" frying and 12" crepiere (both Mineral B Element) today. The instructions for seasoning are pretty clear: clean off the beeswax well (I'll probably use BKF followed by baking soda and a thorough drying), add just enough fat to coat the bottom (they advise 1 *mm*&#8203, heat to the smoke point, dump, wipe, put away.


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## Keith Sinclair

Yeh kind of like a carbon knife,once patina ready to go.I have seasoned heavy cast iron pans.The De Buyer is larger lighter & better steel than my old 10" cast iron.


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## pitonboy

mpukas said:


> Love my De Buyer carbon pans. Never use cast iron pans any more. As someone said earlier, they're not for eveything. I still have a couple of SS and a ScanPan NS that also get regular use. There's no such thing as the perfect pan, and these have a niche for things like searing, saute, etc. Not so good for things like steaming and dishes that have a suace with an acid in them, like a tomato based ragu or pasta.
> 
> Can you ever get them seasoned to the point you can make acidic sauces without ruining the seasoning? If not, what do you use when making that marinara? The All-Clads or some nonstick?


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## DeepCSweede

pitonboy said:


> mpukas said:
> 
> 
> 
> Love my De Buyer carbon pans. Never use cast iron pans any more. As someone said earlier, they're not for eveything. I still have a couple of SS and a ScanPan NS that also get regular use. There's no such thing as the perfect pan, and these have a niche for things like searing, saute, etc. Not so good for things like steaming and dishes that have a suace with an acid in them, like a tomato based ragu or pasta.
> 
> Can you ever get them seasoned to the point you can make acidic sauces without ruining the seasoning? If not, what do you use when making that marinara? The All-Clads or some nonstick?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enamel coated LeCreuset
Click to expand...


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## SameGuy

FWIW, this is the 7.9" Mineral B Element after BKF scrub, baking soda neutralizer and a first seasoning with about a tablespoon of Pompeian grape seed oil. As instructed, heated until smoking, dumped and wiped out. Next, fried up a couple of breakfast sausage links and they browned nicely. The brown bits in the pan rinsed out easily. Excuse crappy phone cam pic...


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## mpukas

pitonboy said:


> Can you ever get them seasoned to the point you can make acidic sauces without ruining the seasoning? If not, what do you use when making that marinara? The All-Clads or some nonstick?



I'm not a patina or season queen. Folks that are really into seasoning their pans would probably be very unimpressed with my pans. I just heat them up, splash in some oil when their hot, and go to town. When it comes time to clean them, I use hot water and a tiny bit of soap and only enough scrubbing on the cooking surface to get them clean; I scrub down the sides, rivets, handles, outer surface, etc. very thoroughly. For the most part, they're very non-stick when used properly. 

After saying that, to answer your question, to me it's not an issue of seasoning the pan to be able to cook acidic foods, or ruining the seasoning. You'll never get an even coating all along the cooking surface and up the inside of the pan. It's about the acidic substance coming into contact with the steel and the dish developing off flavors and odors. Some dishes/sauces with a few tomatoes is fine, but something like a gastrique, no way. For that I use SS All-Clad or Viking. I use NS as little as possible.


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## Miles

Just a heads up to anyone looking to take one of these for a test drive, I got a Tuesday Morning flyer in the mail last week that features DeBuyer Mineral pans on sale between $20-$30 for 8-10" pans. I haven't checked the local stores to see what they have, but that's a very decent price: French steel for prices comparable to the Paderno pans.


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## Tristan

mpukas said:


> I'm not a patina or season queen. Folks that are really into seasoning their pans would probably be very unimpressed with my pans. I just heat them up, splash in some oil when their hot, and go to town. When it comes time to clean them, I use hot water and a tiny bit of soap and only enough scrubbing on the cooking surface to get them clean; I scrub down the sides, rivets, handles, outer surface, etc. very thoroughly. For the most part, they're very non-stick when used properly.
> 
> After saying that, to answer your question, to me it's not an issue of seasoning the pan to be able to cook acidic foods, or ruining the seasoning. You'll never get an even coating all along the cooking surface and up the inside of the pan. It's about the acidic substance coming into contact with the steel and the dish developing off flavors and odors. Some dishes/sauces with a few tomatoes is fine, but something like a gastrique, no way. For that I use SS All-Clad or Viking. I use NS as little as possible.



I never fail to get hard to dislodge brown stains on or near the rivets when using SS pans... a cursory wipe and scrub with or without soap never gets it off! I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.


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## mpukas

Tristan said:


> I never fail to get hard to dislodge brown stains on or near the rivets when using SS pans... a cursory wipe and scrub with or without soap never gets it off! I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.



That's incinerated oil, and it's really, really tough to get off. I've got it on all of my pans - inside and outside surfaces, and I just live with it. For my SS pans, I scrub them hard w/ a fresh scotch brite pad to really get them clean, and hit the rivets as best I can. HOT HOT HOT soapy water. That's actually the secret to to non-stick SS pans - super clean! As long as the pan is cleaned, heated & oiled properly, sticky things like crepes and omelettes will slide right. 

I've thought about trying oven cleaner, and also a dremmel w/ a wire brush attachment, but haven't tried either yet.


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## mpukas

Heads up for you guys - the De Buyer pans with the cast handles are an endangered species. I got a news letter f/ La Cuisine last week saying De Buyer is no longer making this version (which is why it isn't showing up on their website and catalog). I spoke with La C on the phone earlier this week, and they have in stock several sizes, and they can get a few more, except for the 24cm size. Apparently each handle is sized for each pan, and for whatever reason they have no more 24cm pans. 

I've ordered a couple more to round out my set - I like having 2 of each size as I'm often doing multiples of the same thing at once. Now I'll have 2 28cm and 2 32cm, but only 1 24cm. BTW - they have the monster 36cm & 40cm! Would love to have those too, but just to big for my stove top, and the handles are really long which makes storing them a problem for me... 

One other thing to note about La Cuisine - they charge 10% for shipping. OUCH! But they have a e-coupon that will save you 10% - ebites, so you can basically get free shipping. Have fun!!! :wink:


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## SameGuy

Thanks! The cast handled pans are a bit more spendy than the Mineral B with flat handles, but might be nice for a most-used pan. I may also get a 24 cm crepiere to go along with the 30 cm Mineral B I picked up last week.


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## kalaeb

Miles said:


> Just a heads up to anyone looking to take one of these for a test drive, I got a Tuesday Morning flyer in the mail last week that features DeBuyer Mineral pans on sale between $20-$30 for 8-10" pans. I haven't checked the local stores to see what they have, but that's a very decent price: French steel for prices comparable to the Paderno pans.



That is a steal, going to have to check out my Tuesday morning to see if they have any


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## unkajonet

kalaeb said:


> That is a steal, going to have to check out my Tuesday morning to see if they have any



It's a great deal. Just make sure you look over the pans carefully before buying. I had to wade through 7 of them before I found one that wasn't chipped (usually around the rim). But for $32 out the door, time very well spent.


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## mhlee

unkajonet said:


> It's a great deal. Just make sure you look over the pans carefully before buying. I had to wade through 7 of them before I found one that wasn't chipped (usually around the rim). But for $32 out the door, time very well spent.



Geez. I did a location search on their website and found nothing. Do a Google search and there are three close to my work. 

I'm going tonight!


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## mhlee

I just bought an 8 and a 10 inch pan. I noticed that the bottom edge of the 8 inch pan where it slopes up is a little rough. 

Did any of you notice this in this size pan? Most of the 10 inch pans I inspected did not have this, but most of the 8 inch pans I inspected had this.


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## pitonboy

All my pans of all three sizes are just perfect


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## mhlee

pitonboy said:


> All my pans of all three sizes are just perfect



Thanks. I'll be returning my 8 inch then.


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## mpukas

La Cuisine just issued a 20% off coupon (2 days after I ordered my pans - grrrr) - SUMMER2012 - good through August 31. Good everything they sell - and sell Mauviel, in case you want splurg!


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## mpukas

Clarification - the La Cuisine coupon is valid July 15 - August 31. mpp


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## pitonboy

Knives or copper pans--such a difficult decision. Thanks for the heads up.


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## GlassEye

Miles said:


> Just a heads up to anyone looking to take one of these for a test drive, I got a Tuesday Morning flyer in the mail last week that features DeBuyer Mineral pans on sale between $20-$30 for 8-10" pans. I haven't checked the local stores to see what they have, but that's a very decent price: French steel for prices comparable to the Paderno pans.


Thanks a lot for the heads up, I just got a 20cm and 26 cm minérale.


mhlee said:


> I just bought an 8 and a 10 inch pan. I noticed that the bottom edge of the 8 inch pan where it slopes up is a little rough.
> 
> Did any of you notice this in this size pan? Most of the 10 inch pans I inspected did not have this, but most of the 8 inch pans I inspected had this.


All but the one I bought were like that where I went, I was just going to sand that down if I couldn't find a good one.


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## wenus2

mpukas said:


> La Cuisine just issued a 20% off coupon (2 days after I ordered my pans - grrrr) - SUMMER2012 - good through August 31. Good everything they sell - and sell Mauviel, in case you want splurg!


Not sure I should kiss you or kick you!


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## mano

I bought an 8" and 2 x 10" pans from Tuesday Morning and am very pleased. They're far better than the Lodge cast iron and our small LeCreuset 8" fry pan; lighter, taking an easy and excellent seasoning and are already pretty non-stick. The smaller one is great for eggs and on the 10" I slow cooked a black and blue small beef roast we're slicing thin and using in summer salads.


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## chinacats

What is the difference between the mineral and carbon plus series? I think I must have one of these!

Thanks


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## mhlee

The difference between the two is the finish.


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## chinacats

mhlee said:


> The difference between the two is the finish.



Thanks, can you elaborate? Personal preference?


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## mhlee

chinacats said:


> Thanks, can you elaborate? Personal preference?



I haven't bought the Carbone Plus but I was informed by a retailer that the only difference between the two is the beeswax finish on the Mineral pans. FWIW, I believe the beeswax finish is supposed to be washed off before use according to the literature that came with the pans. Maybe others can chime in here. I just bought two Mineral pans this week but haven't used them yet. 

I have a question for those of you that bought Mineral pans. What's covering the handles? Is it plastic?


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## mano

Yes and it does a decent job except at high heat you need a towel. Maybe I'll get some of those rubber handle covers.


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## mpukas

Family portrait
(1) new 32cm & (2) new 28cm Carbon pans w/ cast handles
(1) old 32cm & (1) old 24cm Carbon pans w/ cast handles 

Let the fun begin!!!


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## Deckhand

I will never ever sell my falk saucier. Love it beyond words, but I need De Buyer frying pans now to replace my nonstick.
You guys are killing me on this thread. I need to go somewhere and check out the 12" vs 14" debuyer mineral.
What is your favorite size? Or should I just get a 12"


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## mhlee

mano said:


> Yes and it does a decent job except at high heat you need a towel. Maybe I'll get some of those rubber handle covers.



Have you used it in the oven? I read on CH that they can only be used in the oven for 10 min. I'm really thinking of getting those pans that mpukas has so they can be used in the oven. I also wonder if that's why I saw the thinner pans used by French chefs in older cooking shows - they don't have that coating on the handle.


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## chinacats

This place is such a bad influence...I just purchased a grill frypan, crepe pan, and a round frying pan...all carbon plus...aaauuughhh!!! :cheffry:


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## GlassEye

mhlee said:


> Have you used it in the oven? I read on CH that they can only be used in the oven for 10 min. I'm really thinking of getting those pans that mpukas has so they can be used in the oven. I also wonder if that's why I saw the thinner pans used by French chefs in older cooking shows - they don't have that coating on the handle.


I had not heard that about the handles, I bought these to be used, if the clearcoat melts off the handles in the oven I probably won't care too much.

I just seasoned mine with lard, hopefully I will have time to get some use in these tomorrow.




That is a SS pan next them for reference.


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## mpukas

Deckhand said:


> What is your favorite size? Or should I just get a 12"



The12" - 32cm are big and HEAVY, especially w/ the cast handles. They measure just under 12" across the top from outside edge to outside edge. One thing to keep in mind about these pans, though, is because the side are sloped and they are fairly deep, the cooking surface area is smaller. The 36cm pans are probably about 13-1/2" across the top. I'd love to have one for the occasion when I sear something really big, like two turkey breast halves at once, but for the most part the 32cm suites me just fine. I can do two lamb racks at once. 

The 24cm is a bit small for me, but it's nice for things like breakfast for myself when I cook a single sausage, etc. I find it too small for eggs, omelettes, etc. That's where the 28cm come in. Perfect size for omelettes, searing a couple of steaks, chicken breasts, fish fillets, etc. 

I have a ScanPan 12" that has low side walls that are very vertical and I use that often just because of the large cooking surface.


----------



## Deckhand

mpukas said:


> The12" - 32cm are big and HEAVY, especially w/ the cast handles. They measure just under 12" across the top from outside edge to outside edge. One thing to keep in mind about these pans, though, is because the side are sloped and they are fairly deep, the cooking surface area is smaller. The 36cm pans are probably about 13-1/2" across the top. I'd love to have one for the occasion when I sear something really big, like two turkey breast halves at once, but for the most part the 32cm suites me just fine. I can do two lamb racks at once.
> 
> The 24cm is a bit small for me, but it's nice for things like breakfast for myself when I cook a single sausage, etc. I find it too small for eggs, omelettes, etc. That's where the 28cm come in. Perfect size for omelettes, searing a couple of steaks, chicken breasts, fish fillets, etc.
> 
> I have a ScanPan 12" that has low side walls that are very vertical and I use that often just because of the large cooking surface.




Thanks for your opinions. I will probably just get the 32cm mineral and a 9.44 in blue steel crepe pan. I really appreciate your help. I have a 12 inch nonstick as well.


----------



## SameGuy

How did they get that black with one seasoning (following the instructions)?


----------



## GlassEye

SameGuy said:


> How did they get that black with one seasoning (following the instructions)?


I did not season using the method in the intructions. 

How I season a pan: clean first, allow to evenly heat, smear a wad of paper towel in lard, wipe a very thin layer of lard into the hot pan (it needs to be a very thin layer). The thin layer should smoke quickly, when the smoke thins/stops repeat the thin layer of lard, do this until you have a desired even dark coating in the pan. When the pan has cooled some I add another layer and allow it to fully cool, then use the pan as much as possible.


----------



## mano

I use welding gloves for hot pots and pans in the oven or stove top. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=welding%20gloves

I got the cheap blue ones that do okay.


----------



## mpukas

GlassEye said:


> I did not season using the method in the intructions.
> 
> How I season a pan: clean first, allow to evenly heat, smear a wad of paper towel in lard, wipe a very thin layer of lard into the hot pan (it needs to be a very thin layer). The thin layer should smoke quickly, when the smoke thins/stops repeat the thin layer of lard, do this until you have a desired even dark coating in the pan. When the pan has cooled some I add another layer and allow it to fully cool, then use the pan as much as possible.



That's a great technique! Prolly the best one I have heard of. Have you used other oils/fats, or is lard best? Never tried lard for seasoning... my experience w/ bacon fat is it's got a low smoke point and burns easily, so I don't cook with it much. But maybe that why it's so good for seaosning pans??? 

A while ago now (and I've mentioned it before) Cook's Illustrated ran an article about a reader who seasoned her cast iron pans w/ flax seed oil. Wipe a thin film in the pan, put it in a 500 oven for an hour, then turn it off until it cools. Repeat 5-6 times. Something about the molecules of flax seed oil being different that other oils. I tried it when I first got my De Buer carbon pans - the finish looked great, but as soon as I used it, it flaked off. I talked to one of the Cuisinettes (how can you not love some lovely southern gals who call themselves that???), and she tried it as well with the same results I had. Bottom line - that technique doesn't work on carbon pans. 

I'll stick to the method you described, or go the real man route like the chinese chef seasoning a wok. Which is actually quite similar to what you are doing... thanks for that!


----------



## Deckhand

mano said:


> I use welding gloves for hot pots and pans in the oven or stove top. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153_12605?keyword=welding%20gloves
> 
> I got the cheap blue ones that do okay.



Yep. Got to have a plan. I use cheap white IKEA towels. I buy ten at a time. nackten guest towels 49 cents each. I use them for hot pans and wiping my knives.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50215084/


----------



## SameGuy

I use bar mop towels for knives because they are absorbent and _cheap _-- I inevitably catch the heel in the weave or pile loops. I use long terry oven mitts or gloves for the oven, and any rag I have near me for pans.


----------



## SameGuy

I think I'm going to start over with my carbons, though, using GlassEye's method. The way I did it (the instructions, using grape seed oil) seemed to work, but I'm noticing uneven spots and the coating doesn't seem to be building up.


----------



## mpukas

SameGuy said:


> I think I'm going to start over with my carbons, though, using GlassEye's method. The way I did it (the instructions, using grape seed oil) seemed to work, but I'm noticing uneven spots and the coating doesn't seem to be building up.



Grape seed oil is weird stuff to me. I use it to cook high heat and for dressing, mayonaise, etc. What I find wierd is it gets gunky/gummy. I was gonna use it for seaosning too, but I'm not sure about it. Maybe pig fat is THE way to go here.


----------



## SameGuy

I bought lard the same day I restocked the grape seed, so with just a thin coat of seasoning (one seasoning session and a few batches of sausage links) it'll be pretty easy to BKF it off.


----------



## Deckhand

Found these dimensions in a review. Might help people for interior diameter.

7-7/8" outer diameter, 5-1/3" interior diameter, 2.5 mm thickness

9-1/2" outer diameter, 6.7" interior diameter, 2.5 mm thickness

10-1/4" outer diameter, 7-1/4" interior diameter, 3 mm thickness

11" outer diameter, 7-7/8" interior diameter, 3 mm thickness

12-1/2" outer diameter, 9.4" interior diameter, 3 mm thickness

14-1/4" outer diameter, 10.4" interior diameter, 3 mm thickness


----------



## SameGuy

Yeah, the crepiere dimensions are deceptive... one site said the dimension quoted is the outer lip dimension, and subtract 4 cm for the interior. I figured 10" would make for good-sized home crepes or palacsinta (Hungarian crepes). Turns out that note refers to the "poeles a frire" (frying pans), as noted above; the 30 cm crepiere is _larger _than 30 cm, and the cooking surface is less than an inch smaller than the outer diameter. 11¾" crepes are a bit big for our table. I'll probably pick up the smaller crepiere from LC.


----------



## GlassEye

mpukas said:


> That's a great technique! Prolly the best one I have heard of. Have you used other oils/fats, or is lard best? Never tried lard for seasoning... my experience w/ bacon fat is it's got a low smoke point and burns easily, so I don't cook with it much. But maybe that why it's so good for seaosning pans???
> I'll stick to the method you described, or go the real man route like the chinese chef seasoning a wok. Which is actually quite similar to what you are doing... thanks for that!



I have tried many other oils/fats for seasoning and lard is my favorite. I often use a metal spatula to scrape off any stuck on bits after searing or deglaze in the pan and never have any seasoning flake off.


----------



## mhlee

GlassEye said:


> I have tried many other oils/fats for seasoning and lard is my favorite. I often use a metal spatula to scrape off any stuck on bits after searing or deglaze in the pan and never have any seasoning flake off.



I'm curious. Do you season the outside of the pan as well? It looks like the outside of that pan was as dark as the interior.


----------



## GlassEye

mhlee said:


> I'm curious. Do you season the outside of the pan as well? It looks like the outside of that pan was as dark as the interior.



I don't season the exterior, I think that is just shadow. The exterior is quite purple/blue, but going back to silver after some use.


----------



## mhlee

I just compared the thickness of a Mineral B Element 20 cm pan at a restaurant supply store here in LA (Surfas) to a 20 cm Mineral pan I bought from Tuesday morning. There's no question the Mineral B is thicker. The Mineral pan was right around 2 cm, the Mineral B was at least 2.5 mm. I'll try and take a picture.


----------



## unkajonet

For anyone interested, I picked up a 32cm Mineral B for $61 (including coupon) from Kitchen Universe. Pretty easy to find the current coupon with a Google search.


----------



## obtuse

I season both the inside and outside initially, then I maintain the outside with oil.


----------



## Deckhand

unkajonet said:


> For anyone interested, I picked up a 32cm Mineral B for $61 (including coupon) from Kitchen Universe. Pretty easy to find the current coupon with a Google search.



Wow great price! Just bought the same one at Williams Sonoma for the instant satisfaction. Just got back from the market with some Lard to attempt seasoning. This place isn't good for my wallet. I was worried about the weight, but not after trying it in person. Weight is a non issue much lighter than my lodge, and the handle wraps under my arm great. I know I will love it! Hope to get the blue crepe one in a few weeks.


----------



## SameGuy

Re-seasoned my 20 cm this morning. BKF got it shiny clean in seconds, then I used baking soda just to be safe. Using GlassEye's method was very easy, if a bit time-consuming. I couldn't get the coating as uniformly black as GlassEye's images show, but it is definitely smoother than the De Buyer method with grapeseed oil.


----------



## Deckhand

First, I boiled water with potato skins for the oxalic acid. Wiped it down. Then, I would let the pan heat to smoke point with a light layer of lard from on a paper towel GlassEye's method. Let it cool. Repeat. I have done it 4 times so far. I really like the results. Thanks for the method.


----------



## Lucretia

For those of you with the cast handles, do you find them to be a lot more comfortable? I've got a small mineral B (the 9"?) and would like a bigger one, but the handle is pretty uncomfortable. It's also heavy enough at the small size that I'm considering the lighter weight Force Blue as an alternative if I go bigger.


----------



## Deckhand

Lucretia said:


> For those of you with the cast handles, do you find them to be a lot more comfortable? I've got a small mineral B (the 9"?) and would like a bigger one, but the handle is pretty uncomfortable. It's also heavy enough at the small size that I'm considering the lighter weight Force Blue as an alternative if I go bigger.



I would like to try out a cast iron handle sometime. Not sure how you are gripping. I noticed on my mineral b 12" the handle very conveniently goes underneath my arm and supports the pan when I choke up on the handle towards the skillet. I like that my arm supports the pan rather than just my hand.


----------



## SpikeC

My wife hated the AllClad handles until I showed her how to hold them!


----------



## SameGuy

Not sure I'm doing it right. No, I'm not "obsessive about seasoning" as someone mentioned in the carbon seasoning thread, but I first fried up some bacon this morning. The bacon slid around nicely, but when I tried to wipe the excess grease before the eggs I noticed quite a bit of sticky crud. Added some oil and fried up two eggs. They stuck quite badly, but I finally managed to get them out without destroying them. I prefer over-easy, but that would've been impossible. There were lots of proteins stuck in the pan, and it took lots of hot water to start loosening. My pan-dedicated nylon brush did nothing so I resorted to a well-used "green sponge" (De Buyer's term for a 3M ScotchBrite?) which did the trick with some effort. But now it looks like the pan has a very pretty blue patina, but the seasoning appears to be gone. Attempt number three?


----------



## chinacats

Deckhand said:


> First, I boiled water with potato skins for the oxalic acid. Wiped it down. Then, I would let the pan heat to smoke point with a light layer of lard from on a paper towel GlassEye's method. Let it cool. Repeat. I have done it 4 times so far. I really like the results. Thanks for the method.



So I get GlassEye's method, but curious about the potato skins and what the oxalic acid does...thanks...


----------



## Deckhand

chinacats said:


> So I get GlassEye's method, but curious about the potato skins and what the oxalic acid does...thanks...



Maybe overkill, but read about it on a few foodie forums. Just cleaning off the manufacturing junk and bees wax. I was happy with the results. Now I have done the heat to smoking with lard and paper towel multiple times. Looks good and dark enough for me now.


----------



## kalaeb

SameGuy said:


> Not sure I'm doing it right. No, I'm not "obsessive about seasoning" as someone mentioned in the carbon seasoning thread, but I first fried up some bacon this morning. The bacon slid around nicely, but when I tried to wipe the excess grease before the eggs I noticed quite a bit of sticky crud. Added some oil and fried up two eggs. They stuck quite badly, but I finally managed to get them out without destroying them. I prefer over-easy, but that would've been impossible. There were lots of proteins stuck in the pan, and it took lots of hot water to start loosening. My pan-dedicated nylon brush did nothing so I resorted to a well-used "green sponge" (De Buyer's term for a 3M ScotchBrite?) which did the trick with some effort. But now it looks like the pan has a very pretty blue patina, but the seasoning appears to be gone. Attempt number three?



I have never had any luck with forcing a patina in my Debuyer. Every time I tried it ended in flaking or stickiness. I gave up and went au natural and have not had an issue since. 

It may be a pita now, but once you get your seasoning, you will never look at another pan.

Re:eggs, it may have been your pan was not hot enough when you started the bacon causing slight sticking with the bacon, carrying over to the eggs, or the bacon was higher in sugar content (maple or applewood smoked or something) but...at the end of the day, I always start with a clean pan when cookng eggs and have never tried cooking directly after bacon.


----------



## mpukas

Lucretia said:


> For those of you with the cast handles, do you find them to be a lot more comfortable? I've got a small mineral B (the 9"?) and would like a bigger one, but the handle is pretty uncomfortable. It's also heavy enough at the small size that I'm considering the lighter weight Force Blue as an alternative if I go bigger.



The cast handles are much more comfortable than the strip steel handles. They do add weight to an already heavy pan. The cast handles do conduct heat, so when the pan get hot, the handles get hot and you need to use a towel, pot holder, etc. 

Keep in mind if you go with a lighter pan, you're getting thinner steel which means they wil heat up quicker, less heat retention once hot, and more chance of warping if they get really hot.


----------



## mpukas

SameGuy said:


> Not sure I'm doing it right. No, I'm not "obsessive about seasoning" as someone mentioned in the carbon seasoning thread, but I first fried up some bacon this morning. The bacon slid around nicely, but when I tried to wipe the excess grease before the eggs I noticed quite a bit of sticky crud. Added some oil and fried up two eggs. They stuck quite badly, but I finally managed to get them out without destroying them. I prefer over-easy, but that would've been impossible. There were lots of proteins stuck in the pan, and it took lots of hot water to start loosening. My pan-dedicated nylon brush did nothing so I resorted to a well-used "green sponge" (De Buyer's term for a 3M ScotchBrite?) which did the trick with some effort. But now it looks like the pan has a very pretty blue patina, but the seasoning appears to be gone. Attempt number three?



+1 to what Kalaeb said. 

Even if a carbon/cast iron pan is seasoned perfectly, cooking bacon in it will lead to browned bits of sugar and fat that will stick to some degree. I just soak the pan, scrape it will a metal spatula, and hit it w/ a green scrubby and hot water w/ a little soap. Patina comes and goes, but the pans always rock. 

+1 to eggs over easy too . That's one of the few things I use the ScanPan NS for. Omelettes and scrambles no problem in my carbon pans as long as they're hot enough at the start.


----------



## wenus2

chinacats said:


> curious about the potato skins...



That was the directions included from the manufacturer with my pan: boil skins of a potato for 15 min or so.
I believed it to be for the purpose of removing the factory coating on the pan.

Also, for seasoning, this crap flat works and is idiot proof...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H86C9I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## Lucretia

Deckhand said:


> I would like to try out a cast iron handle sometime. Not sure how you are gripping. I noticed on my mineral b 12" the handle very conveniently goes underneath my arm and supports the pan when I choke up on the handle towards the skillet. I like that my arm supports the pan rather than just my hand.



Hmmm...tried it on my 9". I can see where that would work better on a larger pan. Now I might have to try one...


----------



## Deckhand

Lucretia said:


> Hmmm...tried it on my 9". I can see where that would work better on a larger pan. Now I might have to try one...


----------



## mhlee

I just saw this this morning.

https://opensky.com/doriegreenspan/product/debuyer-mineral-b-element-round-frypan-set

I picked this set up because I had a $10 credit on Opensky. It's a little more than Capital City but these look like the real deal Mineral B pans.


----------



## clayton

Nice! Thanks for the heads-up.


----------



## SameGuy

$125 for all three is pretty good, actually. (+$10 credit -$10 "handling" charge).


----------



## pitonboy

Thanks, I am all over it


----------



## Justin0505

SameGuy said:


> Not sure I'm doing it right. No, I'm not "obsessive about seasoning" as someone mentioned in the carbon seasoning thread, but I first fried up some bacon this morning. The bacon slid around nicely, but when I tried to wipe the excess grease before the eggs I noticed quite a bit of sticky crud. Added some oil and fried up two eggs. They stuck quite badly, but I finally managed to get them out without destroying them. I prefer over-easy, but that would've been impossible. There were lots of proteins stuck in the pan, and it took lots of hot water to start loosening. My pan-dedicated nylon brush did nothing so I resorted to a well-used "green sponge" (De Buyer's term for a 3M ScotchBrite?) which did the trick with some effort. But now it looks like the pan has a very pretty blue patina, but the seasoning appears to be gone. Attempt number three?



As others have mentioned, the sugars from the bacon will often lead to little bits sticking, but it shouldn't be big deal. I created a pretty solid, flake-free patina on my pan using a combo of the peanut oil soak method and then the lard & paper towel wipe method and I still get little sugary-sticky pits of bacon goo stuck after I'm done cooking bacon. 
Here's what i do:
-with all of the bacon out of the pan, but the bacon grease still in the pan, adjust the heat so that you're just below the smoke point of the bacon grease. 

-use your metal spatula like a paint scraper to remove all of the burnt / gooey / sticky bits. A narrow and flexible one works best for getting into corners and around the sides.
I like this one: 



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006A03TW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 - I actually sharpened the leading edge like a chisel and flattened the underside -it does a really great job of getting under the gunk. Removing a few scrapes of seasoning here and there is not a big deal. The key to making / keeping a good seasoning is to keep it thin and smooth. Thick, chunky bits will flake like a bad paint-job. 

- I have found that having the hot grease in the pan makes removing stuck-on stuff much easier than with water. 

-once you have liberated all of the gunk, dump the grease out (or reserve it for use later)

-wad up a small bit (maybe 1/4 sheet) of paper towel and wipe around the pan. This will help to remove the last little flakes of burnt stuff and also spread a thin / even layer of grease. 

- for extra anti-stick / to repair the scratches left from your spatula, you can add back in a little oil or bacon grease and wipe again with the paper towel wad. 

-The surface of the pan should look shinny/glossy and smooth, not dull and smoking (again, too much smoke= too much heat). 

The pan is ready for eggs. (you will probably want to turn the heat back up a little bit to help the pan recover from the raw eggs pulling the heat out). Adding just a pinch of butter or a little of the bacon grease will even further increase the non-stick (and add flavor). 

I would say that the biggest learning curve with these pans is heat management and realizing that you don't actually need that much. Electric burners are always a PITA and add to the "challenge." I really miss cooking with fire...


----------



## SameGuy

Thanks!

My mom just said she picked up some _real_ lard from the local Polish delicatessen, so I'll clean up and re-season her pans with that -- I used grapeseed on hers too, before I cleaned mine and switched to Snow Cap (_hydrogenated_&#8203 lard.


----------



## chinacats

Justin0505 said:


> ...I created a pretty solid, flake-free patina on my pan using a combo of the peanut oil soak method and then the lard & paper towel wipe method and I still get little sugary-sticky pits of bacon goo stuck after I'm done cooking bacon.



Could you explain the peanut oil soak method? 

Thanks and Cheers!


----------



## Vertigo

Hey bacon noobs! Cook your bacon on a cookie sheet (or some tinfoil) in your oven at 425 for like 8-10 minutes--it cooks more evenly, is less fuss and less mess, and spares the seasoning on your fancy carbon steel pans from all this hassle in the first place.

:lol2:


----------



## Lucretia

Gotta cook the bacon in the pan so that you get all those stuck-on bits in your scrambled eggs. Yum!


----------



## Vertigo

Lucretia said:


> Gotta cook the bacon in the pan so that you get all those stuck-on bits in your scrambled eggs. Yum!



Conversely, pour a bit of the bacon fat off the cookie sheet into the pan and use it as the fat for scrambling, then crumble more of the cooked bacon into the eggs after they start to set. The eggs will be prettier, just as tasty, and no sticky mess. 

Just sayin.


----------



## GlassEye

Vertigo said:


> Hey bacon noobs! Cook your bacon on a cookie sheet (or some tinfoil) in your oven at 425 for like 8-10 minutes--it cooks more evenly, is less fuss and less mess, and spares the seasoning on your fancy carbon steel pans from all this hassle in the first place.
> 
> :lol2:



My pans tend to heat up faster than the oven.


----------



## Vertigo

GlassEye said:


> My pans tend to heat up faster than the oven.


I hope your pans _clean up_ faster than the oven too, because otherwise it's a moot point. Except sipping coffee and waiting is more fun than cleaning.


----------



## wenus2

Vertigo said:


> I hope your pans _clean up_ faster than the oven too, because otherwise it's a moot point. Except sipping coffee and waiting is more fun than cleaning.



Lol. Point aaand match.


----------



## GlassEye

Vertigo said:


> I hope your pans _clean up_ faster than the oven too, because otherwise it's a moot point. Except sipping coffee and waiting is more fun than cleaning.



If I am using a cast iron pan or similar, it gets a quick wipe down before I eat and clean-up is done. Otherwise, cleaning the sheet pan wouldn't be any quicker than the skillet/fry-pan. I suppose you could just use foil and toss it, but I try to use consumables sparingly.


----------



## Justin0505

Vertigo said:


> Hey bacon noobs! Cook your bacon on a cookie sheet (or some tinfoil) in your oven at 425 for like 8-10 minutes--it cooks more evenly, is less fuss and less mess, and spares the seasoning on your fancy carbon steel pans from all this hassle in the first place.
> 
> :lol2:



That's how the "pros" do it on Epic Meal Time:
BACON STRIPS
BACON STRIPS 
BACON STRIPS 
BACON STRIPS 
BACON STRIPS 
BACON STRIPS 


However, I like the combination of crispy and chewy parts and more control over the process that pan frying provides.
If I'm just cooking for 1 or 2 people it seems silly to fire up the oven ...And if I'm using the pan to make the eggs (and do the final browning of bread / melting of cheese for the breakfast samies) then why dirty the oven and baking sheet in addition to the pan? Plus, my total combined waiting and cleaning time when using a well seasoned carbon pan is less than 2 minutes total. And the bacon grease is good for the fancy carbon...


----------



## Vertigo

GlassEye said:


> If I am using a cast iron pan or similar, it gets a quick wipe down before I eat and clean-up is done.


And when I'm cooking for myself I fire it off in the microwave in some paper towels and call it a day. See, I was talking to the bacon noobs who keep gumming up their carbon steel pans, and complaining about the cleanup. 

My diverticulitis is flaring up today, anything else unrelated _you_ want to talk about? :clown:



Justin0505 said:


> ...then why dirty the oven and baking sheet in addition to the pan?



Well you're really just dirtying a piece of tin foil, from which all chewy bits/greasy bits/crunchy bits can be extracted. And it may seem "silly" to fire up the oven for 1-2 people, but it also seems "silly" to do this:



> Here's what i do:
> -with all of the bacon out of the pan, but the bacon grease still in the pan, adjust the heat so that you're just below the smoke point of the bacon grease.
> 
> -use your metal spatula like a paint scraper to remove all of the burnt / gooey / sticky bits. A narrow and flexible one works best for getting into corners and around the sides.
> I like this one:
> View attachment 8301
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006A03TW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 - I actually sharpened the leading edge like a chisel and flattened the underside -it does a really great job of getting under the gunk. Removing a few scrapes of seasoning here and there is not a big deal. The key to making / keeping a good seasoning is to keep it thin and smooth. Thick, chunky bits will flake like a bad paint-job.
> 
> - I have found that having the hot grease in the pan makes removing stuck-on stuff much easier than with water.
> 
> -once you have liberated all of the gunk, dump the grease out (or reserve it for use later)
> 
> -wad up a small bit (maybe 1/4 sheet) of paper towel and wipe around the pan. This will help to remove the last little flakes of burnt stuff and also spread a thin / even layer of grease.
> 
> - for extra anti-stick / to repair the scratches left from your spatula, you can add back in a little oil or bacon grease and wipe again with the paper towel wad.
> 
> -The surface of the pan should look shinny/glossy and smooth, not dull and smoking (again, too much smoke= too much heat).
> 
> The pan is ready for eggs. (you will probably want to turn the heat back up a little bit to help the pan recover from the raw eggs pulling the heat out). Adding just a pinch of butter or a little of the bacon grease will even further increase the non-stick (and add flavor).



Just to eat a few pieces of bacon. Rofls.


----------



## Justin0505

Yeah, it looks long when broken onto blow-by-blow detail, but i did that just to explain the exact what and why. 
In practice, it looks like:
- heat pan (20 sec) 
-inset and cook bacon
-remove cooked bacob 
- scrape around pan with spatula (20sec.) 
-dump & wipe. (10sec) 

If i where cooking a lb or 2 of bacon and had a bunch of other stove top things to cook too, Id use the oven. 

But the microwave? Seriously dude... Microwaves are like the serrated "miracle blade knives" of kitchen appliances. 

I enjoy the manual process of cooking, not pushing buttons or setting knobs. 

If you what to get even faster and cleaner with the buttons and knobs: theres a thing called a phone which you just push buttons on and talk into and it makes the food show up at your door.

-then youll have plenty of time to pat your own head, sip coffee, and write "lol, lol, lol bacon noobs" to people asking questions about using carbon steel pans on a thread about carbon steel pans...


----------



## SameGuy

Please re-title the thread to "Differences of Opinion on Making Bacon."


----------



## Justin0505

SameGuy said:


> Please re-title the thread to "Differences of Opinion on Making Bacon."



Hahaha, awesome!
Perhaps bacon technique should be added to the "don't go there" list along side of religion and politics. 
BAAAACCCCCCCOOON!:angryexplode:


----------



## Crothcipt

Lol you can do bacon in batches and keep it around. Save the grease for your pan for later. You still get the smell of cooked bacon when you reheat it in the pan next time.


----------



## Vertigo

Justin0505 said:


> -then youll have plenty of time to pat your own head, sip coffee, and write "lol, lol, lol bacon noobs" to people asking questions about using carbon steel pans on a thread about carbon steel pans...


Woof! Note to self: bacon is a _touchy subject!_ Didn't mean to step on any hooves with my porcine provocation, sorry man! 



Justin0505 said:


> But the microwave? Seriously dude... Microwaves are like the serrated "miracle blade knives" of kitchen appliances.



You don't know what you're missing. Just wake up and cram a cup of cold coffee, some eggs in a Tupperware dish, and a few strips of bacon in that box, hit the button, have a quick snooze, and get back up to a delicious breakfast. It's like Michael Scott's "Bacon on the Foreman" from _the Office_, but you don't risk burning your foot.


----------



## Justin0505

Vertigo said:


> Woof! Note to self: bacon is a _touchy subject!_ Didn't mean to step on any hooves with my porcine provocation, sorry man!


Haha, It's all good. No hooves where hurt in the making of this long jaunt off topic. It's it's good to be occasionally be reminded that the things we do can look pretty silly / bewildering to others that don't share or particular set of nerdy priorities. 




Vertigo said:


> You don't know what you're missing. Just wake up and cram a cup of cold coffee, some eggs in a Tupperware dish, and a few strips of bacon in that box, hit the button, have a quick snooze, and get back up to a delicious breakfast. It's like Michael Scott's "Bacon on the Foreman" from _the Office_, but you don't risk burning your foot.


Wait? Did you just suggest microwaving coffee? :scared4: Is nothing sacred to you?!? :no: Just be glad you posted that bit of high blasphemy here and not on the coffee gear thread...


----------



## EdipisReks

nothing wrong with microwaving a good cup of cold brew coffee.


----------



## Justin0505

EdipisReks said:


> nothing wrong with microwaving a good cup of cold brew coffee.



OH NO! Edipis!!! Not you too?!?! Nothing wrong with microwaving cold brew... except FOR EVERYTHING!!!! You're taking one of the most delicious methods of extracting flavor from coffee beans -one which is free from bitterness-inducing over-heating- and subjecting it to a nuclear attack. Can't you hear it's tortured cries over the hum the flavor-destroy-o-wave? Can't you smell and taste the stench of death on the finished product?
Taking the care to make cold brew and then microwaving it is like hand-raising a kobe-style beef and then sending to McWrongalds to be made into unhappy meals. 

My coffee OCD is totally tweaking out right now... I need a minute.....:fanning::IMOK:


Seriously though: just make your cold-brew extra concentrated and then add hot (not boiling) water to it. You'll get more cups out of a batch before you have to re-brew and it will taste better.


----------



## Andrew H

Justin0505 said:


> OH NO! Edipis!!! Not you too?!?! Nothing wrong with microwaving cold brew... except FOR EVERYTHING!!!! You're taking one of the most delicious methods of extracting flavor from coffee beans -one which is free from bitterness-inducing over-heating- and subjecting it to a nuclear attack. Can't you hear it's tortured cries over the hum the flavor-destroy-o-wave? Can't you smell and taste the stench of death on the finished product?
> Taking the care to make cold brew and then microwaving it is like hand-raising a kobe-style beef and then sending to McWrongalds to be made into unhappy meals.
> 
> My coffee OCD is totally tweaking out right now... I need a minute.....:fanning::IMOK:
> 
> 
> Seriously though: just make your cold-brew extra concentrated and then add hot (not boiling) water to it. You'll get more cups out of a batch before you have to re-brew and it will taste better.



If you're careful there's no need to overheat the brew.


----------



## Justin0505

Andrew H said:


> If you're careful there's no need to overheat the brew.



... and if you're careful with a flame thrower maybe you can light a candle without melting it:flame:! The problem is with the destruction that microwaves cause on a molecular level. The oils in coffee are very volatile and unstable to begin with. Coffee starts to degrade as soon as it's been brewed. Heat quickens chemical reactions, but microwaves have a very special way of destroying /denaturing things on their most basic level. 

But, hey if you can't taste a difference, then more (microwave)power too you! I'm the first to admit that I'm pretty ridiculous about some things. I have no real desire to make someone stop doing something that makes them happy. -I was just having a bit of fun pretending to spaz out over everyone's caviler opinions of my deeply held beliefs.


----------



## Andrew H

Justin0505 said:


> ... and if you're careful with a flame thrower maybe you can light a candle without melting it:flame:! The problem is with the destruction that microwaves cause on a molecular level. The oils in coffee are very volatile and unstable to begin with. Coffee starts to degrade as soon as it's been brewed. Heat quickens chemical reactions, but microwaves have a very special way of destroying /denaturing things on their most basic level.
> 
> But, hey if you can't taste a difference, then more (microwave)power too you! I'm the first to admit that I'm pretty ridiculous about some things. I have no real desire to make someone stop doing something that makes them happy. -I was just having a bit of fun pretending to spaz out over everyone's caviler opinions of my deeply held beliefs.



Hey, I agree that whatever people think gives the best result is what they should do. Having said that I can't think of a reason why the microwave wouldn't be the best way to reheat coffee. Microwaves heat more evenly than a pan or double boiler. I don't know much about cold brewing, but if you wanted to reheat the way you suggested it would have to be pretty concentrated to get to a reasonable drinking temperature by just adding hot water.


----------



## Lucretia

There's just no accounting for some people's taste... :wink:

anyway, back to the pans...I'm finding that link pork breakfast sausage is doing a bang-up job of building up the seasoning. They emit a fine mist of pork fat onto the hot pan--you can just watch it smoke and darken. And then you get to eat the results. Win-win!


----------



## chinacats

Might try the link sausages tomorrow...went to 3 different stores looking for lard with no success.:O

Upside is that my 3 new pans arrived today!! Woo-Hoo!!


----------



## Lucretia

There tends to be a little buildup of crud where the sausages links rest in the pan while they're cooking, but it cleans up pretty easily. Cooked an omelet in a little butter today, and it was sliding around in the pan. Even the cheese that oozed out and crisped up in the pan came out easily.


----------



## chinacats

Lucretia said:


> There tends to be a little buildup of crud where the sausages links rest in the pan while they're cooking, but it cleans up pretty easily. Cooked an omelet in a little butter today, and it was sliding around in the pan. Even the cheese that oozed out and crisped up in the pan came out easily.



Which format of seasoning did you use before the sausages?


----------



## Kyle

chinacats said:


> Might try the link sausages tomorrow...went to 3 different stores looking for lard with no success.:O
> 
> Upside is that my 3 new pans arrived today!! Woo-Hoo!!



If you live in a city with any sort of Hispanic population you should be able to find lard at a local Mexican market or supermarket.


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## chinacats

Kyle said:


> If you live in a city with any sort of Hispanic population you should be able to find lard at a local Mexican market or supermarket.



Thanks, I do and will. Curious though as the last I heard, lard was no longer considered the evil fat it used to be...maybe I wasn't listening. The people at Whole Foods had a nice laugh though:biggrin:


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## Justin0505

Kinda surprising that whole foods laughed it off, they're usually pretty good for that kind of stuff. I found some lard at my local co-op, the butcher there renders it himself. Even if they don't make lard, I would think that most butchers could give you all of the pork fat that you want. 

With the resurgence of charcuterie in the trendy restaurant scene, I would think that lard would bet getting more popular / common.


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## SameGuy

Just smoked out mom's house re-seasoning her 12" crepière with pure lard. She said, "Oh, well, that should drive out all the mosquitoes and flies!"


----------



## Kyle

chinacats said:


> Thanks, I do and will. Curious though as the last I heard, lard was no longer considered the evil fat it used to be...maybe I wasn't listening. The people at Whole Foods had a nice laugh though:biggrin:



Yeah, lard isn't nearly as bad as it was made out to be. I mean, it's still fat, but it's not as bad as Crisco and other options. Some people still don't know any better and just the word scares them. 

And just in case you don't know, lard in Spanish is "manteca"... you'll have no problem finding it at your local supermercado.


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## SameGuy

I plan to start rendering my own, in small batches, using a heavy Circulon pot on the "sauce burner" of my outdoor gas grill. I figure i can get enough packaged away and frozen before winter to last until next spring.


----------



## EdipisReks

what is the best way to take the coating off the handle of a Mineral B? on my current 12 inch, i used mineral spirits, but it took forever and made a mess. i have a 10 inch and an 8 inch incoming, and i would love to do it better, this time.

p.s. to those who know that i like the DeBuyers and the Lodges, i bought more DeBuyers only because i got a good deal due to a friend who works for the Williams-Sonoma group.


----------



## G-rat

EdipisReks said:


> what is the best way to take the coating off the handle of a Mineral B? on my current 12 inch, i used mineral spirits, but it took forever and made a mess. i have a 10 inch and an 8 inch incoming, and i would love to do it better, this time.
> 
> p.s. to those who know that i like the DeBuyers and the Lodges, i bought more DeBuyers only because i got a good deal due to a friend who works for the Williams-Sonoma group.



Honestly the ones I bought I just left it on. I use it at work and it goes into a 500f oven sometimes for 10 minutes. I never noticed a problem. Maybe there's a tipping point though.


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## EdipisReks

i took it off when i put a pan in an oven for prolonged periods and it started to melt...


----------



## G-rat

Good to know because I was beginning to think it just wasn't going to happen. I don't get why they put it on there in the first place!


----------



## EdipisReks

G-rat said:


> Good to know because I was beginning to think it just wasn't going to happen. I don't get why they put it on there in the first place!



yeah, no clue. i guess it's similar to the nylon knobs Le Crueset puts on their stuff. stupid.


----------



## Tristan

EdipisReks said:


> yeah, no clue. i guess it's similar to the nylon knobs Le Crueset puts on their stuff. stupid.



I KNEW there was something wrong with the Le Crueset pots I bought vs the staubs that I use. Thanks for reminding me. Now I need to order the metal knobs online...


----------



## chinacats

Tried the lard on one of the mineral pans and it looked great for quite a few cooking sessions...I cooked some bacon in the pan tonight and when I cleaned it (hot water and sponge) I noticed that I had a spot where the 'patina' had chipped (?) and though it is rather small I figure the rest won't be far behind. Question is will that area begin to season when I continue cooking or will I need to clean and start over? If I need to start over, how do you go about removing the rest of the finish?

Thanks,


----------



## Justin0505

chinacats said:


> Tried the lard on one of the mineral pans and it looked great for quite a few cooking sessions...I cooked some bacon in the pan tonight and when I cleaned it (hot water and sponge) I noticed that I had a spot where the 'patina' had chipped (?) and though it is rather small I figure the rest won't be far behind. Question is will that area begin to season when I continue cooking or will I need to clean and start over? If I need to start over, how do you go about removing the rest of the finish?
> 
> Thanks,



No need to start over, just keep cooking. That's the beauty of seasoning: it's constantly changing: some might chip or scrape off, but new seasoning is constantly being developed as well. It's kind of like a living thing: constantly shedding layers of skin and growing new ones. 
Just a quick note though: "good" seasoning is usually a rather thin, even and smooth layer. If you let the seasoning build up in to thick crusty, uneven layers, that's when chips and big flakey layers start to fall off. I mostly clean my pan just by scrapping around with a metal spatula while it's still hot, and then a quick wipe with a wad of wet paper towel. The spatula may leave a few scratches in the patina, but it will also help to keep the buildup thin and even. The scratches will not effect sticking and will go away the next time that you cook something fatty or "refresh" the seasoning with a dab of lard or oil.


----------



## mhlee

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but when I've used commercial lard (Farmer John's here in CA), I've been able to get a much more consistent film and patina than using homemade lard. This last time, I used lard from a Mexican meat market (rendered from making chicharones). It didn't leave as consistent a film/patina. Maybe all that hydrogenated fat is good for something after all.


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## wenus2

mhlee said:


> I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but when I've used commercial lard (Farmer John's here in CA), I've been able to get a much more consistent film and patina than using homemade lard. This last time, I used lard from a Mexican meat market (rendered from making chicharones). It didn't leave as consistent a film/patina. Maybe all that hydrogenated fat is good for something after all.


Yes. I have noticed this as well.


----------



## chinacats

Only lard I could find locally was in a supermercado (sp?)...but it was produced by armour/conagra and maybe it is just crap. When applying it seemed to work fine and I did try to layer it as lightly as possible so will just keep cooking more pork :hungry: 

If given the option, I think I would probably trust Farmer John's more than Conagra

Thanks for tips


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## Justin0505

I used lard that I got from my local co-op. Don't know how it was made, but it did seem to be very pure (very bright white and even). 

I used peanut oil first (put a good 1/4 inch or so in the pan, heated it to just below smoke point, and let it sit). After that I emptied the oil and wiped down the pan. This does not create any color at all, but it does leave a very fine layer of the oil in the surface of the pan.

Then I used the lard: put a little in, wipe around, let smoke, wipe some more... 

The oil seemed to form a really nice primer or base for which the lard to bind.

I got the most even and durable patina that I've ever achieved. Zero flaking or chipping and it even seems pretty tolerant of wet and acidic ingredients.


----------



## obtuse

The typical supermarket lard like armour is hydrogenated. I would stay away from these products like the plague, they taste bad and are bad for you. Your local Hungarian butcher or farmer has the good stuff. It's easy to make your own lard by rendering it from fat back or in a pinch pork belly.


----------



## Deckhand

mhlee said:


> I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but when I've used commercial lard (Farmer John's here in CA), I've been able to get a much more consistent film and patina than using homemade lard. This last time, I used lard from a Mexican meat market (rendered from making chicharones). It didn't leave as consistent a film/patina. Maybe all that hydrogenated fat is good for something after all.


ditto on Farmer John's lard got mine at stater bros market. I had them help me find it. It was by the vegetable oil. The boxes all said Manteca facing out. Only said lard on top.


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## SameGuy

I'm not obsessing (LOL) but I love experimenting. The pure lard seems to be working well, but it's still not as even or smooth as I'd like, and is not "non-stick" by any known definition of the expression. I still have to use a fair amount of fat to have any release at all, about the same amount I'd use in any other pan. I'm going to try Justin's combo method next -- start the instructed way, then build up the coat with natural lard.


----------



## Deckhand

SameGuy said:


> I'm not obsessing (LOL) but I love experimenting. The pure lard seems to be working well, but it's still not as even or smooth as I'd like, and is not "non-stick" by any known definition of the expression. I still have to use a fair amount of fat to have any release at all, about the same amount I'd use in any other pan. I'm going to try Justin's combo method next -- start the instructed way, then build up the coat with natural lard.



Btw I was obsessing.  I think it just takes time. I have made steaks, scrambled eggs, etc. I use my Big green egg so much my inside kitchen hasn't been seeing much action lately. Good luck.


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## SameGuy

Small heads-up that Amazon has the 10.2-inch Mineral B frying pan on sale right now for $42.77, down from $60.


----------



## Shinob1

SameGuy said:


> Small heads-up that Amazon has the 10.2-inch Mineral B frying pan on sale right now for $42.77, down from $60.



Nice find; I have some friends that I am trying to convince to use cast-iron or carbon steel so I sent them a link. I have the 12.6 and love it.


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## mpukas

reminder - La Cuisine is having their 20% off summer sale through the end of August. Coupon code - SUMMER2012. They charge 10% for shipping, so in the end you only really save 10%. I'm still eyeing the pancake pans w/ cast handles... 

BTW - I haven't even seasoned my new carbon pans w/ cast handles. Just threw on the stove and started whacking away at them. Simply awesome! I'm not fussy about building up a seasoning and maintaining it. I have no problems with these things sticking. For me it's more about heat management - making sure the pan is hot enough before cooking, but not too hot to burn - and using enough oil.


----------



## SameGuy

Mom's got a reasonably good patina going on her 12" crepe pan. The first few palacsinta stuck quite badly but after that it eased up. She uses a fair amount of oil to make them (usually canola or safflower) so it was self-seasoning right away.

Today I had the extra time (and nice weather) to get the little 7.9" fry pan cleaned up (again, this time using Comet as I seem to have left the BKF at mom's... boy does BKF work better than regular scouring powder!). I did the "1 cm" oil thing outside on my Weber's "sauce burner" then proceeded to use the wiped lard trick. All I can say is I wish I had a gas stove indoors. So easy! Even though the sauce burner has a tough time at low settings -- I have yet to be able to maintain a gentle simmer on it -- it was dead easy to smoke off thin layers of lard until I had a deep, dark coating on the main surface of the pan. It took about 20 passes to get a nice, even -- and dark -- seasoning going. It now looks like freshly-tempered dark chocolate, satiny and smooth. Omelet for breakfast tomorrow!


----------



## SameGuy

Clarified butter has a high smoke point, higher than pure lard or coconut oil. Any reason it wouldn't be a wise choice for seasoning my next carbon or CI pans?


----------



## UCChemE05

SameGuy said:


> It took about 20 passes to get a nice, even -- and dark -- seasoning going. It now looks like freshly-tempered dark chocolate, satiny and smooth. Omelet for breakfast tomorrow!



So how'd it work? :cheffry:


----------



## obtuse

SameGuy said:


> Clarified butter has a high smoke point, higher than pure lard or coconut oil. Any reason it wouldn't be a wise choice for seasoning my next carbon or CI pans?



for initial seasoning you want the oil to smoke and beyond. the higher the oils smoke point the hotter you have to get the pan to really burn it on. regular butter works well for seasoning because it begins smoking around 340°f if I'm remembering this correctly. after initial seasoning I just wipe down with an oil that doesn't go rancid quickly, usually coconut or high oleic sunflower oil.


----------



## SameGuy

A little more sticking than I'd have liked, but overall not bad. Eggs are probably a tough test on a freshly-seasoned pan. After scraping, I did a few more passes with lard, then added a lard wipe-down when it was almost cool. It looks even thicker now.


----------



## EdipisReks

i bought a Paderno 12.5 inch on Amazon, used NIB, for $30, the other day (through an Amazon affiliated shop, so Prime shipping, too!), and received it tonight. i couldn't resist the deal. usually i do a lazy season, over time, but i seasoned it in the oven with alternating layers of crisco and vegetable oil, tonight. took about 2 hours. it's a beautiful even very dark amber brown, with just a tiny bit of streaking. just fried an egg,with a little butter. i was able to spread and flatten the egg, fold it, and flip, using only pan motions, with ease. best season i've gotten yet! the Paderno isn't quite as thick as my De Buyer (this is the first time i've had both at the same time, to compare), but it doesn't cook any differently, as far as i can tell. 

excuse the cell phone pic, but here it what it looks like: 







it's a bit browner in person, but looks pretty good. i think i'm going to give away my Lodge. as much as i like it, the surfaces are just inferior, even after sanding.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

Looks good, but don't you have some nice vintage stuff? What do you need this one for? (Or do you collect pans like you collect knives.)


----------



## EdipisReks

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Looks good, but don't you have some nice vintage stuff? What do you need this one for? (Or do you collect pans like you collect knives.)



i have some very old cast iron (oldest being pre-Civil War, and boy is it a great piece for steak!), not very old carbon steel. i have many more pans than knives, though, so i'd say that i collect them more than i collect knives.  i have a tendency to give away pans, so i figure that it's a good idea to have a few dozen extra, if possible. too many of my friends use crappy pans, and i'd rather use good pans and crap knives than good knives and crap pans, so the pans get portioned out. *shrug*


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

EdipisReks said:


> i have a tendency to give away pans, so i figure that it's a good idea to have a few dozen extra, if possible.



Good man to know.  Suppose you didn't register for pots and pans before the wedding.


----------



## EdipisReks

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Good man to know.  Suppose you didn't register for pots and pans before the wedding.



actually i did register for a few, as i didn't own very much stainless, and stainless definitely has its place (plus, the wife hates pans she can't throw into the dishwasher). i now own a couple All-Clad French skillets, and a couple Sur La Table tri-plys, and i figure i'm good for stainless for life. the al/steel ply pans are all very good, and i'm glad to have them. i don't grab them, though, unless i'm cooking acidic foods.

just for the record, this Paderno was listed as "heavy duty." the ones i had before weren't listed that way, and i remember them being a good bit thinner.


----------



## Shinob1

Am I doing it right?


----------



## wenus2

Lookin good Shinob1. If I didn't know any better id think that we're a pic of my first Debuyer shortly after I got it, same light line in the middle and everything. Keep at it, it will continue to improve.


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## Kyle

Looks good to me! When I first got my DeBuyer I assumed I was doing it wrong because my patina started off brown and wasn't really turning black so I actually hit it with BKF and started all over. It did the same thing again and after doing more research I realized this is normal. It'll turn black with extended use.


----------



## SameGuy

I think the key is to just keep using it, sticky or not. Mine is most certainly nowhere near non-stick, but like stainless, with proper heating and fat/oil, it works very very well. Because I don't fry stuff up but once a week or so, I imagine it'll take a while to get "non-stick."


----------



## EdipisReks

Shinob1 said:


> Am I doing it right?



keep doing what you're doing!


----------



## EdipisReks

SameGuy said:


> I think the key is to just keep using it, sticky or not. Mine is most certainly nowhere near non-stick, but like stainless, with proper heating and fat/oil, it works very very well. Because I don't fry stuff up but once a week or so, I imagine it'll take a while to get "non-stick."



if you get it good and dark it'll be pretty non-stick. i just wipe lightly with oil, between uses. sometimes my carbon gets used every day, sometimes it'll go a week between uses.


----------



## SpikeC

Some flat black Krylon will make that look right!


----------



## chinacats

SpikeC said:


> Some flat black Krylon will make that look right!



:rofl2:


----------



## Lukas

So my deBuyer pan has lost its bottom flatness, Amazon was super cool,issued a refund and let me keep the pan, the problem is that I cook on a vitroceramic hob and flatness is a must. I tried to flatten it hitting the crap out of it with a hammer to no avail, does anyone have any ideas?


----------



## kalaeb

That sucks. Generally not an issue with Debuyer. I would say its a fluke. I would use the money Amazon refunded and get another one.


----------



## Lucretia

SpikeC said:


> Some flat black Krylon will make that look right!



Just be sure to apply it in several light coats or you'll get drips. :tease:


----------



## bkdc

A perfect clean patina on iron will remain brown and not turn black. If you were to heat oil and cool and wipe and do this a hundred times, I would expect a dark brown color on a iron Debuyer. The black is just small amounts of microscopic toasted foody carbonized goodness. My three Mineral B pans still remain a mottled brown because I am anal about wiping them down after use. They are slick as heck.

On a side note--- do people here regularly season the bottom side of their pain because they get sick of the patina/rust? My bar mops start taking on a nice rusty color when I wipe the stove side of my Debuyers. Heh.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Agreed, I have six debuy pans (6", 10" and 14" FRY, 9" Country pan, 11" crepe and shallow roasting pan) and they are all brown not black and can clearly still see the metal. If you pan is covered with black is just carbon that is covering the actual patina. I make acidic pan sauces in mine all the time. They are wonderful to deglaze in with wine or tomato juice. 

As long as you wash them without soap with nylon bristle brush, then wipe dry quickly, then return to a low heat until you can wipe a table spoon of high heat oil over the pan inside and out. And yea, I do season the outside of the pan. the become a wonderful green-brown color.


----------



## mpukas

Lukas said:


> So my deBuyer pan has lost its bottom flatness, Amazon was super cool,issued a refund and let me keep the pan, the problem is that I cook on a vitroceramic hob and flatness is a must. I tried to flatten it hitting the crap out of it with a hammer to no avail, does anyone have any ideas?



Some of mine are no longer flat either. I cook on a gas range, so it's not a big deal, but it does bother me more than a little bit that they wobble slightly. 

I think it's part of the nature of the pan being a single layer of steel. Similar to lamintaed wood being more stable than solid wood. 

One practice is to NEVER put a hot pan in water in the sink - that can warp any pan. 

No idea how to re-flatten a warped pan. These pans are not forged. They're cut from sheets and then pressed into shape. Maybe if you find a blacksmith he could heat and hammer it properly.


----------



## EdipisReks

my pans become very dark with evenly deposited dots of carbon. the carbon is beneficial, as it's slick. i season the outside of the pans, and get the same nice brown/green that was mentioned.


----------



## SameGuy

I'm still shopping for a nice, big _stainless _skillet for those tasks that are better served with stainless. Any recommendations? 

I'm trying to _minimize_ my cookware collection. I have a slew of (cheap and thin) SS pots/saucepans and skillets and a couple of decent NS omelette pans. I also have the aforementioned 7-quart NS stockpot and a recently-acquired 1-quart saucier with an encapsulated base. I'd like to get rid of the entire cheap SS set. I think an adequate setup would include 8-and 12-inch DeBuyer fry pans, a 13-inch stainless tri-ply skillet, one 12-inch NS fry pan, the NS stock pot, the little saucier, a bigger one, a couple of stainless saucepans and one large, heavy stockpot.


----------



## unkajonet

SameGuy said:


> I'm still shopping for a nice, big _stainless _skillet for those tasks that are better served with stainless. Any recommendations?
> 
> I'm trying to _minimize_ my cookware collection. I have a slew of (cheap and thin) SS pots/saucepans and skillets and a couple of decent NS omelette pans. I also have the aforementioned 7-quart NS stockpot and a recently-acquired 1-quart saucier with an encapsulated base. I'd like to get rid of the entire cheap SS set. I think an adequate setup would include 8-and 12-inch DeBuyer fry pans, a 13-inch stainless tri-ply skillet, one 12-inch NS fry pan, the NS stock pot, the little saucier, a bigger one, a couple of stainless saucepans and one large, heavy stockpot.



Have you looked at Vollrath? Great pans. The skillets are All-Clad quality but at a lower price. I've got the 12" and 10" and they both kick butt.


----------



## SpikeC

All-Clad is on the spendy side, but I was able to get a 4 qt. sauce pan from eBay new in box for about half price.


----------



## EdipisReks

the Sur La Table tri-ply is very good. i have the 12 inch SLT ply skillet, and it works great. however, i'd try to find a vintage All-Clad Master Chef (not MC2, though MC2 is very good, too), though, on eBay. great cookware, and you can get some great deals.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Look into Tramontina, the make a jumbo cooker that is tri-ply sandwiched aluminum between sheets of stainless steel. Its basically a 12" saute pan. I compares to allclad original three play stainless. 

the Debuyer pans will still our-perform them in all tasks.


----------



## SameGuy

LOL Tramontina (Brazilian SS) is the cheap set which is destined for the bin! Yes, I know they also make better-than-awful stuff that offers pretty good value, usually available at Costco. For that matter, Kirkland (and similarly, President's Choice at Loblaws stores in Canada) stainless and anodized cookware appears well made and a decent value.


----------



## Lukas

@mpukas

thanks for the info, I believe that my mistake was exactly that, I used to clean it with cold water immediately after use, I'm sure that's what caused the warping.


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## JasonD

I got a great deal on a 5-ply All Clad pan on ebay as a factory second. It's been my first really nice pan besides some decent cast iron I tuned up. I swear that thing's magic! Evens out a lot of the horribleness of my electric stove. I'm sure there's pans out there that offer better value (All Clad is expensive), but I really do love mine.


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## EdipisReks

JasonD said:


> I got a great deal on a 5-ply All Clad pan on ebay as a factory second. It's been my first really nice pan besides some decent cast iron I tuned up. I swear that thing's magic! Evens out a lot of the horribleness of my electric stove. I'm sure there's pans out there that offer better value (All Clad is expensive), but I really do love mine.



good cookware is awesome, innit?


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## Chips

I have a tricky question that falls in line with all these types of cookware. But it's kinda scattered points so bear with me..I found the cast iron seasoning blog that mentioned the flax seed oil trick, and while it works for light, drier sauté, it doesn't hold up to much deglazing. Liquids just quickly cause the coating to flake off. I spent literally 4.5 hours with a palm sander and 4 different levels of sandpaper to try to smooth out my Lodge cast iron pan, since I already had one and didn't want to get into a $300 bidding war on ebay for the nice smooth bottomed Griswold. Actually, it was this newfound interest in smooth, iron pans that led me to this thread.

I realized my cheapo apartment coil wire cooktop elements don't come close to even heating, and it appears to exaggerate the flaking of the finish on the pans. I'll likely pull the trigger in a few minutes on a de buyer pan, since it's exactly what I'm looking for, and will weigh a fraction of what my massive cast iron pan does. 

I don't want to pull my hair out going thru various heat dispersion plates or wire contraptions unless someone knows firsthand of one particular type that actually works well. Years ago at a different place, I used a heat dispersion plate for melting chocolate ( I think, it didn't get much use) but I'm not trying to simmer, I just want more even heating so the coatings don't get thrashed. I use my infrared thermometer to check and sure enough, I can have variations of up to 100º F inches apart. So far, the best way to minimize this is to not use a heat past medium, and to just sit and wait for 5 minutes or more for the heat to try to even out a bit, but it's still a problem. Do those cheap little wire gizmos actually work well?

It's a PITA enough that I have to constantly tweak and shuffle the elements just to try to get a pan to sit level on the stove, I don't want to exasperate my struggles any further by fighting hot spots that quickly destroy the seasoning I've worked so hard and patient to build. More importantly, the drastic effects it has on the food being cooked.

Thanks for any tips.


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## Chips

Not sure if I answered my own question, but I found this just now. Pricey for sure, but if it works well, that's my primary concern.

http://bellacopper.stores.yahoo.net/copheatdif.html


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## Chips

This is an awesome find.
http://www.cookingissues.com/2010/02/16/heavy-metal-the-science-of-cast-iron-cooking/

I went ahead and ordered the copper diffuser, I'll take some before and after shots after I get it.


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## EdipisReks

do your cast iron pans have flat bottoms? if not, you'll want to grind the lip off the bottom, for best use with those diffusers.


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## Chips

Right now, I only have the one cast iron pan, and yeah it sits flat.


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## Chips

I tried using the copper plate on a thin walled saute pan, which was a mistake. I'll need to go with a thicker metal base in order to maintain contact with the whole heating surface. I happened to pick up some older copper clad cookware today on Craigslist to give it a try and even though I like the build quality, the thinness of the whole pan leads to some buckling over heat and it's like a wok, wobbling on top of the copper plate. I took the copper plate away and just used it on the electric burner. These would work awesomely on a gas range, but fail on a cheap electric coil. I haven't tried the plate on a heavy cast iron skillet yet, but I imagine it might help.


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## Lefty

De Buyer are amazing. Here's my most used pan, a 9" crepe pan that I use for everything egg related:






Here's the result. One of nature's miracles; a 3 egg omelette with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella pearls and sea salt.


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## SpikeC

When I first looked at that I thought, "wow! That's a lot of garlic!


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## Chips

I realized I'll have to wait till someday I buy a place with a gas range, most likely.


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## eaglerock

SpikeC said:


> When I first looked at that I thought, "wow! That's a lot of garlic!



LOL i thought the same.


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## Don Nguyen

SpikeC said:


> When I first looked at that I thought, "wow! That's a lot of garlic!



What, all you people don't eat garlic like that? What am I doing wrong with my life...


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## DeepCSweede

So - I spend a whole afternoon a couple of weeks ago seasoning the new pan that Neal sent me and what do I do but carmelize some onions in the pan and instead of using my head when I clean it, I grab my bamboo brush and proceed to scrub off a bunch of the seasoning. Interesting thing is that the base coat of peanut oil didn't come off so it still had some protection. I am not going to sweat it though, I am just going to keep cooking with it until it builds up again. Made scrambled eggs with cheese on Sunday morning and it stuck a little but cleaned up nice. I think it will be pretty slick once the seasoning builds up again.


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## Lukas

Just a quick heads up for all the European guys, Amazon Spain has the deBuyer Mineral B in 28 cm for 27 euros, http://www.amazon.es/Buyer-5610-28-2170-280-Plata/dp/B00462QP16/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357559633&sr=8-1-fkmr1, as opposed to 44 GBP in Amazon UK, and 41.80 Euros in Amazon France.


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## EdipisReks

just received a 10 inch DeBuyer Mineral B. this pan is taller than the previous DeBuyers i've owned, and is 3.75mm thick at the rim, which is thicker than previous DeBuyers i've owned. no idea, but it's really nice! BKF took the wax right off, as per usual. has taken a nice dark amber first layer, with coconut oil.


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## clayton

I concur - My mineral B are thicker and nicer seeming than my other DeBuyers.


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## Kyle

Does anyone have or use the De Buyer country pans? I really want one, but not sure how much I'll use it.


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## clayton

Kyle said:


> Does anyone have or use the De Buyer country pans? I really want one, but not sure how much I'll use it.



I have one. I use it a lot. Great for stir-fry, wilting lots of green, deep frying. Sort of takes the place of a wok on our house.


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## Lefty

It's perfect for ragouts, and brothy dishes like carne alentejana, as well. So, yes, get it if the price is right.


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## chinacats

Kyle said:


> Does anyone have or use the De Buyer country pans? I really want one, but not sure how much I'll use it.



I have quite a few deBuyer pans and the country pan is the second most used. It's nice to have those big sides when you want them, I also find the handle doesn't get quite as hot as others which is nice.

Lefty I had to look up Carne de Porco à Alentejana and it looks like something I will be trying soon--pork and clams! Any special recipe?


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## Notaskinnychef

For those in canada, futureshop.ca is selling debuyer pans 45-55% off atm, who knew lol


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## bkultra

Just a heads up. SLT is having a deBuyer Clearance. These are their Tim Love exclusive line but they are pretty much the same as the mineral b line (the only difference is these are 2.3mm think and mineral b are 2.5mm). 

Fry pans 8",10",12"
http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1036326/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Skillets

Grill pan
http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1038835/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Grill-Pan

Chef's pan
http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1038843/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Chefs-Pan


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## bikehunter

You think? Did this info come from SLT or where?


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## bkultra

bikehunter said:


> You think? Did this info come from SLT or where?



I own pans from both lines. These even ship with the same bees wax coating. If you live near a SLT you could go in and handle them yourself before buying.


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## KingSpeedy

bkultra said:


> Just a heads up. SLT is having a deBuyer Clearance. These are their Tim Love exclusive line but they are pretty much the same as the mineral b line (the only difference is these are 2.3mm think and mineral b are 2.5mm).
> 
> Fry pans 8",10",12"
> http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1036326/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Skillets
> 
> Grill pan
> http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1038835/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Grill-Pan
> 
> Chef's pan
> http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1038843/Tim-Love-Carbon-Steel-Chefs-Pan



Would the ornamentation on the handle make it no longer oven-safe? Hard to get a good look at it in the pictures.


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## bkultra

These are Oven and broiler safe.


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## GeneH

SameGuy said:


> I'm still shopping for a nice, big _stainless _skillet for those tasks that are better served with stainless. Any recommendations?



We have 15 years on Meyer Bella Cuisine SS, full set of large and small. My mother-in-law has the same set for 20 years. The think alu clad bottom is about 13mm thick. Believe it or not, to clean them my wife runs just a touch of soap then a bit of water when the pans are hot to instantly boil them clean. I may have to rehandle them - some of the plastic covering is getting a little oxidized and one handle got over-hot so lost a chip. These are not for oven use - stove top only.

Next up with steel handle, but I don't know if is oven safe is Belgique Tools of the Trade. 5 years on that pan, no issues. If the stainless would get the same non-stick seasoning as cast iron or steel I would be really, really happy.


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## bkultra

For SS fry pans I'm partial to the Demeyere ProLine.


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## mpukas

De Buyer just came out with a new line of copper + stainless steel pots and pans. Cast SS handles. This is a cool video showing how they are made. 

[video=youtube;fn8KRzdJURw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn8KRzdJURw[/video] 

And they ain't for the thin of wallet - the 28cm fry pan retails for $450. ouch.


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## Soesje

OUCH. de buyer ain't cheap but maybe its because its imported in USA?? I'd stick to carbon de buyer instead. good enough.
I am surprised though because the prima matera is not exactly new. been for sale in europe for a while now....maybe its just the frying pan thats new in the line?


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## jm2hill

Not surprised they released something new. Most Canadian retailers have cleared stock of the mineral pans. Picked up about 10 total pans for about $230ish Was pretty happy with that price


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## EdipisReks

I have quite a few copper pieces, which I love. While I never plan on switching from gas, I can see induction capable copper being pretty nice. I certainly prefer the traditional cast iron handles, though.


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## ryann

Just picked up the cheapest (?) of the De Buyer line, the La Lyonnaise Blue Steel or something. It was the cheapest because the steel was thin (~ 3mm) 

Compared to my $10 china carbon-steel wok, I think $30 for a much better made pan is a pretty good deal!

After 30 min of seasoning I'd say it is mostly non-stick but it also warped a little =( Gonna try hammering it back into shape later, or is that a bad idea?


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## chinacats

Any ideas about any model of deBuyer or other steel pans that would have a more rounded bottom (not sure of the term) to be used for omelets and such? My deBuyers all have a less than gentle slope that makes flipping an omelet not work so great.


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## Ant4d

HI Mate,
I have every size going and they are the best pans you ca get . Similar to cast iron they stay hot and get better with time.


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## Lefty

chinacats said:


> Any ideas about any model of deBuyer or other steel pans that would have a more rounded bottom (not sure of the term) to be used for omelets and such? My deBuyers all have a less than gentle slope that makes flipping an omelet not work so great.



Get a 9" crêpe pan. It's what I use and my omelets are internationally know.... Ha


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## Mucho Bocho

+1, I'm partial to the 11" De Buyer Crepe myself for all eggs any style.


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## Lefty

ryann said:


> Just picked up the cheapest (?) of the De Buyer line, the La Lyonnaise Blue Steel or something. It was the cheapest because the steel was thin (~ 3mm)
> 
> Compared to my $10 china carbon-steel wok, I think $30 for a much better made pan is a pretty good deal!
> 
> After 30 min of seasoning I'd say it is mostly non-stick but it also warped a little =( Gonna try hammering it back into shape later, or is that a bad idea?



The "Force Bleu" (blue steel) line is my favourite. I actually prefer it to the much more expensive Mineral line, because it's lighter, gets super hot easier, is easier to properly season (in my opinion), and well...maybe I'm just sentimental.


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## mhlee

Lefty said:


> Get a 9" crêpe pan. It's what I use and my omelets are internationally know.... Ha



Are you also known to rock a microphone?


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## Lefty

Yes. I get stupid; a little outrageous....


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## cookinstuff

hehe, I have the small eggpan in force blue as well as the 8" crepe and the 9.5" crepe. They are great pans, only have one mineral B, the 12.5" and agree with Tom, it's harder to season, and the look isn't as great, but I found it in a store for 70$ so I snagged it. Now that you mention the country pan, I want to grab one of those.


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## chinacats

Lefty said:


> Get a 9" crêpe pan. It's what I use and my omelets are internationally know.... Ha



Will try it out, thanks!


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## Ant4d

Just stick with the carbon ones there the best , easy to clean . just not pretty like ss .


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## SameGuy

I find the Mineral B 12.x" crepe pan is almost totally non-stick after just a few casual uses (and almost no preparatory "seasoning"), compared to the 7.9" that simply sticks like mad if I don't add oil like crazy.


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## Kyle

I warped my small Mineral pan when I accidentally turned on the wrong burner and walked away for a minute. Thought I was boiling a pot of water, instead I cranked the burner to high and seared an empty pan. Any way to fix it?


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## tripleq

Kyle said:


> I warped my small Mineral pan when I accidentally turned on the wrong burner and walked away for a minute. Thought I was boiling a pot of water, instead I cranked the burner to high and seared an empty pan. Any way to fix it?



Put it upside down on a flat surface and flatten it with a rubber mallet.


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