# the ideal omelette pan



## chinacats

Shopping for a new omelette pan and tired of ripping through the cheap non-stick pans that make omelette creation a breeze. I've tried a few of my deBuyer pans but hate the transition from bottom to sides on the skillets and on the crepe pan I find the sides are not high enough (I like to whip the pan around a bit while cooking). I have a country pan but that seems a bit awkward for this.

The easiest and likely solution will be to try the 'new' deBuyer omelette pan . The shape appears to be about perfect (especially the side transition), the height of the sides looks nice as well. The down side to the deBuyer is that I already have 5 other deBuyer pans as well as a few cast iron pans and thinking I may like to go lower maintenance with this purchase. 

I found a few stainless that look to be a decent shape; Viking, All-Clad, and Demeyere (the Demeyere is above budget). I currently have mostly All-Clad stainless and while some people don't like the All-Clad handles I find them completely comfortable. What other brands would be good options? If I go stainless what would be the difference cooking with the 5 layer vs 3 (my current stuff is all 3 layer). Any opinions on this would ideally be directed strictly to making omelettes (I like French and Country omelettes a la Pepin). Unfortunately I'm currently cooking on electric which sucks but is what it is:laugh:. 

Other option I considered but the price seems prohibitive and I believe these are the pans Julia Child talked trash about (meaning at least that she had tried them). I believe her gripe was that they were overpriced but I could be wrong. 

One final question is what people prefer for size...I currently use a 10" pan and I have to use 4 XL eggs to make a decent omelette. I believe the last pan I linked to be the right size at 8.5" while the deBuyer is 9.5". The American stainless seems to be either 8" or 10" and I think I have seen 9" but maybe it was the Demeyere? My guess is that the shape of the bowl will determine the actual results more than the exact size of the pan? I think I'd like 8.5"-9" for three XL eggs?

Thoughts?

Cheers


----------



## daveb

Have you tried good non-stick? Swiss Diamond works for me. 8" pan, 2 or 3 egg omelete. 10" makes a good 4 egg frittata.


----------



## chinacats

Yeah, I'm just trying not to go that route...seems like cheating and mentally makes me think I'm losing some taste and picking up some carcinogens (JK, likely only applies to the restaurant supply cheapies that I've used). I also like using metal utensils (fork for omelettes) and my understanding is that even the nice ones don't hold up so well to that? I do think the non-stick pans seem to have the best shape--and really do make life easy.


----------



## SousVideLoca

I've cooked around 1.3 million eggs in a professional capacity over the course of my life. 

That isn't hyperbole either; it's a very realistic estimate. I can (and have) cooked eggs on virtually every surface to which you can safely apply heat, but at the end of the day--when I'm making eggs for myself at home--there is nothing I prefer more than a heavy duty non-stick egg pan. I'm not talking about the cheap pans you get at Target for $6 that start flaking off bits of Teflon after three uses; I mean the thick industrial pans you can get at a quality restaurant supply store.

Love my deBuyer pans and my cast iron, and they certainly work just fine for frying eggs. But bottom line, nothing is as perfectly suited to making an omelette than a pan that was made to do exactly that, hundreds of times a day.


----------



## chinacats

SVL, having chief that many eggs, you know that it's all about technique. I get using the right tool for the job but for whatever reason, I'm convinced that the right pan for eggs is the steel pan, I was hoping to find stainless that would play the roll.

That said, two replies and two suggestions for high quality non-stick tells me I may have to open my mind a bit on this.


----------



## panda

for frying definitely carbon, but for omelette non stick is the way to go.
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/tramontina-professional/nonstick-restaurant-skillet-p128077

fancier looking 
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/calphalon-commercial-hard-anodized/skillet-p123114

if you want to splurge 
http://www.cutleryandmore.com/viking-v7/nonstick-stainless-steel-skillet-p16917


----------



## daveb

Buy this and you can get back to shopping for knives and stones. Be gentle with the fork and you'll be fine. Or use chopsticks.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006GCF56/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I also have a sauce pan for cheese and other sticky sauces. Lesser pans are just disposable.


----------



## bkultra

chinacats said:


> Other option I considered but the price seems prohibitive and I believe these are the pans Julia Child talked trash about (meaning at least that she had tried them). I believe her gripe was that they were overpriced but I could be wrong.



Your facts are indeed wrong on this point. That is the exact pan Julia designed with the pot shop of Boston. Here is a link about how this pan came to be (back story starts around 1:30)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MVB2uaxckNg


----------



## Cashn

Well I'll be one to vote for the debuyer omelette pan as I use it almost every morning for eggs and more later in the day. 3 large egg omelette works very well, you can do 4 if you like it very runny and a little brown. Its a perfect size for cooking solo I've found and usually hangs out on top of my stove like my cast iron used to. One reason I bought the pan was to work on technique tho, and the size happens to be perfect I find. Between the 9.5 in omelette, 12.5 frypan, and 11.5 crepe I think I'm set on carbon pans, besides maybe the 3.5 inch fry pan for novelty. I don't own a non stick btw and have always used a roommates crappy one if I'm so inclined. So I may be missing out on something but I haven't found myself wanting one that bad.


----------



## jackslimpson

If you go with the deBuyer, I've had great success with this method of seasoning: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/


And make yourself one of these forks:





Cheers,

Jack


----------



## Matus

I have a large deBuyer too and that pan just keeps getting better (my first carbon steel pan). If you want something else than carbon steel, you may want to have a look at Mauviel M'Stone pots&pans. We bought one smaller pot few months ago and it is holding up very well. It is well made, thick aluminum coated with some sort of ceramics from inside. So far I could not see any damage to the surface. It is very smooth to touch. I even tested it against a copper Mauviel (1.5mm thickness) and I got the same time to boil 1l of water (on electric stove though). I actually did not buy the pot for its non-stick properties, but it just seems to be a practical side effect.


----------



## Godslayer

Just buy the debuyer, its amazing, its what I use for 90% of my culinary adventures. It won't let you down.


----------



## spoiledbroth

3 omlettes... one pan?


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I've used the flax seed oil method for seasoning too without many issues but have read that the Wagner and Griswold Society tested it and found it inferior to other methods (for CI at least IIRC). Don't exactly remember the technical rationale although it may be because it polymerized well to itself but not the pan.

As for a recommendation if the Demeyere Atlantis/ProLine is a bit too pricey have you seen the Zwilling Sensation? Not as thick as the Atlantis/ProLine (I think the 20cm are the same though) and I've read they're clearing them out at good prices in the USA. When I look at my 7ply it just looks like one big piece of aluminum, I have a pic in the skillet vs sauté pan thread (http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/24479-Skillet-vs-Saute-Pan?p=376004#post376004)

The bamboo skewer fork would be good especially if going the non-stick route. I don't use pointy things in mine, just a silicone spatula. I have Gastrolux for nonstick. It was recommended to me by a kitchen supply store who also are one of the largest Henckels/Demeyere distributors in Canada. Thick cast aluminum with a ceramic/titanium/silica surface or something. I've used the same 20cm one everyday since June 2014 and mine still works as the day I got it, I've seen a few scuffs or marring appear which seem to magically vanish after a subsequent use. I only use my nonstick for lower heat dishes (some eggs, fish) where I don't want the sear (although apparently these pans can take the heat)


----------



## chinacats

Thanks to everyone for all the valuable input, I've learned a bit so far and am now leaning towards getting two pans :idea2:.

As for the non-stick, I'm curious what people find to be the most durable? I'm guessing that doesn't usually apply for non-stick but I'd like to be able to use the pan without destroying it for more than a few months...

So far the ones that appeal are:
The A/C d5 here or perhaps these Henckels (are they made by Demeyere?). They both appear to be good deals, but what do I know about nice non-stick? I eliminated a few brands due to either having handles I didn't like or being too expensive (Swiss Diamond had both options) or having a shape I didn't like (Le Creuset or Scanpan).

For the carbon, as cool as i find the Potshop pans, I believe the way to go for me may be the deBuyer that I originally linked. I really like the shape of that pan and enjoy deBuyer in general. The potshop pans seem extremely expensive and I'm not quite sure of the surface--see the seasoning instructions below.




jackslimpson said:


> If you go with the deBuyer, I've had great success with this method of seasoning: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
> 
> 
> And make yourself one of these forks:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jack



What the hell is it? Looks better than using chopstix and less damaging to a pan than the forks I like to use.

As to seasoning, the most interesting one I've seen yet is for the potshop pans which I'll quote here (which is why I'm guessing they must have some unusual type of surface?):

_"Steps
Scrub with a paper towel and soap, rinse and dry.
Pour in a generous amount of cooking oil. Place the pan on the burner and heat all sides until the oil is hot. Remove from heat and tilt the pan to coat all sides and let stand overnight.
The next day, remove pooled oil and add salt to the slightly coated pan. Heat pan slightly. With a paper towel, rub the warm salt throughout the inside of the pan. Remove from heat and wipe out any remaining salt. The pan is now seasoned and ready to for its first omelette!"_

Guess the next step is to actually go handle a few of these and determine which has the shape I think will work best. Please feel free to add any advice or things to consider...I'll likely report back with a few more questions before I proceed. Really want to make the non-stick a one (last) time purchase. As to the steel pan I'm pretty convinced but will try to look around to see if there is something I missed.

Cheers


----------



## daveb

This Henckels? It be suck. I've yet to use a ceramic coated pan that was worth a pat of butter. First time something tries to stick and you have to scrub it off, it will spin downhill fast.

AC is ok.

Swiss Diamond is the mother.


----------



## goatgolfer

I like that daveb has a hotel pan for his mise en place...at home... and then had the presence of mind to take a photo of a burnt pan before pitching it. Yoda has some things to learn from our moderator. (new moniker = _daveb_accelerator -- moderator implies slowing down)


----------



## Marko Tsourkan

When talking about De Buyer, are you talking about this line?
http://www.chefscatalog.com/product...PO2ifohHlQsy-5kDfFL8qs7TVnqGUmLopsaAoSc8P8HAQ

or this

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F2GYNA0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## dough

im with daveb swiss diamond is the best i have used and the toughest.


----------



## daveb

goatgolfer said:


> I like that daveb has a hotel pan for his mise en place...at home... and then had the presence of mind to take a photo of a burnt pan before pitching it.



The pic was taken at a culinary where I was doing a SV demo. Owner wanted to pitch the Henckels pan and I used it to sear some salmon (not ideal use). Took a pic cause I knew at some point someone would think about buying the pos.


----------



## panda

this one looks interesting!
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...l-nonstick-fry-pan/?pkey=cfry-pans-skillets||


----------



## chinacats

daveb said:


> This Henckels? It be suck. I've yet to use a ceramic coated pan that was worth a pat of butter. First time something tries to stick and you have to scrub it off, it will spin downhill fast.
> 
> AC is ok.
> 
> Swiss Diamond is the mother.



Thanks...elimination is a great thing and that one (and anything like it) is quickly gone from the list.





Marko Tsourkan said:


> When talking about De Buyer, are you talking about this line?
> http://www.chefscatalog.com/product...PO2ifohHlQsy-5kDfFL8qs7TVnqGUmLopsaAoSc8P8HAQ
> 
> or this
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F2GYNA0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



I'm looking at the second one Marko, their 'true' omelette pan. That said, the first ones linked are crazily inexpensive and maybe worth trying even if they are throwaways...



Got some very good information by pm as well and sounds like there is no advantage to the 5 series of A/C as opposed to the tri-clad that I currently own (non-skillets). Think for now I'm going to skip any of the clad stuff but likely pick up a piece of the Vollrath Tribute at some point just to see how they compare to A/C.

Read a very good review for Analon Nouvelle Copper Anodized that leads me to believe this may be one of the better deals for non-stick; does anyone have any experience with these? Found what seems to be a crazy deal on these here.

As to the Swiss Diamond, I can't quite get over the handles--they improve with the pro line but then the cost becomes very high imo.


----------



## bkultra

The twin pack you linked (Analon) is the best price you will find... Infact I paid $10 more for the same set not too long ago.


----------



## Talim

[video=youtube;Uu5zGHjRaMo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu5zGHjRaMo[/video]
This guy uses a regular CS pan.

[video=youtube;N25Zx2pEPhQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N25Zx2pEPhQ[/video]
This one uses what looks like a debuyer nonstick pan or something similar.


----------



## panda

i love vollrath tribute stainless. their non stick not so much. awesome price on those de buyers, i may have to get one for myself.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan

dough said:


> im with daveb swiss diamond is the best i have used and the toughest.



I hate the handle on that pan, otherwise I would be all over it.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Marko Tsourkan said:


> I hate the handle on that pan, otherwise I would be all over it.



Marko, HA, my though exactly, but I though I was being petty.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan

I am going to give this one a try. I think it's the same as on the video. Love the handle colors (four) BTW, 4mm thick aluminum, Made in France (know you won't get some nasty stuff in the coating, due to regulations) and for $25, can't beat it. Might get two and gift one away)))

http://www.kitchen-universe.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=8050.24&CartID=1
 
[video=youtube;N25Zx2pEPhQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N25Zx2pEPhQ[/video]


----------



## aboynamedsuita

The handles on all the high-end nonstick pans aren't great IMO. Swiss Diamond, Woll, Gastrolux you can take the handle off the Gastrolux and buy a quick release one, could fit my 32cm in the Breville smart oven if I wanted, may also be good on a crowded range top.

The local kitchenware shop sells both and recommends Gastrolux over Swiss Diamond, but it may be because it costs more? Haven't tried Swiss Diamond or Woll, haven't been disappointed by Gastrolux. They talk about using metal utensils, but I still don't do it.

Whatever you get, beware if it has a riveted handle. I had a Zwilling Tru-clad (with Thermalon Granite surface), and the rivets weren't nonstick and were annoying to clean.


----------



## chinacats

So I wound up getting a couple of the Analon Nouvelle Copper pans--I guess you would say mid-range of the non-stick. I couldn't make myself buy the Swiss Diamond because of the handles. So far I think these are pretty good pans (I bought the 8" and 10") for the money but I guess only time will tell as with any non-stick. These pics are the 10":











In the background of those pics, you can see my prior omelette pan (before my cheapo non-sticks) that had slowly been ruined. The biggest difference in these to me is the shape of the pan and originally what I was looking for, so...

This pan is old American aluminum (and heavy) and was part of my parent's set from I would guess late 70's-early 80's. It was all commercial cookware and marked with NSF. It says it was made in Toledo, Ohio and I believe it was made by Calphalon? I've since thrown out all of the rest of the pots and pans because they had lost their coatings but still kept my old omelette pan for some reason

While browsing pans I came across a video of someone seasoning an aluminum pan and figured that maybe I could re-season mine. I didn't take any before pictures of the inside because I didn't think about it, but it looked just like the outside pictured here:






As you can tell, the surface isn't in great condition (and I did no real preparation prior to seasoning) but after about 5 coats of flaxseed oil (and a few buttery grilled cheese sandwiches) this is what it looks like:






I plan on cooking on it for a while and seeing if the seasoning will hold. The pan is what I consider the perfect size and shape for omelettes (kind of hard to tell in the pictures but there is no real bottom vs side as it has more of a curved slope to it). I hope to bring it back into the fold and feel almost foolish not realizing that aluminum could be seasoned...seems to take and hold better than my deBuyers so far.

Cheers


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Jim Calphalon warrantee will replace damaged pots with new ones. They replaced a mixed set I had maybe ten pieces for free


----------



## Lefty

I use a deBuyer crepe pan, and it's perfect for "French Style Omelettes.


----------



## DDPslice

I don't think the pan makes a difference except for size, heat and oil. Just like frying anything the right oil temp is the most important thing.


----------



## El Pescador

DDPslice said:


> I don't think the pan makes a difference except for size, heat and oil. Just like frying anything the right oil temp is the most important thing.



A well seasoned carbon steel pan really is the best thing to make omelettes. The difference is that the carbon pans aren't prone to hot spots, unlike my all-clad. Don't believe me? Think about the first pancake out of a regular pan- that blochiness doesn't happen with a carbon steel pans.


----------



## bkultra

El Pescador said:


> A well seasoned carbon steel pan really is the best thing to make omelettes. The difference is that the carbon pans aren't prone to hot spots, unlike my all-clad. Don't believe me? Think about the first pancake out of a regular pan- that blochiness doesn't happen with a carbon steel pans.



Carbon steel is ~99% iron so it shares thermal characteristics with cast iron, including weight and relatively poor heat conductivity compared to aluminum and copper (this includes aluminum/copper clad). It's poor heat conductivity leads to relatively uneven heating. Carbon steel, being even thinner than cast iron, is even more uneven-heating than cast iron.

For example notice how carbon steel is dead last in this ranking (just after cast iron). You can also see the various lines off All-clad in the chart:

http://www.centurylife.org/cookware-even-heating-rankings-butane-propane-natural-gas-etc/

Another great read on the different materials and shapes of cookware:

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25717-understanding-stovetop-cookware/


----------



## DDPslice

bkultra said:


> Carbon steel is ~99% iron so it shares thermal characteristics with cast iron, including weight and relatively poor heat conductivity compared to aluminum and copper (this includes aluminum/copper clad). It's poor heat conductivity leads to relatively uneven heating. Carbon steel, being even thinner than cast iron, is even more uneven-heating than cast iron.
> 
> For example notice how carbon steel is dead last in this ranking (just after cast iron). You can also see the various lines off All-clad in the chart:
> 
> http://www.centurylife.org/cookware-even-heating-rankings-butane-propane-natural-gas-etc/
> 
> Another great read on the different materials and shapes of cookware:
> 
> https://forums.egullet.org/topic/25717-understanding-stovetop-cookware/



Although this was a great read and the study was done relatively well, it can be argued the having a low conductivity leads to less hot spots because the material isn't able to transfer heat quickly and will have to wait for the pan to be hot enough overall. 

Yes I do beleive still the oil is the most important thing the pan being the second most important. I use cast iron for western omelette, anodized for French. 

As for a recommendation I don't know how many eggs you are usually cooking, a 3 egg omelet I like using an 11" pan I would recommend a carbon pan as well but my favorite as a home cook is the cast iron because it gives such a good sear specially if you slightly fry a croissant cubed first then pour the omelet mix on top..


----------



## bkultra

DDPslice said:


> Although this was a great read and the study was done relatively well, it can be argued the having a low conductivity leads to less hot spots because the material isn't able to transfer heat quickly and will have to wait for the pan to be hot enough overall.


Im not sure I get your point... No matter how good the pan is, even if made of pure silver, it will be hottest where the heat is applied no matter how long you let it heat up. Now the heat source (Gas vs Electric) will play a role in how dramatic this effect is. So for your point to be valid you would need to things. 1) A pan that's bottom perfectly matched the burner and 2) That burner to be vary even heating (even high end gas and induction burners have hot spots). A pan made of poor heat conductivity material will accentuate these hot spots... There is no changing thermal dynamics or material science.


----------



## DDPslice

bkultra said:


> Im not sure I get your point... No matter how good the pan is, even if made of pure silver, it will be hottest where the heat is applied no matter how long you let it heat up. Now the heat source (Gas vs Electric) will play a role in how dramatic this effect is. So for your point to be valid you would need to things. 1) A pan that's bottom perfectly matched the burner and 2) That burner to be vary even heating (even high end gas and induction burners have hot spots). A pan made of poor heat conductivity material will accentuate these hot spots... There is no changing thermal dynamics or material science.



So then why does my cast iron get such a great sear?


----------



## DDPslice

The pan's ability to dissipate the energy, first to oil and then the foods' "willingness" to accept the energy/heat. Sometimes a thicker lower conductive surface allows for the heat to reverberate (stay within/more evenly heat) between the two surfaces (the pan and the food through the medium of oil) allowing a more even distribution, sealing up easier spots for energy to move then browning or "blockading" those paths allowing for harder areas to be browned until the perfect crust (sear) is achieved. I feel a conductor that allows energy to move across its surface to easily and food not willing to accept the heat will indubitable lead the heat/energy to find another sources rather than the food to escape/dissipate to, or to channel into one specific spot. So for sugar, copper is the way to go no question. If you're wanting to keep your tea warm I suggest porcelain rather than silver. And so I say trying to achieve two different results, I must use two different pans. 

A screwdriver can be used in other ways but it works best to drive in screws. Simply put I'm drunk and cast iron kicks ass. Whooooohooooo!


----------



## panda

who invited bill nye?


----------



## bkultra

DDPslice said:


> So then why does my cast iron get such a great sear?


Specific heat per cubic centimeter, something carbon steel and cast iron excels at. 

That simple fact remains that of all the materials commonly found in cookware, carbon steel (sans stainless steel) has the worst Thermal Conductivity (the thermal property that determines how even it heats). Couple that with the fact that carbon steel pans are relatively thin and you have a pan that has more hot spots.

In order for carbon steel to heat as even as aluminum you would need to add both time and thicknesses. All of this is to compensate for its lack of ability to heat evenly.


----------



## El Pescador

Please, you've made you point using science. Let us non-believers toil away in the darkness of our own ignorance while enjoying great omelettes. :wink:



bkultra said:


> Specific heat per cubic centimeter, something carbon steel and cast iron excels at.
> 
> That simple fact remains that of all the materials commonly found in cookware, carbon steel (sans stainless steel) has the worst Thermal Conductivity (the thermal property that determines how even it heats). Couple that with the fact that carbon steel pans are relatively thin and you have a pan that has more hot spots.
> 
> In order for carbon steel to heat as even as aluminum you would need to add both time and thicknesses. All of this is to compensate for its lack of ability to heat evenly.


----------



## ThEoRy

I like eggs.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

[emoji505]


----------



## jackslimpson

We need some news in this thread.

Cheers,

Jack


----------



## chinacats

Alright, been a slow update and I've learned quite a bit about the old omelette. First thing that I learned is that this involves much more than just the pan so the initial quest was somewhat misguided imo. 

While I have added a few non-stick pans that I really like (Thanks BK!) for certain acidic ingredients, they are not the exact pan shape that I prefer for omelettes. So I wound up going back to my old pan that I've made hundreds of omelettes in over the years and re-seasoned it with multiple layers of flaxseed oil. The pan is very heavy gauge aluminum and actually seems to heat fairly evenly. I've come to the conclusion that this pan will now be used exclusively for omelettes! 

Starting to take a very nice base layer and becoming very slippery...not the best picture, but:






A quick aside on seasoning, but I had totally ruined the seasoning on this deBuyer (cold fish) and used the method recommended by Damage (The Cooks Illustrated video) to restore it. Took off as much of the crap as I could with sandpaper and elbow grease...seasoned it once and it is the most slippery thing going for fried eggs...be interesting to see how well it holds up, but will be my go to for seasoning all future steel pans if it holds...not the most attractive at this moment but damn it's slick:







So onto a few of the other things than the pan that I originally didn't put much consideration to...utensils and heat source.

Jack came to the rescue on the utensil and it has completely replaced using saibashi for omelettes for the time being (I've decided to not use metal utensils on even the aluminum pan to save the seasoning). Not sure where he came up with this but it is by far the best utensil ever for omelettes (and I can imagine I'll find a few other uses for it in the kitchen). Can't thank him enough for sending along an example...I have gone out to purchase some skewers and stainless steel wire for my own attempt for when I wear this out but seems pretty solid so far. I should mention that it mixes the eggs better in a mise bowl than saibashi or fork...my understanding is that the less you have to beat the egg the less chance of making it tough? While working the eggs (classic style) in the pan I can only say that it is amazing, much better than a fork that I learned on or the saibashi that I've been using.







You'll notice my secret ingredient in the background...figure it will assist the butter in further seasoning the pan.








Really feel like the most important thing I'm missing is a gas stove (I'm in an apartment and that is what is furnished). It seems as if it takes me a bit longer to finish the omelette than it has in the past when I was cooking on gas.

Anyway, a fine herb/duxelle omelette with a side of the first fresh cranberries I've seen this year mixed with the last of the seasonal apples I had.






Cheers for all the help and advice, I really have learned a lot through this exercise...and still plan on buying a deBuyer omelette pan at some point, but as long as the stand by aluminum is doing it's job there are a few other toys I would rather purchase. Got a feeling I may struggle with the making of the new utensil, but can't recommend highly enough anyone that is good with putting things together to give this a shot.:hungry:

Edit to add the fact that I've been making at least one omelette a day and some days multiples...I really like eggs!:biggrin:


----------



## jackslimpson

Looks great! Glad to hear the untensil is working. 

Cheers,

Jack


----------



## alterwisser

I want to try that utensil as well. Is there some kind of "how to" somewhere, or just trial and error with skewers and steel wire?

PS: can't beat gas. We used to live in an apartment that had some kind of fancy 10k range. I was almost too scared to use it, but damn did it work!!!


----------



## jackslimpson

alterwisser said:


> I want to try that utensil as well. Is there some kind of "how to" somewhere, or just trial and error with skewers and steel wire?
> 
> PS: can't beat gas. We used to live in an apartment that had some kind of fancy 10k range. I was almost too scared to use it, but damn did it work!!!



Yes, trial and error with 10" bamboo skewers and stainless steel wire. It's the best thing I've ever used for omelettes, and is safe for any non-stick surface. I start by coiling the wire around the shaft of a phillips head screwdriver with slightly more girth than the skewers. The coils separate the skewers, and leaves room to cinch up the ends of the wire. Wrap some mroe in the middle at a point that will splay the tines, then cinch up the end. I'm sure there's a better way to do it. 

A wood worker could drill out a small piece like seen here:






Cheers,

Jack


----------



## DDPslice

@chinacats 

As for your heat issue, i think you can just preheating the pan to screaming hot, melt your fat on the side then when the pans hot enough add the fat then eggs immediately back to back to rapidly cool the pan and not burn the fat and the residual heat should finish the job. Or maybe buy one of those single glass top cookers. 

I like lard but different animals will effect taste and feel, I like pig(bacon) lard as well as different fats will have different effects, I wouldn't recommend coconut oil for eggs at all. Butter is my all time favorite choice. If you really like lard, for whole foods, you can call the butchers the night before or in the morning and ask for them to save x amount of lbs of fat trimmings and you can make your own, also there is usually a decent amount of meat that can be scrapped together which I've used to make a pretty decent stew.

An easy way to strip off the seasoning of your pan is to use sodium hydroxide (lye) bath in a 5 gallon drum. But only for your deBuyer. NOT on the aluminum pan, as it will be severely damaged (melted). Dissolve 1lb-2lbs of sodium hydroxide (which you can find on amazon or by soap makes, should be relatively cheap) in 5 gal bucket of water (always add the sodium hydroxide too the water or you can die.) soak for a week or so and check daily and see if the pan is fully stripped. It shouldn't take that long but you can check and see as it goes. Wear protection. Do this outside.


----------



## clsm1955

jackslimpson said:


> If you go with the deBuyer, I've had great success with this method of seasoning: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
> 
> 
> And make yourself one of these forks:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Jack



That fork looks really useful, how'd you make it? I see some sort of malleable metal wound around the bamboo, what did you use?
I rigged something like that up today on the quick using rubber bands and paper for spacing, but of course that won't hold up.


----------



## panda

use this http://kerrygoldusa.com/products/naturally-softer-pure-irish-butter readily available in supermarkets


----------



## jackslimpson

clsm1955 said:


> That fork looks really useful, how'd you make it? I see some sort of malleable metal wound around the bamboo, what did you use?
> I rigged something like that up today on the quick using rubber bands and paper for spacing, but of course that won't hold up.



It's just bamboo skewers and stainless steel wire. You can see a better picture of one I made for chinacats in an earlier post in this thread. I made another one the other day with a simpler winding for the wire on the tine end -- and actually ended up with the tines fanning out a bit more, which is good. It works great, and will not harm any surface of any pan you might use. (oh, and that's a 240mm Yoshikane next to it).

Cheers,

Jack


----------



## boomchakabowwow

i'm gonna buy a deBuyer when i get home from work.

i'm getting tired of non-stick and i heard my wife listening to some new report how it isnt good for us anyways. i love my carbon wok and my Griswold pans, so i expect the same love for a new skillet. it would be nice to have a non-stick pan tough enough to toss into the truck for camping. teflon rarely survives a campfire..if ever.

i season like two post above, but i use my Weber gas grill. that initial stink is hard to shake out of a kitchen.


----------



## chinacats

boomchakabowwow said:


> i'm gonna buy a deBuyer when i get home from work.
> 
> i'm getting tired of non-stick and i heard my wife listening to some new report how it isnt good for us anyways. i love my carbon wok and my Griswold pans, so i expect the same love for a new skillet. it would be nice to have a non-stick pan tough enough to toss into the truck for camping. teflon rarely survives a campfire..if ever.
> 
> i season like two post above, but i use my Weber gas grill. that initial stink is hard to shake out of a kitchen.



Love to hear your thoughts on this as it is on my list but have yet to pull the trigger.


----------



## bkultra

The myths of Teflon and aluminum cookware being dangerous get to me almost as much as hearing about how even heating cast iron is. Teflon is safe at temperatures under 500F (just over 600F truly). If you are cooking at temperatures higher then that you have other problems. Teflon is not suspected of causing cancer and aluminium cookware is not linked to alzheimer's. We get far more Al from antacids and antiperspirant. The chemical Teflon is inert (not active or reactive), so if it's ingested, it will travel through your system without being absorbed.

Fear mongering backed by pseudoscience (read: Bad), usually to sell us a healthier lifestyle (i.e. Books, cookware...)

P.S. I too like eggs :biggrin:


----------



## WingKKF

You can only get a certain kind of fluffy pale non-browned omelettes with teflon pans that you can't with carbon steel pans as steel pans tend to have to be hot for the butter to make it non-stick. Teflon pans are the ideal omelette pans. The only problem with them as far as I can tell, is the lack of durability. They tend to be disposable as the surface seems to lose it's non-stick properties over time.


----------



## Casaluz

I would suggest this pan from the Mauviel M'Cook line 
http://www.amazon.com/Mauviel-Stainless-5214-20-Frying-Handle/dp/B002KQ66G4/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1450626548&sr=1-8&keywords=mauviel+mcook
It is beautiful, practical, the right size for the job and low maintenance


----------



## mise_en_place

Psh. You are all fools. This is clearly the best pan for making omelettes!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055FSODU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

(Please note sarcasm)


----------



## chinacats

Update, I wound up buying what I figured I would want all along...worked better this way because I got a few extra nice non-stick pans that I actually needed by going through the exercise (thanks BK).

I should've taken a before pic, but this is close...after getting rid of most of the wax and one round of potatoes, salt and oil. Other pan is a few weeks into a re-seasoning (multiple layers of flax oil).






This is after one fried egg that slid all around the pan...not even an attempt at sticking. I'm going to baby it and go natural the rest of the way--skipping the flax oil and just cooking eggs. That said, I likely won't try an omelette until after a few more fried eggs...don't want to blow the first one I try:lol2:






Quite a bit of time to get closer to these which I've finally gotten to the point of being able to use metal utensils without worrying about the seasoning.






Should note that I never got the pan screaming hot (may come back to haunt me), but it was hot enough to burn butter twice before I got the temp right for the egg...:laugh: I only say this because from my recollection the pans usually get a bit darker all the way around at first shot of heat--I remember MB mentioning going through a bunch of steps to remove the wax...I scrubbed well and thought I had gotten most of it...hopefully I hit that sweet spot of maybe just enough left of the pan to work for you? This is after having quite a few deBuyer and seemingly the hardest ones I've had to season are the Mineral.


----------



## chinacats

chinacats said:


> Update, I wound up buying what I figured I would want all along...worked better this way because I got a few extra nice non-stick pans that I actually needed by going through the exercise (thanks BK).
> 
> I should've taken a before pic, but this is close...after getting rid of most of the wax and one round of potatoes, salt and oil. Other pan is a few weeks into a re-seasoning (multiple layers of flax oil).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is after one fried egg that slid all around the pan...not even an attempt at sticking. I'm going to baby it and go natural the rest of the way--skipping the flax oil and just cooking eggs. That said, I likely won't try an omelette until after a few more fried eggs...don't want to blow the first one I try:lol2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quite a bit of time to get closer to these which I've finally gotten to the point of being able to use metal utensils without worrying about the seasoning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Should note that I never got the pan screaming hot (may come back to haunt me), but it was hot enough to burn butter twice before I got the temp right for the egg...:laugh: I only say this because from my recollection the pans usually get a bit darker all the way around at first shot of heat--I remember MB mentioning going through a bunch of steps to remove the wax...I scrubbed well and thought I had gotten most of it...hopefully I hit that sweet spot of maybe just enough left of the pan to work for you? This is after having quite a few deBuyer and seemingly the hardest ones I've had to season are the Mineral.



Took too long, but almost forgot to mention that the new pan seems to be exactly the shape and size that I was looking for in the first place. :doublethumbsup:


----------



## Talim

The debuyer omelette pan is below $50 right now on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F2GYNA0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## jacko9

I use the All Clad d5 Stainless Nonstick and the pan is only used for omelettes. I have other All Clad and Cast Iron pans for other cooking but, my d5 stays in it's draw string bag until it's omelette time.

Jack


----------



## Matus

I use (for all frying) large (32cm) carbone plus from deBuyer. Last time I did pancakes after fish - NO problem. I clean the pan (only with water and if necessary with steel 'sponge'). I like the pan more with every use. After frying something that leaves no burned-on residue (eggs, pancakes, etc) I wife the pan with paper towels while still hot, let it get to the point where the fat (what ever was used, mostly rice oil) starts to burn and then let it cool. If I have rests of food burned to the surface, than immediately after cooking I bring the pan to smoking point (with residual fat removed, so the pan is just 'dirty'.) and splash it with water - most of the food residue jumps off the surface and the rest is removed with steel sponge and water (no detergent), than I dry the pan, put it back on still-hot (but not running) stove (glass-top) and let it there. From time-to-time I do burn the pan on the stove after pancakes (but again, wipe all of the remaining fat away before). I am not sure whether this sounds right, but it seems to work fine. The pan is slippery-smooth to touch and pancakes/edges show very little stiction.


----------



## DanHumphrey

Maybe someone on this thread can help me - I switched to a cast iron skillet a few months ago and I'm having a devil of a time keeping the seasoning on. The seasoning is getting applied in the Cook's Illustrated method (warmed pan, rubbed in organic flax-seed oil, baked at 500* for an hour and then cooled in the oven, multiple times).

The problem is that I did this right after moving to an apartment with (ugh) an electric stove, and if the pan is used for anything that takes longer than a quick scramble of eggs, the seasoning burns off in a shape that matches the burner coil. This happens even with the burner set on HALF heat, which is weak enough that it takes noticeably longer to cook. Is there something I'm doing wrong to cause that, or do electric burners just play hell with seasoned cast iron?

Amazon will be delivering a countertop induction plate today, so hopefully that will make it behave better, but my fear is that I'm misapplying the seasoning and getting the pan hot enough to cook will scorch it off, no matter how the heat is applied.


----------



## malexthekid

You could go for something simpler ala seasoning a carbon wok


----------



## DDPslice

@matus: i used to do that almost exactly but now i've changed my method a bit. I use coarse salt and paper towel instead of steel wool/steel sponge. The salt might (that's a massive MIGHT) help with the polymerization but really it gets the gunk off without hurting my precious. I don't use water anymore because my water is very hard and i find if i spray the pan when hot it takes off seasoning. so no more water for me. Just the usual wipe after or something caked (lol) on then i'll let it cool a little, then burn the **** out of whatever caked on, and use salt+paper towel to scrub. P.s. fold the paper towel a million times because the pan is super hot @noobs.

@dan what's happening that the seasoning is getting pulled? are you scraping it off? is it getting washed off? It could be you did not burn off the initial layer of "seasoning" or protection (beeswax in the case of debuyer) that can be causing this. Ive stopped with the whole pre-seasoning or forming the seasoning by force and for the most part i'll oil after the meat has been cooking for some time to help pry it up or get a more "full" sear. But the game for me is all about getting the right temp on the pan for the meat and it's thickness so it comes up easy on it's own.


----------



## DDPslice

oh forgot to mention @chinacats, I got the same exact pan, though i need to do some forearm exercises that beast is heavy. But amazing!


----------



## fujiyama

I use a 20cm pan for omelettes (about 8"). Paderno Nature. It's a non stick, older version. I'll soon purchase the granite version as a back up. For this size pan I wouldn't use more than 3 large eggs. 

I know you purchased a pan already, but just for reference..

Next I would like to add a carbon and stainless pan to my kitchen.


----------



## skewed

Dan-

I never had a lot of luck using cast iron for omelettes. The bumpy texture didn't work well for me even after a lot of seasoning. It worked on a hit or miss schedule. I switched to carbon steel pans for most things including omelettes and they work great.


----------



## DanHumphrey

skewed said:


> Dan-
> 
> I never had a lot of luck using cast iron for omelettes. The bumpy texture didn't work well for me even after a lot of seasoning. It worked on a hit or miss schedule. I switched to carbon steel pans for most things including omelettes and they work great.



Do you have a link for one? The reason I'm really focused on trying to make the cast-iron work is I seem to weigh ~8lbs less when I cook (the same food!) in it vs teflon/aluminum or even stainless. No earthly idea why that's the case, but I'll take it!


----------



## zitangy

i can only consume 2 eggs per week and I love using cast iron for the nice aroma and flavor it gives but is too heavy and the "wall" or sides is simply too steep for any flipping action. Ultimately I found * Komin ductile* cast iron which is less than half the weight, a more gradient sides for flipping action . I cant tell the difference in the outcome . Being cast iron products, the handles are short wch makes it pop-able in the oven. My next preferred cookware is a iron frying pan with a wooden handle which has been hardened....

[video=youtube;Rk1JyRYolys]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk1JyRYolys[/video]

http://www.kitchenplanning.jp/en/komin.php
Have fun.. rgds D


----------



## WingKKF

Ductile cast iron eh? Sounds interesting. I think it's actually carbon steel that is cast into pans rather than machined. It probably works about the same as regular carbon steel pans.


----------



## Obsidiank

I bought the debuyer after going through this thread and started the flax oil oven seasoning method. Got about four rounds in. Only thing I wish I knew was the the handle has a coating which melted into a gooey mess. FYI for anyone throwing it in the oven.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I did the flax oil and oven for my initial seasoning to get both the inside and outside no such problem on my DeBuyer mineral B, although I also washed the handle to remove the wax which is also on the pan itself.

I've see two types one is sort of a clear coating and the other is more of a silvery/metal colored coating I have the latter of the two


----------



## oldcookie

Obsidiank said:


> I bought the debuyer after going through this thread and started the flax oil oven seasoning method. Got about four rounds in. Only thing I wish I knew was the the handle has a coating which melted into a gooey mess. FYI for anyone throwing it in the oven.



From De Buyer's FAQ:
_
*Are iron cooking utensils suitable for traditional ovens?
*All cooking utensils from our iron ranges can be used in traditional ovens. Nevertheless, pans equipped with an iron handle coated with epoxy can only flash in the oven (10 minutes at 200°C maximum) as an extended exposure to heat or to a higher temperature might damage the epoxy coating.
For any longer cooking in an oven, we recommend you to use cookware with stainless steel or aluminium handles._

Was going to use the oven for my Mineral B too until I read that.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I've had mine in the oven for an hour at 450°F or higher while seasoning and no problems, although I think the epoxy coating may be the clear one whereas mine has the opaque silver/metal one; seems like a paint, and I believe it replaced the clear one as I don't see as many clear ones when shopping/browsing at kitchenware stores. Also have seen some handles that say "DeBuyer made in France" and "DeBuyer since 1830" or something like that


----------



## boomchakabowwow

oldcookie said:


> From De Buyer's FAQ:
> _
> *Are iron cooking utensils suitable for traditional ovens?
> *All cooking utensils from our iron ranges can be used in traditional ovens. Nevertheless, pans equipped with an iron handle coated with epoxy can only flash in the oven (10 minutes at 200°C maximum) as an extended exposure to heat or to a higher temperature might damage the epoxy coating.
> For any longer cooking in an oven, we recommend you to use cookware with stainless steel or aluminium handles._
> 
> Was going to use the oven for my Mineral B too until I read that.



oh o. i bet i've gone higher. at least a tiny bit higher at 400F. longer for sure. i roasted a chicken in mine. haha..my handle hates it, but looks okay. mine is silver in color, like TJ's


----------



## boomchakabowwow

i shouldnt even be talking about my pan in this thread. it isnt any where near the point i can flip and omlette in it.


----------



## Aleque

zitangy said:


> I found * Komin ductile* cast iron which is less than half the weight, a more gradient sides for flipping action . I cant tell the difference in the outcome . Being cast iron products, the handles are short wch makes it pop-able in the oven. My next preferred cookware is a iron frying pan with a wooden handle which has been hardened....
> 
> http://www.kitchenplanning.jp/en/komin.php
> Have fun.. rgds D



If you don't feel like buying these from this website, you might be able to find one at William Sonoma. I've seen this brand at my local WS a few times. I was also interested in buying this brand. Aesthetically these pots and pans are very appealing, but at the time they were priced a bit too high to other cast iron/carbon steel alternatives. However, they might have discontinued carrying these so you could potentially find a deal.


----------



## DDPslice

I've always liked the look of them but 80 buck, there were clearly huffing the seasoning


----------



## Obsidiank

yeah, I did not read the FAQ, in the oven @550F and that handle just went to ****. It's fine though because I plan to get a cover for it.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Here's a pic of the two types I've seen on mineral b.





The top is the clear one and the bottom is the metallic silver colored one


----------



## oldcookie

Mine looks like the bottom one.


----------



## DamageInc

And all of mine look like the top.

I've had one of them in the oven at 230c for twenty minutes once and there was no issue.


----------



## DDPslice

I have the bottom one but I haven't used it in an oven yet.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

All of mine are like the bottom, did the initial seasoning inside & out with flaxseed oil in the oven at >450°F without issues. On my giant 36cm one the coating was chipped where the handle bends but I just put some oil over it and no issues so far


----------



## Obsidiank

tjangula said:


> All of mine are like the bottom, did the initial seasoning inside & out with flaxseed oil in the oven at >450°F without issues. On my giant 36cm one the coating was chipped where the handle bends but I just put some oil over it and no issues so far



How many times did you do the process? I did it six times. Cooked my first egg and it stuck like crazy and ate through the seasoning. Not sure what I did wrong


----------



## Matus

Obsidiank said:


> How many times did you do the process? I did it six times. Cooked my first egg and it stuck like crazy and ate through the seasoning. Not sure what I did wrong



Was the pan hot before you poured in the eggs? I have a small Turk pan that we got rather recently. I used it only maybe 10 times - mostly for eggs. Once I poured the eggs in when the pan was not hot enough and they stuck completely. The next time I let the pan get hot first the the eggs were just sliding around.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Obsidiank said:


> How many times did you do the process? I did it six times. Cooked my first egg and it stuck like crazy and ate through the seasoning. Not sure what I did wrong



I did between 1-3 with flax, then also did the potato peel & oil method for some, it's been awhile so I don't remember exactly. I wanted to do the flax first so I could also get the outside of the pan.

Here's a pic that's over two years old I held onto for fun:



this is the 12cm DeBuyer Mineral B blinis pan with a fried egg, it just slid right out and was the first thing I cooked after seasoning. I've found subsequently that for eggs having the pan too hot can cause sticking problems too, at least for me anyways.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

tjangula said:


> I wanted to do the flax first so I could also get the outside of the pan.



Why season the outside of the pan?


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Why season the outside of the pan?



Just so I could get a layer there for preventing rust issues if nothing else


----------



## jackslimpson

tjangula said:


> Just so I could get a layer there for preventing rust issues if nothing else



I season the outside of my cast iron pans for this reason, and to make them non-stick for the purpose of using them as a makeshift pannini press. I think Alton Brown had an episode that featured this technique, as well as that dude from Extra Virgin, Gabriele Corcos. It works well.

Cheers,

Jack


----------



## Obsidiank

Does anyone else find it strange that a chemical process that involves bonding of fats to metal is so inconsistent. If you google how to season a pan using the flaxseed method the same results turn up time and time again.

1. I did it 6 - 11 times and it works great
2. I did it and it didn't work and eggs stick like crazy
3. I gave up and just started using it and eventually it will develop a seasoning on its own

Personally, I went through 6 rounds in the oven @ 500 being careful to using thin layers. The pan was super even and brown. I then proceed to try to cook an egg with a tablespoon of clarified butter. I checked the temp using infrared and it was around 260 degrees before I dropped the egg in. It sizzled and then completely stuck to the pan. I took washed it out and the process of removing the egg also removed almost all the seasoning. 

I'm trying again this time making sure I let the pan cool completely before applying the next layer. I am very confused as to why a seemingly scientific chemical process with limited variables doesn't work the exact same each and every time. Can someone who failed and then succeeded offer some insight as to what I might be doing wrong?

I only cook once a week so developing a natural finish would take years. If I can't get this to work, I might just have to go back to buying non-stick.


----------



## oldcookie

For me, I did about 10 coatings before first use. It kept sticking, but I just kept using it with a bit more oil, then rinse after use and put it back on the stove top. Took about 6-8omelettes before I can do Omurice style omelette without sticking... But now it works pretty well.


----------



## chinacats

Obsidiank said:


> I'm trying again this time making sure I let the pan cool completely before applying the next layer. I am very confused as to why a seemingly scientific chemical process with limited variables doesn't work the exact same each and every time. Can someone who failed and then succeeded offer some insight as to what I might be doing wrong?
> 
> I only cook once a week so developing a natural finish would take years. If I can't get this to work, I might just have to go back to buying non-stick.



I believe you may have answered your own question about why the rather straightforward process doesn't work exactly the same for everyone...part of the process you followed does speak specifically about letting the pan cool completely between sessions and if you did not...

The other method that works well is the potato and salt method recommended by cooks kitchen/Americas test kitchen (?). It gives a really nice slippery finish to begin but ultimately it comes down to having to use the pans as much as possible...the more use the less stick and the reverse holds equally true.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Obsidiank said:


> Does anyone else find it strange that a chemical process that involves bonding of fats to metal is so inconsistent. If you google how to season a pan using the flaxseed method the same results turn up time and time again.
> 
> 1. I did it 6 - 11 times and it works great
> 2. I did it and it didn't work and eggs stick like crazy
> 3. I gave up and just started using it and eventually it will develop a seasoning on its own
> 
> Personally, I went through 6 rounds in the oven @ 500 being careful to using thin layers. The pan was super even and brown. I then proceed to try to cook an egg with a tablespoon of clarified butter. I checked the temp using infrared and it was around 260 degrees before I dropped the egg in. It sizzled and then completely stuck to the pan. I took washed it out and the process of removing the egg also removed almost all the seasoning.
> 
> I'm trying again this time making sure I let the pan cool completely before applying the next layer. I am very confused as to why a seemingly scientific chemical process with limited variables doesn't work the exact same each and every time. Can someone who failed and then succeeded offer some insight as to what I might be doing wrong?
> 
> I only cook once a week so developing a natural finish would take years. If I can't get this to work, I might just have to go back to buying non-stick.



260 in F or C? I think either is wrong, I found that too hot would cause sticking for eggs (unlike a sear for a steak).

My pans were probably "warm" when I started the process again, plus I always preheated to about 200-225 F before applying oil.


----------



## DDPslice

obsidiank, the problem is that these people writing the procedures are not hard core scientists writing the procedures, also not peer edited to anything worth it's salt. And lastly there are a lot of environmental variables that effect everybody's labs/kitchens so really best of luck. Also until you really get a great seasoning or use an artery clogging amount of oil don't cook eggs on the pan, cook meats and mei fun and fried rice, but omelets in particular just suck up tons of oil and latch on to everything it possibly can. For my personal health, I've switched back to non-sticks for omelets but sunny side up eggs my mineral b doesn't have a problem with. 

btw does anybody like a crunchy bottom on their sunny side up eggs?


----------



## Grunt173

DDPslice said:


> obsidiank, the problem is that these people writing the procedures are not hard core scientists writing the procedures, also not peer edited to anything worth it's salt. And lastly there are a lot of environmental variables that effect everybody's labs/kitchens so really best of luck. Also until you really get a great seasoning or use an artery clogging amount of oil don't cook eggs on the pan, cook meats and mei fun and fried rice, but omelets in particular just suck up tons of oil and latch on to everything it possibly can. For my personal health, I've switched back to non-sticks for omelets but sunny side up eggs my mineral b doesn't have a problem with.
> 
> btw does anybody like a crunchy bottom on their sunny side up eggs?


"btw does anybody like a crunchy bottom on their sunny side up eggs?"
I do for sure.


----------



## PalmRoyale

A company called Zyliss makes a frying pan with a kind of textured, white speckled non-stick layer. I bought it about 2 years ago and it has seen a lot of use. So far the non-stick layer hasn't deteriorated at all. Best non-stick pan I've ever used and perfect for omelettes. 

https://www.zyliss.co.uk/cook-frying-pans/zyliss-cook-28cm-non-stick-frying-pan.html


----------



## Grunt173

PalmRoyale said:


> A company called Zyliss makes a frying pan with a kind of textured, white speckled non-stick layer. I bought it about 2 years ago and it has seen a lot of use. So far the non-stick layer hasn't deteriorated at all. Best non-stick pan I've ever used and perfect for omelettes.
> 
> https://www.zyliss.co.uk/cook-frying-pans/zyliss-cook-28cm-non-stick-frying-pan.html


Wish they made a non stick crepe pan. I have a Mauviel carbon steel crepe pan but the wife wants her very own non stick crepe pan but research has me more confused then ever as which is the better buy and that will last the longest.I don't really care to spend a hundred bucks or more if the coating will go bad in just a couple years. Don't want to go belly up either if the coating causes health problems.The Zyliss looks good too but they are in the UK and I am here in the U.S.,shipping.


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

Grunt173 said:


> The Zyliss looks good too but they are in the UK and I am here in the U.S.,shipping.



Amazon carries them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0746VMGJ1/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## Barmoley

Yep, just bought this very set 5 minutes ago thanks for the advice.


----------



## PalmRoyale

You won't regret it. I love this frying pan and it's fairly cheap as well.


----------



## Matus

Grunt, if you are looking for a dedicated crepe pan that just get a cast iron one. I invested in a Skeppshult and that thing is perfect with basically zero maintenance. I use a silicone brush to spread as little (rice) oil as possible when using it and never got a crepe to stick.


----------



## parbaked

I've been using the Mauviel M'steel carbon pans to sear proteins and cook eggs.
Once you clean off the bee's wax they ship in, seasoning and maintenance is simple and easy.
I much prefer these to any crap, coated aluminum, non-stick....


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Since this thread has beeen resurrected I may as well add that I’ve also purchased the De Buyer Mineral B omelette pan (think that was what the OP was after… been a couple years now lol). Works really well and the curved sides make it easy to do the flip


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> Grunt, if you are looking for a dedicated crepe pan that just get a cast iron one. I invested in a Skeppshult and that thing is perfect with basically zero maintenance. I use a silicone brush to spread as little (rice) oil as possible when using it and never got a crepe to stick.


I would consider that myself if I didn't already have a Mauviel M steel crepe pan but for some reason,the wife wants a coated crepe pan to replace her old T-fol from years and years ago.I try to warn her about the hazards of teflon coating.She just likes the light weight.I like that Skeppshult pan and did a research and came up with this. https://pleasanthillgrain.com/skeppshult-cast-iron-crepe-pan-original
It's only 6.5 inches and almost 80 bucks.Still looks like a heck of a pan though.


----------



## Grunt173

parbaked said:


> I've been using the Mauviel M'steel carbon pans to sear proteins and cook eggs.
> Once you clean off the bee's wax they ship in, seasoning and maintenance is simple and easy.
> I much prefer these to any crap, coated aluminum, non-stick....


I have to agree with you.


----------



## Matus

Grunt173 said:


> I would consider that myself if I didn't already have a Mauviel M steel crepe pan but for some reason,the wife wants a coated crepe pan to replace her old T-fol from years and years ago.I try to warn her about the hazards of teflon coating.She just likes the light weight.I like that Skeppshult pan and did a research and came up with this. https://pleasanthillgrain.com/skeppshult-cast-iron-crepe-pan-original
> It's only 6.5 inches and almost 80 bucks.Still looks like a heck of a pan though.



I understand. Have a look also at the pan from Scanpan. It was recommended to my by a friend of mine whose mom uses one (frying pan) for years and it apparently still works great: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000IG1C3K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


----------



## valgard

Grunt173 said:


> "btw does anybody like a crunchy bottom on their sunny side up eggs?"
> I do for sure.


Who wouldn't?


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> I understand. Have a look also at the pan from Scanpan. It was recommended to my by a friend of mine whose mom uses one (frying pan) for years and it apparently still works great: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000IG1C3K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


Lol,easy on me Matus.I am 71 and my German from my 10th grade class in High School is a little rusty. I did find that pan on Amazon though in English. That is one that I had considered for the wife.


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> I understand. Have a look also at the pan from Scanpan. It was recommended to my by a friend of mine whose mom uses one (frying pan) for years and it apparently still works great: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000IG1C3K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


On further research and facts finding and reading a whole bunch of positive reviews,I went with the Scanpan crepe pan. I think the wife will be very happy.


----------



## Matus

Grunt173 said:


> On further research and facts finding and reading a whole bunch of positive reviews,I went with the Scanpan crepe pan. I think the wife will be very happy.



Please report back


----------



## hennyville

valgard said:


> Who wouldn't?


Me, i prefer French standart with no coloration


----------



## Matus

Grunt173 said:


> On further research and facts finding and reading a whole bunch of positive reviews,I went with the Scanpan crepe pan. I think the wife will be very happy.



Please report back


----------



## PalmRoyale

This is the Zyliss pan I have after 2 years of almost daily use. It has lost a little bit of its non stick voodoo but compared to other pans it's holding up terrific.


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> Please report back


I'll be sure to do so friend.


PalmRoyale said:


> This is the Zyliss pan I have after 2 years of almost daily use. It has lost a little bit of its non stick voodoo but compared to other pans it's holding up terrific.
> 
> View attachment 43617


I better not show that to the wife or she'll want that one too.


----------



## daveb

FWIW, the Amazon retailer in the link is Lehmanss, the same folks that carry the Gude knives in the states. They send discount coupons, sale info periodically if you subscribe to their site.


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> Please report back


Well,the wife's Scanpan showed up today. I haven't had time to try it out yet but might have to whip up a crepe batter and give it a go. The pan looks like a nice solid pan and well made and doesn't look or feel cheap.My wife was all smiles,even after just coming back from having a tooth pulled.


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> Please report back


Well,now two days in on making crepes with the Scanpan,and the wife couldn't be happier.We both find it easier to make the perfect round crepe.Shows me that I need a lot more practice with my Mauviel crepe pan to equal the crepes coming off the Scanpan but I am not a quitter. I believe I just am not letting my Mauviel cool enough between crepes.They set up to quick.The Scanpan cools down faster.Flipping the crepes is easy.The Scanpan has some weight to it so it is not a cheaply made pan.


----------



## Matus

Excellent, thanks for the feedback


----------



## Grunt173

Matus said:


> Excellent, thanks for the feedback


Thank you sir,for the recommendation.


----------

