# how robust is the seasoning on your DuBuyer skillet?



## boomchakabowwow (Jun 8, 2016)

i'm relatively new to carbon steel pans.

you all motivated me to try it. for the most part it is awesome. it has taken a fair share of the workload from my old griswold cast pans.

what i dont like is how delicate the seasoning is. yesterday i tossed a few coins of andouille sausage in the pan to set on top of white beans and the pan now has shiny spots where the sausage seems to have cleaned the pan of seasoning.

i'm not convinced i'll ever get it to the level of my cast iron in terms of seasoning. 

i dont wash it..if it gets bad, i might boil some water in it and wipe it out. that move has taken off seasoning. if i had a Griswold with sloping sides, i might never get into carbon pans.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jun 8, 2016)

it makes a killer roasting pan for a small chicken/cornish hen.


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## bkultra (Jun 8, 2016)

Carbon steel does not get the same bullet proof seasoning as cast iron, but it is far easier to apply one (I use the stovetop method). Don't over think it just use it knowing you can always repair the seasoning with a quick heating on the hob and wipe of oil.

If you ever need to scrub the pan just add salt and a bit of oil and go at it.


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## SousVideLoca (Jun 8, 2016)

It took a full year of regular use before my first deBuyer was a certified badass. They just love to be used, and used a lot. It's ugly as sin and not nearly as uniform as the seasoning you can get on cast iron, but the performance is there and it never really lets me down. My second deBuyer doesn't see much use and I tried to force a season a bunch of different ways... it's lackluster at best. Maybe just bad technique on my part, but the impression I get is that you just gotta put the time into using the hell out of them.


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## Pirendeus (Jun 8, 2016)

Interesting... I would've thought that the grease from the sausage would HELP the seasoning, not damage it. I presume you didn't use metal tools during cooking?


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## Matus (Jun 8, 2016)

The one on our pan is quite good, no sticking when making eggs or pancakes, but the pan itself deformed (bottom bulging outwards) considerably and now is deformed both in cold and hot state what makes it hard to use on glass-cooktop. Part of the reason may be that the bottom is slightly larger than the diameter of the bottom. Maybe also because of the cleaning procedure (that otherwise work perfectly) - after using I would heat up the pan up to smoking point (with most food-rests and oil removed) and then splash it with water - this would un-stick most of the leftovers. After that I only clean it with steel-pad and dry with paper. 

I have recently bought a small Turk carbon pan (it has shallow crossing ridges and it was the cheapest one) and that one keeps flat perfectly so far.

But I agree with what was bkultra said - they need many uses until the full patina develops.


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## chinacats (Jun 8, 2016)

Pirendeus said:


> Interesting... I would've thought that the grease from the sausage would HELP the seasoning, not damage it. I presume you didn't use metal tools during cooking?




some sausage will contain added sugar which will cause a problem...

nothing wrong with a metal spatula as long as you are careful how you use it as a well seasoned pan should just release the food (though tongs always seem to scratch even when I'm careful). IMO, chopstix are best tool for these pans by far.


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## cain47 (Jun 8, 2016)

I use de buyer pans I season myself using flaxseed oil and the stove method in a professional kitchen and they see loads of action. The seasoning once you develop enough layers lasts for a good few months of quite a lot of punishment. One thing is to never boil anything in them and wipe with a rag/sponge to get any residue food off them as soon as possible.


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

This is my 32cm frying pan after 1½ year of use. Nothing sticks really, and it's smooth as glass. My one rule is no acids for more than a minute. So if I use it as a roasting tray for chicken (which I am going to do tonight), I'll deglaze the fond with white wine (or vinegar) very quickly, and then transfer into a small saucepan, continuing the sauce from there. No damage to the seasoning if done right. Usually if I know that I have to cook something acidic for a longer time, I'll just use a stainless skillet.







I find carbon steel pans much easier to season and maintain than my Lodge Cast Iron. Nearly all of my cast iron has been sitting on the shelf since I got my de Buyer pans.


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## Bill13 (Jun 9, 2016)

Mine are nowhere that smooth, might be time to strip it back and start from scratch. Did you use flax seed?


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

I only seasoned it once, using America's Test Kitchen method of salt, potato peels, and grapeseed or sunflower oil. I've tried flaxseed and a whole bunch of other stuff (duck fat, clarified butter, etc.) on my cast iron, and I honestly don't really see a difference in the result. America's Test Kitchen method is easy and it works every time. You don't get any gooey buildup as can happen if season using layers of oil alone.

[video=youtube;-suTmUX4Vbk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suTmUX4Vbk[/video]

So other than that one seasoning, I've just used it and let the seasoning build naturally. No acids at all for the first six months of use.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jun 9, 2016)

Boom, Some good advice given here, Damage in particular. Carbon steel loves high heat, so you've got to get them ripping multiple times before you'll get a pan sealed like Damage's. D also cooks with it in the oven, that will heat the pan more evenly causing the side to darken then cover with carbon. Follow Damage's suggestion on cooking with acids too. 

I've gotten some new CS pans from Spring USA--Backline pans.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jun 9, 2016)

thanks. i guess it's user error.

i tossed from fresh corn with butter and miso and the pan suffered. the miso burned on worse than i imagined it would..and wiping it with the salt and a soft sponge put a big shiny circle 1/3 up the sides and the entire bottom.


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## mikedtran (Jun 9, 2016)

Did some reading though, thought I'd ask the forums about the difference between the Mineral B vs. Carbone Plus. Sounds like the Mineral B version is just made with recycled materials?

Also any leads on the best place to buy one? I'm finding amazon/most sites are around $55 for the Carbone Plus and $70 for the Mineral B line in 32cm/12.5" models.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jun 9, 2016)

no clue. i got mine off of amazon.

i'm gonna do a small two person paella with it this weekend. i'm gonna quit overthinking the seasoning. it is what it is.


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## YG420 (Jun 9, 2016)

I use Matfer Bourgeat pans over debuyer. Seems like theres more cooking surface area and I like the handles more too.


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

mikedtran said:


> Did some reading though, thought I'd ask the forums about the difference between the Mineral B vs. Carbone Plus. Sounds like the Mineral B version is just made with recycled materials?
> 
> Also any leads on the best place to buy one? I'm finding amazon/most sites are around $55 for the Carbone Plus and $70 for the Mineral B line in 32cm/12.5" models.



I have both the mineral b and the carbone. No difference at all except for two things. The mineral b comes coated in beeswax (which you have to remove) and there is a little silicon button in the handle (which serves no purpose).

Oh, and there's the little shallow stamp in the middle of the pan.


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## mikedtran (Jun 9, 2016)

DamageInc said:


> I have both the mineral b and the carbone. No difference at all except for two things. The mineral b comes coated in beeswax (which you have to remove) and there is a little silicon button in the handle (which serves no purpose).
> 
> Oh, and there's the little shallow stamp in the middle of the pan.



Thanks mate! Just bought a Carbone =)


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## daveb (Jun 9, 2016)

I like the button.

I shopped these a few years back. If memory serves the Mineral B was the only offering avail in US markets. Carbone was available everywhere else. As said pans are identical save the button and the coating.

For seasoning I like the Volrath method for carbon steel, inside the oven. To finish I fill an 8 qt cambro with onions and saute the crap out of them in batches. (this last borrowed from "Breath of a Wok" for seasoning carbon steel woks.)


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

So you do like this, but in the oven instead of on the stove? I did the stovetop version before switching to the potato method.

[video=youtube;xoIO8YOpyN4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoIO8YOpyN4[/video]

I like the button too, but it does nothing practically.


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## aboynamedsuita (Jun 9, 2016)

I got my mineral B on bestbuy.ca of all places, they were dirt cheap at the time so I got more than I really needed. Picked up 12cm blinis pan; 20, 24, 26, 28, 32, 36cm fry pans; 26, 32cm grill pans; 24, 32cm high side "country" pans; 24, 30cm crepe pans plus some extras which were sold or given as gifts still have an unused 26cm pan in the brown paper bag with the "France tape" on it. 

I'm glad to hear from DamageInc that the lodge CI sits on the shelf now, I may retire mine as I feel like I have too much cookware in my kitchen. I like using the lodge but the De Buyer seems more elegant just like my Staub; and it is made in Europe, which is a marketing gimmick commonly used in North America.


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## chinacats (Jun 9, 2016)

I love deBuyer, but these pans are not the same as cast iron...imo you need both...damn Tanner, you make me feel good about "only" owning 6 deBuyer pans


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## malexthekid (Jun 9, 2016)

chinacats said:


> I love deBuyer, but these pans are not the same as cast iron...imo you need both...damn Tanner, you make me feel good about "only" owning 6 deBuyer pans



For us uneducated (i have one of the debuyer blue steel pans) what things does a cast iron pan suit more than a carbon steel?


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

I've never been standing in my kitchen using my carbon steel pans thinking "I wish I had grabbed my cast iron instead". I don't know what the cast iron would be better at. I guess the shorter handle would make it easier to fit in a cramped oven maybe.


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## boomchakabowwow (Jun 9, 2016)

malexthekid said:


> For us uneducated (i have one of the debuyer blue steel pans) what things does a cast iron pan suit more than a carbon steel?



cornbread and pan fried chicken!!


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## daveb (Jun 9, 2016)

Thermal mass. Great outside.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jun 9, 2016)

boomchakabowwow said:


> cornbread and pan fried chicken!!



Yup


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## DamageInc (Jun 9, 2016)

boomchakabowwow said:


> cornbread and pan fried chicken!!



I've made cornbread in my carbon steel pan with no problems. Though I may never be allowed back in the States after admitting it. I make fried chicken in a dutch oven. Much less messy.




daveb said:


> Thermal mass. Great outside.



Thermal mass difference between the two hasn't been an issue for me. But you are right. What makes a cast iron skillet better for outdoor cooking? You can also toss a carbon steel pan directly on a fire or on coals.


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## daveb (Jun 9, 2016)

DamageInc said:


> So you do like this, but in the oven instead of on the stove? I did the stovetop version before switching to the potato method.



Yep. I got splotchy results on gas burner as pan did not heat evenly



DamageInc said:


> I like the button too, but it does nothing practically.




Like Kitaeji, only different.:groucho:


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## Aleque (Jun 25, 2016)

I seasoned my debuyer carbone plus 8" skillet by heating it up on the stove and applying thin layers of flaxseed oil. The seasoning isn't smooth looking but I cook just about everything in it and generally don't have a problem. The one things that bothers me most is the build up of oil on the outside of the pan from splatter. Not sure how to get rid of that. I seasoned the entire pan so that might have lead to the issue. I might try stripping the seasoning on the outside and start fresh.


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## tomsch (Jan 25, 2017)

I have two Debuyers that I've seasoned multiple times with very thin layers of flaxseed oil. In general I like the way they heat up and cook food but the seasoning does tend to be much more fragile than on my vintage Griswold CI skillets. They do serve different purposes so I treat the Debuyers with some care to ensure the seasoning stays around. Right pan for the right job I guess.


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## preizzo (Jan 25, 2017)

I using two debuyers and I never seasoned. If you use them constantly they will create there on patina, now mine are non stick and basically I can cook all I want on them without any problems! 
At my work I use to seasoned caston iron pan because I need to use them from the first day, first with vinegar and then with salt.


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## Nemo (Jan 25, 2017)

Forgive the amateur cook question, but how do you guys clean a seasoned pan? If I use detergent, it loses the seasonining, so I usually wash in hot water then heat over a hot burner on the stove until it smokes. Any thoughts?


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## preizzo (Jan 25, 2017)

Water and then dry it well, on a stove think it s works perfectly.


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## DamageInc (Jan 25, 2017)

If something is really stuck and doesn't come off with just hot water and a soft brush, I do a "pretend" deglaze on the stovetop. Works fine.


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## mcritchlow (Jan 25, 2017)

Nemo said:


> Forgive the amateur cook question, but how do you guys clean a seasoned pan? If I use detergent, it loses the seasonining, so I usually wash in hot water then heat over a hot burner on the stove until it smokes. Any thoughts?



That's what I do too. a water deglaze, basically.


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## Nemo (Jan 25, 2017)

Thanks guys. Seems like I'm on basically the right track.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jan 25, 2017)

Ya wash it with a brush and hot water NO soap. Wipe the rinse of with soft cloth. Put away still warm and a bit oiled.

Putting back on the stove is pampering and not necessarily.


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## WingKKF (Jan 26, 2017)

Actually, I have to disagree with all that no soap and pampering. Soap, coconut brush with handle(no melting like plastic) and stainless steel wool till the surface is smooth to remove any carbon build up. Counter intuitive but what is left is the real deal robust seasoning. Use it often enough to actually build up seasoning. Sorry there is no shortcut. That flax stuff you insta bake on will crap out sooner or later. I live in a dry area so all I have to do after that is to wipe up the water and store it.


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## Matus (Jan 26, 2017)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Ya wash it with a brush and hot water NO soap. Wipe the rinse of with soft cloth. Put away still warm and a bit oiled.
> 
> Putting back on the stove is pampering and not necessarily.



This. After the washing and wiping procedure I would sometimes let the pan slowly to burn on the stove again to burn the remaining fats/oils to further strengthen it This may make sense at the beginning to speed up the creation of the patina. Over time the patia becames really strong.

EDIT: I only use steel brush (steel wool or how one calls these things). It removes anything that managed to burned on the surface, but can not destroy (or even scratch) the patina layer.


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## Marek07 (Mar 23, 2017)

Reviving this thread in hope of an answer. Got a De Buyer Carbone and started seasoning it. I used flaxseed oil that I had on hand - organic, cold pressed and urefined. I use it on cereals as a dietary supplement, store it in the fridge and have never used it for cooking as I thought it lost its health "benefits" when heated.

OK, onto the problem. While trying to season the thing - going slowly, removing the oil between heating etc., I ended up with a gunky, uneven and sticky surface. Did I do something wrong or was it a poor choice of oil? I attacked the pan with a lot of scrubbing using a steel pad then seasoned again with peanut oil (aka groundnut oil) instead. The result was great - really happy with the pan now.


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## bkultra (Mar 23, 2017)

Too much oil, you want very thin layers


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## Jovidah (Mar 23, 2017)

This video was quite useful to me. Essentially you just want to put a small drop of oil on a paper towel, rub that out until it's a really thin layer, burn it in, and repeat. You can do it on the stove but oven also works well.

[video=youtube;xoIO8YOpyN4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoIO8YOpyN4[/video]


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## Marek07 (Apr 2, 2017)

Thanks folks.

@bkultra - I used very thin layers of flaxseed. Used the same methodology when I tried with peanut oil and it worked out really well. Still suspect the specific flaxseed oil I used *but...* watching the video posted by @Jovidah _perhaps_ my mistake was not letting the pan cool completely in between heating. I'd seen the video before but it would appear I'm a slow learner.
:O


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## DamageInc (Apr 3, 2017)

Have you tried the America's Test Kitchen method that I've prattled on about before?

[video=youtube;-suTmUX4Vbk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suTmUX4Vbk[/video]


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## Marek07 (Apr 3, 2017)

DamageInc said:


> Have you tried the America's Test Kitchen method that I've prattled on about before?


Thanks for the tip. I've watched the video but haven't tried oil + salt + potato peel. Happy to try it next time I need to re-season the pan. Looks like fun and a lot quicker to boot!
Still wondering why I had no trouble with peanut oil but failed miserably with the flaxseed. :scratchhead:


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