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sometimes in this In the wild, you stumble upon a rabbit hole that ends up looking more like a great chasm. Such is the state of interest and appreciation in the world of carbon steel saucepans. One might think that this humble kitchen node might be overlooked in favor of on-trend cast iron, utilitarian nonstick, or hexagonal hybrid skillet technologies. You would be wrong; Carbon steel is not a loser or a runner-up.
There is an intense, rabid fandom for this style of cookware that even surprised me, and I write about seltzer influencers. From a busy subreddit From a secret world of home chefs and obsessive professionals to highly sought-after artisanal carbon steel artisans who sell their wares through raffle tickets, the dedication and appreciation for carbon steel runs deep. It’s a roaring subculture of American dining habits that’s largely unexplored by the general press, and I can only hope to scratch the surface to do it justice with this guide (after scratching the surface, of course, I recommend re-spicing the frying pan with grape seed oil over high heat).
What is carbon steel? It’s a sort of middle-of-the-road skillet (made from an alloy of iron and carbon) that splits the difference, more or less, between the easy utility of stainless steel and the long-lasting strength of cast iron. With proper care and use, carbon steel frying pans move effortlessly between various cooking styles, allowing you to fry an egg. and Sear a steak, all using the same pan. There is a slight learning curve to using these panels, for which YouTube and forums (like the Reddit hub mentioned above) are your friends. But they are also tanks: they resist wear and tear, and can be re-reasoned again and again to get the most out of your dining experience.
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What type of carbon steel frying pan should you buy?
Carbon steel skillet makers span a wide range of sizes and styles, from small artisanal operations to traditional brands that have become big, sneaky Instagram upstarts (it’s like looking at a frying pan-shaped mirror of America). Of course, price plays a big role in selection, and as I tested and cooked with pans over the course of a few months, I was surprised and impressed by how well some of the pans on the lower end of the cost spectrum cooked.
Believe me and the carbon steel nerds online, when I say that your first carbon steel pan will not be your last carbon steel pan. Because these kitchen utensils vary so much in size, depth, and best purpose, it’s hard to stop at just one. A flat skillet works great for some cooking styles; For other styles, what you’re really looking for is a large, deep skillet or even a wok. My advice would be to start with one of the basic pans in this guide and then, when you’re completely #CarbonPilled, consider investing in a small-production traditional pan from an independent manufacturer. If treated right and highly appreciated, a carbon steel skillet can become a family heirloom, the kind of item you’ll pass down to your children and proudly display in your home.
I cooked and cooked and cooked with these pans over the course of three months, putting various models and styles to the test and getting the recommendations above. Each pan in the guide was assigned a couple of basic cooks (a fried egg, a sautéed onion) and then, as I got to know the pans better, I started thinking about them in terms of certain dishes and applications, like poaching chicken in the Smithey Forge deep frying pan, for example, or using the Lodge as my go-to for frying bacon.
Several pans were tested for each product category, focusing on pans under $55, as well as “deep” pans and flat pans.
