In praise of the carbon steel skillet
Jun 20, 2020 20:44:13 GMT
Ozarks Tom, themotherhen, and 1 more like this
Post by BrewDaddy on Jun 20, 2020 20:44:13 GMT
Surprisingly, I didn't set off the smoke alarm in all this....
About 15 years ago a buddy gave me two carbon steel skillets that had belonged to his dad. Dad was at one time a cook for the railroad or forestry or something like that, and these pans spent many decades riding around in the caboose of a train out in the sticks.
I'd used them once or twice in a half hearted attempt to make use of them, but they just didn't seem to fit in with my pan rotation/needs. Plus they just didn't seem to work out all that well.
But a while back I watched an Alton Brown thing where he used some cockamamie method of using a carbon steel pan to fry eggs, in what had to be the most time wasting, step increasing way possible. Dood - I just want a couple eggs with my bacon and home fries on the weekends, not perform some 45 minute culinary demo.
So anyways.... since I was given these I've had a lot of experience with carbon steel with my two woks, some knives (thanks again joebill !!) and other items. Thought I'd give these pans another go.
Last night I took the smaller one, about 5" diameter or so, and gave it a good scrubbing first with a sponge, them a course scrubby, then a brass scrubbing pad. Dried it, then on low heat to finish drying. Then I used olive oil in a light layer, wiped down, heat to smoke point, repeat a bunch of times. Checking it after I let it cool and that lil' guy is as smooth and non stick as they get.
This morning I used my large cast iron skillet for the bacon and the home fries, but my eggs I did in the small skillet. Half tablespoon of butter, eggs just sat on top, zero scorching like I just couldn't seem to avoid with the cast iron, and those eggs just slid out onto my plate. Clean up was a breeze as well, just wiped it down, put on some heat with a light touch up w/ my olive oil rag, heat to smoke point to sanitize, done.
The larger skillet I just got done cleaning up. The bottom isn't as uniform as the smaller one and has some warping and/or dents, but mostly it seems perfectly usable. Function, not form. I might take steel wool to it later just to clean it up further - we'll see.
What I love about my woks, these pans etc being carbon steel is that they are just built for taking abuse, clean up so easily with proper care, and are nice and light weight.
I will find room in my cooking/rotation to be putting these guys to work in the kitchen!
[Yes - I know I need to clean my stove - that's up next.]
brew
Attachment Deleted
About 15 years ago a buddy gave me two carbon steel skillets that had belonged to his dad. Dad was at one time a cook for the railroad or forestry or something like that, and these pans spent many decades riding around in the caboose of a train out in the sticks.
I'd used them once or twice in a half hearted attempt to make use of them, but they just didn't seem to fit in with my pan rotation/needs. Plus they just didn't seem to work out all that well.
But a while back I watched an Alton Brown thing where he used some cockamamie method of using a carbon steel pan to fry eggs, in what had to be the most time wasting, step increasing way possible. Dood - I just want a couple eggs with my bacon and home fries on the weekends, not perform some 45 minute culinary demo.
So anyways.... since I was given these I've had a lot of experience with carbon steel with my two woks, some knives (thanks again joebill !!) and other items. Thought I'd give these pans another go.
Last night I took the smaller one, about 5" diameter or so, and gave it a good scrubbing first with a sponge, them a course scrubby, then a brass scrubbing pad. Dried it, then on low heat to finish drying. Then I used olive oil in a light layer, wiped down, heat to smoke point, repeat a bunch of times. Checking it after I let it cool and that lil' guy is as smooth and non stick as they get.
This morning I used my large cast iron skillet for the bacon and the home fries, but my eggs I did in the small skillet. Half tablespoon of butter, eggs just sat on top, zero scorching like I just couldn't seem to avoid with the cast iron, and those eggs just slid out onto my plate. Clean up was a breeze as well, just wiped it down, put on some heat with a light touch up w/ my olive oil rag, heat to smoke point to sanitize, done.
The larger skillet I just got done cleaning up. The bottom isn't as uniform as the smaller one and has some warping and/or dents, but mostly it seems perfectly usable. Function, not form. I might take steel wool to it later just to clean it up further - we'll see.
What I love about my woks, these pans etc being carbon steel is that they are just built for taking abuse, clean up so easily with proper care, and are nice and light weight.
I will find room in my cooking/rotation to be putting these guys to work in the kitchen!
[Yes - I know I need to clean my stove - that's up next.]
brew
Attachment Deleted
