9 votes
Accepted

Pan roasted meats: burned fond

If your fond is burning, your pan is too hot. Preheat your pan over medium or low heat. Add your protein. Monitor the cooking so that you get browning, even deep browning, but not burning. It is ok ...
moscafj's user avatar
  • 73.8k
8 votes

Why season the bottom or handle of a cast iron / carbon steel pan?

Seasoning the handle and outside helps resist RUSTING your cast iron. The 'varnish' (partially oxidized/polymerized oils) is hydrophobic, and helps avoid rusting your iron. But do please dry your ...
Catalyst's user avatar
  • 392
8 votes
Accepted

Why season the bottom or handle of a cast iron / carbon steel pan?

It helps keep the pan clean. I know in my cooking, there's always a chance of something dripping, something splashing, few drops running down the side, which might need wiping up with a damp towel ...
Megha's user avatar
  • 11.8k
6 votes

Why can't I get a seasoning layer on my carbon steel pan using an induction hob?

Induction hobs (cooktops/ranges) use magnetic fields to heat the pan directly, only metal that is directly in contact with the hob gets heated by the hob, the rest gets heated through conduction. On a ...
GdD's user avatar
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6 votes
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Should I maintain a carbon steel knife with oil?

I write it as a seasoned carbon steel knife user and a hobbyist knifemaker. Use edible oil or nothing Safety first. You can use any oil as long as you are really, really sure you wouldn't mind it ...
Mołot's user avatar
  • 1,612
6 votes

Seasoning a carbon steel wok

It sounds to me like you are using too much heat to allow the seasoning process to work, instead the oil is burning off before it can polymerize and form the seasoning layer. The bits that are ...
bob1's user avatar
  • 13.9k
4 votes

Seasoning refuses to stick to carbon steel pan. Tried various techniques

Before you go scouring your pan with steel wool. When you said you followed the instructions, did you follow the manufacturer's instructions, or some other website? Because although random websites ...
Joe's user avatar
  • 80k
4 votes
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de buyer mineral b carbon steel seasoning

I have the same pan. Are you following the instructions that come with it? The center is too burned. Flaky is not good. The border is not seasoned. The border is not rusty. Is your fire big enough ...
BaffledCook's user avatar
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4 votes

Can I eat a sauce that ruined my carbon steel pan seasoning

You have some misconceptions here. First, coconut milk doesn't neutralize any acid, it is just fat in water, probably with a very mild acidic pH itself. For neutralizing an acid, you need a base (and ...
rumtscho's user avatar
  • 137k
4 votes

Problems heating up pans on an induction hob

Any electrical device that is used to maintain a constant temperature (ovens, induction hobs, immersion cookers, even thermostat-based space heaters) does so by first sensing whether the current ...
LSchoon's user avatar
  • 4,881
4 votes
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How to season a carbon steel pan on an electric hob

To the question as asked: No, there are no more tricks. When you use the wrong tool for the job (in this case a too-small electric hob), then you can't expect the job to go well. Nevertheless, there ...
rumtscho's user avatar
  • 137k
4 votes
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Can you season over some thin flash rust and get a usable pan as a result? What are the downsides of doing so?

An iron pan is one single piece of substance. It just stays the way it was cast. A patch of rust is a brittle, powdery substance. It will crumble with time, pieces of it falling off, no matter if they ...
rumtscho's user avatar
  • 137k
4 votes
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Preventing flash rust after tempering a carbon steel wok

Your first picture might be the beginnings of a seasoning layer, though a bit lumpy & uneven from poor technique. "it was probably just burnt oil and nothing to worry about" - yeah… but ...
Tetsujin's user avatar
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3 votes

How do I clean a vintage carbon steel pastry cutter?

Look up what has been written on restoring carbon steel knives, similar techniques apply. To clean up loose rust, steel wool, sandpaper and wire brushes will help; afterwards, you might want to try ...
rackandboneman's user avatar
3 votes

How to maintain a smooth seasoning on carbon steel skillets?

I wonder if the bigger problem here isn't the seasoning: it's that you are searing steak (at high temperatures) with olive oil, which has a really low smoke point. It's going to burn and polymerise ...
Sam's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
Accepted

Bumps on carbon steel seasoning, can I repair it

I think you are fine. I personally feel the best way to continue to season a pan is to actually just to cook in it. The first things I like after the oven or range top seasoning is to use onions, ...
JG sd's user avatar
  • 1,356
3 votes

Choice of new seasonable cookware (iron/carbon steel, pan/wok)

Your stove is a significant factor in whether a wok is worthwhile versus a flat bottomed pan. Woks benefit from very high heat. Some people think you need a professional stove to use a wok properly ...
mattm's user avatar
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3 votes
Accepted

Choice of new seasonable cookware (iron/carbon steel, pan/wok)

I think any of the suggestions you made are great. I would add, what type of food/style are you cooking or interested in? More into the stir-frying, than a wok would be a good choice, besides they ...
JG sd's user avatar
  • 1,356
3 votes

Seasoning refuses to stick to carbon steel pan. Tried various techniques

I knew the source of your problem the second I saw "flaxseed oil". Been there. Done that. It seems to either work for people or it does not. For me it did not. Tried it on several pans and ...
Pamela Guevara's user avatar
3 votes
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Baking Steel/Pizza Steel Design

1) How thick should Baking Steel be? Opinions vary. Standard thicknesses for these seem to be in the 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch range. Advantages for thicker: Heat at faster rate for the initial burst ...
Athanasius's user avatar
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3 votes
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Prevent sticky residue from oiling seasoned pan before storage

You really have to combine all those stages in one. If you have to wet it at all, rather than just wipe it out after use, then dry it on the heat, wipe round some oil [the smallest amount you can ...
Tetsujin's user avatar
  • 29.7k
2 votes

Pan roasted meats: burned fond

Assuming you have successfully cooked meat previously the way you like it in this particular pan, it sounds to me the cuts of meat from your supplier have a different fat/moisture content from what ...
Greybeard's user avatar
  • 5,627
2 votes

Is there a way to un warp a pan bottom?

A technique that works for some car dents is to apply dry ice to the warp and this may cause sufficient contraction from the cold the remove a warp. I think this is a low probability of success...but ...
Cos Callis's user avatar
  • 18.2k
2 votes

Choice of new seasonable cookware (iron/carbon steel, pan/wok)

I'd recommend a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet (12" or 15 1/4") and a Lodge Cast Iron Wok. Both options are fantastic values, will last literally forever, and are a joy to cook with.
Caleb's user avatar
  • 2,838
2 votes

Choice of new seasonable cookware (iron/carbon steel, pan/wok)

I would choose cast iron and pan, but I don't know that my preferences have much to do with what you should buy. I have a steel wok - can't recall the last time I used it; I last used the cast iron ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 15.9k
2 votes

What material wok did I get while thrifting today?

Mine was purchased a few days ago at HKD128 (discounted) at IKEA. It's definitely not aluminum as magnets are attracted to it very strongly. It feels like steel but not sure if it's carbon steel. It ...
Ray's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes

What material wok did I get while thrifting today?

IKEA cast iron skillet that sells for about $179. Going to look different because it’s not as heavy as a cast-iron frying pan. But it is indeed a cast-iron pot and you have to treat it the same way as ...
Sharon Campbell's user avatar
2 votes

Why would I prefer carbon steel (rust prone) kitchen knife?

I have a a few of each I don't k ow much about the science behind the making of them but personally I find I can get a super sharp edge on my carbon steel knives in no time at all which they hold well ...
Andy's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes

Seasoning refuses to stick to carbon steel pan. Tried various techniques

This was posted a long time ago. I hope the OP stuck with it, because they would probably have a nicely seasoned pan by now. I think some people may simply be giving up too soon. I find that carbon ...
moscafj's user avatar
  • 73.8k
2 votes

Why can't I get a seasoning layer on my carbon steel pan using an induction hob?

For a short answer, I think that seasoning a pan and having a well seasoned pan are slightly different things. Seasoning a pan is just starting the process of having a well seasoned pan. Think of a ...
JG sd's user avatar
  • 1,356

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