Oven works fine but I like stovetop better these days, as it's just quicker and easier. I can have a brand new De Buyer ready to cook in less than 15 minutes after taking it out of the packaging.
I recently ordered the Matfer 10 1/4" skillet (I have had the 8" for some time now and LOVE it!). Much to my surprise, I received the 2-skillet set that had both the 10 1/4" and the 11 5/8" pans. Both were the older models. Long story short, I gifted the larger pan to my daughter-in-law. I had her come over and go thru the seasoning on both of them (BKF is your friend!) so she would appreciate the importance of proper care so she would never have to do this again. :) Bottom line, I gave instructions and more importantly the reasons for each step. After two rounds of oil, salt, and potato skins both pans passed the fried egg test on the first try as expected and have a lovely brown hue. I expect her and I both to get many decades of use from her new pan.
I ordered this pan from Amazon after watching this video. It was a toss up between Matfer and All Clad but I went with the Matfer because there didn't seem to be much difference other than price. I received my pan today and of course the first thing I did was to season it. I wrote in his other video that I used a combination of Chinese carbon steel wok seasoning and the oil, salt, potato skin seasoning. I only seasoned once on the stove. Didn't bake it in the oven. Then fried eggs, scrambled eggs and it came out perfect. Probably the best eggs I've made and I make some good eggs. Heated the pan on medium heat for no longer than 2 minutes and the eggs were done in less that a minute. Clean up? What clean up? Just wiped it with paper towels and wiped it again with a little bit of Canola oil. Bam...done. Can't wait to make other foods in it. 👍
@@ytho7618 FYI, I watched some videos on how Chinese chefs season their woks and used a combination of the 2 techniques. I figured the Chinese have been doing this for thousands of years so they must know something lol.
I just got the Matfer and I scrubbed it with an sos pad then a scrub brush for about 5 mins then I put it on my electric glass top stove and turned the burner up all the way and left it on there until it turned blue then I kinda thought it might be some wax left then I cleaned one more time and put it back on the burner and warmed it up and oiled it good and put it in a 475 degree oven for an hour and let it cool overnight. The next day it was beautiful and I friend some bacon first then eggs and NOTHING STUCK and I mean NO THING. That was just after one season. I love the pan so far.
After seasoning my Matfer with potato skins as per instructions, I decided to nibble on one - it was delicious! From then on I dont throw away the skins, I throw them in the Matfer, better than potato chips. I second his enthsiasm for the pan. I have thrown away all my old pans and now have two cast iron skillets ( mainly for oven dishes) , one carbon steel wok and one 12 inch Matfer carbon steel which I use 90% of the time.
scrub those skins real real well if your going to consume.. pesticides in them. doesn't burn off during cooking. you gotta scrub. But yeah I get it they must be good !
When I got mine, I rubbed in flax oil and oven baked it, then tried the potato sounds, salt and oil thing tgry recommend but, stopped short of burning the skins and just pulled them out once they got crispy. After doing it the excess salt and oil, I fried potatoes like you did, and sprinkled on the salted crispy skins when they were done. These pans are amazing. I have gotten rid of my teflon skillet now and will never go back.
From what I understand, the potato skins and salt are used for the initial seasonings to help remove any excess oil, wax and residue from the manufacturing and shipping process process. The pans have a coating from the factory to prevent rust, and you need to get rid of it before cooking. Once you have all of that off, you can use oil only for subsequent seasonings. On a daily basis, after using the pan I wash it out with hot water (no soap), then put in on the burner to dry, and wipe it out with a paper towel with a little oil on it. I make sure to wipe it really well... if you leave excess oil on the pan while it cools, it can create a sticky residue and you don't want that.
Make sure you properly preheat the pan before adding butter or oil. Just clean it reseason it with flax oil and cook! Proper preheating is critical; check out Leidenfrost effect good luck!
I have this same pan, I LOVE IT!!! It's acgreat egg pan. I still have my cast iron pans too! I also haveca Lodge 12 inch carbon pan, its great for fried potatoes. Be careful of the finnish on the Matfer, it is so smooth you can rub it off when you clean the pan. The Lodge has more of a ruffer Finnish, if you rub that off, your working. Both are great pans. I am very happy I have both.... Love the videos you do. I learn so much and have lots of fun... Thanks for all you do....
the music is great. the jokes and laugh tracks are an expression of your sense of humor; the haters don’t get it, but you are doing the right things. great content. i am baffled by the 4 other vids i watched about seasoning this very pan, which are totally contrary to the printed instructions on the pan. why ppl would think to do otherwise than what the manufacturer says is beyond me. great job
After watching the ATK videos and yours, of course I decided to purchase an 11 inch Matfer and couldn't be happier. I seasoned the skillet per Matfer's method. I did season it in the oven as well, since I live in Florida and have an electric range. Furthermore, I'm very much aware that Carbon Steel skillets will deform so I bring up the temperature up slowly and have not experienced warping or sticking issues, so far. Thanks for your videos and keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for all your instructions! I just bought matfer 15 inch and Schulte-ufer iron-star carbon steel wok. After several time of cleaning iron star wok, when wiping the pan before seasoning 🧂 rd still black residue comes out. I wash and washed and still does. What am I doing wrong ? Thank you!
I have this exact pan and I agree with everything this man said. If you clean it thoroughly before seasoning it and season it well, it will serve you very well.
The video *how to* is good ... the music is too loud, hard to hear your voice through it. - The sound effects are *horrible*. Would be much better if you just did your talking and left ALL the other sounds OUT completely.
Hi Scott. I purchased the Matfer 11 7/8" Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Fry Pan a couple of months ago mainly because I was a little disappointed with my early purchase of a deBuyer 9 1/2" MINERAL B PRO Fry Pan. I thought I would like the rivet less handle installation of the Matfer and also even though it didn't seem to be an issue, I didn't like the little bee in the bottom of the deBuyer just because food could get stuck there. Since I have used both many, many times and both are seasoned very well, I have decided I like the deBuyer Mineral B Pro much better. Food never sticks to it, the seasoning always looks even and consistent and it cleans up beautifully every time. The Matfer always looks blotchy, meats such as ground beef or even bacon usually stick, even though I buff the pan with grape seed oil every time after use, when I pull it out to use it always looks flat like I never did anything before storing it. I would definitely choose the the deBuyer if I get another carbon steel.
The stuff you've posted is the most helpful of any I've seen online. But there's still a big gap that's not being filled. There are a gazillion UA-cams on how to season a pan, but not one I can find that tells how to KEEP the seasoning on the pan. That tells WHAT you must not cook, or HOW you must cook to avoid stripping the patina off and having to start all over again. Your explanations are the clearest I've found anywhere, and I wish you'd devote an episode or two to the problem I've just described. Thanks
Simply avoid all kinds of acidic food like tomatoes, vinegar, wine etc. Adding a few fresh slices of tomato to a dish and cook it for a few minutes is ok, as long as you remove it from the skillet then and clean it soon. But cooking a tomato sauce is a big no-no. In addition to that, you should also not cook liquids for longer times or use steam for too long. A carbon steel skillet is meant to sear or fry food with oil at high temperatures. It's not suited to cook with liquids for extended periods of time. If you use it the right way, the seasoning will still come and go. Some gets lost when cooking or cleaning and new seasoning will build up. If you're using the skillet on a gas stove top, it should only need minimal additional care. On closed heat sources, you should give the skillet a touch up seasoning after use whenever possible. The better the seasoning, the better it will withstand a little abuse from time to time. But even if you screw it up completely, you can always reset the skillet and start anew. That's the good thing about carbon steel and cast iron.
How do you compare the Matfer's to the De Buyer's? The Matfer's are thinner and lighter which decrease the thermal capacity. The De Buyer's seem to have a reverse bottom (slightly concave to prevent warpage). America's test kitchen rated the Matfer's higher due to their lower price, welded no-rivet design, and possibly the non coated handles. De Buyer's are considered by many the gold standard. What are your thoughts?
Those are all accurate points you made. I really like both brands and have several of each and have never gotten a bad pan from either company. The Matfers are a little more prone to warping on an electric or especially and induction stovetop, so I generally recommend the De Buyer Pro model to people with those. If you have a gas stove, either works well. The De Buyer is a little fancier and more expensive, Matfer a little more utilitarian and less expensive, but they both cook really well. I personally like a heavier pan, but I'm a big guy and it's no problem for me to move them around. Some people like a lighter more maneuverable pan. Maybe buy one of each!
I love your instructions and got a beautiful black finish after 2 turns of seasoning on my gas hob. I have one problem. It seems I wasn’t successful on getting all of the protective coating off near the rim of my pan and there is uneven looking black semi-sticky looking spots near the rim. I tried re-scrubbing the sides after the first go round and they got a little better and bottom is smooth as can be. Should I be concerned about the edges and try to scrub it down to the beginning now or can o ignore it?
That might not be protective coating. That could also just be oil that didn’t fully season. I had this issue after the initial seasoning, and I just did a second seasoning in the oven and those spots went away. You could also try leaving the pan off center on the burner to target the sticky areas with the flame. I found this to work but it was more tedious than just sticking it in the oven.
I just ordered 2 in different sizes. They should arrive tomorrow. I am going to season them with the potato peel and salt method on a gas grill at the apartment complex. I really dislike trying to do this on an electric stove or oven, which I have done with cast iron and another carbon steel skillet in the past. It works, but it is definitely not the fastest, most convenient method.
I ordered new 9-1/2” CS Skillet today…. I want to know will it work on Electric GlassTop stove for seasoning? And don’t have to wash on bottom of skillet with wax which will leave alone and stay on while seasoning, it will turn harden layer on bottom along with handle of this skillet? Look forward to your answer.
Same Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Pan….. I ordered new NuWave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop, because it has 8” wide coil element. I believe it will work with seasoning on this skillet with 7-1/2” cooking diameter. Let me know what you think? It is better than smaller coil diameter you showed us in other video.
I think that is an 11 7/8" model. Good medium size... good for lots of tasks. If I were just getting one, a medium size like this is what I would get. It can do everything from a 2 or 3 egg omelette to steaks to a decent sized roast.
I bought the 10" pan and seasoned the pans as per the instructions with oil and salt and potato peel. After 2 rounds of seasoning, I tried the egg test, but with oil instead of butter thinking it's the same thing. The eggs instantly stuck to the pan with the oil. I cleaned it off carefully trying not to affect the seasoning and bought some butter to try... This time the eggs slide right off. I feel like butter seems like an illusion for the none stickness of the seasoning since you don't cook everything with oil. How can I avoid food sticking to the pan when cooking with oil
help please scott? just seasoned a matfer 12 inch with grape seed oil washed it with hot water dried it but didn't oil it before, cooked potatoes salt and oil twice for 15 mins 2 times for first seasoning.... the pan surface feels slick I heated the pan after washing the stuff out and oiled it with a very light coating of grape seed oil....? didn't get a chance to cook anything as of yet i'm excited and nervous at the same time i hope i did it right like your videos thx 21 minutes ago
Couple days of use now. And my pan still has a couple ares where stuff likes to stick. Is this normal? On a daily basis what do you do to clean after use?
When a pan is new there will be some blotchiness/spottiness, but the more you cook the more the seasoning will come in and the pan will eventually be a shiny dark color. Try cooking eggs three times per week for three months... you'll use your pan almost 100 times, it will be a work of art and you'll be an expert in eggs! Cook cook cook and worry less about the seasoning. If I cook eggs with butter, I generally just wipe the pan out with a paper towel. For things like fried okra or zucchini, I will use hot water and a sponge. I only rarely ever use soap.
Uncle Scott's Kitchen ok. Thanks for the reply. I just hope it normal. I am having scrub after every use because of how much stuff is sticking. (No soap just hot water). I cooked bacon today and bacon never sticks with all the grease but it was on this pan. It also isn’t getting any darker. I mean it’s only been a week. It darken a bit when I did the first seasoning since then not much. Am i doing something wrong? I use olive oil to cook with. Is that ok? If it gets better then I can push thru but so far this pan hasn’t been great to cook with.
Thanks for your video. I followed your steps to season my new Matfer Pan twice, then fried eggs and dumpling, great, really non stick pan! May I know how often I should season the pan gain? Thank you very much.
The initial seasoning should be 1-2 rounds with the potato skin method, 2-3 layers with the oven method and one layer with the puddle method. Then start cooking. If seasoning gets lost by using the skillet to the point you can see the bare metal, give it one layer with your preferred method. Don't make a science out of seasoning. All it has to do, is applying a minimal layer of polymerized oil to keep the food from reacting with the bare metal. Everything else happens when using the skillet to cook.
Taking your general advice on the topic of seasoning, all I did at the start was oil the pan a bit and put it over the hot stove for a few minutes....and then I started cooking with it. After about 6 months, it's a very well-seasoned pan. Didn't take long to get to that place. These days, I'm getting a bit lazy about washing it right away, but I still don't see any bad side effects...lol. It often sits overnight with the grease from my last steak cooked...and it's never a problem at all.
Great videos and very helpful. I'd like to add that the factory film removal step should not be taken lightly. This was a much bigger undertaking than I imagined. I don't know if I got a 'lemon' or not, but there were areas of thick film, like little streaks and blobs. I resorted to using boiling hot water from a kettle, splashed in small areas and then scrubbed vigorously with Barkeepers Friend and an abrasive sponge. I spent at least an hour removing the film from all the surfaces of the pan, including the outer surfaces. It turned out great and is already super slick after the 2-step potato peel seasoning process. Cooked up fried potatoes and eggs for TH this morning and the everything slid effortlessly out of the pan. Some egg residue on the sides wiped out clean with a paper towel. So, I'm already in love with the pan and know it will only get better with time and proper cleaning/storage practices, but wanted to share about the possible challenges (and boiling hot water hack) regarding the factory finish removal, in case it could be helpful to someone else.
I just bought one about a month ago. I use it every day in my restaurant we make breakfast burritos. So every thing is scrambled. I seasoned it the same way. And it works ok. But only 2/3 of the pan turned black. Already seasoned it twice. I did the fry egg test and they slide. But when I scramble everything, it kind of sticks on the non black part. Any ideas? I have the 12" pan. A little heavier that what I expected. But love using it. Love your videos. Thanks.
I’m about to buy this pan. My folks always used carbon steel woks. I don’t remember her seasoning after every use. Do you have to season the whole pan including bottom?
You don't have to season every time you use it... just every now and then when it needs it. Normal cleaning is fine. I don't season the bottom of the pans or handles, but some people do. I just season the inside/cooking surface.
I've purchased 4 different carbon steel pans due in no small part to your later videos. It was interesting to see your introduction to them. ATK gets the credit for the first which was the pan you reviewed here, but the rest have been mostly influenced by you.
Thanks ALOT Uncle Scott. Because of you, I have 3 Mineral B pans and NOW THIS ONE!! I got excited seasoning it last night. It's already pretty and I haven't even cooked anything on it yet.
You are the unofficial 👑 of dad jokes! But all honesty you have great videos packed with knowledge. Just got my first Matfer and it’s been fun to use. Thanks for videos and advice. “ Cook more and season less “
Can someone give me some advice please? I bought a Brandini (hope I spelled that right) hard nitrides cast iron pan and from what I’ve read I should season it just like carbon steel and cast iron, so I scrubbed it out heavily with soap and scalding hot water, then I proceeded to season the pan with light coats of canola oil in the oven, at 475 degrees for over an hour and it looked great, but the patina keeps peeling off if I so much as rub a paper towel on it, so I scrubbed it down with steel wool, and the middle just comes right off, but the sides have an amazingly beautiful and hard patina still, so I proceeded to just season the bare spot to even it out, using the stove top method of wiping minuscule layers of oil then bringing it to smoking point, over and over. Yet it still keeps flaking in the middle, so I proceed to stew wool it and start over, then I tried this exact potato peel method and when it’s over it feels and looks amazing so I have my hopes up, then I proceed to cook the actual potatoes up with some onions, salt, garlic and some peppers, at a medium high heat after preheating the pan and boom, it all sticks and the patina is blotchy and gummy, am I doing something wrong here? Any help would be appreciated! I don’t want to give up on this pan lol
Don't give up. Here's the best thing to do: stop seasoning and start cooking. Cook cook cook. If something sticks, just wipe it out and wash it and keep going. Your seasoning is probably fine... don't worry too much about uniform color early on. It will dial itself in the more you cook. COOK COOK COOK and season less!
There are just to damn many YT channels. I wish I would have found you before just now. So far...in my humble opinion, you have a winner, but I just got here so that is yet to be determined...nice job.
If I cook eggs in butter AND I'm going to use the pan for more eggs the next day, I don't wash the pan... I just wipe it with a paper towel and let the leftover butter act as the protective oil. I wouldn't do that if I were going to store the pan for a month, but for a day or two butter seems to work well.
Thanks for the video! I have been watching your channel religiously while waiting for my 9.5" Ballerini to arrive... Smaller cooking area than I would have liked but it is an omelette pan. Used the potato skin method twice, cooked the potatoes and then cooked a steak... Let cool and egg test.. Perfect!! Thank you for your videos going to spring for a de Buyer or matter 11" next and my kitchen should almost be done!
On a side note... I have an electric stove top with coils, not a flat top. Worked well however it's not the same heat distribution as gas. One day... One day...
Awesome! Is there anything better than seeing an egg slide around after seasoning a new pan? I have not tried a Ballerini. I will check into them. I like those dedicated omelette pans... perfect size. Thanks for posting and I'm really glad the videos were useful!
@@UncleScottsKitchen picked up a 10" de Buyer next day same method worked great... Made a 25oz butter and herb basted ribeye to help break it in.. didn't even need to oven finish the pan retained heat so well and cooked evenly. Du Buyer recommended to dear on high heat and turn down to med/low to finish cooking. Perfect medium rare. Keep up the good work Uncle Scott!
@@peatsdaddy well being told when to laugh isn’t going to do a thing for not having a sense of humor. If you need to be told when to laugh you don’t have one.
Now that you've taught me how to properly cook eggs in my Matfer carbon steel pan and also bacon. I'm curious to know your method of cooking steak or burgers? Do you get the pan hot first like you do with the eggs, or do you cook other meat like you cook bacon and place it in the cold pan? My guess would be you must let the pan get hot so you can get a good sear on the meat but does that cause the meet to stick?
For burgers and steaks, it's the opposite of the bacon... you want a HOT pan. You can heat the pan up and then put in a few drops of water... if they sizzle, keep heating. If they roll around like ball bearings, then your pan is ready and you can sear a burger or steak. Doneness is apersonal taste, but I usually brown mine for two minutes per side then either reduce the heat or finish them in the oven. The burgers and steaks will stick at first, but they will release after a minute or two.
💭 I have 2 carbon steel bushcraft knives that have a protective dark patina created by apple cider vinegar. Since these pans are made from a similar raw carbon steel, I would think that giving them an hour long soaking bath in hot 🍎 cider vinegar would also give a nice dark color to these pans, plus a good initial protective coating. I'll try this when my pan arrives,..then do a couple grape seed oil coated sessions in the oven. After this, it should be throughly protected!
Hey Uncle Scott - it is possible to overheat a carbon steel pan (such that the seasoning might be damaged)? I always wonder this when heating for a high temp steak searing
Hi Harrison. It is possible to overheat a CS pan and burn the seasoning off, but I doubt you would do it cooking a steak on the stovetop. If you were to leave it in an oven for more than an hour at 500 degrees, you might burn it off. In fact, I have run a pan through the cleaning cycle in my oven and burned it all off down to the bare metal, but I don't recommend anyone else do that! For example, on a gas cooktop, if you heat your pan for 4 - 6 minutes or so to cook a steak, it should be just fine... that's what these pans are made for and where these pans really shine. If you were to leave it on a high burner for 15 - 20 minutes, you'd probably burn some off (might be glowing orange!).
Yes, warping is definitely an issue for not just Matfer but all carbon steels on flattops. I did a vuideo showing the warping: ua-cam.com/video/Ub-ADtsGo5s/v-deo.html . In a nutshell, just aboue any carbon steel pan works well on a gas cooktop. For a flattop electric or induction, the thicker ones work better. The ones that are 3mm thick, like a De Buyer Mineral B Pro or a Baking Steel, should have minimal warping problems. I think the Matfer is 2.5 mm... great pan but it's a little thinner.
I think it is better for searing than stainless, because you can get it really really hot. If you sear a steak it won't be non-stick... there will be some sticky bits/fond on the bottom of the pan. For something like eggs it will be nonstick.
I just bought a CS pan and watched your video. I enjoyed it. However now if a little something gets stuck to the pan I try and deglaze it. But every time I do all the seasoning comes off. What’s the deal?
Probably, your seasoning method doesn't work. It's hard to tell without knowing the details how you do it. One reason could be the wrong oil or fat. Drawn carbon steel is very slick and even. That makes it harder for the seasoning to adhere to the surface compared to the more uneven cast iron. I found Crisco all vegetable shortening to not work for me on carbon steel. The patina is too soft and comes off with water and a brush. Many people have problems with flaxseed oil which is the other end of the spectrum. That patina is extremely hard and tends to crack and flake off for many people. Both products, however, work fine for most people on the more uneven surface of cast iron. I found canola oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil and sunflower oil to give the best results for me in combination with carbon steel. Another typical error is overseasoning. Using too much oil in too thick layers results in a sticky mess of only partially polymerized oil instead of a glass hard patina. In that case, less is more. No matter what method you use, only apply the thinnest possible layer of patina and let it burn in long enough to completely polymerize. Check Uncle Scott's channel for videos of all methods. A good patina feels completely smooth (as if it wasn't there and you were touching the bare metal). It's dry to the touch (not sticky) and hard like glass. If a decent patina still keeps coming off, you may want to apply a slight texture to the surface of the skillet. It helps the patina to adhere. You could apply a light scratch pattern with sand paper (somewhere between 60 and 120 grit). Another method is etching the surface by filling the skillet with vinegar and heating it up (not boiling hot, but pretty warm at least). You should see tiny bubbles forming up when the vinegar reacts with the bare metal. Let it sit for 5-15 minutes, then rinse it with lots of water to neutralize the acid. Give it a quick clean up with soap and reseason.
Nice!! .. I think I want one! But I wish you had mentioned the weight.. is it heavier than the Mauviel ( beautiful but on the thinner side as far as using it on glass) and do you think it will stay flat better ?? I am asking because I am stuck using a glasstop range. I might get an induction pretty soon but I cant have gas where i live. So I need a flat skillet. Is this one the one ?
Hi there G. The Matfer is a little heavier than the Mauviel, maybe 1.5 pounds or so heavier. I had a little warping trouble with my Matfer on an induction. If you want to play it a little safer, I think the De Buyer Mineral B Professional model with the stainless steel handle is probably less prone to warping than any of the others and with that handle you can season it in the oven if need be.
@@UncleScottsKitchen OK thank you for your reply :- ) I guess i wont go with induction.. why spend the money if it's going to induce warping. I've been getting along fine with glasstop, when I reduce heat on the burner I move the pan off the burner for a little and it cools then move it back, seems to work. Thanks and regards !
Omg you just saved me!!! My husband bought me 2 carbon steel pans, yesterday I started seasoning 1 pan after the first cycle I pulled it out of the oven after coating with oil and baking upside down for 1 hr. On 400..my pan came out with brown streaks😳😬 I got scared and hid it in my closet as I didn’t want to show my husband my mishap, I know he spent a lot..anyway now I see I didn’t ruin it!!!! Yeahhhhh going to finish them today trying your method. Thank you!
Awful lot of comments about the music and laugh tracks here and it’s an absolute shame. 20 seconds in and a glimpse of that range tells me here’s a fella who knows what he’s doing. Info was spot on and bless his heart for cracking a crispy cold Coors and having some fun with it:
Hi Uncle Scott! Big fan here. I just bought my first Matfer and having some trouble getting the initial beeswax coating off. Some posts I read on Reddit mentioned soaking the pan with oven cleaner or a product called Barkeepers Friend to get it all off. Do you think this is necessary? From your video it seems like you just do a quick wash. Thanks for the help!
I like the carbon steel better than cast iron simply because you can get it to lose some heat if you realize it's getting too hot. Cast iron has so much mass that you can practically turn the burner off when you put the food in and have enough reserve heat to finish it. You have to turn cast down at the very first moment you think it's too hot....or it may be too late. Both are good....prefer the carbon steel.
Yeah the laughs are cringy and the music is loud and also cringy. Use the mic when you're in the kitchen also. Overall, the production value has to go up.
I like them both pretty much equally. If you are going to use one in the oven, the Matfer would be the one to go with, and then only because the De Buyer has a little plastic/rubber medallion thing in its handle and I think it might melt at high oven heat (but I haven't tried that). You could probably pop it out and be safe (again, I haven't tried that myself either). For stovetop, I'd say they are equal. I will probably buy additional pans in each brand lineup.
What am I doing that's wrong with my seasoning? I'am finding what I thought was a well-seasoned pan flaking off the seasoning after I clean them... I clean them by deglazing with water and scraping with a flat wooden spoon...and every time my pan bottom flakes...
wish i would have known more about carbon steel i pobably would have not invested in ss all clads... i just bought a cheap $20 dollar carbon wok recently and pretty much is my go to for just about everything hahaha my all clads are now more of decoration piece including my griswold.
Thanks for sharing. There's been some contention around this pan since Cooks Illustrated declared it as "the best carbon steel frying pan", but I suspect there may be some user errors among the negative reviews.
I love ATK and CI... their reviews are pretty much gold standard, but I note that sometimes they don't review a whole lot of products. I don't think their carbon steel review included the De Buyer Pro. So the Matfer is definitely great, and arguably the best out of the ones they tested, but at the same time they didn't test every pan available. Which is also nice, since it gives peeps like me an opportunity to add to the conversation.
You're always going to find negative reviews for carbon steel or cast iron pans. Most people don't know how to season it or don't do it right. The written instructions are horrible. I used way too much oil from reading written instructions, and the pans came out gunky and sticky. I only learned how to do it right from watching youtube videos.
Love your content i just started using carbon steel I bought the lodge brand mainly for camping, having jumped in to the fancier French pans yet but I have used them in professional kitchens before, the lodge should be great for camp cooking and cut weight down for me
Hi. I like the 11 3/4 just because most of the cooking I do is for my wife an me. So we can get four fried eggs going in the pan pretty easy. I'd just base it on the food you cook most, or better yet, buy both!
I am new to your channel and have been enjoying your videos. I have a question: What is the difference between a "black" steel pan and a "carbon" steel pan? I noticed in your title you called it "black" steel (which is how it is listed on Amazon) and yet in the video you called it 'carbon' steel. On Amazon they have some pans listed as black steel and some listed as carbon steel. Is there a difference? Oh and let's add "mineral B" pans into the mix too. What's the difference with them, if any? Thanks!
I think black and carbon are about the exact same thing, depends a little on translation and the manufacturer. Matfer uses "black" and De Buyer uses "iron" and Mauviel uses "black steel (carbon steel)." The "B" in Mineral B refers to the beeswax coating the pans ship with....probably more of a trade/marketing term. They have a little bee on the yellow medallion in their handles.
This was 4 yrs ago. Seasoning techniques have changed. Now peeps like the oven method which helluva lot better and easier.
Oven works fine but I like stovetop better these days, as it's just quicker and easier. I can have a brand new De Buyer ready to cook in less than 15 minutes after taking it out of the packaging.
I recently ordered the Matfer 10 1/4" skillet (I have had the 8" for some time now and LOVE it!). Much to my surprise, I received the 2-skillet set that had both the 10 1/4" and the 11 5/8" pans. Both were the older models. Long story short, I gifted the larger pan to my daughter-in-law. I had her come over and go thru the seasoning on both of them (BKF is your friend!) so she would appreciate the importance of proper care so she would never have to do this again. :)
Bottom line, I gave instructions and more importantly the reasons for each step. After two rounds of oil, salt, and potato skins both pans passed the fried egg test on the first try as expected and have a lovely brown hue. I expect her and I both to get many decades of use from her new pan.
DONT LISTEN TO THE HATERS, THE LAUGHTRACK MUSIC AND DAD JOKES ARE CINEMATIC GENIUS. CAME FOR THE HOW-TO, STAYED FOR THE CREATIVITY.
Exactly! I consider the hate to be pre-love!
I ordered this pan from Amazon after watching this video. It was a toss up between Matfer and All Clad but I went with the Matfer because there didn't seem to be much difference other than price.
I received my pan today and of course the first thing I did was to season it. I wrote in his other video that I used a combination of Chinese carbon steel wok seasoning and the oil, salt, potato skin seasoning. I only seasoned once on the stove. Didn't bake it in the oven. Then fried eggs, scrambled eggs and it came out perfect. Probably the best eggs I've made and I make some good eggs. Heated the pan on medium heat for no longer than 2 minutes and the eggs were done in less that a minute. Clean up? What clean up? Just wiped it with paper towels and wiped it again with a little bit of Canola oil. Bam...done. Can't wait to make other foods in it. 👍
AWESOME! Glad you got a great pan and everything is working correctly!!
What oil did you use?
@@ytho7618 I used grape seed oil. My kitchen got very smoky. The wife wasn't happy when she walked into a smoke filled house lol
@@tamatoa8261 thank you
@@ytho7618 FYI, I watched some videos on how Chinese chefs season their woks and used a combination of the 2 techniques.
I figured the Chinese have been doing this for thousands of years so they must know something lol.
Nothing feel more satisfying than see that egg sliding around in a well season carbon steel
Indeed!
I just got the Matfer and I scrubbed it with an sos pad then a scrub brush for about 5 mins then I put it on my electric glass top stove and turned the burner up all the way and left it on there until it turned blue then I kinda thought it might be some wax left then I cleaned one more time and put it back on the burner and warmed it up and oiled it good and put it in a 475 degree oven for an hour and let it cool overnight. The next day it was beautiful and I friend some bacon first then eggs and NOTHING STUCK and I mean NO THING. That was just after one season. I love the pan so far.
After seasoning my Matfer with potato skins as per instructions, I decided to nibble on one - it was delicious! From then on I dont throw away the skins, I throw them in the Matfer, better than potato chips. I second his enthsiasm for the pan. I have thrown away all my old pans and now have two cast iron skillets ( mainly for oven dishes) , one carbon steel wok and one 12 inch Matfer carbon steel which I use 90% of the time.
Thanks for the comments. These pans are definitely fun to use and kind of a hobby it seems.
scrub those skins real real well if your going to consume.. pesticides in them. doesn't burn off during cooking. you gotta scrub. But yeah I get it they must be good !
When I got mine, I rubbed in flax oil and oven baked it, then tried the potato sounds, salt and oil thing tgry recommend but, stopped short of burning the skins and just pulled them out once they got crispy. After doing it the excess salt and oil, I fried potatoes like you did, and sprinkled on the salted crispy skins when they were done. These pans are amazing. I have gotten rid of my teflon skillet now and will never go back.
From what I understand, the potato skins and salt are used for the initial seasonings to help remove any excess oil, wax and residue from the manufacturing and shipping process process. The pans have a coating from the factory to prevent rust, and you need to get rid of it before cooking. Once you have all of that off, you can use oil only for subsequent seasonings. On a daily basis, after using the pan I wash it out with hot water (no soap), then put in on the burner to dry, and wipe it out with a paper towel with a little oil on it. I make sure to wipe it really well... if you leave excess oil on the pan while it cools, it can create a sticky residue and you don't want that.
Make sure you properly preheat the pan before adding butter or oil. Just clean it reseason it with flax oil and cook! Proper preheating is critical; check out Leidenfrost effect good luck!
My Matfer skillet arrived today. I'm glad I watched this video on how to season it properly.
I just got my first carbon steel pan! An 11" Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Fry Pan. I'm gonna clean in up and start the seasoning process tomorrow.
I have this same pan, I LOVE IT!!! It's acgreat egg pan. I still have my cast iron pans too! I also haveca Lodge 12 inch carbon pan, its great for fried potatoes. Be careful of the finnish on the Matfer, it is so smooth you can rub it off when you clean the pan. The Lodge has more of a ruffer Finnish, if you rub that off, your working. Both are great pans. I am very happy I have both....
Love the videos you do. I learn so much and have lots of fun...
Thanks for all you do....
the music is great. the jokes and laugh tracks are an expression of your sense of humor; the haters don’t get it, but you are doing the right things. great content. i am baffled by the 4 other vids i watched about seasoning this very pan, which are totally contrary to the printed instructions on the pan. why ppl would think to do otherwise than what the manufacturer says is beyond me. great job
This is your very first video- I must say, I am impressed. Very well made and also very funny.
Keep on the good work!
After watching the ATK videos and yours, of course I decided to purchase an 11 inch Matfer and couldn't be happier. I seasoned the skillet per Matfer's method. I did season it in the oven as well, since I live in Florida and have an electric range. Furthermore, I'm very much aware that Carbon Steel skillets will deform so I bring up the temperature up slowly and have not experienced warping or sticking issues, so far. Thanks for your videos and keep up the good work.
After watching your videos, I finally got a mafter. So excited to get rid of my t-fal for good
Thank you so much for all your instructions! I just bought matfer 15 inch and Schulte-ufer iron-star carbon steel wok.
After several time of cleaning iron star wok, when wiping the pan before seasoning 🧂 rd still black residue comes out. I wash and washed and still does. What am I doing wrong ? Thank you!
I have this exact pan and I agree with everything this man said. If you clean it thoroughly before seasoning it and season it well, it will serve you very well.
Thank you very much!
I bought a Matfer Bourgeat crepe pan a couple of years ago and it has become my favorite pan in the kitchen!
They are pretty fun to use once you get them dialed in!
The video *how to* is good ... the music is too loud, hard to hear your voice through it. - The sound effects are *horrible*. Would be much better if you just did your talking and left ALL the other sounds OUT completely.
This video was already hilarious but your comment takes it over the edge funny. I hope he never takes the laugh tracks off
That's uncle Scott's trademark
Hi Scott. I purchased the Matfer 11 7/8" Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel Fry Pan a couple of months ago mainly because I was a little disappointed with my early purchase of a deBuyer 9 1/2" MINERAL B PRO Fry Pan. I thought I would like the rivet less handle installation of the Matfer and also even though it didn't seem to be an issue, I didn't like the little bee in the bottom of the deBuyer just because food could get stuck there. Since I have used both many, many times and both are seasoned very well, I have decided I like the deBuyer Mineral B Pro much better. Food never sticks to it, the seasoning always looks even and consistent and it cleans up beautifully every time. The Matfer always looks blotchy, meats such as ground beef or even bacon usually stick, even though I buff the pan with grape seed oil every time after use, when I pull it out to use it always looks flat like I never did anything before storing it. I would definitely choose the the deBuyer if I get another carbon steel.
I've just found out that's your music. My husband is a guitar player also. It's beautiful Scott, I really love it!!
Thanks, Anna! I might have some new music coming up in future videos... hope you will like it too.
Which size Matfer are you using in this video? I’ve been debating between 10 1/4” and 11 7/8” and yours looks like a decent size.
I had the same question. Looks like a 10.25, but we'll see what he says...
This one is the 11 7/8" I think.
The stuff you've posted is the most helpful of any I've seen online. But there's still a big gap that's not being filled. There are a gazillion UA-cams on how to season a pan, but not one I can find that tells how to KEEP the seasoning on the pan. That tells WHAT you must not cook, or HOW you must cook to avoid stripping the patina off and having to start all over again. Your explanations are the clearest I've found anywhere, and I wish you'd devote an episode or two to the problem I've just described. Thanks
Simply avoid all kinds of acidic food like tomatoes, vinegar, wine etc.
Adding a few fresh slices of tomato to a dish and cook it for a few minutes is ok, as long as you remove it from the skillet then and clean it soon. But cooking a tomato sauce is a big no-no.
In addition to that, you should also not cook liquids for longer times or use steam for too long. A carbon steel skillet is meant to sear or fry food with oil at high temperatures. It's not suited to cook with liquids for extended periods of time.
If you use it the right way, the seasoning will still come and go. Some gets lost when cooking or cleaning and new seasoning will build up. If you're using the skillet on a gas stove top, it should only need minimal additional care. On closed heat sources, you should give the skillet a touch up seasoning after use whenever possible.
The better the seasoning, the better it will withstand a little abuse from time to time. But even if you screw it up completely, you can always reset the skillet and start anew. That's the good thing about carbon steel and cast iron.
How do you compare the Matfer's to the De Buyer's? The Matfer's are thinner and lighter which decrease the thermal capacity. The De Buyer's seem to have a reverse bottom (slightly concave to prevent warpage). America's test kitchen rated the Matfer's higher due to their lower price, welded no-rivet design, and possibly the non coated handles. De Buyer's are considered by many the gold standard. What are your thoughts?
Those are all accurate points you made. I really like both brands and have several of each and have never gotten a bad pan from either company. The Matfers are a little more prone to warping on an electric or especially and induction stovetop, so I generally recommend the De Buyer Pro model to people with those. If you have a gas stove, either works well. The De Buyer is a little fancier and more expensive, Matfer a little more utilitarian and less expensive, but they both cook really well. I personally like a heavier pan, but I'm a big guy and it's no problem for me to move them around. Some people like a lighter more maneuverable pan. Maybe buy one of each!
I love your instructions and got a beautiful black finish after 2 turns of seasoning on my gas hob.
I have one problem. It seems I wasn’t successful on getting all of the protective coating off near the rim of my pan and there is uneven looking black semi-sticky looking spots near the rim. I tried re-scrubbing the sides after the first go round and they got a little better and bottom is smooth as can be.
Should I be concerned about the edges and try to scrub it down to the beginning now or can o ignore it?
That might not be protective coating. That could also just be oil that didn’t fully season. I had this issue after the initial seasoning, and I just did a second seasoning in the oven and those spots went away.
You could also try leaving the pan off center on the burner to target the sticky areas with the flame. I found this to work but it was more tedious than just sticking it in the oven.
I just ordered 2 in different sizes. They should arrive tomorrow. I am going to season them with the potato peel and salt method on a gas grill at the apartment complex. I really dislike trying to do this on an electric stove or oven, which I have done with cast iron and another carbon steel skillet in the past. It works, but it is definitely not the fastest, most convenient method.
I ordered new 9-1/2” CS Skillet today…. I want to know will it work on Electric GlassTop stove for seasoning? And don’t have to wash on bottom of skillet with wax which will leave alone and stay on while seasoning, it will turn harden layer on bottom along with handle of this skillet? Look forward to your answer.
Same Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel Pan….. I ordered new NuWave PIC Gold Induction Cooktop, because it has 8” wide coil element. I believe it will work with seasoning on this skillet with 7-1/2” cooking diameter. Let me know what you think? It is better than smaller coil diameter you showed us in other video.
could you post what size pan this is? are you happy with the size for general use? wish it were larger or smaller if you would have just one? thanks.
I think that is an 11 7/8" model. Good medium size... good for lots of tasks. If I were just getting one, a medium size like this is what I would get. It can do everything from a 2 or 3 egg omelette to steaks to a decent sized roast.
Are these pans heavy as mineral B ?
They are not quite as heavy as a Mineral B, but still heavy.
I bought the 10" pan and seasoned the pans as per the instructions with oil and salt and potato peel. After 2 rounds of seasoning, I tried the egg test, but with oil instead of butter thinking it's the same thing. The eggs instantly stuck to the pan with the oil. I cleaned it off carefully trying not to affect the seasoning and bought some butter to try... This time the eggs slide right off. I feel like butter seems like an illusion for the none stickness of the seasoning since you don't cook everything with oil. How can I avoid food sticking to the pan when cooking with oil
help please scott?
just seasoned a matfer 12 inch with grape seed oil washed it with hot water dried it but didn't oil it before, cooked potatoes salt and oil twice for 15 mins 2 times for first seasoning.... the pan surface feels slick I heated the pan after washing the stuff out and oiled it with a very light coating of grape seed oil....? didn't get a chance to cook anything as of yet i'm excited and nervous at the same time i hope i did it right like your videos thx
21 minutes ago
It dounds like you did it right,. Don't be nervous... cook!
@@UncleScottsKitchen thanks brother any more vid coming soon???
@@harley11361 Heck yeah, My goal is one per week, which I generally miss, but there are lots in the pipeline.
This was a great video. Thanks. I did this twice just like you did, but my pan barely changed color.
Couple days of use now. And my pan still has a couple ares where stuff likes to stick. Is this normal? On a daily basis what do you do to clean after use?
When a pan is new there will be some blotchiness/spottiness, but the more you cook the more the seasoning will come in and the pan will eventually be a shiny dark color. Try cooking eggs three times per week for three months... you'll use your pan almost 100 times, it will be a work of art and you'll be an expert in eggs! Cook cook cook and worry less about the seasoning. If I cook eggs with butter, I generally just wipe the pan out with a paper towel. For things like fried okra or zucchini, I will use hot water and a sponge. I only rarely ever use soap.
Uncle Scott's Kitchen ok. Thanks for the reply. I just hope it normal. I am having scrub after every use because of how much stuff is sticking. (No soap just hot water). I cooked bacon today and bacon never sticks with all the grease but it was on this pan. It also isn’t getting any darker. I mean it’s only been a week. It darken a bit when I did the first seasoning since then not much. Am i doing something wrong? I use olive oil to cook with. Is that ok?
If it gets better then I can push thru but so far this pan hasn’t been great to cook with.
I know you’re an uncle, but your videos have the best cooking dad jokes ever!
Thank you! I will definitely be informing my wife of this comment...
Thanks for your video. I followed your steps to season my new Matfer Pan twice, then fried eggs and dumpling, great, really non stick pan! May I know how often I should season the pan gain? Thank you very much.
The initial seasoning should be 1-2 rounds with the potato skin method, 2-3 layers with the oven method and one layer with the puddle method. Then start cooking. If seasoning gets lost by using the skillet to the point you can see the bare metal, give it one layer with your preferred method.
Don't make a science out of seasoning. All it has to do, is applying a minimal layer of polymerized oil to keep the food from reacting with the bare metal. Everything else happens when using the skillet to cook.
@@berniem.6965 Thank you
Great video, great info, thanks for the help!
Taking your general advice on the topic of seasoning, all I did at the start was oil the pan a bit and put it over the hot stove for a few minutes....and then I started cooking with it. After about 6 months, it's a very well-seasoned pan. Didn't take long to get to that place. These days, I'm getting a bit lazy about washing it right away, but I still don't see any bad side effects...lol. It often sits overnight with the grease from my last steak cooked...and it's never a problem at all.
Great videos and very helpful. I'd like to add that the factory film removal step should not be taken lightly. This was a much bigger undertaking than I imagined. I don't know if I got a 'lemon' or not, but there were areas of thick film, like little streaks and blobs. I resorted to using boiling hot water from a kettle, splashed in small areas and then scrubbed vigorously with Barkeepers Friend and an abrasive sponge. I spent at least an hour removing the film from all the surfaces of the pan, including the outer surfaces. It turned out great and is already super slick after the 2-step potato peel seasoning process. Cooked up fried potatoes and eggs for TH this morning and the everything slid effortlessly out of the pan. Some egg residue on the sides wiped out clean with a paper towel. So, I'm already in love with the pan and know it will only get better with time and proper cleaning/storage practices, but wanted to share about the possible challenges (and boiling hot water hack) regarding the factory finish removal, in case it could be helpful to someone else.
I just bought one about a month ago. I use it every day in my restaurant we make breakfast burritos. So every thing is scrambled. I seasoned it the same way. And it works ok. But only 2/3 of the pan turned black. Already seasoned it twice. I did the fry egg test and they slide. But when I scramble everything, it kind of sticks on the non black part. Any ideas? I have the 12" pan. A little heavier that what I expected. But love using it. Love your videos. Thanks.
Uncle ..... I do appreciate your videos
Thank you, Ron!
I’m about to buy this pan. My folks always used carbon steel woks. I don’t remember her seasoning after every use. Do you have to season the whole pan including bottom?
You don't have to season every time you use it... just every now and then when it needs it. Normal cleaning is fine. I don't season the bottom of the pans or handles, but some people do. I just season the inside/cooking surface.
Thank you!
I've purchased 4 different carbon steel pans due in no small part to your later videos. It was interesting to see your introduction to them. ATK gets the credit for the first which was the pan you reviewed here, but the rest have been mostly influenced by you.
Thanks ALOT Uncle Scott. Because of you, I have 3 Mineral B pans and NOW THIS ONE!! I got excited seasoning it last night. It's already pretty and I haven't even cooked anything on it yet.
Nothing better than a bunch of great carbon steel pans! I just like looking at them.
@@UncleScottsKitchen Agreed! My wife sure is tired of me seasoning pans though.
What kind of oil? Olive oil?
Good oils for seasoning are grapeseed, canola or vegetable, by a big name brand.
it is my go to for cooking now. had for 14 months.
Sweet. How many times do you think you have cooked in it? How often do you season it?
You are the unofficial 👑 of dad jokes! But all honesty you have great videos packed with knowledge. Just got my first Matfer and it’s been fun to use. Thanks for videos and advice. “ Cook more and season less “
Can someone give me some advice please? I bought a Brandini (hope I spelled that right) hard nitrides cast iron pan and from what I’ve read I should season it just like carbon steel and cast iron, so I scrubbed it out heavily with soap and scalding hot water, then I proceeded to season the pan with light coats of canola oil in the oven, at 475 degrees for over an hour and it looked great, but the patina keeps peeling off if I so much as rub a paper towel on it, so I scrubbed it down with steel wool, and the middle just comes right off, but the sides have an amazingly beautiful and hard patina still, so I proceeded to just season the bare spot to even it out, using the stove top method of wiping minuscule layers of oil then bringing it to smoking point, over and over. Yet it still keeps flaking in the middle, so I proceed to stew wool it and start over, then I tried this exact potato peel method and when it’s over it feels and looks amazing so I have my hopes up, then I proceed to cook the actual potatoes up with some onions, salt, garlic and some peppers, at a medium high heat after preheating the pan and boom, it all sticks and the patina is blotchy and gummy, am I doing something wrong here? Any help would be appreciated! I don’t want to give up on this pan lol
Don't give up. Here's the best thing to do: stop seasoning and start cooking. Cook cook cook. If something sticks, just wipe it out and wash it and keep going. Your seasoning is probably fine... don't worry too much about uniform color early on. It will dial itself in the more you cook. COOK COOK COOK and season less!
There are just to damn many YT channels. I wish I would have found you before just now. So far...in my humble opinion, you have a winner, but I just got here so that is yet to be determined...nice job.
Thanks! More thank you's are yet to be determined...
Fun! And very informative.
What an intricate way to turn butter into drying oil in a frying pan!
If I cook eggs in butter AND I'm going to use the pan for more eggs the next day, I don't wash the pan... I just wipe it with a paper towel and let the leftover butter act as the protective oil. I wouldn't do that if I were going to store the pan for a month, but for a day or two butter seems to work well.
@@UncleScottsKitchen My comment was about frying potato peels with salt. Otherwise, everything is traditional and did not cause any surprise.
Thanks for the video! I have been watching your channel religiously while waiting for my 9.5" Ballerini to arrive... Smaller cooking area than I would have liked but it is an omelette pan. Used the potato skin method twice, cooked the potatoes and then cooked a steak... Let cool and egg test.. Perfect!! Thank you for your videos going to spring for a de Buyer or matter 11" next and my kitchen should almost be done!
On a side note... I have an electric stove top with coils, not a flat top. Worked well however it's not the same heat distribution as gas. One day... One day...
Awesome! Is there anything better than seeing an egg slide around after seasoning a new pan? I have not tried a Ballerini. I will check into them. I like those dedicated omelette pans... perfect size. Thanks for posting and I'm really glad the videos were useful!
@@UncleScottsKitchen picked up a 10" de Buyer next day same method worked great... Made a 25oz butter and herb basted ribeye to help break it in.. didn't even need to oven finish the pan retained heat so well and cooked evenly. Du Buyer recommended to dear on high heat and turn down to med/low to finish cooking. Perfect medium rare. Keep up the good work Uncle Scott!
LOVE the kitchen.....and pan......the sitcom laugh tracks can go though!
thanks! :)
Respectfully disagree. Sitcom laughs are quite useful. Never hurts to know when to laugh
That's not a laugh track. He's got a live audience there :-)
@@hepgeoff lol what was I thinkin, of course he does!
@@peatsdaddy well being told when to laugh isn’t going to do a thing for not having a sense of humor. If you need to be told when to laugh you don’t have one.
Now that you've taught me how to properly cook eggs in my Matfer carbon steel pan and also bacon. I'm curious to know your method of cooking steak or burgers? Do you get the pan hot first like you do with the eggs, or do you cook other meat like you cook bacon and place it in the cold pan? My guess would be you must let the pan get hot so you can get a good sear on the meat but does that cause the meet to stick?
For burgers and steaks, it's the opposite of the bacon... you want a HOT pan. You can heat the pan up and then put in a few drops of water... if they sizzle, keep heating. If they roll around like ball bearings, then your pan is ready and you can sear a burger or steak. Doneness is apersonal taste, but I usually brown mine for two minutes per side then either reduce the heat or finish them in the oven. The burgers and steaks will stick at first, but they will release after a minute or two.
Hey uncle Scott. I was just wondering what size your pan is?
Cheers
i like your videos why are some people.. harsh if you don't like it dont watch,
I can't tell from the usage stats, but I'd be willing to be that half the people who leave harsh comments still watch the new videos.
thx for the great info..i'm about to buy one of these online, and would really like to know what size your pan is for a reference point
The one in that video is an 11 7/8" model. It's a great all-around size.
@@UncleScottsKitchen thanks
💭 I have 2 carbon steel bushcraft knives that have a protective dark patina created by apple cider vinegar. Since these pans are made from a similar raw carbon steel, I would think that giving them an hour long soaking bath in hot 🍎 cider vinegar would also give a nice dark color to these pans, plus a good initial protective coating. I'll try this when my pan arrives,..then do a couple grape seed oil coated sessions in the oven. After this, it should be throughly protected!
Hey Uncle Scott - it is possible to overheat a carbon steel pan (such that the seasoning might be damaged)? I always wonder this when heating for a high temp steak searing
Hi Harrison. It is possible to overheat a CS pan and burn the seasoning off, but I doubt you would do it cooking a steak on the stovetop. If you were to leave it in an oven for more than an hour at 500 degrees, you might burn it off. In fact, I have run a pan through the cleaning cycle in my oven and burned it all off down to the bare metal, but I don't recommend anyone else do that! For example, on a gas cooktop, if you heat your pan for 4 - 6 minutes or so to cook a steak, it should be just fine... that's what these pans are made for and where these pans really shine. If you were to leave it on a high burner for 15 - 20 minutes, you'd probably burn some off (might be glowing orange!).
I have read Amazon reviews that the larger diameter 11-7/8" pan warped. Is that a common issue with larger carbon steel pans?
Yes, warping is definitely an issue for not just Matfer but all carbon steels on flattops. I did a vuideo showing the warping: ua-cam.com/video/Ub-ADtsGo5s/v-deo.html . In a nutshell, just aboue any carbon steel pan works well on a gas cooktop. For a flattop electric or induction, the thicker ones work better. The ones that are 3mm thick, like a De Buyer Mineral B Pro or a Baking Steel, should have minimal warping problems. I think the Matfer is 2.5 mm... great pan but it's a little thinner.
Thanks for the tutorial, Uncle Scott! I love the dry humor coupled with the well-placed laugh track :) Chow!
Thank you!
How high was the heat you used on the stove?
What kind of stove do you have?
It is an ilve majestic... kind of a bucket list item!
Is it just as good as stainless for creating fond when searing meat? Don't want it to be too not-stick.
I think it is better for searing than stainless, because you can get it really really hot. If you sear a steak it won't be non-stick... there will be some sticky bits/fond on the bottom of the pan. For something like eggs it will be nonstick.
What kind of cookee with gas stove do you have? Is it Falcon?
We have an ilve Majestic. It's pretty sweet. Italian made.
I just bought a CS pan and watched your video. I enjoyed it. However now if a little something gets stuck to the pan I try and deglaze it. But every time I do all the seasoning comes off. What’s the deal?
Probably, your seasoning method doesn't work. It's hard to tell without knowing the details how you do it.
One reason could be the wrong oil or fat. Drawn carbon steel is very slick and even. That makes it harder for the seasoning to adhere to the surface compared to the more uneven cast iron. I found Crisco all vegetable shortening to not work for me on carbon steel. The patina is too soft and comes off with water and a brush. Many people have problems with flaxseed oil which is the other end of the spectrum. That patina is extremely hard and tends to crack and flake off for many people. Both products, however, work fine for most people on the more uneven surface of cast iron. I found canola oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil and sunflower oil to give the best results for me in combination with carbon steel.
Another typical error is overseasoning. Using too much oil in too thick layers results in a sticky mess of only partially polymerized oil instead of a glass hard patina. In that case, less is more. No matter what method you use, only apply the thinnest possible layer of patina and let it burn in long enough to completely polymerize. Check Uncle Scott's channel for videos of all methods.
A good patina feels completely smooth (as if it wasn't there and you were touching the bare metal). It's dry to the touch (not sticky) and hard like glass.
If a decent patina still keeps coming off, you may want to apply a slight texture to the surface of the skillet. It helps the patina to adhere. You could apply a light scratch pattern with sand paper (somewhere between 60 and 120 grit). Another method is etching the surface by filling the skillet with vinegar and heating it up (not boiling hot, but pretty warm at least). You should see tiny bubbles forming up when the vinegar reacts with the bare metal. Let it sit for 5-15 minutes, then rinse it with lots of water to neutralize the acid. Give it a quick clean up with soap and reseason.
Why size Matfer skillet were you using in this video?
I think it is an 11 7/8".
Thanks for the awesome reviews on carbon steel pans. I just got a set of Misen pans that I'm working on seasoning.
Nice!! .. I think I want one! But I wish you had mentioned the weight.. is it heavier than the Mauviel ( beautiful but on the thinner side as far as using it on glass) and do you think it will stay flat better ?? I am asking because I am stuck using a glasstop range. I might get an induction pretty soon but I cant have gas where i live. So I need a flat skillet. Is this one the one ?
Hi there G. The Matfer is a little heavier than the Mauviel, maybe 1.5 pounds or so heavier. I had a little warping trouble with my Matfer on an induction. If you want to play it a little safer, I think the De Buyer Mineral B Professional model with the stainless steel handle is probably less prone to warping than any of the others and with that handle you can season it in the oven if need be.
@@UncleScottsKitchen OK thank you for your reply :- ) I guess i wont go with induction.. why spend the money if it's going to induce warping. I've been getting along fine with glasstop, when I reduce heat on the burner I move the pan off the burner for a little and it cools then move it back, seems to work. Thanks and regards !
Omg you just saved me!!! My husband bought me 2 carbon steel pans, yesterday I started seasoning 1 pan after the first cycle I pulled it out of the oven after coating with oil and baking upside down for 1 hr. On 400..my pan came out with brown streaks😳😬 I got scared and hid it in my closet as I didn’t want to show my husband my mishap, I know he spent a lot..anyway now I see I didn’t ruin it!!!! Yeahhhhh going to finish them today trying your method.
Thank you!
Awful lot of comments about the music and laugh tracks here and it’s an absolute shame. 20 seconds in and a glimpse of that range tells me here’s a fella who knows what he’s doing. Info was spot on and bless his heart for cracking a crispy cold Coors and having some fun with it:
Thanks for the compliments! Some people don't like the sounds effects, but they make me laugh when I edit, so they will stay! :)
Hi Uncle Scott! Big fan here. I just bought my first Matfer and having some trouble getting the initial beeswax coating off. Some posts I read on Reddit mentioned soaking the pan with oven cleaner or a product called Barkeepers Friend to get it all off. Do you think this is necessary? From your video it seems like you just do a quick wash.
Thanks for the help!
I like the carbon steel better than cast iron simply because you can get it to lose some heat if you realize it's getting too hot. Cast iron has so much mass that you can practically turn the burner off when you put the food in and have enough reserve heat to finish it. You have to turn cast down at the very first moment you think it's too hot....or it may be too late. Both are good....prefer the carbon steel.
Love the laugh tracks!
Thanks! Some people don't like them but they make me laugh. :)
And the booing when he said he was thinking of getting the wife to clean up 2:10 😀
Damn straight the potatoes had it coming!!
The potatoes had it coming.
They did!
Your videos are good, but the laugh tracks are totally unnecessary.
I didn't mind the laugh tracks but thought the guitar music was too loud. Over all ..... great video!!
yeah, very annoying.
He’s trying to be "Mr. Funny Guy,” because he thinks his videos will be more entertaining. He’s doing his best with what he has to work with.
Yeah the laughs are cringy and the music is loud and also cringy. Use the mic when you're in the kitchen also. Overall, the production value has to go up.
Good advice!
What size was that steel skillet you were using?
The Matfer in this video is an 11 7/8".
Great videos - One question: If you could only have a De Buyer or Matfer which pan would you get since you have both?
I like them both pretty much equally. If you are going to use one in the oven, the Matfer would be the one to go with, and then only because the De Buyer has a little plastic/rubber medallion thing in its handle and I think it might melt at high oven heat (but I haven't tried that). You could probably pop it out and be safe (again, I haven't tried that myself either). For stovetop, I'd say they are equal. I will probably buy additional pans in each brand lineup.
@@UncleScottsKitchen Thanks, and keep them coming - We all enjoy the "laugh track"
:)
Fuck the haters, the laugh tracks made me LOL and I could hear you fine with the music. They’re just jealous of your stove!
Thank you very much!
Beautiful pan!
I like to look at them about as much as I like to cook in them! :)
What am I doing that's wrong with my seasoning? I'am finding what I thought was a well-seasoned pan flaking off the seasoning after I clean them... I clean them by deglazing with water and scraping with a flat wooden spoon...and every time my pan bottom flakes...
wish i would have known more about carbon steel i pobably would have not invested in ss all clads... i just bought a cheap $20 dollar carbon wok recently and pretty much is my go to for just about everything hahaha my all clads are now more of decoration piece including my griswold.
If you have Griswolds, All-Clads and carbon steel you have the best of them all... great to have all bases covered!
The star wars ending was great.
Thanks for sharing. There's been some contention around this pan since Cooks Illustrated declared it as "the best carbon steel frying pan", but I suspect there may be some user errors among the negative reviews.
I love ATK and CI... their reviews are pretty much gold standard, but I note that sometimes they don't review a whole lot of products. I don't think their carbon steel review included the De Buyer Pro. So the Matfer is definitely great, and arguably the best out of the ones they tested, but at the same time they didn't test every pan available. Which is also nice, since it gives peeps like me an opportunity to add to the conversation.
You're always going to find negative reviews for carbon steel or cast iron pans. Most people don't know how to season it or don't do it right. The written instructions are horrible. I used way too much oil from reading written instructions, and the pans came out gunky and sticky. I only learned how to do it right from watching youtube videos.
Love your content i just started using carbon steel I bought the lodge brand mainly for camping, having jumped in to the fancier French pans yet but I have used them in professional kitchens before, the lodge should be great for camp cooking and cut weight down for me
Funny you should bring that up... just did a review of one of the Lodges with some camp cooking: ua-cam.com/video/fglkgN9Qiqs/v-deo.html
Do have any preference, 11 3/4 or 15”?
Hi. I like the 11 3/4 just because most of the cooking I do is for my wife an me. So we can get four fried eggs going in the pan pretty easy. I'd just base it on the food you cook most, or better yet, buy both!
Scott, what size is that Matfer?
Sorry bud but I live getting some socks for Christmas! Good video though forget the negative comments.
I have to admit that I don't mind a new bag of socks for Christmas either these days. Is there anything better than putting on a new pair of socks?
What size pan is that Scott?
11 7/8" Matfer
What size were the skillets?
I am new to your channel and have been enjoying your videos. I have a question: What is the difference between a "black" steel pan and a "carbon" steel pan? I noticed in your title you called it "black" steel (which is how it is listed on Amazon) and yet in the video you called it 'carbon' steel. On Amazon they have some pans listed as black steel and some listed as carbon steel. Is there a difference? Oh and let's add "mineral B" pans into the mix too. What's the difference with them, if any? Thanks!
I think black and carbon are about the exact same thing, depends a little on translation and the manufacturer. Matfer uses "black" and De Buyer uses "iron" and Mauviel uses "black steel (carbon steel)." The "B" in Mineral B refers to the beeswax coating the pans ship with....probably more of a trade/marketing term. They have a little bee on the yellow medallion in their handles.
@@UncleScottsKitchen Thanks!
given the materials, does the handle get hot at all ... nice video thanks.
It does the longer you use the skillet. That's why those handles are flat and wide. They're designed to be held with a towel or oven mit.
All those wife jokes will get you into trouble sooner or later. 😂😎
the epilog was pretty funny: "the potatoes had it coming," lol!
:) thanks!
Was this the 11 7/8?
Yep.
Yes it my work horse
Great info. Thanks for posting!
:)
Check out amzn.to/2YcpfSl to check prices and buy a Matfer pan and www.unclescottskitchen.com for more info and fun stuff.
Dump the laugh track. Please.
I agree. I have to tune out half the time - they are so annoying.
And the depressive music too...
these stuck up haters have no sense of humor. video is perfect as is
What size is that pan?
11 and 7/8" I think.