Carbon Steel pan question

[Mudkat]

Anyone have one of these?

Matfer Bourgeat 11 7/8" Black steel pan?

Three questions:

Can it be used directly over campfire? It's okay over gas burner so it should be good?

Is the bottom flat? Important when cooking over glass top stove. Don't want oil to pool on one side or other.

Can it go in an oven at higher temps? Some have whacky a** handles so only go in oven at 200 degrees tops.

Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks!

[ComfortablyNumb]

Don't know. However here is manufacturer website and a link to carbon steel.

[Troutman]

Thanks for the reference CN !!!

[ComfortablyNumb]

Yes to the fire.

[Mudkat]

Makes me want to go camping!

[Mudkat]

Thanks for the posts! Just for discussions sake, some of these carbon steel pans will warp. Too thin I think. I'm hoping someone's used one of the Matfer pans specifically. Lodge carbon steel is recommended for over a fire but is not flat on the bottom so not so good for glass top. I want best of both worlds. 😀

[Troutman]

Handle looks flimsy on that one

[Troutman]

The article ComfortablyNumb referenced from Cook's Illustrated says that pan is a winner. I've never owed one myself but I do have a forged carbon steel wok from China that I've cooked on for over 25 years. Nothing I've seen on the market can touch it for heat retention and its well seasoned, non-stick characteristics. It's made for high heat, like 12,000 BTU high, so it can be used anywhere. I would suspect these pans perform the same.

[Spinaker]

Have you tried the Lodge Cast Iron Wok? That baby will retain the heat like a mad man. Also, great for frying.

[Mudkat]

I'd love to get one of those one day.

[Attjack]

I like my 16" Mr. BBQ cast iron woks. I paid less than $15 for them on sale.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001QIUGO/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Spinaker]

I own some Lodge Carbon Steel pans. I like them. They are much lighter than cast iron, they don't retain the heat as well, but they are fine cookware. They season up a little slower because they are smoother, but mine are all non-stick at this point.

The flat cooking surface will warp easier than cast iron or traditional steel pans, so be careful when adding to a camp fire of full force burner. Heat them slowly, they heat quickly, so preheating is not a huge issue. I use mine on my glass stove top, they work just fine, as long as you keep them from warping.

You can easily throw the Lodge pans in an oven, without any issue. (As long as it is preheated)

[Mudkat]

Thanks bro. Lodge is also one of the least expensive. If it works on glass top I'm all in!

[Spinaker]

No problem! Just beware of warping, and make sure you test them on your glass stove before cooking.Then press on the edges of the pan, all the way around. if it rocks it is already warped. Next, try to spin it with the handle. If it spins, send it back, it is really warped. Mudkat (I do this with all of my CI and CS pans.)

[Mudkat]

That maybe why it get's lot's comments about it not being flat. People didn't test it first. Kinda scared me off a bit. Some pans like de Buyer make 'em slightly convex. Not a big deal on gas but stinks on glass.

[FireMan]

In my wok cooking I don’t particularly want heat retention. If I have something in the wok that I have to leave for a few minutes I don’t want to cook the dickens out of it (I don’t know how dickens translates in Chinese). Also steel woks take a whole lot more heat than can be provided at home on a stove. As far as steel skillet looks, I would think it would take anything you could throw at it. It looks like quality. I do not understand what a wacky handle is. If it’s steel OK, if it’s something else, beware kemosabe (that’s a little Lone Ranger lingo there).

[Mudkat]

You are worldly my friend FireMan. You speak Native American AND cook Chinese! 😊

Whacky handles = Epoxy that can't go in an oven higher than 200 degrees.

[Histrix]

Agreed. For most wok cooking heat retention in a wok is not a good thing - heat responsiveness is key.

[Mudkat]

Spinaker and all others. Just got this today. Pre-seasoned 12" Lodge Carbon Steel skillet. 😊 No warping out of box. 👍 Do have any recommendations on pan treatment before I cook or just follow Lodge instructions?

[Spinaker]

Spray it with PAM and start cooking!

[Mudkat]

Lol Spinaker. I hear ya!

[Spinaker]

The pan already has a "base layer" of seasoning. I don't really find you get the extra advantage with using Flax, unless you strip it all the way down. Then you would see a significant difference. Just out of curiosity, I might strip mine down. The Flax oil will give it a gorgeous bronze color. But I need to do a little more research on carbon steel. Mudkat

[FireMan]

I don’t know what factory destructions are, but I would season it 2 or 3 times, just like I do my woks with flax oil. Then maybe first cook with, drumroll, bacon. Then eggs in the bacon grease, at least some of it anyways.

[Mudkat]

Sounds like a plan except it maybe some ground hot italian sausage I got half off yesterday. Potatoes, eggs, sausage, and Bloody Marys. I see an outdoor skillet brunch in the CS in my near future!

[FireMan]

Italian sausage,............eggs.........potatoes.......mm mOK. It’ll do.

[Mudkat]

There will be pics. If I pic it, it will come.