Pans

[Paraffin]

The main idea is for oil polymerization which occurs above the smoke point.

I don't think it's necessary to season above the smoke point because I've had good results staying below it. Maybe it's the extended time? Anyway it works for me, YMMV, etc.

 

[HRC_64]

any steel pan that warps at the smoke point is junk

 

[Choppin]

Most recipes for oven seasoning call for 450 f (232 c). I usually go up to 250 c.

In every seasoning I get smoke (a lot). I understand it’s a natural and necessary aspect of seasoning (I read someone here explaining it better but can’t find the post).

 

[Choppin]

any steel pan that warps at the smoke point is junk

I’ve had this happen to all clad and de buyer pans. In both cases I used mid/high heat and either left the pan empty for too long or used a burner that was too small.

 

[Matus]

any steel pan that warps at the smoke point is junk

No, it is the fact that you can not heat the pan completely evenly. Iron is not a particularly good head conductor, so the sides of the pan will stay considerably cooler - in particular on a glass top stove where the heated surface is not large enough. On gas this may be less of an issue (and it will be less of an issue if the pan is not perfectly flat). I had a 32 deBuyer Carbone Plus and it warped badly - the bottom of the pan was actually large than the heated area on our stove. Now I have another iron pan - the bottom is just as large as our stoove, but the pan still bowed out considerably. With the smaller Turk I had 0 issued. The pan is smaller & thinner and the sides are rather low. At some point I will get a larger Turk pan and see what will happen.

 

[HRC_64]

In both cases I used mid/high heat and either left the pan empty for too long or used a burner that was too small.

sounds legit

 

[AnthonyC]

I have a Le Crueset enameled cast iron skillet that we use a lot and is fairly non-stick without seasoning. I also have a couple Lodge skillets that came pre-seasoned. If you cook with oil or other fats, that is usually enough to keep them seasoned as long as you don't soap-soak them or scrub too hard.

Cooks Illustrated has a video of how they season new pans. I'll see if I can find the link and post it today.

 

[DitmasPork]

Depends on what you want to spend. On the low end there's Tramontina, made in Brazil and/or China—good for the cheap price.

My kitchen's workhorses are Paderno (world cuisine), de Buyer, a couple of vintage cast iron skillets—in addition to a few copper pans that are needing re-tinning.