What is your go-to pot or pan? What are you missing most?

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Corradobrit1 said:
Has anyone used these Mineral B deBuyer pans?
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I haven't personally but there is a guy on YouTube, Uncle Scott's Kitchen, that reviews cast iron and carbon steel and I seem to recall he loves them. I don't agree with his insistence on the "fried egg test" for seasoning but all in all I think he has pretty solid information.
 
Corradobrit1 said:
Has anyone used these Mineral B deBuyer pans?
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I use matfer bouregart. I’ve never found any credible source claiming one is way better than the other. The lack of rivets on mine is vaguely appealing but either one is fine, both are slightly better than lodge cs. Don’t overthink things, these cs pans are all pretty good. Size matters more than manufacturer.
 
rickbern said:
I use matfer bouregart. I’ve never found any credible source claiming one is way better than the other. The lack of rivets on mine is vaguely appealing but either one is fine, both are slightly better than lodge cs. Don’t overthink things, these cs pans are all pretty good. Size matters more than manufacturer.
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I largely agree but I would say that the manufacturer can matter. Less so in quality as in design. I use an electric stove so I want a thicker pan to better resist warping. Hence I like the Matfer. Other makers, I'm not sure but I think deBuyer, makes their pans a little thinner so they are lighter.

The Matfer's are also a great price.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
I largely agree but I would say that the manufacturer can matter. Less so in quality as in design. I use an electric stove so I want a thicker pan to better resist warping. Hence I like the Matfer. Other makers, I'm not sure but I think deBuyer, makes their pans a little thinner so they are lighter.

The Matfer's are also a great price.
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The De Buyer is stated as 2.5mm thick for the 2 smaller sizes and 3mm for the 2 larger ones. Can't find the data Matfer version. Any comment on the flat handles? I'm sorta erring towards the De Buyer and getting this handle option. Handles matter. Hate the flat design of the All Clad copper core pans. Love the French classic Crusinart's.
https://debuyer-usa.com/products/mineral-b-pro-fry-pan
 
Be careful with floor area on these lyonnaise style pans. This is a 24cm pan(9.5”) it’s not so huge. My next size up is 30 cm, I use that way more often. Those debuyer handles are nice, mine is comfortable but industrial.
image.jpg
 
Corradobrit1 said:
The De Buyer is stated as 2.5mm thick for the 2 smaller sizes and 3mm for the 2 larger ones. Can't find the data Matfer version. Any comment on the flat handles? I'm sorta erring towards the De Buyer and getting this handle option. Handles matter. Hate the flat design of the All Clad copper core pans. Love the French classic Crusinart's.
https://debuyer-usa.com/products/mineral-b-pro-fry-pan
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I think @rickbern's description of comfortable but industrial applies well to the Matfer pans. The only time I notice it is when using my big pan and there's something heavier in it. I don't do a lot of pan shaking but I do flip and I don't mind the handles but they aren't the most comfortable design.
 
The handles get hot so I use suede leather sleeves on them. They're not so bad anyway but that makes the Matfer-style handle comfortable to hold.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
So still not fish in the pan but here is tonight's dinner with shrimp and a soy/honey stir fry sauce.
Finished dinner, did the dishes and cleaned up and then grabbed the pan. Rinsed out by hand under hot water.
Super easy cleanup, no loss of seasoning and ready to go again.
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Nice, I eat a good amount of shrimp since I can get it locally so I definitely need to try carbon frypan again.
 
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Corradobrit1 said:
Has anyone used these Mineral B deBuyer pans?
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Mineral B = Carbonne series with a beewax coating so it doesn't rust in the shop. Personally I find it mostly annoying because you're paying more just for somethin`g you gotta get rid of before using. Otherwise they're basically the same. There's a few models that only exist in the Mineral B line, but otherwise I'd always just go for Carbonne series; save yourself both money and effort.
 
TM001 said:
Nice, I eat a good amount of shrimp since I can get it locally so I definitely need to try carbon frypan again.
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Yea, I get a lot of gulf shrimp since we are close to the coast. This is the slowest time right now as it is the dead of winter for us but being in Texas it never really gets very cold.
 
Jovidah said:
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Mineral B = Carbonne series with a beewax coating so it doesn't rust in the shop. Personally I find it mostly annoying because you're paying more just for somethin`g you gotta get rid of before using. Otherwise they're basically the same. There's a few models that only exist in the Mineral B line, but otherwise I'd always just go for Carbonne series; save yourself both money and effort.
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The handle is enough to sell the Pro line to me.

Try and ignore the cringeworthy presentation but this was a great demo of the B-element Pro saute pan. Sold it to me
 
coxhaus said:
Yea, I get a lot of gulf shrimp since we are close to the coast. This is the slowest time right now as it is the dead of winter for us but being in Texas it never really gets very cold.
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I mostly get Atlantic shrimp off coastal GA, but also from SC, or FL. I can usually get frozen local shrimp caught earlier from a local shrimper in cold months which is still pretty good (like you cold is usually not all that cold for me although lately we have had several weeks of cold nights)). I am a fan of Gulf shrimp too, but not really local fo me anymore. Who I lived in FLI could get both Atlantic and Gulf pretty easy.
 
Corradobrit1 said:
The handle is enough to sell the Pro line to me.

Try and ignore the cringeworthy presentation but this was a great demo of the B-element Pro saute pan. Sold it to me
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He's flat out wrong about the regular handles though. At least on the Carbonne they are ovenproof up until some stupid high temperature (275c or something like that). Never had any problems, even when seasoning them in my oven at max temperature for an hour.

They look fancier, might be more comfy, and might heat up slower... but I never really had issues with any of that.
What would actually be a real upgrade was if the handles were welded instead of riveted.

For what it's worth I don't think they're necessarily ideal for in the oven anyway. Handle is rather long so you need a really big oven to fit them and then it's mostly wasted space. Another issue is that if you start meat on a burner and toss it in the oven in the same pan, you'll get carryover cooking on the bottom / pan side that's noticable in the end result. So for anything that isn't really large I usually just pull it out and put it in a cold oven tray.
 
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MikeO said:
1. What is everyone's #1 used pot or pan, and why is it that one?
2. What are you missing most and perhaps hoping to add in the near future? Can be any tool that helps to heat food, maybe not necessarily stove top - oven, outdoor, etc?
3. As a bonus if you want, list a 2nd/3rd item that gets a lot of use, or maybe something that is in close contention with #1.
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1. 12'' lodge cast iron that I polished the inside of. Great nonstick ability, great heat retention.

2. Maybe an oval dutch oven or a baking steel? Not super important, though. I'm good as is. I'll get a wok when I have gas again.

3. Hmmmm..... probably a cheap stainless 12'' saute pan.
 
Glad to see so much great info being shared on the carbon steel end of things :D Thank you all for the input and review of so many great options!

ian said:
1. 12'' lodge cast iron that I polished the inside of. Great nonstick ability, great heat retention.

2. Maybe an oval dutch oven or a baking steel? Not super important, though. I'm good as is. I'll get a wok when I have gas again.

3. Hmmmm..... probably a cheap stainless 12'' saute pan.
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How did you polish it? Series of steel brushes into polishing pads or?? So is it nice and smooth now? I would love to see a picture.
 
MikeO said:
Glad to see so much great info being shared on the carbon steel end of things :D Thank you all for the input and review of so many great options!



How did you polish it? Series of steel brushes into polishing pads or?? So is it nice and smooth now? I would love to see a picture.
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image.jpg


I used an orbital sander on the inside. Nothing fancy. Can’t remember what grit I used, but it was just a single one. 220 or something? Idk. But it doesn’t have the bumpy lodge finish anymore.
 
@ian Right on, that looks pretty nice.

I have a big 16" that I use mostly for burgers and fresh oven pizzas that I might have to replicate that finish on. I definitely think it would help for making smash burgers...

It doesn't seem to have any effect on the seasoning of the iron which is good, and I'm sure it scrapes clean much easier.
 
MikeO said:
@ian Right on, that looks pretty nice.

I have a big 16" that I use mostly for burgers and fresh oven pizzas that I might have to replicate that finish on. I definitely think it would help for making smash burgers...

It doesn't seem to have any effect on the seasoning of the iron which is good, and I'm sure it scrapes clean much easier.
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Yea, scrapes clean easier, feels nicer when you use a spatula on it, looks nicer, and perhaps has slightly better contact with food? (Last one debatable.)
 
ian said:
Yea, scrapes clean easier, feels nicer when you use a spatula on it, looks nicer, and perhaps has slightly better contact with food? (Last one debatable.)
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Yeah I guess that depends on the food and contact. I imagine it would be more ideal without any potential for pockets/lack of contact for dough and burgers though. Full maillard reaction across the entire surface of a burger, which already has some pockets in it because the meat never smashes down to a perfectly flat face.
 
I like Le Crueset pots and I have several but my fry fan wore out after 10 or 15 years probably from using the wrong kinds of spoons and spatulas.

Oh, and that lodge fry pan looks like the one I have and it is 15 inches. Comes in handy. I also bought the lid, what a bear.
 
Debuyer 12" non stick for fish. Commercial grade 10" non stick for eggs. Use olive oil, sometimes butter.

Deep dish skillet with glass lid gets used for curries, stews, chili, pasta sauces.

Old copper bottom pots. When had gas used a seasoned carbon Wok. Up in the valley house has old coil heating elements on the stove. Don't know if they have gas lines up here.
 
my life is simple.

i leave a vintage cast iron pan on the stove. it gets used daily to toast bread or the ubiquitious tortilla. the other pan that is BEGGING for a vacation is my wok. i kinda use it for everything. i cook in the backyard with it, so it does wonders keeping my kitchen grease free and not smelling like dinner.
 
Tin lined copper is my favorite for fish and meat sauté. de Buyer steel for eggs. I was lucky to trip over a local cooking store going out of business. I wish I had had $10,000 - their collection was amazing including restaurant sized copper. I managed about 6 pieces that I use to this day (30 years later). I've added some stainless lined copper over the years. My kids, both of whom love to cook, will make out well.
 
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