Carbon Steel Fry Pans, Oh Yes I Do!

De Buyer Mineral after seasoning (Front), and Paderno World Cusine before seasoning (Back).

Non-stick pans skeeve me out. Teflon and other high tech coatings may be relatively harmless, but only up to a certain temperature, at which point they start to give off toxic gases. I also haven't met a non-stick pan that doesn't scratch or peel, whatever promises they make. So then you have to replace it or risk the coating coming off on your food. Doesn't sound like a healthy relationship to me.

I ditched non-stick a long time ago in favor of seasoned steel cookware. It all started years ago at Kmart, when I bought a Martha Stewart 10" cast iron fryer. Inexpensive and reliable, it now has a sexy black sheen from years of Sunday morning bacon and eggs. Since then, I have gradually accumulated a dutch oven, a 12" fry pan, a grill pan, and a flat skillet too. When it comes to cast iron, I now buy Lodge Logic because their pans come already seasoned. The downside to cast iron is the weight, and there is no way to make a proper omelet in a cast iron pan. It takes two hands for me to lift the 12" fry pan even when it's empty, and I could probably use it to take out a 250 lb. intruder with a single blow to the head. Cast iron is also brittle, and can break from the impact if dropped, or crack if heated too quickly over high heat.

So recently, I decided to look into getting myself some traditional European style carbon steel fry pans. They're much lighter than cast iron, but still heavier than aluminum or copper core stainless pans. There are a bunch of carbon steel pans out there - some referred to as Black Steel, some as Carbon Steel, and even Blue Steel. But they are all raw steel that must be seasoned before use. Seasoning refers to the process of sealing a steel pan with oil, which protects it from rust and provides a natural non-stick coating that only gets better with use. The process for all raw steel pans, including cast iron, is pretty standard. Basically you want to make sure the pan is clean of any residue from the manufacturing or packaging process. Then you just coat the pan with a flavorless oil and heat the pan. Then once the pan is cool, wipe out the excess oil. If the coating ever gets messed up, you can just scrub the pan clean and start all over.

After browsing around and reading some reviews, I settled on buying a set of three De Buyer Mineral fry pans. Released in 2010, the De Buyer Mineral series are 99% iron, made from recycled material, and can be used with the widest range of heat sources, including induction cook tops. The set includes 8",10", and 12" Lyon shaped fry pans, with deep angled sides. The seasoning instructions included with the De Buyer pans were a little more involved. Before you season the pan, they instruct you to boil some potato peelings in the pan for 15 minutes, dispose of the peelings, then rinse and wipe the pan dry. It appears that the starch in the potatoes binds to any grime embedded in the metal that is released as the pan is heated, resulting in a more thorough cleaning. Next De Buyer instructs you to heat about 1/2 cm of oil in the bottom of the pan instead of just coating the pan with oil. The rest of the process is the same.

Anyone skeptical of the recycled Mineral pans can put their reservations to rest. I am in love with these pans! They performed beautifully right after the initial seasoning. I cooked myself an over easy egg in the 8" pan with just a little butter and the pan was so slick the egg slid around and flipped effortlessly. French Toast and Pork Chops browned up nicely and didn't stick to the 10" or 12" pans.

For sake of comparison I also ordered a less expensive Paderno 8" heavy duty carbon steel pan ($26.90 at Amazon). At first glance there are obvious differences between the pans. The De Buyer pans have a smoother factory finish, a higher offest handle, and more eye-appeal. The Paderno pan is much more basic. It is heavier and shaped more like a standard saute pan, with shallower sides and a straigher handle than it's De Buyer counterpart. Performance wise though, they are the same. Eggs slid around just as easily in the Paderno pan, and the crusty residue left by the beans for my Huevos Rancheros wiped clean with a paper towel.

So from a cost standpoint, the Paderno pan was a more ecomonical choice, but I do like the fact that the Mineral pans are made from recycled material. Regardless, I expect to have a long and happy relationship with these pans. Both of them are great, and with proper care and maintenance I'm sure they'll last long enough to be passed down to my grandchildren, or be sent off to the thrift store to find a new life once I'm long gone.

Notes about Carbon Steel/ Raw Steel cookware:

Great for pan roasting and saute-ing, and cooking foods that tend to stick to other pans. Stir fries or dishes that use plenty of oil or fat are the perfect use for these pans. Your food will get a nice sear and the fat will maintain the pan's seasoning.

Care is the same as cast iron. To clean, just rinse in really hot tap water and wipe out any residue with a dry towel. If by some chance there is some food stuck to the pan, you can make a paste of coarse salt and a little water, and use a dry sponge or towel to scrub out the offending matter. I find filling the pan with really hot water and scrubbing with a natural bristle brush (like a vegetable cleaning brush) works better than the salt paste and doesn't damage the seasoning. Before storing, dry the pan thoroughly, and use a paper towel or clean dish towel to thinly coat it with vegetable oil.

Cooking highly acidic foods can strip away the seasoning on your pan. So keep the vinegar away - save your stainless cookware for that.

Char Siu & Chinese Broccoli with Budding Chives

Char Siu (Chinese Style BBQ Roast Pork)

I have a confession to make. Despite my Asian heritage, I don't know much about cooking Asian food. Sure, I know how to stir-fry and know how to use the more common Asian ingredients, but Mom's home cooking was nothing like restaurant food. After years of cooking for myself, then going to culinary school, I can make Bechamel sauce for mac and cheese, French Onion Soup, and Chipotle and Chorizo Chili without blinking an eye, but ask me how to make Chinese standards like Red Cooked Pork, Sweet & Sour Sauce, or Kung Pao Chicken, and I wouldn't know where to start.

So last weekend when Chef and I were batting around ideas for a special using Black Sea Bass, and he said "Why don't we go Asian?" I felt my heart sink. Um, anytime my family went out for say, Chinese, we ate family style and had giant fish steamed whole, head on and everything, with a simple garnish of ginger and garlic. The waiter would cut the fish open and remove it's spine and ribs tableside. Then my mind went to all the restaurants in Chinatown with succulent roasted meats hanging in their windows, beckoning hungry patrons from the street. I thought of my favorite Thai joint in Astoria, and the hot stone bowl casseroles and seafood pancakes at my favorite Korean restaurant. Still, I didn't know how to cook any of these dishes, much less how to adapt them to western style fine dining.

Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli and Budding Chives

I took this as motivation to get back in the kitchen - my home kitchen - and further educate myself on how to use new ingredients and new methods. I thought I would start with one of my favorite comfort food items, and a Chinese staple: Char Siu, or Chinese roast pork. It always reminds me of working summers at my Dad's office in Chinatown, where I would regularly have a simple lunch of Char Siu with white rice and fresh stir-fried greens. So I decided to consult the country's leading authority: Martin Yan. I copied down the ingredients from my autographed copy of Martin Yan's China and drove down to my local Asian grocery. The budding chives and Chinese broccoli looked really fresh, so I picked up some of those too and stir fried them with some fresh garlic and chili sambal. I know that Siracha Sauce is all the rage right now, but I prefer Chili Sambal as a spicy condiment.

By the way, a thousand pardons for the recipe drought. I've been cooking a lot, just not at home, and nothing I can share. I finally got some time this week to cook for Boyfriend and myself. This recipe for Char Siu is for oven roasting, but I'll bet grilling over hardwood charcoal would be smoky and delicious too! Enjoy.


Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Roast Pork)

Adapted from Martin Yan's China 

Notes: Mr. Yan's recipe was just like my memories of Chinatown, except for a couple things. First, it called for sugar in the marinade, which I found unnecessary. Also, after cooking, his instructions were to simply bring the marinade to a boil and brush over the pork before serving. I found the resulting sauce was too sweet and thick for my taste. After bringing it to a boil, I diluted the marinade with some hot water and that seemed to do the trick.

INGREDIENTS, serves 4

(3) 1/2 lb.well marbled shoulder steaks or 1-1/2 lbs. pork butt

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced ginger

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. ground white pepper

1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder

PROCEDURE:

1. If you are using pork butt, slice the meat into three pieces of equal thickness.

2. To make the marinade, mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the meat, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. (I only had time for 4 hours, but if you marinate longer, you'll get more flavor, and an attractive red ring around the meat when it's sliced).

3. To cook, preheat oven to 400°F. Place a rack over a baking dish (you may want to line it with foil for easy cleanup). Pour about 1/4" of water in the baking dish. Arrange the meat slices in a single layer on the rack and roast, basting with the marinade every 15 minutes until they are cooked through. (For 1" thick shoulder steaks, it took about 45 minutes). Let the meat rest for about 15 minutes then slice it against the grain.

4. Combine the marinade with any pan drippings in a small saucepan and bring it all to a boil over high heat. Dilute with hot water if you want a thinner, less sweet sauce, or simmer and reduce if you want a thicker sweeter sauce. Brush over the pork and serve.

Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli with Budding Chives

Notes: Chinese broccoli can be braised whole, but the stalks stay very crunchy long after the leaves are wilted. By separating the leaves and floret from the stalk, then slicing the stalk into smaller pieces, everything will cook more evenly and be less work to eat.

INGREDIENTS, serves 4:

one bunch (about 12 stalks) of Chinese Broccoli

one bunch (about 1/4 lb.) Budding Chives

1-1/2 to 2 tsp. minced garlic

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

salt

1 tsp. Chili Sambal (adjust to taste)

PROCEDURE:

1. Wash the Chinese Broccoli thoroughly in a large container of water. Separate the large outer leaves from stalk and trim the florets to 2" long pieces. Thinly slice the thick part of the stalk. Cut the Budding Chives into 2" long pieces.

2. Combine oil and garlic. Heat wok over high heat. Pour oil garlic mixture into the wok and swirl around a few seconds. Add all the Chinese broccoli and Budding Chives to the wok. Saute for about 5 minutes over high heat, stirring continuously, and adding oil as needed to lightly coat the vegetables.

3. Add enough water so that after any steam clears, there is about 1/4" of water at the bottom of the wok. Simmer over high heat until most of the water has evaporated and the broccoli is cooked but still bright green. Season with salt and Chili Sambal to taste.