Carbon Steel Skillets: Carbon steel skillets are one of the most popular cookware options currently available. The many positive features that come with carbon steel cookware make it a great choice for any kitchen. It’s easy to use, high-temperature resistance or a wide range of sizes and shapes that make this cookware a great choice for your home.
It is essential to do this step by step. It is possible to season carbon steel using the right technique and ingredients at any time.
Season a carbon-steel skillet!
To keep the pan’s top smooth, the carbon steel should be available. Seasoning cookware can technically be described as the chemical reaction that occurs when oil is heated. This involves coating the pan with wax or an oil with a high smoke point to form a hard layer of polymerized fat.
The oil fills in the pores and keeps rust from sticking to the top. Seasoning is like a protective coating at first glance. Seasoning prevents cookware rusting by keeping moisture off the skillet’s surface.
Seasoning can be used as a base layer to add additional seasonings to your food while you are still cooking. Season the top of a carbon-steel skillet by using natural oils and fats from your ingredients. This is essential for the skillet’s durability. To complete the seasoning process however, you will need a special oil or wax.
What’s the best oil for seasoning carbon steel skillets?
To season your carbon-steel skillet, there are two main options for oil. Grapeseed, sunflower and canola oils are the best options. A special seasoning wax is also available: This can be a combination of two high-smoke point oils (grapeseed or canola), with beeswax to keep it all together.
The wax is tasteless and leaves no odor in the pan. To ensure that polymerization occurs when the pan reaches the smoke point, it is essential to season it with a substance with a high smoking point. Polymerization is a chemical reaction that allows oil to turn to a solidified seasoning layer rather than revert to liquid form. The wax will stick to the pan’s top and create a fine surface that is suitable for cooking.
How to season a carbon-steel skillet
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Use a foil-covered baking sheet. Once the oven has been heated, place the baking sheets on the oven’s base rack. Use hot soap and water to wash new pans. The vegetable oils in the skillet are used to prevent corrosion and simplify the main seasoning process.
The skillet should be dried before it is used on the stove at low heat. This allows excess moisture to evaporate from the skillet’s surface. Turn heat up to medium and apply a thin layer of high smoke points oil or wax to the cookware’s surface.
Use the oil or wax in a thin layer on the entire pan. The pan will retain a little oil. After the oil has dried, place the skillet in the oven. Oil will be trapped on the baking sheet. The skillet should be left in the oven for at least an hour. After about an hour, turn off the heat and allow the skillet to cool naturally.
Carbon steel: How to take care
This method is great for seasoning a pan or wok made of carbon steel. This is the first step in applying a nonstick coating. Increased fats will help keep your pan shiny. Cook delicate foods such as fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits until you have a reliable nonstick coating (usually after 3-5 uses). It is important to remember not to place carbon steel cookware in the dishwasher as this could cause rust and damage the entire seasoned cooking surface.
