Food - Drink
Do You Need To Season A Carbon Steel Pan?
By KELLY WELTON
Carbon steel pans, an amalgam of carbon and iron, are great alternatives to chemically-coated non-stick pans and can deliver an almost non-stick experience. They’re durable and cook foods excellently and consistently, but much like a cast iron pan, seasoning carbon steel pans is crucial, and this is how to do it.
Even if your pan comes pre-seasoned, it still needs to be treated before you use it for the first time, since the film that factories apply to keep the pan from rusting after it's made will have to be removed. Scour the pan with strong soap and hot water, followed by an immediate and thorough drying, then put the pan on low heat.
Use a clean towel to wipe the interior and exterior of the pan with a neutral oil, using the oil sparingly and rubbing off any excess. Place the pan back on the burner and dial it up to high for 10 minutes, or put it into a 450-degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes, then repeat the whole process until the pan is deep brown in color.