Carbon Skillets

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Paul282
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Paul282 »

This thread has piqued my interest in carbon steel pans as well. I stumbled across these today. I particularly like the look of the mixed metals so thought I'd share.

https://www.eatingtools.com/47_alex-pole-united-kingdom
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Drewski
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Drewski »

Picked up a Willow Creek Forge pan finally. Figured it was a good time to support a small business. From Alberta, so kinda local for me (still a 14 hour drive haha). It's definitely a beast. Thicker then my Mineral B pans by a half mm (3 vs 2.5, as far as I can measure with a tape and my eye). Beautiful braided handle and practically large (albeit likely heavy, especially opposite the handle) loop. Rivets haven't bothered me so far, and I don't expect these to. The hammered bottom kinda reminds me of my Shizuku.
Specs:
Diameter 11.5 in
Flat diameter 9.5 in
Weight 5 lbs 10 oz; 2.56 kg
Vertical height 1.5 in
I've been using my DeBuyer country pan for cooking rib steaks as the steaks are too big for an omelette pan. This is a pound lighter, an inch more flat, and easier to access (although I did enjoy the wall height on the country pan for splatter). Anybody know how to season this thing? :lol:
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Kalaeb
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Kalaeb »

That is good looking. Nice snag.
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Drewski
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Drewski »

Kalaeb wrote: Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:32 pm That is good looking. Nice snag.
Thanks! I forgot to mention, $240 CAD including tax and shipping.
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

In surfing through a shop I've never heard of before, I came across this video - possibly by the owner of the shop - that simply NAILED the whole carbon skillet seasoning issue. Only difference is she's talking about carbon woks.

I can't recall anyone posting this clip before, but even if it has, it is SO worth the <3minute view :lol: I feel so affirmed :P
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
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cedarhouse
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by cedarhouse »

Ha.

I'm not sure Mark has the tone of voice to be a knife therapist.

I KNOW I don't
stevem627
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by stevem627 »

WOW Dan that was a PERFECT video on seasoning any carbon steel or cast iron.
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

cedarhouse wrote: Fri May 29, 2020 11:43 pm Ha.

I'm not sure Mark has the tone of voice to be a knife therapist.

I KNOW I don't
First, it only now occurs to me that I have never heard Mark's voice, or so I think :?
Second, having Mark do a "Knife Therapist" for the poor souls that find the rabbit hole and step in....................... Should they get convex, or clear shinogi? Is Carbon so hard to maintain? Will they scratch up their first nice knife or should they get a practice one too? Is octagonal much better than d-shaped? Is flat better than curvy? How much is "too curvy"?! Isn't Aogami Super always better than Aogami #2?! Aaaaaaarrrrgggh!
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
stevem627
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by stevem627 »

You can hear Marks voice on several sharpening videos Dan. They are on YouTube if you search Mark Richmond knives, and also here in the Sharpening forum.

https://www.chefknivestogoforums.com/vi ... f=4&t=7470
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

stevem627 wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 9:13 am You can hear Marks voice on several sharpening videos Dan. They are on YouTube if you search Mark Richmond knives, and also here in the Sharpening forum.

https://www.chefknivestogoforums.com/vi ... f=4&t=7470
Oh! That voice... yes, I recognize from my waking dreams... this voice, and Steve Gamache's :lol:
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
Kalaeb
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Kalaeb »

For those of you that are wok wise, is there any advantage to dropping more coin on a wok, or are they generally all similar? Looking to buy one and the price range varies from 13.50 to 250...

Any recommendations for a good carbon wok?
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

Kalaeb wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:04 am For those of you that are wok wise, is there any advantage to dropping more coin on a wok, or are they generally all similar? Looking to buy one and the price range varies from 13.50 to 250...

Any recommendations for a good carbon wok?
Well, those you see in the "Wok Therapist" clip go for about $29 on the WokShop... Some of them are made in the USA, too
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by stevem627 »

As far as getting a wok you need to decide how big a wok you need, whether or not you want a flat bottom, your heat source ( gas, electric, or induction) and the gauge of carbon steel (basically the weight) . Pre seasoned doesn’t make much difference, but if a wok is big and heavy you can’t toss things (at my age /strength) without using two hands. I gave away a larger wok and got a smaller one now there are just two of us. If you like to cook for a larger group get a larger wok.
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by rayl1234 »

I went through the search for the "perfect" wok phase maybe 6 months ago. I never posted about it bec there didn't seem to be a general interest in carbon woks. Now that there is, here goes:

I ended up with a Yamada wok. It came down to several considerations:

Flat vs round bottom:

As already noted -- if you are not using gas, you pretty much have to go flat bottom. So w/o gas here, I went flat bottom. But if you do use gas, round bottom is better in that the shape matches what the utensils work with better.

Thickness:: 1.2mm, 1.6mm or thicker

1.2 I found too flexible, not rigid enough
2.0mm+ ones are really more like a carbon pan in the shape of a wok and do not heat up / cool down as fast as typically needed for stir frying and do not focus the heat on the bottom area only as well.
Ended up with 1.6mm

Hammered vs spun:

There needs to be roughness on the sides to keep food from sliding down into the hot area. This is done with hammering (manual or machine) or with spun ridges. Hammered is more costly. I did not find a performance difference to be honest, though ended up with a hammered model given other considerations.

Shape: There is the traditional southern shape and the slightly steeper "pow" shape more popular in the north -- which works better with higher temperature faster food movement cooking styles.

One handle vs two loop handles. And for one handle models: short vs long... wooden attachment or not.

Size: Just a matter of how much food you are making per batch.

Flat bottom limited by choices greatly. I ended up with a 36 cm, 1.6mm thick, machine hammered, flat bottom Yamada. Cost a small fortune to ship. I recommend Yamadas highly, but I believe they only make pow shaped works.

What I especially love about the Yamada is something that my carbon pans lack. The flat bottom is slightly concave to resist warping!

Warping inevitably happens to my pans over about 10 inches in diameter. I don't have the energy to re-flatten them and end up living with the issue. (The proper way is to heat up with weights and let them cool slowly. It's a time consuming process and for some reason, using dumbbell weights always leaves an odor in the kitchen for a few days! Ignore the YouTube videos of someone banging with a hammer -- that creates metal fatigue and will result in re-warping more easily...)

I hear the Blanc Creatives carbon pans also offer this feature and am in line to try one.

-Ray
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Jeff B
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Jeff B »

I'm far from a wok guru but I bought this wok in 14" several years ago and it does a great job. https://www.wokshop.com/newstore/produc ... -made-usa/

And I strongly recommend AGAINST flaxseed oil to season. My experience is it flakes off badly.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

Seems like from that "Therapist" clip and onward, we've effectively started a new thread.

Shall we ask the moderators to put this elsewhere? Say, under "Carbon Wok pans" ?
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
Bob Z
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Bob Z »

Hmm carbon woks and pans are so close...and the seasoning is exactly the same. And I strongly agree with Jeff B that flaxseed oil sucks, it flaked off for me too. Im an advocate of grapeseed oil now, and it doesnt smell fishy either.

But, I have gone thru the wok anxiety also. Why doesnt mine look as good as hers? Now that it looks good i shouldn't use it cause ill screw it up? How long do you wait when the surface gets yucks to strip it or do you not strip it?

My matfer got the yucky surface month ago and i stripped just the bottom and started over. Seemed easier than the first time for some reason.
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Altadan
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Altadan »

Bob Z wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 4:26 pm

My matfer got the yucky surface month ago and i stripped just the bottom and started over. Seemed easier than the first time for some reason.
What do you mean "yucky surface"? Like, sticky?

I find that any time I used evoo,or avocado oil, in any form of hight temp... I ended up getting sticky residue. Ever since a friend of mine, (who married into France) told me that these French pans clearly love butter, it's been a game changer. Butter and fat, that is
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
― François de La Rochefoucauld
Bob Z
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Bob Z »

in your video above, mine was kinda looking like the one at 3:06. surface splotches and scratches. Mine never seems to get sticky but as i only use grapeseed oil and or butter. I guess its WOCD after all. I gave up caring that much about my wok cause i use a metal utensil in it, but my Matfer i like to cook eggs in it and just knew a splotchy surface wasn't helping it.
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Re: Carbon Skillets

Post by Phunguyen18 »

Hi Guys,

Just founded this forum after doing some intensive research k. Carbon steel pan. After all the research, I am close to pulling the trigger to get the SB Forged...

Should I start off with their 11 inch medium size skillet or go all out and just get one of there full set?

I really like the Blanc creative handles, but since they started to hand spun their pan, I just look to finished for me. Can anyone offer review on the Blu skillet or Blanc Creative with SB forged?

Thank you.
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