Pan - which one to buy?

Hey,

I’m buying a new pan and I just don’t know which one to buy… I’m stuck between this two…

and

which one would you choose?

+1 for Lodge

However one is cast iron and the other stainless steel so it all depends on what you plan on using it for.

I don’t see why you can’t get both, I love New kitchen toys.

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I know… I will use it mainly as my primary pan, but I would also like to have something to sear “sous vide” steaks, without cooking them too much over the sous vide temp.

haha believe me I’m a fanatic of kitchen tools… :stuck_out_tongue: I mean… I love cooking that’s my passion so for my if it’s worth spending money on something that’s cooking stuff. The problem is that I’m a little tight with money as I’m a student and right now I can’t afford to buy them both. If money wouldn’t be the problem instad of the carbon plus de buyer I would also rather choose “mineral b” de buyer pan :slight_smile:

Cast iron is very versatile and is a better choice for searing, due to its superior heat retention. And with a modicum of care it will outlive you and multiple generations of your descendants.

Carbon steel is lighter and easier to handle, and with somewhat better thermal conductivity (which means the pan will heat more evenly). It’s also more rust-resistant. But the reduction in mass comes at the cost of a corresponding reduction in heat retention.

I know all of that… It’s just that I would like a all around pan with the possibility of searing a steak without continuing to cook it too much. Of course the de buyer’s pan is more suitable for a all around pan it’s just that question that is bothering me… “does it heat enough to do the job I mentioned above?”

Then it sounds to me like you’ve really already made up your mind, and are just looking for some validation. If you already know everything that you’ve been told then you also already know that carbon steel can certainly be used for searing steaks. The difference between the two in that regard is simply that cast iron will generally do a better job of it owing to its superior heat retention. If you prefer the carbon steel for all other purposes, it doesn’t seem rational for this one relatively minor difference in steak searing ability to keep you on the fence.

Personally, I’d avoid stainless steel. Stainless is fine for other cooking, particularly if it has a sandwich construction base for heat distribution, but I hate it for browning/searing. But maybe that’s just me.

It really just depends on your cooking needs. I have both - but I don’t use the stainless steel for searing.

you are wrong… It’s just that everyone is telling me the propreties of carbon steel and cast iron… this are the things I already know… I want to know ppls experiences with one or another…

It’s carbon steel not stainless :slight_smile: [quote=“AlyssaWOAH, post:8, topic:10058, full:true”]
It really just depends on your cooking needs. I have both - but I don’t use the stainless steel for searing.
[/quote]

it’s carbon steel not stainless, it’s a little bit different :slight_smile: de buyer’s carbon steel is 3mm thick :slight_smile:

Really? Explain to me how I’m wrong about…

…given your own conclusion that…

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Sorry about that. My mistake.

OK. I love both Cast Iron and Carbon Steel. They both do the job well. They both need to be well seasoned and cared for. They both have a few advantages over the other, so it’s almost a coin flip decision.

Cast Iron is great. It’s heavy. Which is both good and bad. If you have back or arm issues, go for the Carbon Steel. It holds it’s heat extremely well once you get it up to temperature, which means it’s less prone to over crowding. I use my Cast Iron skillet for everything from frying eggs to grilling sandwiches. I don’t use it for anything where I need to lift it to serve. That sucker’s heavy. Cast Iron is also brittle. Drop it on a hard floor and you’re likely to be up for a new pan… and floor… and toe. But look after it well and it’ll last you a lifetime.

Carbon steel is great. It’s not heavy. It’s quicker to heat up. I think it does a better job at crisping bacon. It doesn’t hold it’s heat so well, but it recovers more quickly. It is slightly prone to temperature drops from over crowding but the recovery rate just means adding things a little more slowly. It needs to be seasoned well, very well. I use my Carbon Steel skillet for everything from pancakes and omelettes to shallow frying. Great for things that you have to turn out to serve. When well seasoned it might as well have a non-stick coating. If I’m going to brown or sear and then use the residue to make a sauce I’ll go for this over the Cast Iron. It requires a little more care when choosing the implements you use on it. The surface can roughen with scratching. But look after it and it’ll last a lifetime.

It’s a bit of a coin toss. :slight_smile: I must admit, I’m beginning to use my Carbon Steel more than the Cast Iron. My Cast Iron skillet is an antique, and I love it. I’d be heart broken if anything happened to it. But… It gets to be an effort to get it from the rack and place it on the stove. The Carbon Steel is just easier to deal with. And the results for searing are every bit as good.

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I just said that probably the de buyer’s pan is more all around because it’s lighter… That’s what I’m guessing that’s why I would like the opinion od someone that owns both of them… I had just the cast iron so I can’t compare them…

@Ember thanks a lot!

Looks like I will go with a carbon steel pan as I’m on a keto diet and do cook eggs and veggies all the time. I hope my mother can add my cast iron in the package she’s going to send me otherwise I will have to sear my steaks in a carbon steel for the next 2-3 months until I can afford to buy also a new cast iron.

There’s not a huge difference between Cast Iron and Carbon Steel when it comes to searing a steak. You might decide you don’t need the CI once you have the carbon.

Ohhh thank you sooo much! One more question for you…
I’m going to buy a de buyer carbon steel… I’m just stucked in which size to buy between 26 cm (10’) and 28cm (11’), I’m alone so I cook only for myself… The 26cm would be probably more suitable only for two eggs, one omelette, one steak or one chicken fillet?

You can cook small stuff in a large pan but not the other way around. Larger gives you more options. At least that’s my take. Of course, storage could be an issue for you, as it is for me but I hang my cooking gear (thankfully… because I finished up with a carbon steel skillet with a stupidly long handle that would’ve have fit in the cupboard.)

That’s true but I’m a little bit afraid that the 28cm is too big for dishes like omettes from 1-2eggs for one person…

True, but small ones are often easy to pick up quite cheaply.

why everything has to be so complicated hahahaha :smiley:

I own both and you will be happy either way. The main advantage of the cast iron is it tends to hold its seasoning better(at least that is my experience—but I have been using my cast iron for decades, the steel just a few years). The main advantage of the steel is it is lighter and easier to handle but can still suck up the heat. Great problem to have. Enjoy!

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in the USA, Australia and that countries yea, because you are generally used to use CI and CS pans… here in the EU people are used to ceramic, tefal, and that type of pans and you hardly find CI and CS… And if you are lucky to find them they are most of the times overpriced…